MiLEAP Awards More Than $2.6 Million to Family Child Care Network Hubs to Support Home-Based Child Care Programs Across Michigan

14 provider-driven hubs receive funding to improve quality, expand access, and promote sustainability for home-based child care businesses 

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) announced today that 14 Family Child Care Network (FCCN) hubs have been awarded more than $2.6 million to strengthen support for home-based child care programs across the state. Comprised of interconnected groups of providers, FCCN networks work to improve program quality, expand access to services, and promote long-term business sustainability.

“MiLEAP is committed to building a child care system that works for every family, and that begins with supporting the providers at the heart of our communities,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “This investment in home-based child care reflects MiLEAP’s belief that quality and licensed care should be both accessible and sustainable — and that providers deserve the tools, resources, and partnerships they need to thrive.”

In partnership with the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), MiLEAP is expanding the reach of FCCNs across Michigan. Through ECIC’s Child Care Innovation Fund, this opportunity supports local networks in connecting home-based providers to technical assistance, educational resources, and opportunities to engage with policymakers and decision-makers. 

“Investing in Family Child Care Networks recognizes the critical role of home-based child care, often a preferred setting for families,” said Alicia Guevara, CEO of ECIC. “By connecting home-based providers and enhancing supports to them, we are enhancing quality and building more sustainable systems in communities across the state while advancing our commitment to ensuring young children and their families thrive.”

“Home-based child care providers are the heart of so many communities,” said Annette Sobocinski, executive director of Child Care Network. “They care for and educate our children, support working families, and create safe, nurturing spaces that feel like home. Through Family Child Care Networks, we get to stand beside these providers—offering support, connection, and the recognition they deserve. We’re so grateful to see this work valued and supported at the state level.”

FCCN hubs are designed to reduce isolation among providers, strengthen local and statewide partnerships and uplift the voices of home-based child care professionals. By equipping providers with tools, resources and collaborative support, these networks build stronger, more sustainable child care businesses and empower better outcomes for the children and families they serve. 

“FCCNs are not only about improving the quality of child care — they’re about empowering the people who deliver it,” said Emily Laidlaw, deputy director of Early Education at MiLEAP. “These networks create stronger connections between providers, families, and local systems, while ensuring that children and families have access to dependable, high-quality care.” 

Launched as an outcome of Caring for MI Future, ECIC initially piloted the FCCN model in nine regions, supporting 22 networks across the state through both funding and technical assistance. This latest round of support, funded by federal dollars administered through the Child Care Development Block Grant, sustains the original hubs while adding five new ones to expand access statewide.

Funded networks include:

To learn more and get connected with your local Family Child Care Network, visit https://www.ecic4kids.org/family-child-care-networks/. 

For more information about MiLEAP’s efforts to expand access to child care in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/CaringForMIFuture.