Mayor Outlines Details For Two Childcare Support Initiatives

Mayor Outlines Details For Two Childcare Support Initiatives

Published on November 06, 2025

Tuition assistance and proposed zoning changes would support working families

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and community partners today shared details of two initiatives that would increase access to early childhood education and grow the capacity of Lincoln's childcare network.

"We believe that access to high-quality, affordable childcare is fundamental to supporting working families and to giving our littlest residents the best possible start in life," Mayor Gaylor Baird said.

Joining Mayor Gaylor Baird at the news conference at Krayon Campus were Anne Brandt, Lincoln Littles Executive Director, and David Cary, Planning and Development Services Department Director.

The first initiative is to direct $250,000 of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to Lincoln Littles, a local nonprofit that supports early childhood education. Lincoln Littles provides tuition assistance to more than 250 families in the community, and the funding will provide help to as many as 83 additional children.

Families can qualify for tuition assistance if their children are younger than age 6 and not yet in school, and the family's gross income is at or below the 80th percentile of the area median income for Lincoln. Families experiencing short-term pay interruptions such as layoffs and medical absences from work are also eligible. For more information, visit lincolnlittles.org and select the "Tuition Assistance" button near the bottom of the page.

The City's second initiative is to propose zoning changes that increase the availability of childcare in our community. The changes make it easier to open a new childcare center or expand an existing one and include:

• For in-home childcare facilities, the maximum occupancy would increase from 15 to 20 children. This would also now be approved administratively, reducing the time to open or expand a childcare facility.
• Childcare facilities in larger buildings, such as churches and community centers with up to 50 children, would also be approved administratively, reducing the time to open or expand a childcare facility.
• To create opportunities for more and expanded daycares, requirements would be adjusted to allow the use of existing parking instead of automatically adding to the required parking.
• To allow for more flexibility on location and reuse of existing buildings for early childhood care, the zoning amendment would remove the requirement that daycares with 21 or more children to be located on arterial streets.

Brandt said the City recently eased parking restrictions that allowed St. Matthews Church to open a childcare in its education wing. On behalf of Lincoln Littles, she thanked the City for the initiatives to support and strengthen early childhood education.

"Our community needs more childcare options. By removing these barriers, we can expand access to quality early childhood education and empower more parents to participate in the workforce," Brandt said. "When Lincoln invests early, we build a stronger future for everyone."

Director Cary said the zoning changes are expected to be presented to the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission at its December 3 meeting. If approved by the Planning Commission, the zoning changes could be considered by the City Council in January 2026. If approved by the Council, the changes would go into effect 14 days after being signed by the Mayor.

"Access to safe, affordable childcare is essential for working parents, and we know that many families struggle to find open spots. These proposed zoning changes are designed to make it easier to expand existing childcare centers and open new ones across Lincoln, while maintaining safety and neighborhood compatibility," Cary said.