Early Education Wage Initiative

Thank you for your interest in the Early Education Wage Initiative! This initiative is being offered by The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) in partnership with Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District (GOISD). In Michigan Prosperity Region 2, the program is administered by Networks Northwest.

The initiative basics:

• Networks Northwest plans to award the following stipends to early education Lead Caregivers/Teachers and Assistant Teachers/Family Child Care Assistants: 
  • 189 full-time stipends of $300 per month 
  • 55 part-time stipends of $200 per month
• January 2026 to August 2027 payment/funding period

Are you ready to apply? Click here.

Who can apply?

Any child care provider currently licensed by MiLEAP (including centers, family and group homes, Head Start programs and Great Start Readiness Programs) in Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee or Wexford Counties. This includes child care business owner-operators as well as center directors and other child care leaders representing child care license holders.

What is the timeline?

• Thursday, November 20 – application opens
• Monday, December 8, 11:59 pm – application closes
• Monday, December 19 – application approval/rejection announced; employee intake begins
• Monday, January 5, 2026 – deadline for employee acceptance
• Friday, January 16, 2026 – employee intake closes 
• By Friday, January 30, 2026 – first stipends issued

How will providers be selected to participate?

This is a competitive application process. Networks Northwest will use these criteria to select providers among all applications received.

Criteria	Points
Operates in an area with relatively low Child Opportunity Index	2 to 6 points: COI Very Low = 6, Low = 4, Moderate = 2
Run's a year-round program	2 points
Run's a program 5+ days a week, 8+ hours a day	2 points
Willing to provide care to infants OR toddlers	4 points
Willing to provide care for infants	1 point
Willing to accept CDC scholarship	2 points
TOTAL	Max = 17 points

General Targets/Criteria

• Minimums - 25% to home-based educators, 50% to center-based educators for an effective program
• Tie-Breaker - county without stipends will be selected over a county already being awarded stipends
• Final Tie-Breaker - once all other criteria are applied, ties will be settled through random drawing

What is expected of employers?

Networks Northwest will issue stipends to employers, and employers will be responsible for issuing stipend payments through their current payroll systems. Additional expectations:

• Keep MiRegistry information complete and up to date
• Monthly, notify Networks Northwest of any changes in employment of participating educators, including full-time/part-time, base wage rate and if an employee has left their position
• Encourage employees participating  in the pilot to participate in professional development opportunities
• Provide periodic feedback on the program to improve processes and demonstrate pilot program impact

What is expected of employees?

Employees receiving stipends will need to:

• Keep MiRegistry information complete and up to date
• Complete an intake survey asking about current credentials and role, MiRegistry number, tenure in the field, motivations for entering the field, satisfaction with the work, likelihood to stay in the field in Region 2, etc.
• Provide periodic feedback on the program to improve processes and demonstrate pilot program impact
• Participate in state-wide evaluation efforts

Why should I apply?

In the near term, the program will provide wage supplementation of $300 per month for full-time employees ($264 after typical* payroll taxes) and/or $200 per month for part-time employees ($176 after typical* payroll taxes). We appreciate our early childhood educators and want them to receive these funds!

In the longer term, the program will provide important information about how an increase in compensation can lead to improved retention and life experiences for educators. We hope this can pave the way for longer-term supports provided by the state as well as local employers and communities. Networks Northwest is going to work throughout the pilot to find ways to extend and expand the program once the pilot is concluded.

* Each person’s tax and payroll situation is unique. To determine actual after-tax stipend amounts, please consult a bookkeeping and tax professional.

Are you ready to apply? Click here.

Questions? Contact Norika Kida Betti at norika.kidabetti@networksnorthwest.org.