Upwards to Power First-of-Its-Kind Shared-Funding Child Care Program in Massachusetts

Selected by United Way of North Central Massachusetts as technology and child care payment partner, Upwards will connect Heywood Healthcare employees with licensed child care, coordinate funding across partners, and measure workforce outcomes from day one

GARDNER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Upwards, a national child care benefits platform, has been selected by United Way of North Central Massachusetts as the technology and child care payment partner for a new shared-funding child care program serving employees of Heywood Healthcare. The program is funded through the Commonwealth's Employer Child Care Innovation Fund (ECCIF), part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration's nearly $2 million investment to expand employer-supported child care across Massachusetts, and is described by project leaders as the first of its kind in Massachusetts.

Under the shared-funding model, often called a tri-share approach, the cost of licensed child care for children ages 0 to 5 is split among three contributors: public grant funds; an employer share, in this case supported philanthropically through the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts; and participating employees, who contribute on a sliding scale.

Shared-funding programs (also known as TriShare programs) are expanding across the country, and their results depend on execution. Families need to actually find licensed care that fits their schedules. Contributions from multiple funders need to be coordinated into accurate, on-time payments so providers are never left waiting. And outcomes need to be measured consistently from the start.

Upwards was selected to deliver all three: the Upwards platform matches employees with licensed child care providers by location, schedule, and availability; including nontraditional hours for hospital staff; administers enrollment, funding coordination, and tuition subsidy payments in one system; and provides 24/7 support for families and providers, reducing the administrative load on employers and program staff. Upwards and its partners will measure program impact across employee retention, absenteeism, recruitment, and families' out-of-pocket child care costs, alongside provider capacity and equity of access.

"Shared-funding child care works when several things come together: families reliably connected to care, providers supported so supply can grow, funding coordinated across every partner, and rigorous measurement of what's working. Upwards administers these programs across the country, and we're proud to bring that experience to North Central Massachusetts. By pairing the region's years of research with real-time data on utilization, access, and outcomes, this partnership can serve families today and help show what's possible for child care across the Commonwealth," said Jessica Chang, Co-Founder and CEO of Upwards.

“We look forward to working with Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Commonwealth Corporation, Heywood Healthcare, the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts, and Upwards and a broad coalition of industry and community leaders to advance this innovative model that will further workforce development, childcare affordability, and strengthen our healthcare system in our region,” said Kory Eng, President and CEO of United Way of North Central Massachusetts.

The Economic Policy Institute reports the average annual cost of infant care in Massachusetts at $26,709, and Heywood Healthcare, a 24/7 health system and one of the region's largest employers, has identified child care as a leading factor affecting attendance, retention, and recruitment.

“Access to affordable, reliable child care is one of the most significant challenges facing our workforce today,” said Rozanna Penney, President and CEO of Heywood Healthcare. “We have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for employees to stay in the workforce when child care is out of reach. This partnership brings together the right combination of innovation, collaboration, and investment to create real solutions for our employees and their families, while strengthening our ability to care for our community.”

The program builds on more than three years of research and collaboration through the Employers & Childcare Coalition of North Central Massachusetts, with United Way of North Central Massachusetts as lead applicant, Heywood Healthcare as employer partner, and the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts as philanthropic partner.

“We are convinced that this project will demonstrate to employers there is an economic return when you invest in employees finding quality childcare,” said Steve Adams, President and CEO of Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts.

About Upwards

Upwards is a whole-family care platform with a mission to make quality care accessible and affordable for families nationwide. The company connects families with licensed, vetted caregivers, helps them afford care through government subsidies and workplace benefits, and powers care benefit programs for employers and governments at scale, including state-funded child care programs in California and Utah and programs serving military families through the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. Founded in 2017 and led by Founder and CEO Jessica Chang, Upwards has supported over 3 million families. Learn more at upwards.com.

This project is funded by a grant from the Employer Child Care Innovation Fund (ECCIF), a pilot program designed by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) in collaboration with the Executive Office of Education (EOE), the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED), the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD), and Commonwealth Corporation, and funded by the Massachusetts Legislature and the Healey-Driscoll Administration. The grant program is administered by Commonwealth Corporation Foundation.