Leelanau families will get a little help with childcare expenses come September.
Applications are being accepted for parents seeking childcare assistance through Parenting Communities, run through the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department.
The new pilot childcare scholarship program, ChildShare, approved by county commissioners eight months ago.
“Our goal has been simple: use limited funding in a meaningful way to help as many families as possible to access and maintain childcare,” said Michelle Klein, RN, MA and director of personal health for BLDHD.
Parenting Communities, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department (BLDHD), local childcare providers and community partners have worked together to thoughtfully design this program, approved late last year by the county board.
The program is supported by a county “early childhood” tax. The millage that funds the Parenting Communities program in Leelanau County was initially approved by voters in November 2019. This five-year property tax was successfully renewed by voters in August 2024.
Using these funds Parenting Communities offers free playgroups, home visits, lactation consulting, and developmental screenings for families and children up to age 6. However, commissioners questioned an apparent surplus of funds being carried over from one year to the next. Funding for the program would come renewal of a 0.253mill levy for Parenting Communities in 2024.
This year, this levy is expected to generate $711,000 with $200,000 earmarked for the childcare program.
In order to qualify, families must:
• Live in Leelanau County.
• Have a child age 6 or younger.
• Attends a participating license childcare provider.
• Have a household income at or below 225% of the federal poverty level.
ChildShare will provide a $30 per day stipend that is paid directly to participating licensed childcare providers on behalf of eligible families. The program is available for children ages 0–6 who attend a participating licensed childcare program in Leelanau County.
Applications are open now and will remain open through mid July, according to the project timeline. In July and August, BLDHD will verify eligibility and notification of awards. And in late August and September, scholarship payments will be made to participating childcare providers.
According to Klein, there are an estimated 160 children in 110 families who live in Leelanau County and attend licensed Leelanau childcare programs. Sixty-four percent of families indicated that childcare assistance would allow them to work more hours or attend school.
There are 14 licensed childcare providers in the county, including home based, center based and micro-centers. Sixty percent of providers have waiting lists, primarily for full-time and or infant slots. Many have one to two openings for parttime children over age 18 months, according to Klein.
“With the amount of money we have ($200,000 at $30 per child) we expect to help 30 to 35 families,” Klein said. “It will help families and allow parents to go to work, school and pick up extra hours at work to cover basic needs.”
Cost ranges from $55 to $70 per day, depending on the age of the child, and are relatively consistent across all providers.
The pilot ChildShare payment will provide a “meaningful discount” toward the cost of childcare which, for children birth through age 6, would help cover childcare expenses for income-eligible families in Leelanau County.
Federal guidelines allow an income of $48,690 for a family of two; $61,470 for a family of three; $74,250 for a family of four; $87,030 for a family of five and $99,810 for families of six.
Children receiving state or federal child care support will not be eligible.
Four-hundred, sixty county children are enrolled in the Parenting Communities program.
