Advocacy News – May 20, 2022
Affordable childcare has become one of the most challenging issues facing working parents and contributing to the overarching workforce crisis. Earlier this week, the governor and administration announced the Caring for MI Future Plan, which focuses on opening 1,000 new childcare programs by 2024. The governor’s plan aims to invest $100 million to expand access to childcare for working families and support childcare providers. Here are some highlights from the announcement of the MI Future plan:
- Support identifying and renovating facilities: Childcare businesses need access to affordable, licensable spaces to care for kids. There will be $51.1 million in grant funding available to renovate and upgrade facilities to meet licensing and quality standards. Grant applications will be available in late summer 2022.
- Startup funding: Cashflow is an ongoing challenge for childcare businesses, especially new sites that must incur costs well before they have revenue. The state will award $23 million in grants for programs before they’re licensed and immediately after receiving their license.
- Support to recruit staff: Entrepreneurs can’t open and expand their businesses if they can’t hire staff. The state will invest over $11.4 million to continue our statewide effort to recruit, train and retain talented early educators that live and work in the communities they serve.
- Business development tools: Many new businesses benefit from support from the state and their community to assess market demands, identify space, comply with health and safety rules — including local zoning, and create a business plan. The state will invest $14.3 million to align these resources and make the startup and licensing process clearer and faster for providers.
You can find a link to the governor’s press release announcing the plan here.
For questions or more information, please contact Leah Robinson at lrobinson@michamber.com.