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Recognizing Michigan employers leading the way in childcare innovation and support for working families.
Congratulations to our 2026 winners
Partnered to secure approximately $500,000 to purchase and renovate a vacant Petoskey church, leading to the opening of Little Roots Childcare with two centers and 36 new licensed spaces for children from 6 weeks through age 5.
Made child care a community priority by working with providers, employers, schools and regional partners to reduce barriers to new programs, with two prospective providers poised to add approximately 40 licensed child care spaces.
Invested in a 43,000-square-foot, nature-based early learning center on its Zeeland campus serving infants through preschoolers, including infant care and second-shift care to support manufacturing employees and other families with nontraditional schedules.
Using community partnerships, employer input and philanthropy to address the region’s child care shortage and redevelop a downtown Bay City site for a center expected to serve approximately 40 to 50 children, with a focus on infants and toddlers.
Provides licensed infant, toddler, and preschool care while covering 50% of employees’ child care costs and investing in facility improvements, early childhood workforce initiatives, and additional Great Start Readiness Program classrooms.
Transformed an underused former elementary school into Wacousta Commons, adding 33 child care spaces and 25 before- and after-school spaces while bringing together educational and community resources in rural Clinton County.
Has treated child care as essential community and economic infrastructure by supporting small business child care providers through training and grants, participating in the MI Tri-Share pilot, and advancing regional child care planning and innovative local solutions.
Provided a $750,000 loan and $100,000 in grants to Apple Playschools to expand operations, adding 47 child care spaces and 12 jobs while demonstrating how impact investment can support child care capacity.
Brought major health care employers together to identify child care barriers for workers with nontraditional schedules and used those insights to develop an Employer Child Care Taskforce playbook that provides a framework for other employers.
Event Recap
2025 Champions
2024 Champions
