Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Inc. (IA)

An Innovative State Tries a Bold New Strategy

The state of Iowa has become a nationally recognized leader in early childhood systems modernization thanks to a combination of strong leadership, updated infrastructure, and a commitment to ongoing support for families and providers.  Case in point: the Child Care Collaborative of Iowa (CCCI), a free program through which Financial Management Coaches work closely with child care business owners and administrators to “identify and implement strategies to strengthen fiscal sustainability and support high-quality programming.”

The coaching initiative was tied to the state’s 2022 decision to provide free Child Care Management Software (CCMS) access to as many of its providers as possible. CCCI coaches help providers onboard to their new systems, set up automations and process improvements, implement new family communication strategies, and generally establish sound business practices. The vision was clear—by helping providers get a better handle on administrative work, the state saw an opportunity to strengthen supply while also empowering educators to focus more on creating safe, high-quality care and learning environments for the children they served.

After being awarded the contract to administer the CCCI program, the team at Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Inc. knew they needed an effective way to track, monitor, and measure the impact of their coaching efforts. BridgeCare was an obvious fit for the ambitious project. “The BridgeCare team presented the ability to design a database to meet our changing needs,” said Melissa Juhl, Mid-Sioux Opportunity’s Child Care Services Director. “As the Child Care Collaborative of Iowa's program grew, the database was configurable enough to be able to evolve and scale with us.”

How the Coaching Works

Since October of 2022, participating providers have received free subscriptions to one of two state-approved CCMS platforms, along with 12 months of Financial Management Coaching from one of CCCI’s highly trained coaches. The engagement starts with a pre-assessment to help coaches identify a starting point, then a regular coaching cadence is established. At the end of the engagement, providers complete a post-assessment demonstrating how far they have come since enrolling in the program.

BridgeCare’s Coaching & TA solution undergirds this entire process—enabling coaches to customize hundreds of worksheets and assessments to meet the unique needs of each provider, and providing a centralized repository for communications and internal notes on each coaching session. The Grants Management solution is also used to support technology grants for providers.  

Making an Impact

The coaching program has been a rousing success. As of 2026, CCCI’s coaches have logged over 41,000 interactions with over 1,400 providers in BridgeCare. Nearly $300,000 in technology grants have been administered through the platform. 

Iowa, like many states, has been fighting an ongoing shortage of child care supply, with roughly 23% of its residents living in child care deserts. The state just recently passed legislation to codify and make permanent a highly successful pilot to make child care workers automatically eligible for their Child Care Assistance program, a move that will help providers retain qualified staff and hopefully attract more people to the profession. 

In the meantime, Mid-Sioux Opportunity and its Child Care Collaborative of Iowa coaches will be doing their part to ensure the providers who are open are maximizing their efficiency and building stable, sustainable businesses. Because when demand outstrips supply, every provider matters.  

“Mid-Sioux is excited for the future of the Child Care Collaborative of Iowa program and how it will impact the future of child care. BridgeCare will be a key component in the program's success.” 

-Melissa Juhl, CCAP, Child Care Services Director, Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Inc.