Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Michigan

Michigan's CDC Scholarship covers families up to ~200% FPL at entry and ~85% SMI at exit, with no statewide waitlist and many low-income families paying $0 copay. GSRP (PreK for All) is universal for every 4-year-old as of 2025-26. Michigan has no state CDCC.

Data current as of May 28, 2026

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Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Michigan

Program name: Child Development and Care (CDC) Scholarship
Administered by: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), administered with MDHHS
Income ceiling: Initial eligibility at or below 200% FPL — $5,358/month ($64,296/year) for a family of four effective September 21, 2025 (based on 2025 HHS FPL). Continuing eligibility up to 85% State Median Income — $8,291/month ($99,492/year) for a family of four. Per MDHHS RFT 270 (CDC Income Eligibility Scale, RFB 2026-005).
Family fee / copay: Sliding-scale Family Contribution deducted biweekly from the provider payment, set by income and family size. Lowest-income tiers have a $0 family contribution following recent reforms. Federal guidance targets a 7% cap; Michigan does not publish a single explicit numeric cap.
Waitlist status: No typical waitlist — No statewide waitlist. Michigan reported record CDC Scholarship enrollment of approximately 47,500 children as of March 2026 (announced April 2026), processed without a queue. Eligibility decisions typically take up to 30 days after documents are received.
Apply: newmibridges.michigan.gov/

Income limits by family size

Family size	Initial eligibility ceiling (annual, 200% FPL)	Continuing eligibility ceiling (annual, 85% SMI)
1	$31,296	$51,732
2	$42,312	$67,656
3	$53,304	$83,568
4	$64,296	$99,492
5	$75,312	$115,404
6	$86,304	$131,328
7	$97,296	$134,304
8	$108,312	$137,292

Initial eligibility ceiling (annual, 200% FPL): 200% of the 2025 HHS federal poverty guidelines per MDHHS RFT 270 (CDC Income Eligibility Scale, effective September 21, 2025), annualized (×12). Maximum gross income for initial CDC Scholarship application. F4 = $64,296/year ≈ 200% × $32,150 (2025 FPL).
Continuing eligibility ceiling (annual, 85% SMI): 85% of Michigan State Median Income per MDHHS RFT 270 (rightmost 'Exit' column, effective September 21, 2025), annualized (×12). Maximum gross income at redetermination for families already receiving CDC Scholarship. F4 = $99,492/year.

Michigan MDHHS RFT 270 — CDC Income Eligibility Scale and Provider Rates, RFB 2026-005 (published April 1, 2026; scale effective September 21, 2025). The seven-column table shows 100% FPL, six income tiers with increasing Family Contribution amounts, and the exit threshold. Column 1 (Entry) is the 'Entry' limit — maximum monthly gross income for initial application — equal to 200% of the 100% FPL reference column. Column 2 (Exit) is the rightmost column labeled 'Exit' — maximum monthly gross income for continuing eligibility at redetermination, representing 85% of Michigan State Median Income. Monthly values annualized (×12). FPL verification: 100% FPL column for F4 = $2,679/month = $32,148/year, matching 2025 HHS federal poverty guidelines (F4=$32,150/year) ✓; Entry (200%) = $5,358/month × 12 = $64,296 ≈ 200% × $32,150 ✓. SMI verification: Exit F2–F8 ratios vs. F4 match LIHEAP household-size adjustment ratios exactly (68/84/100/116/132/135/138%), confirming 85% of Michigan State Median Income as the basis. Effective September 21, 2025; check the state portal for the latest figures.

State pre-K in Michigan

Program name: Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) — branded "PreK for All"
Administered by: MiLEAP; delivered through local Intermediate School Districts (ISDs)
Access: Universal
Eligibility: Universal for all Michigan 4-year-olds as of 2025-26 — every age-eligible 4-year-old (4 by December 1) is eligible. Enrollment priority for families at or below 400% of the federal poverty level (~$128,000 for a family of four).
Coverage: Approximately 55,000 children enrolled — more than double 2021 levels. Available statewide through participating ISDs and Great Start to Quality.
Apply: www.michigan.gov/mileap/early-childhood-education/prek-for-all

State tax credits & extras in Michigan

State CDCC: Michigan does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. Michigan does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. House Bill 4055 (2025-26 session) would create a state child tax credit equal to 50% of the federal credit (~$1,100/child) but has not passed as of May 2026. The federal CDCC (Form 2441) remains available.

Other state programs and credits

MI Tri-Share Child Care
State, employer, and employee each pay one-third of licensed child care cost for working families up to 400% FPL (~$128,600 for a family of four). Requires a participating employer. MI Care-Share, a companion program for non-employer-based workers, launched November 2025.

Where to apply or get help in Michigan

Find a daycare in Michigan

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Sources

Every state layers its own program on top of a federal floor — CCDF (the federal block grant), Head Start, the federal DCFSA (employer pre-tax benefit), and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit. See the federal overview for what the floor looks like before any state adds.