LANSING — A second round of the Child Care Stabilization Grant program is now underway and will distribute $365 million to give every full-time childcare professional a $1,000 retention bonus and to help childcare programs.

The grants are available to Michigan’s approximately 8,000 licensed childcare programs and their staff.

Licensed childcare providers are eligible and should visit Michigan.gov/childcare to confirm eligibility, review frequently asked questions and apply.

The application will be open until May 26, 2022. This is a noncompetitive grant. All eligible applicants will receive funding. Childcare professionals will be awarded bonuses directly from their employer and do not need to apply. 

Who is eligible to apply?

• Licensed child care centers
• Licensed family homes and group homes
• Tribal-based child care
• Head Start, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) and 21st CCLC programs that also provide tuition-based child care (see FAQ for full definition of requirements)
• Eligible applicants must also:
  Be open and available to provide child care services on the date of application OR be temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every eligible provider will receive a base award and bonus payments for providing in demand care. The base award will be based on licensed capacity and provider type. Bonus payments will be added to the award based on whether a provider cares for infants and toddlers, child care subsidy children, provide care during non-traditional hours, caring for a child with special needs and have a Great Start to Quality star rating.

Providers will also receive funding for staff bonuses.

According to the state’s licensing authority, there are close to 140 child car licenses operating in Dearborn alone.

Funding for the grant program was included in Governor Whitmer’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget that included other investments in childcare, totaling in a $1.4 billion investment.

In January, nearly 6,000 childcare providers received funding from the first round of Child Care Stabilization grants and 38,000 childcare professionals received bonuses. These were non-competitive grants awarded to licensed centers, group homes, family homes and tribal childcare providers to be used to support operational expenses. Nearly all applicants also requested and received funding for $1,000 sign on bonuses to fill staff vacancies.

The Century Foundation estimates that to date grants from the Child Care Stabilization Fund and other childcare investments from the American Rescue Plan Act saved 3,567 childcare programs and 135,795 slots in Michigan.

“I remember how valuable any bit of childcare was when my girls were young,” Whitmer said. “Today, I’m fighting to make sure every family has access to quality, affordable childcare that meets their needs. That starts with making sure our local childcare businesses can stay open and pay their staff a living wage. I’m proud that we are getting things done for young Michiganders, childcare professionals and small businesses. With this investment, we will continue growing Michigan’s economy and making our communities stronger.”

During the first round of grants, family home programs received $10,763, group home programs received $20,454 and childcare centers received $108,685. Total bonuses were $1,000 to 24,947 full time staff members and $500 to 13,213 part time staff members.

“The childcare grant funds have improved my daycare by allowing me to be able give my employees extra pay that I didn’t have to give to them,”said Felicia Caver Davis, owner and operator of Little Bubbles Daycare in Detroit, according to a press release. “It helped me buy more toys and supplies and fix things in my daycare. It allowed me to do a lot of repairs that needed to be done and helped to provide a safer environment for the children that attend.”