Port Projects In April 2024, the Port of Whitman County Commission accepted the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Child Care Partnership Grant to do a feasibility study on childcare in Colfax.
The Port received a two-year grant of up to $20,000 in the first year and $55,000 in the second year.
Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families found in July 2024 that current childcare options only meet 23.3% of Whitman County's estimated need. Whitman County also severely lacks infant care needs, with only 13.4% of the estimated need for infant childcare met by current childcare options.
Despite this significant gap, Whitman County's childcare capacity actually decreased by 166 childcare slots between 2019 and 2023, according to data by Child Care Aware.
In October 2024, the Port surveyed local employers, community members, and families to learn of the need for childcare in Colfax.
The 75 respondents expressed top challenges in seeking childcare as childcare availability, cost, and hours of available care. Respondents also shared that additional childcare options in Colfax and the surrounding areas would benefit both businesses and families.
Community members fill out the community survey at the Colfax Chamber of Commerce's quarterly luncheon.
"Childcare is extremely difficult to find in the area. After moving to the area it took me months to find childcare for my 3 year old before I could begin looking for work. Even at that my child attends daycare in a different city".
Survey Respondent
"I have staff members who have decreased their hours of work due to not finding childcare. This impacts our ability to provide services.... Recruitment is challenging".
Local Employer
"I’m currently pregnant and having trouble finding child care. If I cannot find care I will be forced to quit working".
Survey Respondent
The Port formed a steering committee of community stakeholders to determine the Port's potential role in supporting childcare in Colfax and applied for Commerce's Child Care Partnership Grant in 2023.
The steering committee identified the following as core principles guiding the study process:
- Ensure local families have childcare provider options which supports overall economic development for Whitman County, including attraction and retainment of families to the region for the long term.
- Serve children under 30 months of age to fill a critical void in the area.
- Create a before and after school care program to fill a growing need within the Colfax community and generate revenue for long-term operational viability of the center.
- Locate centrally, prioritizing safety and easy access for parents working and/or living in Colfax.
- Construct and organize the building to support expansion or contraction of age groups served depending on the local childcare needs.
- Partner with large local businesses to help provide a financially stable operational model for the facility.
- Provide high quality care in an enriched educationally focused environment at an affordable price for local families.
In November 2024, the Port signed an earnest money agreement for a property behind Colfax High School as a potential site for a new childcare facility.
The agreement included an eighteen-month due diligence period during which the Port will continue to explore the feasibility of the site and how best to support the childcare needs of Colfax residents and businesses.
The Port is developing facility criteria, size, and cost estimates as a part of the ongoing feasibility study.
An aerial image of the property being explored by the Port of Whitman County (outlined in red). Image courtesy of Google Maps.
