NCMC child care initiative receives more than $600K in funding
NCMC child care initiative receives more than $600K in funding Petoskey News-Review
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More Child Care Options Coming to Northern Michigan
PETOSKEY — North Central Michigan College’s Child Care Initiative is entering its second phase after receiving over $600,000 in grants to establish a child care and preschool program. The initiative aims to develop a sustainable, community-centered child care system in Emmet County.
Grant Funding
- The U.S. Department of Education’s Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program awarded NCMC a $490,569 grant. NCMC was the only awardee in Michigan.
- The Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation provided a two-year, $100,000 grant in support of Phase II initiatives, including the establishment of the NCMC Child Care and Preschool Program.
- The Emmet County Board of Commissioners approved a $50,000 funding request to support employer partners’ engagement in the child care and preschool program.
Expanding Child Care Access
The CCAMPIS grant will expand child care access for students who are parents with infants and toddlers. It can be renewed for up to four years and used to subsidize child care costs for student parents in the short term.
Supporting Student Parents
Jennifer Wixson, NCMC early childhood education program coordinator and head of the Child Care Initiative, emphasized the unique challenges faced by student parents. The first step of the program will be identifying student parents and connecting them with resources to support their academic persistence and completion.
Community Support
- The Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation awarded a two-year, $100,000 grant to support the establishment of the NCMC Child Care and Preschool Program.
- The Emmet County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $50,000 funding request to engage employer partners in the child care and preschool program.
True Cost Fiscal Model
The goal of the NCMC Child Care and Preschool Program is to demonstrate the feasibility of a true cost fiscal model. The program aims to provide a safe environment for student parents to pursue their educational goals, using a sliding-fee scale and priority enrollment. It also seeks to model the use of various funding streams, promote cognitive, emotional, and social development, and increase the capacity of child care opportunities.
For More Information
For more information on the NCMC Child Care Initiative, visit ncmich.edu/cci.
Contact
Contact reporter Karly Graham atkgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at@KarlyGrahamJRN.
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