Provider Spotlight: Brittie Crawford Leverages California's Infrastructure Grant Program to Rehab and Create Child Care Facilities in Los Angeles County 

When Brittie Crawford, Co-Founder and CEO of World City Center (WCC), opened her first dual-language immersion preschool in 2014 in the heart of West Adams, Los Angeles, she envisioned a nurturing environment that supports the development of the whole child. After more than a decade in operation as a thriving early learning program, WCC was a resounding success – one that Brittie was eager to replicate elsewhere for other communities in need of high-quality early care and education (ECE). 

“Opening our first World City Center preschool in West Adams was a labor of love, rooted in the belief that children deserve a joyful and nurturing space to learn through play and be immersed in language from the very start,” Brittie said, reflecting on WCC’s new chapter. “Expanding to Inglewood feels like a decisive step forward; one that brings our mission to even more families and helps close the opportunity gap with equitable, high-quality early education.” 
 
In February 2024, Brittie’s entrepreneurial dream came true when WCC was awarded $663,500 in New Construction and Major Renovation grant funding to grow her small-business model and create a second center, with this one set to open soon in Inglewood (header image). This support was via California’s Infrastructure Grant Program (IGP), which has been a game changer. Brittie’s success story exemplifies how these grants have proven to be an indispensable resource for providers in all 58 counties in every corner of the state. In Brittie’s case, IGP fueled the total transformation of a vacant former medical facility into a soon-to-open, bustling early learning center serving infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children. Creating more ECE spaces is especially critical following the January 2025 devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County. Sadly, there were 1,842 child care spaces lost in the Eaton Canyon Fire and 510 spaces lost in the Palisades fire. (Learn how LIIF is providing wildfire-disaster relief via LA RISE.)  

As almost any parent of a young child will attest, finding access to affordable, high-quality child care is an uphill battle in countless communities across the country. A new report released earlier this month, from Child Care Aware of America and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, highlighted the fact that most efforts to address the problem at state and federal levels have focused on the demand side, to make care more affordable for families, but far fewer have directly addressed the supply side, to increase provider capacity.   

On July 23, 2021, the State of California Legislature sought to confront this problem head-on by enacting the IGP program, a $350.5 million investment in child care infrastructure to be administered in the form of grants. Based on its track record of success as a community development financial institution (CDFI), LIIF was awarded the immense privilege of operating as the facilities fund manager for this pioneering initiative, which as of today has benefited 4,021 grantees in their efforts to renovate, repair and retrofit child care facilities. 

This vital, ongoing work builds on LIIF’s longstanding efforts to develop innovative new financial products that support ECE businesses in undercapitalized communities that need them the most. Earlier this year, LIIF announced the launch of the Family Child Care (FCC) Capital Access initiative, in partnership with Ascendus and Working Solutions CDFI, and with philanthropic support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth through the Mastercard Strive small business program. This new loan product for licensed in-home child care providers aims to close the gap for entrepreneurs who are looking to maintain and scale their businesses by enabling them to invest in health-and-safety repairs, license upgrades, working capital and professional development.  

Bettering facilities is also important for our young ones: Research has demonstrated that children who participate in high-quality ECE experience lasting social, emotional, cognitive and health benefits. Such children are 60% more likely to attend college, with higher expected earnings over a lifetime, and 70% less likely to be involved with the criminal justice system. For the nation’s overall economy, the lack of child care costs $122 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity and revenue. 

Years before co-founding WCC, after earning her Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education and cultivating her business acumen in corporate America, Brittie had her first professional foray into the world of ECE when she launched Tiny Sprouts, a family child care home. Drawing inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, Brittie’s educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that young children learn best through exploration, discovery and play. 
   
In addition to the new Inglewood WCC center, Brittie used IGP funding to rehab her first center, in South Los Angeles’ West Adams community. With an IGP grant totaling $249,999, WCC was able to invest in essential renovations and repairs to that child care center, including:  

The Reggio Emilia educational philosophy emphasizes the importance of the physical space as the “third teacher,” and so the now-completed facility features a beautiful open space, new furniture in neutral color palettes and abundant natural light that fosters a calm, welcoming atmosphere for children and educators alike. Classrooms are organized to promote autonomy, collaboration and exploration, with natural materials and open-ended provocations that inspire curiosity and engagement. Each room has its own Atelier — think creative studio space — where children are encouraged to express themselves through art, sensory play and hands-on investigation. These thoughtfully designed environments engender a deep sense of belonging, creativity and joyful learning for every age group.  

True to the strategy of IGP, Brittie has successfully rehabbed one center and built capacity with her second center that is set to open. The long-term sustainability of her business has been achieved, which is the goal of LIIF’s ECE business model, and her centers are seen as community anchors. 

“From starting Tiny Sprouts in my West Adams home to now building our second location with IGP’s support, this journey is one supported by grit, growth and a deep sense of purpose,” remarked Brittie on the opening of WCC’s Inglewood location. “Each space we’ve created is more than just a school; it’s a home for imagination, community and connection. Looking ahead, I hope our centers continue to stand as models of what early education can be: Inclusive, inspiring, and built with children and families at the heart of every decision.”