Build Up formed in response to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation's 2016 Child Care and Preschool Task Force, a multi-sector group that recommended solutions to the child care shortage and identified a need for a coordinated, cross-agency approach, supported by paid staff, to work on closing the gap. Build Up has the following goals, mapped to the Task Force’s recommendations:

1. Work across sectors to reuse/re-designate existing space to increase the number of early learning spaces.
2. Work with cities and county on policies and incentives to prioritize child care in future developments.
3. Engage large employers to create child care facilities for employees.
4. Generate revenue for facility development, and assist providers in drawing down existing funds.

Leadership for the initiative is being provided by: First 5 San Mateo County, the Child Care Coordinating Council, the County of San Mateo, the San Mateo County Office of Education and the Center for Early Learning at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Build Up utilizes paid staff, volunteer community advocates, and a high-level, cross-sector Advisory Body to work with cities, developers, employers, school districts, and faith-based organizations to increase child care.

Assemblymember Kevin Mullin serves as the honorary chair for the Advisory Body, and he recorded these opening remarks for the kick-off Advisory Body meeting in January 2018.

Build Up has developed the following set of three-year start up goals and action steps: