Working together to improve access to quality childcare in Midland County

Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is essential for families, workforce stability, and economic growth. The Childcare Collabor-action Team unites community leaders, businesses, and organizations to address the childcare crisis by developing sustainable solutions and advocating for systemic change.

Our Mission

To expand access to childcare in Midland County by improving coordination, increasing affordability, and supporting early childhood educators to ensure all families have the care they need.

Our Focus Areas

✔ Improve the childcare referral system (Great Start to Quality)

✔Improve licensing process

✔Investigate best practices from other locations

✔Develop a loan program for childcare providers

✔Advocate for policy changes, specifically increasing the dependent care cap

✔Develop a communication strategy about the value of early childhood education

Who We Are

The Childcare Collabor-action Team is a coalition of passionate individuals and organizations dedicated to finding solutions, including people from:

  • Corteva

  • Dow

  • Greater Midland Community Center

  • Great Start Collaborative

  • Great Start to Quality

  • Hemlock SemiConductor

  • In-home childcare providers

  • KinderKare

  • Meridian Public Schools

  • Midland Area Community Foundation

  • Midland Business Alliance

  • Midland County ESA

  • Midland Public Schools

  • MyMichigan Health

  • Congresswoman McDonald Rivet’s Office

What We Are Doing

  • Collecting practice resources to create a list

  • Tri-Share model (advocating to bring into statute)

  • Talked with Tootris childcare referral system

  • Working to find ways to incentivize providers to use Great Start to Quality

  • Have brought partners together to look at how to provide loan program for childcare providers

  • Did some awareness work during Early Childhood Education Week

What’s Happening Regionally

  • Apprenticeship program developed through MiWorks

  • Early Childhood Investment Corporation childcare hub incubator through United Way of Midland County

  • East-Central Michigan Childcare Coalition (regional effort through Early Childhood Investment Corporation grant with Middle Michigan Development Corporation covering the counties of Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Osceola, and Saginaw)

  • Early Educator Wage Sustainability Grant RFP has been released

    • Region is eligible for $1.2 million with a matching requirement

    • Middle Michigan Development Corporation will be applying working with the East-Central Michigan Childcare Coalition (covering the counties of Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Osceola, and Saginaw)

How You Can Get Involved

  • Share your knowledge

  • Advocate

  • Additional information on your county can be found at: this is a tool from MSU that is updated nightly

Together, we can create a stronger, more sustainable childcare system that benefits Midland County families and businesses alike.

To get involved, send us a message!