The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), today announced a $4.4 million investment to pilot Nurture Benefits, a new program designed to expand access to essential workforce benefits—including health, life and retirement options—for childcare professionals across the state. The program aims to grow and stabilize Michigan’s early childhood workforce by making it easier for childcare providers to attract and retain career professionals. 

“Childcare professionals are the workforce behind the workforce,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “This pilot recognizes their value and responds to a long-standing need, helping ensure those who nurture our youngest learners have access to the essential benefits that support career growth and security.” 

The program builds on the state’s continued progress in strengthening early childhood systems and reflects MiLEAP’s commitment to ensuring that all children have access to safe, high-quality care while uplifting the professionals who provide it and the working families who rely on it. The program is funded through a larger $33 million federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Renewal (PDG B-5) grant investment awarded to Michigan by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

“Expanding access to safe, high-quality, and affordable childcare in Michigan begins with supporting the people who make it possible,” said Emily Laidlaw, deputy director of Early Education at MiLEAP. “This pilot program empowers child care providers to build strong, dedicated teams while creating a dependable early learning system that Michigan families can count on for years to come.” 

“Access to affordable health, life, and retirement benefits is one of the biggest barriers facing childcare professionals—and it’s a barrier that directly impacts Michigan’s small businesses,” said Brian Calley, SBAM president & CEO. “When child care providers can offer robust employee benefits, they’re better able to attract and retain staff, which in turn helps working parents stay in the workforce. Through this partnership, we’re proud to support the people who make it possible for small businesses to thrive.” 

Administered by SBAM, the Nurture Benefits pilot will allow licensed child care employers to apply on behalf of their facilities to offer benefits to employees. The program will be available to any licensed or license-exempt childcare provider in Michigan working 30 hours or more per week. Open enrollment is expected to begin in fall 2025, with benefits effective starting Jan. 1, 2026. 

For more information about the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Renewal (PDG B-5) and MiLEAP’s efforts to advance early childhood education in Michigan, visit MiLEAP’s Office of Early Education webpage.