Child Care Is the Foundation of Rural New Hampshire's Future

When people talk about strengthening rural New Hampshire, the conversation tends to focus on housing, workforce development, broadband, transportation, health care, and economic development.

All of those investments are very important. But there is another piece of infrastructure that is just as needed—yet too often overlooked.

Child care.

Without reliable, affordable child care, businesses struggle to hire workers, parents have  to reduce their hours or leave the workforce altogether, and rural communities find it harder to attract and retain young families. Child care is more than a service for families—it is essential infrastructure that supports local economies and thriving communities.

Across northern New Hampshire, these challenges are especially acute. A recent New Hampshire Bulletin article highlighted the unique realities facing providers in the North Country. Programs that serve families tend to be spread across large areas, operate with small staffs, and face rising costs while trying to remain affordable for working families. Some communities have only one licensed provider. Some have none at all. Even when providers want to expand, finding qualified staff and sustainable funding remains a constant challenge.

This is not just a New Hampshire story. Across rural America, communities are confronting the same challenge. National research has found that child care shortages contribute directly to workforce shortages, slower economic growth, and declining rural populations. Families cannot accept jobs if they cannot find care for their children. Employers cannot fill open positions if workers have nowhere to safely leave their children during the day. Communities struggle to grow when young families choose to live elsewhere.

Increasingly, economists and community development leaders are reaching the same conclusion: child care is infrastructure.

Just as roads connect people to work and broadband connects communities to the economy, child care connects parents to the workforce and businesses to the employees they need.

That understanding is beginning to shape public investment. This summer, New Hampshire's congressional delegation announced more than $9 million in Northern Border Regional Commission funding for projects across northern New Hampshire. Among those investments are initiatives that recognize child care as a key component of community and workforce development. It isn’t simply a family service, but an essential investment in resilient rural economies.

This broader perspective is encouraging because it reflects what providers have known for years. Strong child care systems don't happen by accident. Providers need support to operate increasingly complex businesses while continuing to deliver high-quality care and early learning. Access to shared administrative services, financial planning, professional development, licensing assistance, technology, marketing support, and opportunities to collaborate with one another can make the difference between simply surviving and thriving.

That's where organizations like Evergreen Start can make a difference: Our mission is to help child care providers build sustainable businesses so they can focus on what they do best, caring for children and supporting families. By strengthening operations, expanding shared services, and connecting providers with resources and one another, we can help programs remain viable, grow where possible, and better serve their communities.

Expanding child care strengthens local economies by helping parents return to work, filling workforce gaps, and giving children a stronger start in school.

Child care should no longer be viewed as just a social service. It is workforce development, economic development, and community development—and one of the smartest investments New Hampshire can make in its future.

As communities continue to look for ways to strengthen rural New Hampshire, child care must be part of the conversation. The future of our workforce, our families, and our communities depends on it.