Early Educator Wage Initiative Application Details

Child Care Network is launching the Early Educator Wage Initiative to support licensed child care providers across Regions 6 and 9. This exciting opportunity provides monthly stipends to early educators—helping strengthen wages, stabilize programs, and ensure that every child and family has access to quality care.

BEFORE YOU APPLY: It will be very helpful to read all the information provided on this webpage,
please be sure to scroll down and read all the details.

Who Can Apply

Mandatory Requirements Statewide:
Employment: Educators who stay with the licensed program they applied through will continue receiving wage support. If they change programs, they may reapply if funds remain.

MiRegistry: Educators must create or update a MiRegistry profile with current wage and employment documentation throughout the initiative. *please see details and information below

Program Profiles: Participating programs must maintain an up-to-date organizational MiRegistry profile with employee documentation.

Evaluation: Educators and programs must participate in all required evaluation activities.

Requirements specific to Regions 6 & 9:
All licensed child care providers and Tribal Child Care Centers—including centers, group homes, family homes, Head Start, and Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) classrooms—are eligible to apply.
If a program operates under multiple licenses, a separate application must be submitted for each license. (Please note that it is not guaranteed all licenses from one program will be selected.)

The stipend period will begin in January 2026 and continue monthly through August 2027:

• $300/month for full-time early educators

• $200/month for part-time early educators

We anticipate supporting approximately 150–200 early educators in each region.

Selection Process

All licensed programs will be invited to participate by completing an online application survey, which collects key data needed for evaluation.

After the application window closes, Child Care Network (CCN) will convene a review committee composed of at least five coalition members with no conflicts of interest. Each committee member will independently review and score applications using a standardized rubric. CCN staff will then review and verify all scores to ensure accuracy and consistency.

At this time, we’re not sharing the full rubric until the application period closes at the end of the month. This helps ensure a fair and consistent review process, allowing all applicants to describe their programs authentically rather than tailoring responses to specific scoring criteria. We strongly encourage all programs to apply. The goal is to stabilize and strengthen the types of care that our region most urgently needs.

A minimum cut score will be established based on the number of applications and the overall score distribution. Programs meeting or exceeding this threshold will move into their county’s eligibility pool. Using a computerized, weighted selection process, final participants will be chosen within each county based on rubric scores to ensure fair, equitable representation across all areas.

Stipends will be allocated to each county according to the percentage of licensed programs located there. Within each county, stipends will be distributed relative to local application scores rather than across the entire region.

Selected programs will receive grant stipends to distribute directly to eligible staff employed within their program's license. Eligible staff are primarily in the classroom as a Lead Caregiver/Teacher or Assistant Teacher/Family Child Care Assistant. By January 2026, participating programs must identify eligible staff members and confirm their interest in receiving stipends.

Participating programs will then submit monthly funding requests and payroll documentation verifying that stipends were distributed to eligible employees.

MiRegistry and Sharing Salary Information 

MiRegistry is the state’s main source for collecting accurate wage data from early educators. This information is essential for: 

• Informing policy and funding decisions that support wage growth. 

• Providing accurate data to RCCCs, legislators, and advocates. 

• Demonstrating workforce needs and progress over time. 

When all participants share and maintain current salary data, it strengthens statewide efforts to secure ongoing investments in the early education workforce. 

Additional Important Information:

Determining Income for Home-Based Child Care Business Owners 

To determine income, refer to Schedule C from the most recent federal tax return. Providers should keep a paper or digital copy of this form. 

• Annual income: Use Line 31 on Schedule C. 

• Monthly income: Divide Line 31 by 12. 

• Weekly income: Divide Line 31 by 52. 

Guidance on Accepting a Wage Supplement 

In most cases, home-based child care business owners benefit financially from accepting a wage supplement, even after taxes. 

However, if the supplement raises taxable income enough to affect income-based public benefits (such as health coverage, tax credits, or student financial aid), providers should carefully weigh the added income versus potential loss of benefits. 

It is strongly recommended that providers consult a tax preparer or financial advisor for advice specific to their situation. 

Tax Liability 

Participation in the wage initiative may affect an educator’s taxes. 

• Employers are responsible for paying payroll and withholding taxes. 

• Educators must pay any applicable income or other taxes on the wage supplements they receive. 

• Educators are encouraged to consult a tax professional to understand how the additional income may impact their tax liability. 

For questions about eligibility or the application process, please Contact Us