Connecting Childcare and Workforce Development

Across eastern South Dakota, the Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Plains Inc. has been providing safe, affordable youth care since 2003. Now, a $100,000 grant from South Dakota Community Foundation will help the organization to expand its portable Early Childhood Enrichment model in rural and underserved communities.

“Childcare and workforce development go hand in hand,” said Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. "When families can't find reliable childcare, the ripple effects reach every part of a community. This grant, and the work it funds, will help to address these dual challenges.”

Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Plains Inc. is the largest Boys & Girls Club affiliate in South Dakota, operating 21 program sites across seven communities and serving more than 4,500 young people each year.

Its Early Childhood Enrichment model was developed in response to a shortage of affordable, licensed childcare in the region, which has limited workforce participation, economic growth and school readiness.

The approach expands access to care by embedding high-quality learning opportunities across settings such as schools, childcare centers, community hubs and mobile classrooms. These sites share consistent curriculum, educator training and family engagement strategies.

"A child who cannot read by third grade rarely catches up, and a parent without care cannot work,” said Jody Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer of BGCNP. “SDCF's $100,000 investment answers both, funding the recruitment and training of skilled early childhood educators so more children reach kindergarten with stronger literacy skills, and more families can build a life here. This is not a gift to a program; it is an investment in a stronger South Dakota for years to come.”

Grant funding will support staff training and credentialing, curriculum development, classroom enhancements and operational systems that allow for high-quality, consistent delivery of services over time.

“This year, SDCF introduced an initiative to support the wellbeing of children across South Dakota,” Niemann said. “BGCNP’s effort aligns with that goal, and we expect it will have a significant impact on families, businesses and communities in the region.”