http://cehn.org/our-work/eco-healthy-child-care/
^ That's the link BC posted in another thread on how to get your daycare 'eco certified.' I was looking into it myself but decided to go a few other routes to help my daycare stand out while still being 'green.'
A few ideas...
- I'm offering a "Service Appreciation Night" to parents who are employed as a nurse, teacher, firefighter, police officer, military member, or fellow child care provider. They get one free night of childcare each year.
- I also offer "Bonding Visits" just for parents of infants. They can visit once per day to nurse or bottle feed their child. I rearranged my entire main floor so we would have a separate room to accommodate this. Plus my location will probably get me a lot of parents who work nearby, so it's likely to get used.
- Also due to my setup, I can offer "Mildly Ill Care" on a case by case basis.
- I'm providing a discount for families that supply cloth diapers.
ETA: I also think a really nice setup can make a daycare much more appealing, and justify higher rates. There's lots of good pics on the decor group that really helped me figure out what I want my daycare to look and feel like.
I toured a DC once that had a huge, beautiful house. Large play rooms, lots of toys... But there was no 'setup' if you know what I mean. There were tons of toys that lined all the walls but no different areas defined. It just felt a bit chaotic.