The Shiawassee County MI Tri-Share Program Seeking Employer Partners to Support Childcare Needs of Local Workers

March 31, 2022

Following recent grant awards from the State of Michigan and the Cook Family Foundation, the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership (SEDP) and Shiawassee Regional Education Service District (SRESD) are launching a Shiawassee County hub of the MI Tri-Share Childcare Program. The program will seek to address the challenges of childcare availability and affordability for area workers by splitting the costs between the employer, employee, and grant funds. Shiawassee County will be one of seven new hubs located across Michigan.

Currently in a ramp up phase, the Tri-Share Hub is seeking employers interested in participating. Any Shiawassee County based employer may be eligible. Employers will need to contribute $2 per child care hour for each of their participating employees, with $2 per childcare hour also contributed by the employee and the Tri-Share Hub. Payments will be coordinated through the SRESD to any state licensed childcare provider who partners with the Tri-Share Hub.

The first step for interested employers is to complete a survey that can be found here. This will provide the Tri-Share Hub with the information necessary to begin developing a service plan in partnership with the employer. Employers may set the number of slots they will use based on this feedback. No commitments are necessary until after the survey process, when a memorandum of understanding will need to be put in place. To be included within the first round of employers, the survey must be completed by April 8th, 2022.

“We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to area employers,” said SEDP President/CEO Justin Horvath. “Lack of accessible childcare has been a barrier to employment for too many individuals in our community. This is a chance for us to share in a solution to that issue.”

The program is funded through 2022.