Make Your Voice Count: 7 Key Moves to Advocate for Child Care Funding in Minnesota
Kayley Spencer, Executive Director of Lakeside Early Learning and Rural Pathways’ client, found that talking about the local economic impact made lawmakers pay attention at the 28th Annual Duluth & St. Louis County at the Capitol Days event in St. Paul. Photo source: Lakeside Early Learning.
Civic engagement covers many kinds of involvement—paid or volunteer, political or non-political. However you choose to get involved, we want to help you do it. Right now, the Minnesota Legislature is reviewing child care budget proposals that affect families, providers, nonprofits, and work force development. By speaking up, you can help keep child care a top priority. Here are seven key moves to consider.
Note: You can use these same strategies when advocating for other important issues—like housing, workforce development, or health care—being discussed at the Capitol.
Key Move 1: Stay Informed
Use the Minnesota Legislature’s website to track important child care bills and policy decisions. Here are some resources:
Bill Search – Look up child care bills by keywords, bill numbers, or authors.
Bill Tracking – Sign up for “MyBills” alerts to track changes to child care legislation.
Committee Hearings & Minutes – Many funding decisions happen in committee. Attend a hearing or read the minutes afterward.
Find & Contact Your Legislator – Use the House and Senate directories to get your lawmaker’s contact information.
Legislative Meeting Calendar – Check the Combined Legislative Calendar for upcoming hearings and votes.
Key Move 2: Tailor Your Advocacy Strategy
Advocacy can look different depending on your role in the child care world.
For Caregivers (Parents & Families)
Share Your Story – Explain how child care costs, quality, and access affect your family.
Join a Caregiver Group – Work with other families to push for better funding and policies. Often these groups have newsletters that provide quick overviews.
Attend Town Halls – Ask lawmakers how they plan to support child care funding.
For Child Care Providers
Discuss Economic Impact – Show how your center supports the local economy. And if your organization is not a member of the local chamber of commerce, it should be.
Meet Legislators – Describe why running a child care business is challenging without adequate funding.
Host a Visit – Invite elected officials to see your program firsthand.
Use Data & Stories – Combine facts with personal testimonies to make a stronger case.
For Nonprofits & Advocacy Groups
Share Expertise – Lawmakers rely on experts for local child care insights.
Provide Community Data – Share reports and statistics that highlight why child care matters in your area.
Highlight Personal Stories – Combine real-life experiences with data.
Engage Your Network – Motivate volunteers, donors, and community members to speak up.
Key Move 3: Connect With Lawmakers
Teresa Kittridge, founder of 100 Rural Women.
When we asked Teresa Kittridge (pictured left), founder of 100 Rural Women, about contacting your elected officials, she shared that phone calls are the best:
“If you ask, more times than not, you will get a call back.”
Takeaway: Call your legislator’s office, leave a brief message, and request a callback. If emailing, keep it concise, copy their assistant, and clearly state your concerns. Follow up if you don’t receive a response.
Key Move 4: Highlight Economic Impact
When she visited the Minnesota Capitol, Kayley Spencer, Executive Director of Lakeside Early Learning and Rural Pathways’ client, highlighted the local economic impact of child care:
“What really got their [lawmakers’] attention was the ‘Economic Impact on the Community’ section of my overview sheet.”
Remember: Even those without children work closely with colleagues who do. Child care challenges impact everyone, along with the economic effects when caregivers can't work or study due to lack of child care. Decision makers need this reminder.
Key Move 5: Advocate at the Right Time
In the video below, Cora Hoffer, senior policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, explains the basics of Minnesota’s state legislature, how to find and contact your state legislator, and how to navigate the legislative website.
Speak Up One or Two Days Before a Vote – Lawmakers often decide how to vote at this time and can be influenced.
Watch Key Dates – Use bill tracking and calendars to know when important bills are up for a vote.
Be Persistent – More contact on child care funding makes lawmakers more likely to prioritize it.
Key Move 6: Know the Difference Between Advocacy & Lobbying
Advocacy involves educating, raising awareness, and encouraging action. Nonprofits can do this freely, including meeting with lawmakers to share facts and stories, talking about community needs, and inviting the public to get involved.
Lobbying means asking a lawmaker to vote for or against a specific bill. 501(c)(3) nonprofits can lobby but have limits.
Advocacy has no limit—so keep educating and informing! For more details, see the IRS lobbying guidelines.
Key Move 7: Take Action Today
Find Your Legislator: Use the Minnesota District Finder.
Track Key Bills: Use the Bill Search tool.
Join the Conversation: Attend a town hall or committee hearing.
Your voice matters. Whether you are a caregiver struggling with child care costs, a provider managing a center, or a nonprofit advocating for better funding, your engagement helps shape Minnesota’s child care policies.
Need Help?
Here are some resources to get you started:
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) offers advocacy trainings that can help nonprofit leaders learn about policy work.
For more reading, check out The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care and Education (and What We Should Do About It) by Dan Wuori, which includes a chapter on policy change and advocacy.
100 Rural Women is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that envisions a future where rural women drive positive change, both locally and globally. They build leadership through networks, mentorship, education, and civic engagement.
Final Call to Action
Rural Pathways supports organizations by helping them share their stories and connect with the right decision makers. Contact us if you need help making your voice heard. Let’s work together to ensure Minnesota’s children, families, and child care providers receive the support they need.
Remember, these “Key Moves” also apply to housing, workforce, health care, and other vital issues under review at the legislature.
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Citation: Anderson, Charity & Gilpin, Staci. (2025). Make Your Voice Count: Seven Key Moves to Advocate for Child Care Funding in Minnesota. Rural Pathways News.