When Dawne Brown was asked to step in and run two childcare centers – 200 children, 70 staff – at the non-profit where she worked, she said yes. She knew she was capable and, after she took it on, others saw how well she managed a center. She decided to create one of her own. Ms Brown left her work to start her own family childcare business in 2020. She registered Brown Bear Excel Early Learning Center just before the pandemic.
By 2023, Ms. Brown’s new
business had not only survived the pandemic but had grown to the point where she had more families than seats. So she secured a city grant and a lease to expand. However, the expansion proved more challenging than anticipated, marked by a delayed build-out, contractors requiring close oversight, and the financial strain of operating the center while incurring construction costs.
That’s when LEAF entered. LEAF’s technical assistance was as critical as the capital. Jordan Brown, a financial analyst from LEAF, gathered existing financial data, analyzed the business’s past performance, built projections for the new expansion, and prepared Brown Bear for growth. LEAF then provided a term loan, allowing her to pay contractors and get construction back on track.
For Ms. Brown, LEAF’s role wasn’t just money. It was a partner she could lean on. “LEAF is very good with the numbers. With their help, I don’t have to worry about them being accurate,” she says.
Today, Brown Bear Early Learning Center has a waitlist of families eager to enroll. Parents who are looking for childcare “walk in and show surprise at how nice it is”, Ms. Brown reports, “Why shouldn’t kids in the city have the best, not just in the suburbs?”
Thanks to investors and funders who make LEAF’s work possible, Brown Bear is more than a center. It’s a model for what quality early education in underserved communities can look like. See a short video of the Brown Bear Excel Early Learning Center in action.