Project Examples

Build Up worked with local partners to secure $464,000 in loans and $800,000 in developer impact fees, enabling St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church to open its campus to Little Footsteps Preschool and create 40 much-needed preschool spaces. Faith-based locations like St. Andrew’s are ideal for child care, meeting key facility requirements—35 sq. ft. of indoor space and 75 sq. ft. of outdoor space per child. “This marks the first time financial assistance from the city’s child care fund has directly created new spaces,” said former Mayor Joe Goethals. “Quality child care strengthens families, and we’re proud to support this effort.”

With support from Build Up, Genentech brought high-quality child care to its South San Francisco campus—a win for both employees and the community. In 2024, Build Up and SAMCEDA co-hosted the Child Care Forum with policy expert Elliot Haspel, driving action on employer-supported care. Now, Genentech has opened its center to the public, expanding access beyond its workforce. With child care challenges costing $122B annually and 83% of millennials willing to switch jobs for better family benefits, employer investment pays off—yielding up to $16 for every $1 spent and outperforming the S&P 500 over 30 years. “In San Mateo County, early ed, business, and city leaders are at the table together, thanks to Build Up SMC,” according to Cheryl Oldham, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

With Build Up for San Mateo County’s Children, the San Mateo-Foster City School District turned vacant classrooms into tuition-based preschool and after-school programs, creating sustainable, high-quality care for local families. These programs pay for themselves while ensuring young learners are better prepared for kindergarten and helping working parents stay in the workforce. On-campus child care is a win for teachers and staff, improving retention and work-life balance. With 60% of infants and toddlers lacking access to formal care, school districts are critical partners in expanding early learning. Build Up is working alongside districts to maximize available space and increase child care access countywide.

Build Up worked with local partners to secure $464,000 in loans and $800,000 in developer impact fees, enabling St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church to open its campus to Little Footsteps Preschool and create 40 much-needed preschool spaces. Faith-based locations like St. Andrew’s are ideal for child care, meeting key facility requirements—35 sq. ft. of indoor space and 75 sq. ft. of outdoor space per child. “This marks the first time financial assistance from the city’s child care fund has directly created new spaces,” said former Mayor Joe Goethals. “Quality child care strengthens families, and we’re proud to support this effort.”

South San Francisco is proactively expanding child care access through city planning, funding, and partnerships. The South San Francisco Child Care Master Plan serves as a blueprint for increasing high-quality child care options, integrating early learning into housing, economic development, and community planning efforts. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department offers full-day Preschool Early Learning Programs, while the South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) provides subsidized preschool at multiple locations. South San Francisco also supports child care providers by offering resources for starting child care businesses and partnering with the Child Care Coordinating Council (4Cs) of San Mateo County to help families find affordable care. By incorporating child care into its General Plan, South San Francisco is prioritizing early education as essential infrastructure, ensuring that child care is accessible for working families and embedded in future development.

Family Child Care (FCC) homes are a lifeline for working families, offering flexible hours, multilingual care, and infant-to-school-age learning in home-like settings. But providers face big challenges—high costs, housing barriers, and licensing hurdles. To help, Build Up for San Mateo County’s Children invested $970,000 in Infant/Toddler Expansion Grants, supporting 91 FCC providers, 181 children, and 177 jobs. Funded by Silicon Valley Community Foundation ($100K) and San Mateo County ARPA funds ($870K), these grants helped FCCs expand infant and toddler care—where shortages are most severe. Beyond funding, Build Up equips FCCs with online resources and solution briefs to navigate facility, housing, and licensing challenges. By investing in home-based care, Build Up is ensuring more families have access to the care they need.