Family Child Care Network Grantee Announcement
(Early Childhood Investment Corporation, July 12, 2023)
LANSING, MI — The Early Childhood Investment Corporation’s Child Care Innovation Fund is excited to announce the recipients of the Family Child Care Networks (FCCN) pilot grants, a groundbreaking initiative that is part of Caring for MI Future. These grants will support nine outstanding Hubs across our state who will co-lead with home-based child care providers to form Family Child Care Networks in a one-year pilot program, aiming to improve the funding, policy, and regulatory environment for home-based child care businesses. We thank these awardees for their dedication and leadership to ensuring all young children and their families in Michigan thrive.
This grant opportunity is funded by the $12.9 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, awarded by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) as part of the Caring for MI Future initiative. Caring for MI Future is a $100 million investment that will help more Michigan families find quality, affordable child care in their community by opening 1,000 new, or expanded, child care programs by the end of 2024.
ECIC’s Child Care Innovation fund has developed and implemented this grant in collaboration with Home Grown, a national collaborative of philanthropic leaders committed to improving the quality and access to home-based child care. Nine organizations across Michigan will receive $3,650,000 to connect and support home-based child care programs in the delivery of essential services in partnership with the Child Care Innovation fund. These organizations will act as Network Hubs, providing technical assistance, educational and engagement opportunities with decision-makers and policymakers, and connections to additional local and state resources for child care providers. Grantees include:
- Arbor Circle (awarded $401,670 to support the work of 4 Family Child Care Networks)
- Bethany Christian Services of Michigan (awarded $400,000 to support the work of 2 Family Child Care Networks, focused on refugee providers)
- Child Care Network (awarded $800,000 to support the work of 4 Family Child Care Networks, including 1 network focused on Arab American providers)
- Empowered Community Outreach Services (awarded $400,000 to support the work of 2 Family Child Care Networks)
- First Steps Kent (awarded $200,000 to support the work of 1 Family Child Care Network)
- Great Start to Quality – Kent ISD (awarded $200,000 to support the work of 1 Family Child Care Network, focused on Spanish speaking providers)
- Southwest Child Care Resource & Referral (awarded $572,295 to support the work of 4 Family Child Care Networks)
- United Way Northwest Michigan (awarded 476,035 to support the work of 3 Family Child Care Networks)
- Vibrant Futures (awarded $200,000 to support the work of 1 Family Child Care Network)
“ECIC’s Child Care Innovation Fund is grateful for the opportunity to partner with these nine organizations that have an intentional focus on home-based child care as a distinct, essential, and valued early care and education setting for children and families,” said Joan Blough, Senior Director, Child Care Innovation Fund at ECIC. “We look forward working with them as they include home-based child care providers as equal decision-making partners in FCCN governance, operations, and accountability.”
“First Steps Kent is grateful for this opportunity from ECIC to support the work being done by the Mainspring Early Care Alliance in Kent County,” said Kristen Sobolewski, Project Director, First Steps Kent. “With this Family Child Care Network funding, licensed in-home child care business owners will be able to deepen peer and educator connections, develop a long-term professional relationship with Mainspring staff, and have increased access to direct, comprehensive support focused on their unique professional and business needs.”
(View PDF of grantee list)