Get Involved

Be A Difference Maker

MEMBER INTEREST

Are you a forward-thinking executive who values making a difference as a key component of business success?

Our members are leaders in their fields who are driving lasting change by expanding thought leadership around early child care and education as the foundation to economic growth and societal transformation.

Join this prestigious group of powerful business leaders and support our important work, including:

  • Raising awareness of the importance of early child care and education
  • Championing new policy solutions
  • Providing tools and innovative strategies to help businesses support the development, recruitment, and retention of employees

TWO MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

Network Members

  • Network with other prestigious leaders
    • EPIC’s Annual Business Leaders Dinner (Fall) – Free to members
    • Annual Business Leaders Dinner VIP Reception (Governor invited)
    • Annual early childhood learning/networking event (Spring)
  • Stay informed with advanced intelligence & tools
    • Obtain behind-the-scenes intelligence and give your input during EPIC’s Policy Pop-Up Calls
    • Receive member-only updates on early childhood policy and innovative workplace strategies
    • Receive basic technical assistance from subject matter experts regarding on-site and contracted child care initiatives
    • Enjoy a discounted member rate for on-site trainings and project consultation
    • Access to consulting and the employer-toolkit
  • Contribute thought leadership to key initiatives
    • Participate in ad-hoc membership work groups concerning advocacy and early childhood initiatives
    • Bring ideas and improvements to the employer toolkit and other outreach and education efforts
    • Participate in turn-key donation/volunteer programs to engage employees around early literacy awareness through Colorado Business Reads partnerships with Book Trust and Reach Out and Read Colorado.

Executive Members*

  • Participate at Network Member level
  • Contribute senior-level, visionary leader direction
  • Invited to participate on the EPIC Board Policy & Initiatives Committees
  • Participate in exclusive, invitation-only VIP roundtables and private events with high profile business leaders, policymakers, and speakers
  • Eligible for nomination and election to the EPIC Board of Directors**
  • Co-branding opportunities with EPIC on events and social campaigns**

*Nomination from current EPIC Executive or Board Member required to become an Executive Member
**Subject to approval

Become an EPIC leader and improve the quality of the workforce, business success, and economic prosperity both today and into the future.

WORKPLACE SUPPORT

Child care is one of the biggest concerns working parents have. Available care enhances employee contributions, while advancing early education creates a stronger and more diverse next generation of talent.

Forward-thinking companies foster their success today, and also improve their future financial outlook. Through access to early education, they are developing a talented future workforce, ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

EPIC is helping to initiate change and shaping the future of Colorado through action-oriented conversations with business associations, government leaders and other organizations, supporting the creation of family-friendly work environments and increasing access to child care and early education.

Connect with us to learn how to implement new programs at your workplace, and support your employees, and navigate the Federal Tax Credits that may be available to your company.

If you are a committed company that understands that people are the drivers of your economic success, you may want to join us in leaving a legacy of a changed future.

HOW WE HAVE HELPED

“The EPIC team has been a great partner to us in our journey at Guild in opening up our first employer-sponsored daycare and preschool. Guild has about 750 employees, headquartered here in Denver. A little over a year ago we embarked journey to open a day care and preschool in downtown Denver. What we are really hoping to do is build a play book with organizations such as EPIC and DDP so that any company that wants to figure out how to be supportive of their working parents and supportive of their community in a way that takes care of the children of their workers can do so creatively and with a real understanding of the risks and rewards. We aim to cut through some the myth and legend in a way that makes clear there is a real ROI in investing in these programs and opportunities for employees.”

Rachel Carlson
CEO & Co-Founder Guild Education

LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

Executives in EPIC are leading a social change centered on growing the economy by supporting families and children first.

Members receive special invites to VIP roundtable conversations with key policy makers and legislators throughout the year.

Business leaders are effective and influential champions for children! Join EPIC and engage in policy that will shape the future for generations to come. Ways to engage include:

  • Authoring editorial articles and speaking with media partners
  • Testifying in support of state legislation
  • Contacting Federal congressional members and State legislators to advocate for policies
  • Sharing educational information with key business organizations and partners

We are actively advocating for:

  • Expanding preschool
  • Enabling child care providers to manage their real estate costs so that they can afford to pay the wages necessary to attract and retain qualified workers
  • Building the child care work force
  • Advocating funding for public schools to ensure free preschool for all Colorado kids – Click here to support and endorse Proposition EE!

COLORADO BUSINESS READS

Before a child enters kindergarten, their most critical brain development occurs. When early literacy skills are imparted on children, they become successful readers and grow up to contribute to our communities and the workforce of the future.

Since 2013, EPIC’s Colorado Business Reads, a statewide book drive, has delivered more than 600,000 books to children who don’t have a home library. Books from businesses around the state have been collected and distributed to community programs such as:

  • A Precious Child
  • Reach Out & Read Colorado
  • Food Bank of the Rockies (Backpacks & Bites Program)
  • Pueblo EPIC & Young Readers Program
  • Early Childhood Councils across Colorado
  • And many more!

Organizations including the Colorado Rockies and The UPS Store have been instrumental in supporting EPIC’s book drives that enable children to develop a love of reading in their most formative years.

By becoming a member you can join EPIC in providing early literacy resources to children in need. Get involved, help Colorado kids and families, and increase employee engagement in your company through volunteer opportunities. You can make a difference! Click here to become a member and learn more about our partnerships with Reach Out and Read Colorado and Book Trust.

BUILDING UP EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE)

ESSENTIAL FOR A THRIVING ECONOMY

Child care is an essential industry and key to building a balanced and thriving economy that meets the needs of Coloradans. A strong, sustainable child care and early education system is an economic imperative. This critical infrastructure keeps businesses thriving, families contributing, and provides a foundation for children’s future success.

The high cost of child care and early learning often keeps parents out of the workforce.

Colorado has the 8th highest cost of child care in the country. The cost of full-time infant care averages near $1,300 per month in Colorado and can easily surpass $2,000 per month for infant care in areas like Denver. A family earning the state median income of roughly $73,000 per year would spend almost 40% of their income on child care for an infant and a 4-year-old.

Shortages in early education professionals and child care slots jeopardize employee retention.

Since 2011, Colorado has lost nearly one-third of the licensed infant child care slots. In addition, hundreds of in-home child care providers have closed across the state. These providers offer the most infant and toddler care, extended hours, and evening or weekend care. At the same time, the early childhood teachers caring for children are making an average wage of $26,000 per year and are unable to support their own families.

A STRESSED BUSINESS MODEL RIPE FOR INNOVATION 

The child care cost structure, coupled with communities where families cannot afford to pay high market rates, makes it difficult to build and sustain a child care program from the onset. Increasing early childhood revenue streams, while reducing expenses for child care businesses would provide relief to the industry. Over the next two years, EPIC proposes to bring business leaders from real estate development, homebuilding, finance, construction and other industries together to create innovative solutions that address Colorado’s critical child care infrastructure needs.

Learn more how you can help us change the child care business equation and our phased approach to improving access and affordability to high quality child care and early learning experiences.

The Building Up Initiative will create innovative solutions to improve access to affordable, high-quality early learning for children and the ability for families to work. Click here to share our one pager with your network. 

Interested in learning more about Building Up and joining as a subject matter expert?  Click Here 

EMPLOYER-BASED CHILD CARE DESIGN LAB

It’s no secret that the pandemic has brought the importance of quality, affordable child care for the workforce to the forefront of the conversation. In politics, business, education, and the lives of millions of families this is a topic of hardship that has been building pressure for a long time in Colorado and across the nation. In a recent article in the Colorado Sun, The Colorado Children’s Campaign estimated that about 64% of Colorado families had to alter their child care plans and lives due to the pandemic (Julig, 2021).

Employers have been hit hard by this deficit, as employees from entry to executive level are leaving the workforce and struggling to return. Employers and entities across the state are taking action to help relieve the pressure on working families, through the development of on or near-site child care programs and other creative family benefits that aim to offer both access, flexibility, and affordability for their employees, while building critical child care supply in their region.

To continue guiding this incredible effort to success, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) has partnered with EPIC to bring back the Employer-Based Child Care Design Lab, a unique opportunity for employers to gain the knowledge necessary to plan an on-site or near-site child care facility through direct support and community partnerships while developing a competitive grant application for up to $800,000 in state funding for their projects. The Design Lab will launch in April 2023 through August 2023 and will consist of virtual meetings, networking opportunities and project technical assistance for participants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DESIGN LAB 2.0

Community Hospital Utilized Design Lab to Address the Child Care Needs of Their Staff
A lack of accessible and affordable childcare was identified as a community need in Mesa County. As a result, Community Hospital took action and recently broke ground on “Adventure Academy,” a new, onsite early child care and early education facility.

Learn how Steamboat Ski Resort used Design Lab to help Solve Their Child Care Challenge
In December, Steamboat Ski and Resort opened their new employer-based child care facility. Listen to our podcast below on how they “got over their skis” to tackle the problem of a lack of child care with collaboration from EPIC’s Design Lab.

In Partnership with

EPIC Membership Inquiry

This contact form is deactivated because you refused to accept Google reCaptcha service which is necessary to validate any messages sent by the form.

© Copyright - Executives Partnering to Invest In Children