Resources for ECE Businesses
From licensing your first center to enrolling in the Pay Equity Fund and accessing subsidy payments — here are the tools, funding programs, and support networks that help DC child development businesses operate, grow, and thrive.
For over 30 years, Southeast Children's Fund has worked alongside child development centers and family child care homes across Washington, DC — helping providers navigate OSSE licensing, access the Pay Equity Fund, enroll in the childcare subsidy program, and develop their workforce through SCF's Professional Development Institute (PDI).
Running an ECE business in DC means operating at the intersection of education, healthcare, workforce development, and city regulation. This resource collection is built to help you do all of it — from your first OSSE orientation to building a sustainable, high-quality program that families trust and the workforce wants to join. All resources are specific to Washington, DC and verified as of 2025.