SB Energy and OpenAI commit $6 million to launch childcare initiative in Pike County

As artificial intelligence giants plant roots in Southern Ohio, the developers behind the massive PORTS-Pike Technology Campus are rolling out a multimillion-dollar playbook to solve one of the regional economy’s toughest workforce bottlenecks: childcare.

Driving the news

The Ross-Pike Educational Service District (ESD) has been named lead administrator and fiscal agent for the newly formed Pike County Childcare Affordability and Capacity Initiative, backed by a joint $6 million investment from SB Energy and OpenAI.

The public rollout brought together leadership from SB Energy, OpenAI, and Ross-Pike ESD on Monday morning at the Endeavor Center in Piketon.

Why It Matters

Building world-class AI compute capacity demands thousands of workers—and those workers need community infrastructure that functions.

Childcare in Pike County currently averages $9,800 annually per child. The dual challenge of escalating out-of-pocket costs and an acute shortage of licensed childcare slots has historically kept working parents, particularly second- and third-shift workers, on the sidelines of the regional labor force.

"Access to high-quality, affordable childcare is foundational to both early childhood development and a thriving regional workforce," said Todd Burkitt, Superintendent of the Ross-Pike Educational Service District. "We see the daily impact that the childcare shortage has on our local families and schools."

By the Numbers: How the $6M fund breaks down

The initiative takes a two-pronged approach, allocating $3 million toward direct family relief and $3 million toward structural capacity expansion:

1. The Family Childcare Subsidy Fund ($3 Million)

• Targets the "benefit cliff": Supports working, training, or enrolled parents earning between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level—households that make too much to qualify for Ohio's Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), yet struggle with market rates.
• Caps annual costs: Limits out-of-pocket expenses for participating families to $3,275 per child each year.
• Direct household impact: Yields an estimated average annual savings of $6,525 per child.

2. The Provider Expansion and Support Fund ($3 Million)

• Expands physical supply: Awards competitive capital and operational grants to licensed childcare centers, school-based programs, nonprofits, and licensed home-based providers (includes up to $300,000 for program administration).
• Prioritizes high-need gaps: Directs funding toward projects adding infant and toddler capacity, offering second- or third-shift care, and expanding into historically underserved pockets of Pike County.

What they’re saying

Karl Brutsaert, Head of Development and Origination, SB Energy:

"We’re building more than just infrastructure in Pike County. We’re investing in the long-term wellbeing of the community. Residents have consistently identified early childhood education as a priority. It improves long-term outcomes for children and enables parents to remain in the workforce."

Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer, OpenAI:

"The people of the towns helping build America's economic future should get real results for themselves and their families. We’ve committed to investing in the people of Pike County, and this investment with SB Energy and Ross-Pike ESD is a concrete example of putting our money where our mouth is: directly helping parents afford childcare and making it possible for more families to take advantage of the opportunities coming to Southern Ohio from our project."

What’s next

The Ross-Pike ESD will finalize program frameworks, family eligibility screening, and provider application cycles over the coming months.