Pilot program for home childcare business now accepting applications

MARQUETTE COUNTY, Mich. (WJMN) – The Marquette County Childcare Coalition announced on Friday the launch of a new pilot program designed to assist individuals interested in starting a child care business at home.

It’s called Childcare SPARK and was developed by the Community Foundation of Marquette County (CFMC), Great Start to Quality, Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP), Marquette-Alger RESA and Regionerate. The program aims to address childcare shortages by successfully establishing new at-home childcare businesses throughout Marquette County.

“It’s really important that this program recognizes that this is a challenge that we’re seeing across the county and really across the region,” said CFMC CEO Zosia Eppensteiner. “And so to make it available both from a geographic perspective across the county, as well as looking at these specific challenges. You know, people are struggling with transportation, with broadband, they may need help with equipment or start-up financing, or they may need to make adjustments to their home to start the licensed home facility. Those were all things that were considered when designing the program.”

Participants in the Childcare SPARK program are supported throughout the process of gaining accreditation as childcare providers at home, guided by business development professionals, local childcare providers and early childhood development organisations.

“[Participants] will go through about three months of weekly classes and homework and all that fun stuff to learn business fundamentals, childcare business fundamentals and early childhood education fundamentals,” said Christopher Germain, CEO of LSCP. “Everything you need to run a quality daycare at home. You will also receive support from mentors who are already in the business. They’re out there experiencing this in the real world, and they can provide that additional advice. The program will also include additional support features. So if you have that interest and passion to build this type of business, you now have all the support and resources to do it.”

To learn more about eligibility requirements and to apply, visit childcarespark.com. Application deadline is April 7th.

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