LANSING, Mich. (Feb. 23, 2026) — Early education and childhood providers in licensed child care centers, Head Start programs and Great Start Readiness Programs located in Region 7, Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties are invited to apply for the Early Educator Wage Initiative supported by the Capital Area Child Care Coalition (CACCC).
The CACCC, co-led by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), United Way of South Central Michigan (UWSCM) and Capital Area Michigan Works! (CAMW!), and 70+ coalition members have partnered with Child Care Back Office to administer the Early Educator Wage Initiative lottery-based application process.
To learn about eligibility and apply, click here. Applications will close March 2nd.
“Strengthening the early childhood workforce is essential to strengthening our regional economy,” said Bob Trezise, President & CEO at LEAP. “LEAP is proud to step forward to manage this program for Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties—supporting employers with a more reliable workforce while helping hundreds of child care professionals earn higher wages as they care for our children.”
The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) received $30 million in state school aid funds to strengthen the early childhood workforce, of which $16 million supports the Wage Initiative through Michigan’s 10 Regional Child Care Coalitions (RCCCs). The Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District (GOISD) serves as the fiscal agent, partnering with MiLEAP to administer the program statewide.
The state of Michigan launched the Wage Initiative to strengthen and stabilize the early childhood workforce. The two-year initiative to increase provider take-home pay will run from March 2026 through August 2027. During this time, the CACCC will test sustainable wage models to strengthen the local child care system, support families and secure the foundation of Michigan’s future workforce.
High-quality early learning depends on skilled, nurturing educators who support children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Yet many early childhood educators earn far less than professionals with similar education and experience, with wages too low to support their own families, leading to high turnover, staff shortages and burnout. When early educators leave the field, children lose trusted relationships necessary for them to thrive, and families lose access to consistent, high-quality care, leading to harmful ripple effects across the workforce and economy.
The Wage Initiative addresses this challenge head-on by increasing compensation for early childhood caregivers and educators to help build a sustainable and stable early childhood workforce. Eligible early childhood educators include teachers and assistant teachers working in licensed child care programs, including centers, family and group homes, Head Start programs and Great Start Readiness Programs. The initiative will provide monthly stipends of $200 for part-time professionals working up to 60 hours biweekly, or $300 for full-time professionals working more than 61 hours biweekly.
“Residents in thriving cities need access to good jobs, reliable transportation, affordable housing, and amenities like quality child care,” said Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. “This initiative is a key step toward building a permanent, long-term wage strategy for child care and early education providers. We are grateful to MiLEAP and Child Care Back Office for making early child care support an integral part of maintaining our workforce. This is an investment in the Lansing community and our regional economy.”
“We know that when educators thrive, children and communities thrive,” said Sarah Foglesong, CEO of Child Care Back Office. “Our role is to ensure that the application process is simple and accessible so that we can get these resources into the hands of the educators who need them most.”
