Access to quality, affordable child care options is a challenge across the country, with many rural areas experiencing critical shortages that impact quality of life and workforce availability.
A number of Iowa communities and state leaders are taking innovative approaches to understanding the issues and providing resources to develop child care solutions that meet the needs of families, businesses, schools and communities.
Expanding options in Sheffield
A 2022 survey in Sheffield, Iowa, highlighted the critical need for child care in the northcentral Iowa community. In the town of about 1,100 residents, more than 90 families were seeking child care. Some families were driving up to 30 miles for providers and many of those stated they would switch to a local provider if one was available in Sheffield.
Sheffield is also home to the headquarters and manufacturing facility for Sukup Manufacturing. The company employs 600 people from across nine northern Iowa counties at their Sheffield facilities. Company leaders saw firsthand the challenges that a lack of child care options presented to employees and the entire community.
To address this issue, Sheffield Child Care Expansion, a consortium comprising of Sukup Manufacturing, West Fork School District, and UBTC applied for a matching grant from Future Ready Iowa, with a total budget of $2.5 Million. The grant will provide the necessary funds to construct a child care facility capable of accommodating up to 112 children.
The Future Ready Iowa grant is required to be led by a business within the consortium, and Sukup Manufacturing was awarded a matching grant of $1.25 Million, with support from Sheffield area partners.
“At Sukup, we believe that businesses being partners in child care is vital to the future of rural communities,” said Emily Schmitt, chief administrative officer and general counsel, Sukup Manufacturing Co. “Bin Town Childcare is more than a center, it’s a cornerstone for workforce development, family well-being, and community sustainability in Sheffield.”
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2023, and Colts Corner Bin Town Child Care opened for children ages six weeks to 12 years in November 2024.
“We are so glad to have business partners in our community that have stepped up to help construct a new building and add childcare slots in Sheffield. The number of children attending the center continues to grow, which has proven the need. We truly enjoy the families that we are serving, and we’re blessed to be a part of their everyday lives,” said Sara Shreckengost, director of Cots Corner Bin Town Childcare.
Statewide resources building skills, infrastructure
In addition to leading efforts for the Sheffield child care center, Schmitt brings a statewide perspective as the past chair of the Governor’s Child Care Task Force, which was formed in 2021 to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the child care shortage and eliminate barriers for providers, communities and families.
The task force made 15 recommendations to address child care solutions for businesses, provide support for child care providers, ensure quality child care for families, and invest in the child care workforce. A number of these recommendations have been implemented, including the creation of shared service providers to serve providers.
The Child Care Collaborative of Iowa works to help child care providers improve their business and financial management skills and provide resources that will benefit children, families and their business. Providers can access training, grants for education and technology and use software systems that will help automate record-keeping, reporting, communications and other day-to-day operations.
“The programs that have been developed are key to helping child care providers succeed and provide the best possible care to children across the state,” said Schmitt. “By sharing services and providing training opportunities, we can give providers and center administrators the tools they need to simplify daily operations so they can focus on what they do best and spend as much time with children as they can.”
In April 2024, the state launched Iowa Child Care Connect, an online tool for parents seeking child care assistance. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds highlighted that since the task force completed its work, the state has invested $545 million in child care, as well as creating 24,270 new child care slots in the state.
Tailoring solutions for local needs
Just as each rural community is unique, so are their child care needs. Iowa’s approach to providing a range of resources, including training, grant opportunities and shared services gives providers, families and local officials the options to build a tailored solution.
“The community-wide approach to building a new child care center in Sheffield is a great example of what we see across the state,” said Billi Hunt, executive director of America’s Cultivation Corridor. “Iowans are working together to identify problems, build partnerships and create innovative solutions to serve the needs of a rural workforce.”
Published August 2025