Catch up on IFF news, read stories about community development projects across the Midwest, and gain insight from our team.
- December 02, 2025
The Michigan Chronicle: Dream Studio Detroit Opens New Community Hub in Cody Rouge to Expand Family Economic Mobility
Category: Press
- November 15, 2025
Detroit Free Press: Unlicensed Child Care Providers Fill Gap for Detroit Families Struggling to Find Care
Category: Press
- Category: Resources

- October 07, 2025
James S. McDonnell Foundation: Building Joyful Spaces: How IFF Is Helping to Transform St. Louis’s Early Childhood Ecosystem
Category: Press
- October 01, 2025
Model D: Investing in America Child Care Partnership – Building a Stronger Future for Families and Employers
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- September 12, 2025
Crain’s Detroit Business: Kresge Foundation to Move HQ Back to Detroit as Part of $180M Investment
Category: Press
- August 01, 2025
July 2025 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- Category: Press

- July 01, 2025
June 2025 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- June 25, 2025
Boston Square Embraces the Future: New ECE Center Nurtures Young Minds and Empowers Families
Category: Stories
- June 11, 2025
Michigan Business Network: MiLEAP Announces $1 Million Awarded to Regional Child Care Coalitions
Category: Press
- June 10, 2025
theSTL: Caring for the Caregivers
Category: Press
- May 29, 2025
Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Policy Conference Left Early Childhood Education Off This Year’s Agenda | Opinion
Category: Press
- Category: Stories

- April 23, 2025
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Amplify GR Gears Up to Open Community Hub, Break Ground on Second Mixed-Use Building
Category: Press
- March 20, 2025
ABC 6 Indianapolis: Four Indiana Nonprofits Receive Grant Funding to Help Address Workforce Issue of Affordable Child Care
Category: Press
- March 01, 2025
February 2025 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- February 25, 2025
Input Fort Wayne: IFF’s Community Development in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Category: Press
- February 19, 2025
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Grand Rapids-Based Montessori Investing $3.2M with New Location in ‘Child Care Desert’
Category: Press
- February 19, 2025
Axios Boston: Downtown Office Vacancies Gave a Boston Nonprofit a Chance to Expand
Category: Press
- February 15, 2025
Fast Company: Why Good Design Remains a Luxury for U.S. Child Care
Category: Press
- January 31, 2025
Second Cohort of Cleveland Child Care Providers Transform Their Facilities Through PRE4CLE Program
Category: Stories
- January 27, 2025
A $59 Million Investment in Child Care Transforms Early Learning Spaces Across Michigan
Category: Stories
- January 15, 2025
Southeast Missourian: Community Groups Gather to Tackle Child Care Availability Issues
Category: Press
- January 09, 2025
Early Learning Nation: Philanthropic Partnership Aims to Expand Access to High-Quality Child Care
Category: Press
- December 05, 2024
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Developer Adds Child Care Center to Grand Rapids Project—And Eyes More Across West Michigan
Category: Press
- November 25, 2024
How IFF is Helping Kids Win in Missouri by Supporting Local Solutions That Expand Access to Quality Child Care
Category: Stories
- Category: Stories

- November 04, 2024
Outlier Media: From Paint Color to Air Quality, Designing Better Learning Environments for Detroit Kids
Category: Press
- Category: Stories

- October 02, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: Growing Fruitful Neighborhoods – IFF’s Commitment to Eastside Detroit
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- September 25, 2024
IFF’s Continuum in Practice: Supporting Community-Driven Revitalization in Southeast Grand Rapids
Category: Stories
- September 09, 2024
KSDK-TV: St. Louis Voters Weigh In on How to Spend $250 Million Rams Settlement Money
Category: Press
- September 01, 2024
August 2024 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- August 20, 2024
Celebrating the McClellan Early Childhood Center
Category: Stories
- August 08, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: Commongrounds Uses Co-Op Model to Serve Missing Needs of the Community
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- August 02, 2024
Crain’s Detroit Business: Final Pieces of Cradle-to-Career Plan at Marygrove Campus in the Works
Category: Press
- August 01, 2024
July 2024 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- July 29, 2024
Cultivating St. Louis’ Next Generation of Community Leaders at Urban Sprouts Child Development Center
Category: Stories
- July 23, 2024
Caring for MI Future: Facilities Improvement Fund Helps Upgrade Michigan’s Early Learning Spaces
Category: Stories
- July 23, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: MiLEAP Fund Provides Essential Equipment, Upgrades for Child Care Facilities
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- July 12, 2024
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Panel Discussion: Child Care Innovations from the 7th District
Category: Stories
- July 11, 2024
Regions Bank: ‘Small Dollars, Huge Impact’
Category: Press
- July 11, 2024
Crain’s Detroit Business: Detroit Seeks Developer for Neighborhood Center Near Michigan Central
Category: Press
- Category: Press

- Category: Press

- Category: Press

- June 25, 2024
Second Wave Michigan: Repurposing Community Assets Strengthens Communities in Pontiac and Detroit
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- Category: Stories

- May 24, 2024
Quality Facilities for All Initiative supports early childhood education facilities in East St. Louis, IL
Category: Stories
- Category: Press

- Category: Press

- Category: Press

- Category: Stories

- Category: Press

- 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
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- April 19, 2024
Joyful Spaces: New Program Advances Early Childhood Education Facility Quality in St. Louis
Category: Stories
- March 27, 2024
“This is where you start a straight A student”: Quality Facilities for All Supports Early Childhood Education in Illinois
Category: Stories
- Category: Stories

- Category: Press

- Category: Press

- February 20, 2024
The Kresge Foundation: How IFF Navigated Layering Partners, Capital to Build a New Early Childhood Center
Category: Press
- January 13, 2024
Wisconsin State Journal: Madison Project with Housing, Child Care Under One Roof Shows Need for Federal Fund
Category: Thought Leadership
- January 01, 2024
December 2023 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- December 30, 2023
Chicago Defender: ITAV Elevates Mission with Historic Acquisition of Hales in Bronzeville
Category: Press
- December 19, 2023
Quality Facilities for All (QFA) Initiative Completes First Cohort of ECE Facility Renovations in Chicago
Category: Stories
- December 19, 2023
Second Wave Michigan: Report Highlights Need for More Equitable Early Childhood Care and Education
Category: PressCategory: Stories
- November 20, 2023
A $50 Million Healthy Living Campus Aims to Address Historic Inequities in West Dayton
Category: Stories
- Category: Stories

- October 16, 2023
Commentary: Hope Starts Here Marks Progress in Detroit, Kellogg and Kresge recommit their support
Category: Stories
- October 13, 2023
WGVU: New Study Finds Demand for Early Childcare Slots in Kent County Falls Thousands Short
Category: Press
- August 10, 2023
Fox 2 Detroit: Gov. Whitmer’s new state budget includes $254M expanding free pre-K for up to 5,600 children
Category: Press
- Category: Thought Leadership

- Category: Stories

- June 01, 2023
May 2023 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- May 24, 2023
PRE4CLE Initiative Invests in Cleveland’s Youngest Learners with Funding for Facilities Upgrades and Other Supports
Category: Stories
- March 23, 2023
Commentary: State initiative is a leap forward for early childhood facilities and those they serve
Category: Thought Leadership
- Category: Stories

- November 11, 2022
October 2022 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- 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
Category: Press
- October 26, 2022
A Nonprofit and a Health System in Rural Indiana Team Up to Solve Two Community Challenges with One Repurposed Facility
Category: Stories
- September 21, 2022
Stronger Together: Health Care Systems Investing in Early Care & Education
Category: Thought Leadership
- August 23, 2022
At the Intersection of Equity and Early Childhood Education: Q&A with Erikson Institute President Dr. Mariana Souto-Manning
Category: Stories
- Category: Stories

- Category: Stories

- June 20, 2022
Photo Tour: Grand Rapids Early Childhood Education Providers Enhance Facilities Through Learning Spaces Program
Category: Stories
- May 18, 2022
Madison Nonprofits Team Up on Affordable Housing and Early Childhood Education in a Win-Win for Everybody
Category: Stories
- Category: Stories

- May 01, 2022
April 2022 Loan Round-up
Category: Stories
- February 16, 2022
Facility Turnaround in Detroit Helps Nonprofit Focus on “The Right Work at the Right Time in the Right Place”
Category: Stories
- January 18, 2022
Photo Tour: The Marygrove Early Education Center Puts Young Learners at the Center of Community Revitalization
Category: Stories
- November 16, 2021
Home-based early childhood education providers deserve to be included in funding, supports
Category: Thought Leadership
- November 04, 2021
ENR Midwest: ENR Midwest Names 2021 Best Projects
Category: Press
- September 17, 2021
The Kresge Foundation: New, state-of-the art Marygrove Early Education Center celebrates grand opening
Category: Press
- Category: Stories

- August 18, 2021
MLive: Transforming learning spaces: Program aims to improve access to early childhood education
Category: Press
- August 16, 2021
Transformational New Facility Unlocks Potential for Early Childhood Learners in Kansas City
Category: Stories
- Category: Thought Leadership

- June 28, 2021
2020 Annual Report
Category: Stories
- May 05, 2021
How Learning Spaces Expansion to Grand Rapids Addresses Inequity and Shapes Children’s Futures
Category: Thought Leadership