Northwest Wayne News

With $50 million in new grant money, the state is taking a "giant step forward" in its plans to expand upon day-care opportunities, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said.

According to a recent news release shared by the Michigan government, these funds are available through the Caring for MI Future: Child Care Facilities Improvement Fund program. Day-care programs interested in receiving assistance toward renovating their facilities are urged to apply.

“Quality early childhood education is essential to the vitality of communities and safe and healthy spaces are a crucial part of this,”  IFF CEO Joe Neri said in the release. “For nearly 35 years, IFF has worked to increase access to quality early-childhood education, for all children, creating and supporting safe and inspiring learning spaces in the Midwest. Aligning programmatic and facilities quality is at the core of what we do, and so we’re honored to work with the Michigan Department of Education to facilitate this program and bestow the funds, and our knowledge and research, to providers across the state."

The entire Caring for MI Future program is a $100 million investment that state leaders hope will provide families with more child-care options by 2024.

“Today, too many Michigan families live in a community without enough childcare options to meet their needs, meaning families are forced to leave the workforce, work fewer hours, or piece together options that don’t work well for their family,”  Whitmer said on Nov. 3. 

“That’s why we launched Caring for MI Future, a $100 million, bipartisan investment to establish or expand 1,000 child-care programs by the end of 2024," she said. "Today we take a step forward toward getting this done, with $50 million in grant funds to help childcare entrepreneurs open or grow their business.”

Home-based childcare programs can receive up to $50,000, and center-based programs can gain $150,000.

“As a parent, I know how critical it is to ensure access to affordable, high-quality childcare,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said. “A part of our Caring for MI Future initiative, these Child Care Facilities Improvement Fund grants will help new and expanding childcares renovate facilities and build learning environments that help kids thrive and set them up for success. Governor Whitmer and I are committed to ensuring that parents in every Michigan community can go to work knowing their kids are cared for.”