Regional Child Care Coalition Grant (Capital Area Child Care Coalition Support)

Regional Child Care Coalition Grant

Overview: Renewed funding administered through the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) via the State of Michigan's MiLEAP (Michigan Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential) Department to support the Capital Area Child Care Coalition (CACCC).

Status: Renewed for continued funding in 2025-2026. Originally launched in 2023 with support from ECIC Innovation Fund.

Geographic Scope: Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties (tri-county region)

Program Focus:

Improving availability, affordability, and quality of child care in the region

Supporting talent development within the child care industry

Increasing education and awareness among public and private-sector stakeholders

Advancing collaboration and outreach around key child care initiatives

Key Initiatives Supported:

Tri-Share program (employees share cost of child care equally with employer and state)

Pre-K for All program

Other state and regional child care strategies

Site readiness and facility expansion support

Business development resources for child care providers

Important Note: This is NOT a grant to individual child care providers. Rather, it supports coordination, planning, outreach, and systems-building work of the coalition to strengthen the overall child care ecosystem.

Coalition Partners:

Lead Recipient: Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP)

Co-leaders: Capital Area Michigan Works! (CAMW!) and United Way of South Central Michigan (UWSCM)

Coalition Members: 70+ members including local business leaders, child care providers, community organizations, and parents/caregivers

2024-2025 Focus Areas:
1. Supporting talent development within the child care industry
2. Increasing education and awareness among public- and private-sector stakeholders
3. Advancing collaboration and outreach around key child care initiatives
4. Recruiting new coalition members
5. Redesign of coalition website
6. Outreach to child care providers about free resources through LEAP's TREK Small Business Support Hub

Recent Impact:

Connected Little Dreamers Early Learning Center to TREK Small Business Support Hub

Helped Little Dreamers expand to second location (6,000-square-foot expansion opened fall 2024)

New expansion provides 30 new child care slots and created 15 new jobs

Awarded $150,000 in Lansing Regional Site Readiness funds to Michigan State University for Child Development Lab expansion

Funding Source:

Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP)

Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC)

Child Care Development Funds (CCDF)

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding

Contact:

LEAP: (517) 702-3387 or info@purelansing.com

Website: www.purelansing.com/childcare