Diffusing Child Care Costs in Michigan

Chambers of commerce are uniquely positioned to build and support cross-sector coalitions that create lasting change. In 2019, the Grand Rapids Chamber (Mich.) convened a coalition of businesses, key state leaders, legislators, researchers and children advocacy groups to tackle child care accessibility, affordability and quality. It was out of these convenings that the MI Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program (Tri-Share) was formed. 

Tri-Share is a pilot program in which the cost of child care is shared equally by an eligible employee, their employer and the state of Michigan. The program launched in March of 2021 with three pilots in rural, urban and suburban settings. This program is administered by the Michigan Women’s Commission (MWC) and coordinated regionally by a facilitator who serves as the intermediary and provides overall program management.

Tri-Share has three primary goals:

1. Make child care affordable and accessible for working parents. The Tri-Share model reduces the out-of-pocket costs of child care and alleviates the burden of finding reliable child care for working families.
2. Help employers retain and attract employees. Access to affordable, high-quality child care allows parents to enter the workforce, increase their education levels and increase their earnings.
3. Help child care providers secure slots. The stability of the Tri-Share program can increase financial stability of child care programs and the market.

This investment in high-quality early childhood education is important because it has long- and short-term effects on families and the workforce. In the long-term, high-quality reliable child care gives children the foundational skills needed to be successful, making them better prepared to enter the workforce in the future. In the short term, it creates stability in the child care sector and gives working families the ability to pursue their career goals.

The program started with three initial facilitator hubs and had seven employers. The one-year anniversary of the project is just around the corner, and Tri-Share has expanded to five regions covering 52 counties and Detroit. The program also has financial support; in February 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer included $2.5 million in the state budget recommendations to continue the program, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded $800 million to help further the expansion of the program.

Tri-Share continues to have the support of the business community. “We continue to hear from our members that child care is key in helping families and businesses thrive,” said Rick Baker, CEO of the Grand Rapids Chamber. The chamber continues to advocate for the Tri-Share program as a part of its state legislative agenda. The Benzie Area Chamber of Commerce is also prioritizing child care in its chamber initiatives. Benzie County is one of the selected pilot areas for the program, and the chamber has been active is raising awareness for the program. As of December 2021, 22 employers across Michigan had opted into the program.