$100,000 Awarded to Expand Childcare Access in Duluth’s Hillside
Grant supports the future Brae View Hillside Early Childhood Learning Center
Boreal Waters Community Foundation is proud to announce a $100,000 grant to support the Brae View Hillside Early Childhood Learning Center, a new childcare facility operated by the Duluth Area Family YMCA and developed in partnership with Essentia Health. The Center will bring 120 urgently needed childcare slots to Duluth’s Central Hillside neighborhood.
This early childhood center is a key component of a larger, innovative development that blends affordable housing, intergenerational programming, and essential neighborhood services—all designed to strengthen the heart of downtown Duluth. While the overall Brae View project includes deeply affordable senior housing and long-term community infrastructure, Boreal Waters’ investment is focused specifically on expanding childcare access, one of the region’s most pressing needs.
This project adds real childcare capacity in a neighborhood that needs it. It’s a smart, practical solution. Shaun Floerke, CEO & President of Boreal Waters
Targeted Investment in Childcare
Duluth is currently short more than 1,000 childcare slots, according to a 2024 report by Duluth Mayor’s Child Care Task Force. Recent childcare facility closures have intensified that gap, leaving families searching for care and putting strain on the workforce. The Brae View Early Childhood Learning Center represents an important step forward. The center will provide:
- 120 total childcare slots
- A mix of slots for Essentia employees and more than 50 slots for families throughout the Hillside and broader community
- High-quality early learning delivered by the Duluth Area Family YMCA, a trusted leader in childcare and youth development
This approach expands access for working families while supporting neighborhood stability and economic vitality.
An Innovative Partnership at the Heart of Brae View
The Early Childhood Learning Center is made possible through a strong partnership between the Duluth Area Family YMCA and Essentia Health. Two mission-driven organizations working together to improve family wellbeing and community health.
Essentia’s leadership also ensures that childcare at Brae View will be accessible not only to its employees, but to families throughout the Hillside and wider community, helping meet one of Duluth’s most urgent needs.
By designing the Center on the ground floor of a new affordable senior housing development led by One Roof Community Housing, the project creates a unique cross-generational environment. Children will learn and play just steps away from older adults, opening the door to intergenerational programming that can reduce social isolation, build connection, and enrich learning for young children.
This intentional design strengthens the social fabric of the Hillside and supports healthier, more connected lives across age groups.
Part of a Larger Vision for a Thriving Downtown
While Boreal Waters’ grant supports the childcare center specifically, Brae View represents a promising approach to downtown revitalization underway in Duluth.
The five-story development brings together:
- 72 units of deeply affordable senior housing
- A 120 slot early childhood learning center
- Built-in opportunities for intergenerational connection
- A strategic location on the Hillside, reinforcing a strong and vibrant downtown core
By addressing affordable housing and childcare access in one coordinated project, Brae View will deliver long-term benefits for families, employers, and the broader region.
Media Coverage of Brae View
Northern News Now: New program aims to ease Duluth’s child are crisis
Duluth News Tribune: Duluth authority approves plans for senior housing and daycare
WDIO: Financial boost will help add 100+ childcare spots in the Duluth area
FOX21: YMCA and Essentia partnership bridges childcare and housing needs
This investment is awarded as a Transformation Grant through Boreal Waters’ Community Opportunity Fund, our region’s largest and most flexible resource for meeting emerging needs and driving long-term community impact. The Fund supports bold, collaborative projects that strengthen opportunity, resilience, and belonging. By investing in innovative approaches like the Brae View Early Childhood Learning Center, the Community Opportunity Fund helps create lasting change and builds a stronger future for the entire Boreal Waters region. Learn more >>