From: Mélanie Faure
To: CITYCOUNCIL-List
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 5/5 Council Meeting - In Support of CDBG Annual Action Plan Date: Monday, May 4, 2026 5:50:19 PM
Dear Mayor Ashcraft, Vice Mayor Pryor, and Councilmembers, My name is Mélanie Faure, Community Impact Manager at Upwards. I'm writing in support of staff's recommendation to fund the Boost program as a direct investment in Alameda's child care infrastructure, small business community, and working families.
Boost equips low-to-moderate income, in-home child care providers with one-on-one business coaching and digital tools to strengthen their operations and grow their revenue.
Providers work with experienced Care Specialists to build a customized Business Action Plan covering marketing, enrollment, finances, programming, and staffing.
Providers receive free access to our Child Care Management System to streamline daily operations and improve quality of care, and retain that access beyond the program year to ensure long-term sustainability.
The result: child care providers grow their small businesses, create local jobs, and expand access to affordable, quality care for working families.
This investment is urgently needed. On Friday I attended an event hosted by Build the Future that highlighted how the child care shortage in the Bay is not just a family crisis but an economic one. In Alameda: 48% of children under six lack access to a licensed child care slot, leaving thousands of families, especially mothers, single parents, and shift workers, unable to fully participate in the workforce. Child care workers here earn an average of $18 an hour, driving high turnover and deepening the shortage. Nationally, two- thirds of providers report difficulty meeting basic needs like food and housing, a pressure Alameda providers know firsthand.
Boost is a proven model
already operating across 7 Bay Area cities and Santa Clara County, with 30 cities and counties nationwide. To date, we've mentored over 500 providers, created 180 jobs, grown provider revenue by 25%, and expanded child care slots by 30–50% within the first year. The impact is especially strong locally: in San Jose alone, we supported 131 providers, created 39 jobs, and opened over 220 new child care slots in a single year. Given that success, the program is expanding to nearly 200 providers next year.
By approving the Annual Action Plan, the Council would support 10 new micro-enterprise daycare owners, create 3 new jobs, and help over 100 local families access higher quality care– all within the first year alone. Because Upwards already operates throughout the County and broader Bay Area, we could expand to Alameda immediately upon receiving funding.
I welcome any questions and am grateful for the Council's consideration of this investment in Alameda's families and child care community. You can reach me directly at 213-400- 3438.
Respectfully,
Mélanie Faure
Mélanie Faure
Community Impact Manager | [email protected]
M: 213-400-3438
Solving care for good in all 50 states!