The History of Kent County’s Early Childhood System

For more than three decades, Kent County partners have collaborated to identify needs, coordinate services, and strengthen support for young children and their families. Today’s early childhood system builds on that history of innovation and sustained community commitment.

1990–2000: Building Awareness and a Community Response

During the 1990s, a series of reports and initiatives focused community attention on the needs of young children and families in Kent County. These efforts highlighted child care, child abuse prevention, standards of care, and the connections among resources, providers, and families.

By 2000, there was a growing understanding in the community of the importance of quality early childhood services. The Grand Rapids Education Reform Initiative began its work in the spring of that year and identified early childhood education as one of two key priorities critical to the success of local schools and the community.

Around the same time, the Kent County Board of Commissioners made a long-term commitment to improving the well-being of children and families through the establishment of the Kent County Prevention Initiative. Areas of focus included family support services, early intervention for children at risk of abuse or neglect, and substance abuse services. Kent was the first county in the state to commit general fund resources to services for children and families and continues to make annual investments in the Prevention Initiative.

2001–2004: Developing a Community Early Childhood System

Shortly thereafter, the Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council formed an Early Childhood Committee charged with developing a system of support for young children and their parents. Funding to begin this work was provided through a federal Early Learning Opportunities Act grant.

Beginning in 2003, community partners worked to define the components of an early childhood system, including governance. Their work led to the creation of the Early Childhood Children’s Commission in Kent County.

Kent County’s Early Childhood System: A Community Plan, also known as the Connections for Children Community Plan, was released in 2004. It outlined a proposed governance structure, identified core service areas, established strategic goals, and recommended stronger evaluation and quality assurance.

2005–2007: Establishing the Commission and Great Start

In 2005, the Early Childhood Children’s Commission was formally established, bringing together community leadership to guide early childhood systems-building work in Kent County.

While Kent County was working to develop an early childhood system, the issue was also gaining traction at the state level. In 2005, Governor Jennifer Granholm proposed an early childhood initiative known as Great Start, which led to the creation of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC). The following year, the ECIC awarded the community a grant to begin the Great Start Collaborative of Kent County and the Great Start Parent Coalition.

Community committees connected to the Collaborative and Commission began advancing the priorities identified in the Connections for Children Community Plan, focusing on care, health, communications, family support, and infrastructure.

Their work was presented in Making Strides: Kent County’s Early Childhood System, released in October 2007. The document provided a foundation for work that continues today.

2008–2009: First Steps Kent

The work became more public in 2008 with the announcement of First Steps, a broad community partnership focused on improving outcomes for young children and families.

In 2009, First Steps Kent was established as an independent nonprofit organization, with the Early Childhood Children’s Commission serving as its board of directors.

2009–2017: Building and Strengthening the System

In its early years, First Steps Kent worked with the Great Start Collaborative and a diverse coalition of community partners, including parents, to implement the recommendations made in Making Strides.

First Steps Kent helped launch demonstration projects to address service gaps, supported evaluation and learning, and worked with partners to transition successful programs into the broader community system.

Over time, First Steps Kent convened parents, service providers, funders, advocates, and other stakeholders; built public support; used data to guide decisions; identified promising approaches; and secured resources for young children and families.

2018–2020: Ready by Five and Sustainable Public Investment

In 2018, First Steps Kent led a successful ballot initiative to secure dedicated, sustainable public funding for programs that improve the health, school readiness, and well-being of children through age five across Kent County. Voters overwhelmingly approved the Ready by Five Early Childhood Proposal that November. The 0.25-mill property tax generated about $6 million annually from 2019 through 2024—more than $36 million in total. At the time, it was the first funding stream of its kind in Michigan and one of the first in the country.

First Steps Kent administers the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage through a competitive funding process for community-based organizations serving young children and families. A review board including parents with young children and community members helps ensure funding decisions are grounded in both professional knowledge and the experiences of families closest to the work.

In 2019, First Steps Kent received funding to pilot a Shared Services model that provided business support and back-end services to in-home child care business owners. The pilot later became the Mainspring Early Care Alliance.

2020–Present: Continuing to Build the Early Childhood System

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted services for young children and families just as newly funded Ready by Five programs were beginning. Providers were able to adapt their service delivery to meet families where they were. At the same time, the pandemic drew attention to longstanding child care challenges, including availability, affordability, and workforce sustainability.

During this time, First Steps Kent also looked more broadly at gaps across the early childhood system, using external and internal analyses to identify needs and convening partners to share results. Several collaborative efforts emerged during this period, including the Mainspring Early Care Alliance, Early Relational Health, and the Inclusive Literacy Alliance.

As the early childhood landscape changed, First Steps Kent placed greater emphasis on policy and systems-level work, strengthening connections among professionals, families, and elected officials and elevating the needs of young children in public decision-making.

The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage was renewed by Kent County voters in August 2024 and has continued to provide an important source of public investment, reinforcing the value of a flexible and connected early childhood system that can respond to emerging challenges while building on decades of collaboration in Kent County.

Rx Kids, the nation’s first cash prescription program for moms and babies, came to Kent County in 2026. Families in 49507 receive $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month for six months after birth. First Steps Kent serves as the community champion. The program began in Flint in 2024, where findings show immediate, transformative benefits for families.