Advocates Gather at Michigan Capitol to Urge Lawmakers to Prioritize Young Children and Families in the State Budget

Families, early childhood professionals, and advocates from across Michigan gathered at the State Capitol on March 12 for the third annual Early Childhood Capitol Day. Advocates called on lawmakers to prioritize the needs of the state’s youngest children and families in the FY26 budget. 

“Early Childhood Capitol Day allows us to use our voices collectively to stress the urgent need to invest in Michigan’s early childhood system,” said Alicia Guevara, ECIC CEO. “When we prioritize investments in the earliest years, we’re laying the groundwork for a stronger future—ensuring every child in Michigan has the care, support, and opportunities they need to thrive from the very start. The return on investment is significant.”

To learn more about Capitol Day, 2025, visit our blog. 

Report Shows Higher Wages Strengthen Michigan's Child Care Workforce and Access

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) released a report highlighting the success of a pilot program aimed at increasing wages for child care professionals with the goal of improving child care access and affordability across the state. The report shows the program made a “substantial positive change” in staffing and care quality, helping child care centers hire and retain skilled educators.

Alicia Guevara, ECIC CEO, emphasized the importance of investing in the workforce, stating, “Increasing compensation both recognizes and helps keep highly skilled early educators in the industry to ensure more high-quality early care and education programs are available for families.” Findings from the pilot will inform future efforts to strengthen Michigan’s child care system and support working families.

National Center for Parent Leadership Presentation at First 5 Summit

At the 2025 First 5 Summit in San Diego, Sarah Zyburt, Program Manager over the National Center for Parent and Family Leadership, powered by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), and parent leader Effie Alofoje-Carr emphasized the critical role of families in early childhood systems change. Their session, Empowering Families: Integrating Parent Leadership for Lasting Change, highlighted equity-focused strategies to ensure parents have a voice in shaping programs that impact their children. To learn more about the presentation and the family-centered work of the National Center for Parent and Family Leadership, read the article on our blog. 

Breaking Barriers: Empowering Diverse Parent Leaders in Early Childhood

Join ECIC's National Center for Family and Parent Leadership for our Quarterly Webinar series!  

April 1, 2025 at Noon ET 

This webinar addresses intersections of race, culture, and parent leadership in early childhood systems. This powerful session will feature organizations and parent leaders who are breaking down systemic barriers and creating pathways to leadership for historically underrepresented groups.

Governor Whitmer’s State of the State Address: Investing in Michigan's Families and Future

On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered her seventh State of the State Address in the Michigan House Chamber before a joint session of the State Legislature. To read the early childhood-related highlights, you can find our post here. The address was broadcast live across the state and the recording can be viewed on the Michigan State of the State webpage.  

How the Federal Budget Impacts Early Childhood Programs and Services in Michigan

The federal budget and spending news can be overwhelming, especially with Michigan's budget cycle underway as well.  On March 14th, the Senate passed H.R.1968 - Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, a bill containing the provisions for the Continuing Resolution (CR) ensuring federal funding and operations through September 30, 2025. The president signed the bill on Saturday, March 15th.

How does the federal budget impact child care and families in Michigan? The CR mostly maintains the same level of spending as FY24; however, a 1 percent cut will be triggered by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and it is not clear how programs will be cut given the CR language. Read more from our partners at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). With less federal funding, Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, the Social Services Development Block (SSDBG), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and many other programs are at risk.  

Just over forty percent of Michigan’s state budget relies on federal funding to support and/or administer these programs. Changes in this funding stream could restrict access to services for thousands of families. Michigan’s constitution requires that the state budget is balanced annually. With a reduction in federal revenue, Michigan would be forced to make difficult decisions to balance the state budget.

Early Childhood Advocates' Corner

FY26 State Budget Basics in Michigan

Currently, state policymakers are considering spending for fiscal year 2026, which begins on October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. Governor Whitmer presented the executive budget recommendations on February 5th and now the legislature is considering its top priorities. Use this budget highlight resource to monitor activity throughout the budget process to see how young children and their families are being prioritized. 

Are you interested in Michigan legislation about early childhood? Stay up to date with current policy bills using our 2025/2026 ECIC Legislative Tracker.

Get Involved: In the Community

Career Opportunities at ECIC

Starting a career at ECIC means joining a mission-driven organization dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families. Visit our Careers page to discover current opportunities and become part of a team making a meaningful impact in early childhood systems. Current openings include, Assessors, Technical Assistance (TA) Consultants and Senior Director of External Affairs.