We’re pleased to feature this blog co-written by Jayme Vosovic, Community Engagement Director at the Michigan League for Public Policy, and Allison Keessen, Coordinator, Great Start Collaborative of Muskegon County. A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
Jayme Vosovic
Allison Keessen
While Michigan lawmakers were able to avert a government shutdown and eventually reach a state budget agreement in October, the final agreement left out critical early childhood funding that has upended a nearly two-decade-long commitment to supporting Great Start Collaboratives and Family Coalitions across the state.
The unexpected elimination of their funding has thrown the 54 collaboratives and family coalitions in Michigan into limbo. Many have already abruptly ended and others are relying on organizational and philanthropic support to remain temporarily operational. Only a few will be able to continue in a scaled-back capacity through the end of the school year in June.
Since the early 2000s, the collaboratives and family coalitions have connected families with vital early childhood and family supports, convened partners to improve outcomes and reduce duplication, and implemented programming that supports healthy development for our youngest children. While each collaborative and family coalition operates slightly differently depending on community needs, they all work toward ensuring that all children are born healthy, thriving, and developmentally on track from birth to third grade, are developmentally ready for school entry, and are prepared to succeed in fourth grade and beyond by being proficient readers by the end of third grade.
Using these outcomes as their guideposts, the collaboratives and family coalitions bring together parents and professionals to address these issues however they manifest in their communities. In this model, parents also have a voice in shaping the programs and services that help them give their children a great start. Parent leaders help with strategic planning, program implementation and serve as hosts for Parent Cafe support groups. They also serve as trusted messengers for school enrollment and early childhood initiatives such as Talking is Teaching and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Many of Michigan’s collaboratives and family coalitions also offer home visiting programs, free parent and child kindergarten readiness programs, playgroups, parent education and support groups, community-based events and outreach, support for child care providers, professional development for service providers and educators, connections to other early childhood resources, help for at-risk moms and pregnant teens, advocacy, and much more. The collaboratives and family coalitions are a lifeline to getting help and give parents and caregivers in Michigan a voice.
A parent who participated in the collaboratives serving Clare and Gladwin counties gets to the heart of why they are essential for communities: “The Great Start Collaborative doesn’t just offer programs; it nurtures dreams, bridges gaps and holds our community together. Losing this support would dim the light in our children’s eyes and silence the laughter that echoes through our parks and homes. Their work is the heartbeat of our early childhood system — irreplaceable, essential and a call to action for decision-makers to preserve this vital legacy.”
Nearly 700 other providers and parents have expressed similar sentiments about the importance of the collaboratives and family coalitions in a statewide survey that was sent out following the news that funding had been eliminated.
In addition to the devastating blow to families across Michigan who have relied on the collaboratives and family coalitions to ensure their children are thriving no matter what barriers they face, the elimination of their funding has also meant that many full-time and part-time Great Start workers in our state have either already lost their jobs or are facing uncertainty about whether their job will exist in the months ahead.
Many have already moved on to new jobs, leaving behind a void that will not easily be filled, given that these are talented early childhood development professionals with a wealth of experience in the work that they do and years, if not decades, of connections and relationships built in the communities in which they have served.
In response to this setback to early childhood coordination, advocates are actively seeking a new way to frame the work of the collaboratives and family coalitions and restore funding for their critical systems work and programming.
Financial support for early childhood services has the greatest return on investment in terms of educational and health outcomes for kids. The elimination of this funding is not only disheartening for families now, but it will come with long-term costs for Michigan. Michigan children, families and the staff members who have dedicated years of their lives to these organizations deserve better.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
