A daycare franchise is a business model where you operate a childcare center using the brand, systems, and support of an established franchisor. It allows entrepreneurs to open their own daycare or preschool while benefiting from a proven curriculum, operational support, and brand recognition.
With The Goddard School, our franchisees receive end-to-end support—from real estate and construction to marketing, training, and ongoing operations. You get the independence of business ownership with the backing of a trusted name in early childhood education. Learn more about what a preschool franchise is.
Franchising offers many advantages of business ownership with the support of a proven brand, established systems, and ongoing guidance—reducing risk and accelerating growth.
Investing in early childhood education adds another layer of value: it's a recession-resilient, $71 billion industry projected to grow to $91 billion by 2030. With rising demand for high-quality childcare, it’s a smart, scalable investment that also makes a meaningful impact on families and communities.
Read more to learn about the advantages of setting up a childcare franchise and learn about why you should invest in early childhood education.
One of the hallmarks of Goddard’s success is every school has either an on-site owner or an on-site operator to provide day-to-day leadership.
Not at all! The Goddard brand is centered on fostering a love of learning for our students and our franchisees who come from a variety of industry backgrounds. Our team of business and education experts will work with you to understand and create a fun learning environment for the families in your community.
In 2024, schools open for 18 months or longer had an average EBITDA of $521,987.
EBITDA is defined as gross revenue less all expenses directly related to operating the school excluding interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Please refer to Item 19 of Goddard Franchisor, LLC's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more information.
You will be assigned a real estate manager to assist you throughout the real estate process. If you do not already have a relationship with a commercial real estate broker, we’ll help you connect with one who understands our location requirements. The bottom line is we will be there to guide you every step of the way to help you find a location.
Goddard’s team of expert business, education, and franchising professionals are here to help you through every step of your franchising journey. In addition to assistance with site selection and financing decisions, we’ll provide you with intensive initial training via a blend of virtual and in-person sessions at our corporate offices or at another training site, as well as online coursework in marketing, operations, management, and education methods of a Goddard School.
Goddard is happy to provide a discount of $20,000 on the initial license fee for a first franchise to honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Yes, you either need to be a U.S. citizen or have already obtained your green card in order to become a Goddard School franchisee.
The Goddard School uses its exclusive Wonder of Learning™ education program —an inquiry-based, child-led exploration program that promotes critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and social-emotional growth. Developed by a team of educators, researchers, and pediatric experts, it includes built-in progress assessments, family communication through a proprietary app, and ongoing training and support for faculty.
The Goddard School combines a proven business model, strong financial performance, and best-in-class support. With over 35 years of experience, 640+ schools, and top industry rankings, Goddard offers franchisees the opportunity to grow a rewarding business while making a meaningful impact on families and communities. Read more about how The Goddard School stands out.
Startup costs vary based on location and whether you lease, build, or buy an existing school. For example, build-to-suit lease costs range from $952,500 to $1.36 million, while purchasing land and building a school ranges from $5.23 million to $8.57 million.
These estimates include franchise fees, marketing, site development, initial operations, and ongoing expenses post-opening. We also offer financing support and lender introductions. The average cash injection for a borrower is between 10-15% of the total project costs. Many franchisees also choose to partner with investors to help fund their school. Check out our financial requirements page to learn more. Please also refer to Item 7 of Goddard Franchisor, LLC's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more detailed information on these costs.
These will depend on the goals of the franchisee, but they may include financial metrics (like revenue and profit), or operational KPIs (like capacity utilization, customer and staff satisfaction, and retention). Through our blog, you can learn more about how to measure your daycare franchise’s success.
SBA loans are government-backed loans that offer favorable terms for small business owners. The Goddard School works with a network of nationwide lenders and helps franchisees navigate the SBA process. With a low default rate and a top-tier FUND score of 930 for three consecutive years, Goddard is a strong candidate for SBA financing.
