Onamia water tower — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Multimedia Producer
30 children. 22 families. A butterfly effect of countless impacts, community-wide. The Onamia Childcare Center, Kidz Zone, opened on September 5, 2023. MLCV, operating as the developer, reveled in its unveiling as a project formed by solid partnerships and research-driven decisions. In this blog post, we will dive deep into the role of the research presented by the Center for Rural Policy and Development in shaping MLCV’s decision to step into the lively space of childcare.
Center for Rural Policy and Development
Photo courtesy of the Center for Rural Policy and Development
The Center for Rural Policy and Development (CRPD) is a not-for-profit organization created in 1997 by the Minnesota Legislature. They aim to provide high-quality, objective, and nonpartisan research to examine and advance policy and decision-making, rural advocacy, and civic engagement for Greater Minnesota’s development. Marnie Werner, CRPD’s VP of Research & Operations, is a leading force in supporting this mission and the research regarding childcare in Minnesota.
Marnie Werner, CRPD’s VP of Research & Operations
Marnie’s been with the team since 2000. Her background in journalism and interest in politics led to her current role, where she gets to put her love of following bunny trails and piecing together data to use — and in a way that helps others make informed decisions. Before delving into the critical research that paved MLCV’s way, I connected with her to better understand how the CRPD works.
All undertakings begin with a thought leader survey of potential research questions developed by the Center’s diverse board members and Marnie’s team. It’s then shared with their mailing list of about 3,000 people, where responses of “urgent,” “important but not urgent,” or “not important” come rolling in. Topics that rise to the top are put into action. Marnie also has a chance to claim projects that are emerging concerns in the community that most may not yet be aware of, and that’s precisely where the research on childcare stems from.
Once a matter is determined, the real thrill begins. Marnie shares how the facts are collected, “The state gathers a lot of data that may never see the light of day. We dig through and subdivide, looking at differences between regions and urban and rural areas. Often, the metro statistics mask what’s happening in the rest of the state, so it’s our job to see what’s happening statewide.”
The reports go public after the information is sorted through and documented. Its first purpose is to serve legislators in making effective changes, but frequently, as with our team, Economic Developers are paying close attention. Marnie shares that leaders in these positions are typically their largest audience. And we can attest — it has astoundedly influenced our work.
The Childcare Research Journey
Photo courtesy of iStock
Through the instrumental push of a CRPD board member, the research topic of childcare evolved into a meaningful and connective project for Marnie and MLCV. The initial findings showed that childcare accessibility was going down in rural Minnesota. Marnie states, “The number of centers was increasing while family providers were decreasing. At first, it seems okay because you think the centers are taking care of it. But then we discovered they only covered the metro area’s shortfall.” In addition, “Family childcare is of greatest concern in rural Minnesota because it is still the most common form of childcare available.” This evidence, coupled with the knowledge that centers aren’t growing in Greater Minnesota at a rate to make up for the shortfall, was enough to perk up our ears.
As the research continued, they found the roadblocks hindering family providers, which, as a result, hindered Greater Minnesota’s childcare opportunities. One stood out — the lack of realization that childcare is not just a service but a business. Due to strict regulations, an imbalance between what it cost to provide care and what families could afford, and other deterrents, these businesses were no longer economically feasible.
Why does any of this matter? These research findings became the backbone for the soon-to-be revelations that sparked our role in opening a childcare center in the Onamia community.
Research Findings That Ignited the Spark + Solutions
The issue of childcare has quickly become one of economic development — with that, MLCV’s dedication became non-negotiable. According to the research delivered by the CRPD, three key factors affect workforce re-entry: affordable housing, transportation, and childcare.
Photo courtesy of the Center for Rural Policy and Development
Marnie shares, “Prior to the pandemic, the problem of job vacancies was on a slow burn across the state, but the issue exploded in 2020.” When schools closed, many parents needed to quit their jobs so that they could care for their children. Near the end of 2021, workforce involvement had an uptick, but not so for those in rural Minnesota, particularly women. And much of it pins back to the low accessibility to childcare facilities.
The CRPD identified nine recommended solutions for tackling the childcare crisis. Some of these include educating the public about childcare, high community stakeholder involvement, and allowing for creativity and flexibility — take the pod model, for example, which grants a family provider the ability to function outside of the home and in the same building as other providers, separated into “pods.” All areas in which we are closely attuned as we move forward with our commitment to childcare.
MLCV’s Role in Economic Development
Affordable housing, transportation, and childcare so closely intertwine with labor force participation that it’s nearly impossible to tackle one without, at the very least, understanding the other.
MLCV is already actively serving the local community in affordable housing initiatives, like Lady Luck Estates in Hinckley and Red Willow Estates in Onamia. And another in the pipeline, Sugar Maple Crossing apartments in Hinckley. These efforts help curb the housing shortages throughout rural Minnesota and enable a brighter economic ecosystem.
We’re also engaged in transportation, with a traffic corridor venture that could potentially invite over two thousand jobs and bring over $150MM in new labor income to the Hinckley area. The proposed 7-Gen infrastructure project will seek to accommodate Hinckley traffic better, improving the flow of access and movement around businesses, complete with a new Mille Lacs Tribal Economy business park and a Willard Munger State Trail trailhead. The name “7-Gen” is fitting, reflecting the extended duration required to see this project to its potential fruition.
The next necessary step in our journey toward strengthening our community and Greater Minnesota was to gather extensive data surrounding the childcare crisis and intentionally begin our assistance.
Bridge connecting Red Willow Estates and Onamia Childcare Center, Kidz Zone — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Multimedia Producer
Kidz Zone Day Care Center in Onamia is a game-changer for working families in the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy who strive to stay close to their children, even on those busy workdays. The facility is just steps away from Red Willow Estates townhomes, connecting the childcare and housing dots. Households, employers, and the community can feel the weight-reducing impact through its spurred workforce participation outcomes, building a more robust landscape for business investment.
Using data from the BTYR in addressing critical community needs is incredibly important to us, as we are a data-driven organization. When I first talked to Marnie, she told me, “We seldom receive direct feedback that our research has had an effect. It is so nice to hear from you that it has.”
We commend the Center for the valuable resources that have prepared us for our entry into childcare. We eagerly anticipate the substantial ripple effect that will stem from the opening of Kidz Zone in Onamia in the coming days.
This article was written by Hannah Torkelson, MLCV’s Senior Communications Strategist. Hannah is a storyteller responsible for executing internal and external MLCV communications and capturing impactful moments within MLCV’s portfolio.