Catch up on IFF news, read stories about community development projects across the Midwest, and gain insight from our team.

Thought Leadership
map of redlined neighborhoods
May 09, 2019
The Appraisal Bias: How more equitable underwriting can increase capital in communities of color
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Thought Leadership
March 12, 2019
Exploring the continuum: Why community development projects need so much more than capital
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Press
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August 21, 2024
Axios Detroit: New Detroit Early-Education Center Aims to Help Fill Gap
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Press
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August 21, 2024
DBusiness Magazine: McClellan Early Childhood Center Opens on Detroit’s East Side
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Press
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August 21, 2024
The Kresge Foundation: McClellan Early Childhood Center Opens on Detroit’s East Side
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Press
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August 20, 2024
ABC 7 Detroit: Early Childhood Center Opens in Detroit
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Press
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August 20, 2024
City of Detroit: McClellan Early Childhood Center Opens on Detroit’s East Side
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Stories
Welcome sign for McClellan Ribbon Cutting.
August 20, 2024
Celebrating the McClellan Early Childhood Center
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Press
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August 08, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: Commongrounds Uses Co-Op Model to Serve Missing Needs of the Community
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Press
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August 02, 2024
Crain’s Detroit Business: Final Pieces of Cradle-to-Career Plan at Marygrove Campus in the Works
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Stories
July 29, 2024
Cultivating St. Louis’ Next Generation of Community Leaders at Urban Sprouts Child Development Center
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Stories
July 23, 2024
Caring for MI Future: Facilities Improvement Fund Helps Upgrade Michigan’s Early Learning Spaces
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Press
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July 23, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: MiLEAP Fund Provides Essential Equipment, Upgrades for Child Care Facilities
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Stories
July 12, 2024
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Panel Discussion: Child Care Innovations from the 7th District
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Press
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July 11, 2024
Regions Bank: ‘Small Dollars, Huge Impact’
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Press
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July 11, 2024
Crain’s Detroit Business: Detroit Seeks Developer for Neighborhood Center Near Michigan Central
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Press
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July 08, 2024
Outlier Media: Hope Starts Here – Detroit’s Children Enriched by Network of Resource Groups Addressing Community-Identified Goals
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Press
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July 01, 2024
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Childcare Facility Financing – Perspectives from Three Decades of Supporting Childcare Centers
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Press
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June 27, 2024
U.S. Department of Commerce: Convening Private Sector, Non-Profit and Philanthropic Leaders for First-of-Its-Kind National Child Care Innovation Summit
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Press
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June 25, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: Repurposing Community Assets Strengthens Communities in Pontiac and Detroit
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Stories
May 28, 2024
Caring for Our Future: State Initiative Boosts and Supports Child Care Providers and Creates Quality Learning Spaces for More Children
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Stories
Before and after images of the outdoor play space at Hamilton’s Learning Center, a QFA grantee in East St. Louis.
May 24, 2024
Quality Facilities for All Initiative supports early childhood education facilities in East St. Louis, IL
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Press
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May 13, 2024
JPMorgan Chase: Quality Child Care Anchors Detroit Community
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Press
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May 09, 2024
Michigan Chronicle: Michigan’s $59 Million Investment Paid for Expansions, Upgrades, and Renovations at 1,100 Childcare Facilities
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Press
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May 08, 2024
Michigan Department of Lifelong Learning, Achievement, and Potential Press Release: MiLEAP Announces $59 Million Investment to Expand and Improve 1,100+ Child Care Facilities Across Michigan
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Stories
May 07, 2024
IFF’s 2023 Annual Report: A Historic Investment in Local Changemakers
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Press
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May 02, 2024
W.K. Kellogg Foundation: IFF Research Study Highlights Uneven Access to Affordable Child Care in Kent County, Michigan
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Press
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April 25, 2024
Southwest Michigan’s Second Wave: Battle Creek’s Early Childhood Education Poised to Flourish — And Save a Church at the Same Time
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Stories
April 19, 2024
Joyful Spaces: New Program Advances Early Childhood Education Facility Quality in St. Louis
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Stories
March 27, 2024
“This is where you start a straight A student”: Quality Facilities for All Supports Early Childhood Education in Illinois
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Stories
March 07, 2024
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s Affordable Housing Program Helps Wisconsin Nonprofits Address Two Community Needs in One High-Quality Facility in Madison
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Press
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March 07, 2024
WGHN-AM: Rep. Scholten Secures $11.5M for Community Projects Across West Michigan
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Press
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February 21, 2024
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Kent County Must Continue Early Childhood Funding
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Press
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February 20, 2024
The Kresge Foundation: How IFF Navigated Layering Partners, Capital to Build a New Early Childhood Center
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Thought Leadership
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January 13, 2024
Wisconsin State Journal: Madison Project with Housing, Child Care Under One Roof Shows Need for Federal Fund
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Stories
January 01, 2024
December 2023 Loan Round-up
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Press
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December 30, 2023
Chicago Defender: ITAV Elevates Mission with Historic Acquisition of Hales in Bronzeville
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Stories
December 19, 2023
Quality Facilities for All (QFA) Initiative Completes First Cohort of ECE Facility Renovations in Chicago
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Press
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December 19, 2023
Second Wave Michigan: Report Highlights Need for More Equitable Early Childhood Care and Education
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Stories
November 20, 2023
A $50 Million Healthy Living Campus Aims to Address Historic Inequities in West Dayton
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Stories
October 25, 2023
Michigan Initiative Helping to Build More Quality, Inspiring Child Care Spaces
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Stories
October 16, 2023
Commentary: Hope Starts Here Marks Progress in Detroit, Kellogg and Kresge recommit their support
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Press
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October 13, 2023
WGVU: New Study Finds Demand for Early Childcare Slots in Kent County Falls Thousands Short
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Press
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August 10, 2023
Fox 2 Detroit: Gov. Whitmer’s new state budget includes $254M expanding free pre-K for up to 5,600 children
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Thought Leadership
June 21, 2023
Honoring Culture’s Influence on Early Childhood Education and Spaces 
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Stories
June 07, 2023
Stronger Nonprofits Initiative: Five Years of Investment and Impact
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Stories
June 01, 2023
May 2023 Loan Round-up
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Stories
May 24, 2023
PRE4CLE Initiative Invests in Cleveland’s Youngest Learners with Funding for Facilities Upgrades and Other Supports
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Thought Leadership
March 23, 2023
Commentary: State initiative is a leap forward for early childhood facilities and those they serve
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Stories
At the Paramount Cottage Home school, a photo of the 10-year celebration of IFF's work in Indiana
March 22, 2023
Celebrating 10 Years of Impact in Indiana and Doubling Down on Statewide Solutions
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Stories
November 11, 2022
October 2022 Loan Round-up
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Press
Children playing at an ECE center in Detroit. One child never the center is balancing, with arms outstretched, on a board curved like the foot of a rocking horse.
November 03, 2022
Press Release: Gov. Whitmer Announces Application is Now Live for $50M in Grants to Open and Grow Child Care Facilities in Michigan
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