Resources
Montana’s early childhood community has a lot to offer to educators. Below, you’ll find some of the valuable organizations and resources available to you.
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National Association for Family Child Care
https://nafcc.org
NAFCC is the national home for family child care professionals. As a member, you gain access to accreditation pathways, professional development resources, national advocacy, and a network of peers and leaders working to elevate home-based care across the country. MFCN is the official Montana state affiliate of the NAFCC.
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Spark MT
https://sparkmontana.com/
SPARK offers free, one-on-one coaching and training from Montana-based specialists who understand your community. Whether you’re working toward licensing, meeting state requirements, or looking to improve the quality of your program, SPARK can connect you with a local advisor and resources designed specifically for Montana providers.
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Montana Early Childhood Project
https://www.mtecp.org/mt-registry/
MTECP helps Montana providers grow professionally without bearing the full cost themselves. Through their registry, you can track your training hours, apply for education scholarships, and access financial awards for completing early childhood coursework. MTECP also offers a scholarship specifically for NAFCC accreditation costs — contact MFCN for help applying.
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Montana Advocates for Children
https://www.mtadvocatesforchildren.org/
MAC brings together childcare providers, parents, businesses, and community leaders, and policy makers to advocate for early childhood policy solutions across Montana. As an MFCN member, your voice contributes to MAC’s work — MFCN is a voting member and active participant in MAC’s statewide advocacy efforts.
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RaiseMT
https://www.raisemt.org/
RaiseMT is a statewide coalition working to raise the profile of early childhood care in Montana through advocacy and community organizing. They’re a useful resource for staying informed about policy developments and joining broader efforts that benefit providers, families, and children across the state.
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ChildCareTraining.org
https://www.childcaretraining.org/
CCT is Montana’s official platform for online early childhood training. From infant and toddler care to business planning and curriculum, you can find and complete approved courses on your own schedule from anywhere in the state. Courses completed through CCT count toward Montana’s training requirements for licensed providers.