A cost-sharing plan to provide affordable childcare in Michigan.
Location: Michigan
Purpose: The MI Tri-Share Child Care Program (Tri-Share) increases access to high quality, affordable child care for working families, with the cost of child care shared by an employer, the employee, and the State of Michigan.
Lead Stakeholders: Business, Community, Government
Process: Tri-Share is a program where employers, employees, and the State of Michigan each pay ⅓ of an employee’s child care costs. Employees are eligible for the program if they are below a maximum income threshold and if they did not qualify for Michigan’s separate low-income child care subsidy.
The core of the program is a system of regional tri-share facilitator hubs. These hubs are funded by the state and run by local organizations. Hubs—like the Goodwill Industries of West Michigan—help connect employers to the Tri-Share program, determine employee eligibility, and process payments. Employees can use a licensed child care provider of their choice through the program.
Outcomes:
- On average, employee participants decreased their monthly child care costs by $464, or 65%, during the pilot program
- A majority of employer survey respondents agreed that Tri-Share has and will continue to help retain employees
- Participating pilot employers invested an average of over $250 per month per child care slot
View or download PDF of the Tri-Share Child Care Program case study.
