$50M effort for high-quality early childhood facilities is a model for the equitable implementation of federal funds for children and families.
The rooms are airy and bright. Multicolored carpeted areas are coordinated with walls painted in soothing shades. Cubbies and tot-proportioned features are everywhere. And the radiant smiles of the small children — and the parents who keep the academy at or near full capacity — are the ultimate affirmation that the 2020 makeover of LACC Childcare Academy on Detroit’s westside was a success.
The academy was among more than 80 centers in Detroit and elsewhere in the state that benefited from IFF’s Learning Spaces program. Initially funded by The Kresge Foundation, and then joined and expanded with the collaboration of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the PNC Bank Foundation, the M.M. Fisher Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Learning Spaces offers early childhood education centers up to $75,000 to cover the cost of real estate consulting, minor repairs to their facility or other facility-related needs with the goal of expanding the much needed quality seats in the state.
The State of Michigan’s recent effort through the $50 million Caring for MI Future: Facilities Improvement Fund to similarly help renovate and expand high-quality early childhood seats across Michigan is yet another example of what government can do when it prioritizes the wellbeing of our youngest children and their families.
The $50 million to renovate and expand childcare facilities is part of the state’s overall Caring for MI Future initiative, a $100 million investment to help Michigan families find quality, affordable childcare in their community by investing in 1,000 new or expanded childcare programs by the end of 2024. Read the complete article here.