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

  1. January 21, 2026

    NPR Kansas City: Kansas City Parents Say Child Care Made All the Difference in Their Lives. Finding It Was Not Easy.
    Category: Press
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  2. January 21, 2026

    Press Release: 10 Detroit Early Childhood Education Providers to Join New Professional Development Program
    Category: Press
  3. January 01, 2026

    December 2025 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
    Two people in a workshop glassblowing, with one holding a rod and the other assisting.
  4. December 29, 2025

    Start at Zero Establishes a New Early Childhood Development Hub in Kansas City
    Category: Stories
    A group of adults and children interacting in an educational indoor setting with a woman holding a book.
  5. December 02, 2025

    The Michigan Chronicle: Dream Studio Detroit Opens New Community Hub in Cody Rouge to Expand Family Economic Mobility
    Category: Press
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  6. December 01, 2025

    November 2025 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
    Students seated at round tables in a sunlit classroom.
  7. November 15, 2025

    Detroit Free Press: Unlicensed Child Care Providers Fill Gap for Detroit Families Struggling to Find Care
    Category: Press
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  8. October 29, 2025

    Four Ways to Make Early Learning Spaces More Accessible for All Children
    Category: Resources
    An early childhood education space with children engaged in activities and large windows providing natural light.
  9. October 07, 2025

    James S. McDonnell Foundation: Building Joyful Spaces: How IFF Is Helping to Transform St. Louis’s Early Childhood Ecosystem
    Category: Press
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  10. October 01, 2025

    Model D: Investing in America Child Care Partnership – Building a Stronger Future for Families and Employers
    Category: Press
    Category: Stories
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  11. September 12, 2025

    Crain’s Detroit Business: Kresge Foundation to Move HQ Back to Detroit as Part of $180M Investment
    Category: Press
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  12. August 01, 2025

    July 2025 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
    Aerial view of a school campus in a suburban area with houses and a distant city skyline.
  13. July 09, 2025

    The St. Louis American: McDonnell Foundation Supports Tornado Recovery Effort
    Category: Press
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  14. July 01, 2025

    June 2025 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
    An architect's rendering of a bright pottery studio with tables, stools, pottery wheels, and large shelves filled with ceramics.
  15. June 25, 2025

    Boston Square Embraces the Future: New ECE Center Nurtures Young Minds and Empowers Families
    Category: Stories
    Sign for Boston Square Early Learning Center with building labeled HUB 07 in the background.
  16. June 11, 2025

    Michigan Business Network: MiLEAP Announces $1 Million Awarded to Regional Child Care Coalitions
    Category: Press
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  17. June 10, 2025

    theSTL: Caring for the Caregivers
    Category: Press
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  18. May 29, 2025

    Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Policy Conference Left Early Childhood Education Off This Year’s Agenda | Opinion
    Category: Press
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  19. May 21, 2025

    IFF’s 2024 Annual Report: Investing in People, Places, and Possibilities
    Category: Stories
  20. 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
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  21. March 20, 2025

    ABC 6 Indianapolis: Four Indiana Nonprofits Receive Grant Funding to Help Address Workforce Issue of Affordable Child Care
    Category: Press
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  22. March 01, 2025

    February 2025 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
    A group of people standing behind weaving looms in a room with textile samples on the wall.
  23. February 25, 2025

    Input Fort Wayne: IFF’s Community Development in Fort Wayne, Indiana
    Category: Press
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  24. February 19, 2025

    Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Grand Rapids-Based Montessori Investing $3.2M with New Location in ‘Child Care Desert’
    Category: Press
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  25. February 19, 2025

    Axios Boston: Downtown Office Vacancies Gave a Boston Nonprofit a Chance to Expand
    Category: Press
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  26. February 15, 2025

    Fast Company: Why Good Design Remains a Luxury for U.S. Child Care
    Category: Press
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  27. January 31, 2025

    Second Cohort of Cleveland Child Care Providers Transform Their Facilities Through PRE4CLE Program
    Category: Stories
  28. January 27, 2025

    A $59 Million Investment in Child Care Transforms Early Learning Spaces Across Michigan
    Category: Stories
  29. January 15, 2025

    Southeast Missourian: Community Groups Gather to Tackle Child Care Availability Issues
    Category: Press
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  30. January 09, 2025

    Early Learning Nation: Philanthropic Partnership Aims to Expand Access to High-Quality Child Care
    Category: Press
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  31. 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
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  32. November 25, 2024

    How IFF is Helping Kids Win in Missouri by Supporting Local Solutions That Expand Access to Quality Child Care
    Category: Stories
  33. November 08, 2024

    Caring for MI Future Grantees Demonstrate the Program’s Impact and Importance
    Category: Stories
  34. November 04, 2024

    Outlier Media: From Paint Color to Air Quality, Designing Better Learning Environments for Detroit Kids
    Category: Press
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  35. October 10, 2024

    New Early Childhood Center Coming to Grand Rapids’ Boston Square Neighborhood
    Category: Stories
  36. October 02, 2024

    Second Wave Michigan: Growing Fruitful Neighborhoods – IFF’s Commitment to Eastside Detroit
    Category: Press
    Category: Stories
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  37. September 25, 2024

    IFF’s Continuum in Practice: Supporting Community-Driven Revitalization in Southeast Grand Rapids
    Category: Stories
  38. September 09, 2024

    KSDK-TV: St. Louis Voters Weigh In on How to Spend $250 Million Rams Settlement Money
    Category: Press
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  39. September 01, 2024

    August 2024 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
  40. August 20, 2024

    Celebrating the McClellan Early Childhood Center
    Category: Stories
    Welcome sign for McClellan Ribbon Cutting.
  41. August 08, 2024

    Second Wave Michigan: Commongrounds Uses Co-Op Model to Serve Missing Needs of the Community
    Category: Press
    Category: Stories
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  42. August 02, 2024

    Crain’s Detroit Business: Final Pieces of Cradle-to-Career Plan at Marygrove Campus in the Works
    Category: Press
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  43. August 01, 2024

    July 2024 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
  44. July 29, 2024

    Cultivating St. Louis’ Next Generation of Community Leaders at Urban Sprouts Child Development Center
    Category: Stories
  45. July 23, 2024

    Caring for MI Future: Facilities Improvement Fund Helps Upgrade Michigan’s Early Learning Spaces
    Category: Stories
  46. July 23, 2024

    Second Wave Michigan: MiLEAP Fund Provides Essential Equipment, Upgrades for Child Care Facilities
    Category: Press
    Category: Stories
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  47. July 12, 2024

    Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Panel Discussion: Child Care Innovations from the 7th District
    Category: Stories
  48. July 11, 2024

    Regions Bank: ‘Small Dollars, Huge Impact’
    Category: Press
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  49. July 11, 2024

    Crain’s Detroit Business: Detroit Seeks Developer for Neighborhood Center Near Michigan Central
    Category: Press
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  50. July 08, 2024

    Outlier Media: Hope Starts Here – Detroit’s Children Enriched by Network of Resource Groups Addressing Community-Identified Goals
    Category: Press
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  51. July 01, 2024

    Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Childcare Facility Financing – Perspectives from Three Decades of Supporting Childcare Centers
    Category: Press
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  52. 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
    Category: Press
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  53. June 25, 2024

    Second Wave Michigan: Repurposing Community Assets Strengthens Communities in Pontiac and Detroit
    Category: Press
    Category: Stories
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  54. May 28, 2024

    Caring for Our Future: State Initiative Boosts and Supports Child Care Providers and Creates Quality Learning Spaces for More Children
    Category: Stories
  55. May 24, 2024

    Quality Facilities for All Initiative supports early childhood education facilities in East St. Louis, IL
    Category: Stories
    Before and after images of the outdoor play space at Hamilton’s Learning Center, a QFA grantee in East St. Louis.
  56. May 13, 2024

    JPMorgan Chase: Quality Child Care Anchors Detroit Community
    Category: Press
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  57. May 09, 2024

    Michigan Chronicle: Michigan’s $59 Million Investment Paid for Expansions, Upgrades, and Renovations at 1,100 Childcare Facilities
    Category: Press
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  58. 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
    Category: Press
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  59. May 07, 2024

    IFF’s 2023 Annual Report: A Historic Investment in Local Changemakers
    Category: Stories
  60. May 02, 2024

    W.K. Kellogg Foundation: IFF Research Study Highlights Uneven Access to Affordable Child Care in Kent County, Michigan
    Category: Press
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  61. 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: Press
    Category: Stories
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  62. April 19, 2024

    Joyful Spaces: New Program Advances Early Childhood Education Facility Quality in St. Louis
    Category: Stories
  63. March 27, 2024

    “This is where you start a straight A student”: Quality Facilities for All Supports Early Childhood Education in Illinois
    Category: Stories
  64. 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
    Category: Stories
  65. March 07, 2024

    WGHN-AM: Rep. Scholten Secures $11.5M for Community Projects Across West Michigan
    Category: Press
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  66. February 21, 2024

    Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Kent County Must Continue Early Childhood Funding
    Category: Press
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  67. February 20, 2024

    The Kresge Foundation: How IFF Navigated Layering Partners, Capital to Build a New Early Childhood Center
    Category: Press
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  68. January 13, 2024

    Wisconsin State Journal: Madison Project with Housing, Child Care Under One Roof Shows Need for Federal Fund
    Category: Thought Leadership
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  69. January 01, 2024

    December 2023 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
  70. December 30, 2023

    Chicago Defender: ITAV Elevates Mission with Historic Acquisition of Hales in Bronzeville
    Category: Press
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  71. December 19, 2023

    Quality Facilities for All (QFA) Initiative Completes First Cohort of ECE Facility Renovations in Chicago
    Category: Stories
  72. December 19, 2023

    Second Wave Michigan: Report Highlights Need for More Equitable Early Childhood Care and Education
    Category: Press
    Category: Stories
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  73. November 20, 2023

    A $50 Million Healthy Living Campus Aims to Address Historic Inequities in West Dayton
    Category: Stories
  74. October 25, 2023

    Michigan Initiative Helping to Build More Quality, Inspiring Child Care Spaces
    Category: Stories
  75. October 16, 2023

    Commentary: Hope Starts Here Marks Progress in Detroit, Kellogg and Kresge recommit their support
    Category: Stories
  76. October 13, 2023

    WGVU: New Study Finds Demand for Early Childcare Slots in Kent County Falls Thousands Short
    Category: Press
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  77. 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
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  78. June 21, 2023

    Honoring Culture’s Influence on Early Childhood Education and Spaces 
    Category: Thought Leadership
  79. June 07, 2023

    Stronger Nonprofits Initiative: Five Years of Investment and Impact
    Category: Stories
  80. June 01, 2023

    May 2023 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
  81. May 24, 2023

    PRE4CLE Initiative Invests in Cleveland’s Youngest Learners with Funding for Facilities Upgrades and Other Supports
    Category: Stories
  82. March 23, 2023

    Commentary: State initiative is a leap forward for early childhood facilities and those they serve
    Category: Thought Leadership
  83. March 22, 2023

    Celebrating 10 Years of Impact in Indiana and Doubling Down on Statewide Solutions
    Category: Stories
    At the Paramount Cottage Home school, a photo of the 10-year celebration of IFF's work in Indiana
  84. November 11, 2022

    October 2022 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
  85. 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
    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.
  86. 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
  87. September 21, 2022

    Stronger Together: Health Care Systems Investing in Early Care & Education
    Category: Thought Leadership
  88. August 23, 2022

    At the Intersection of Equity and Early Childhood Education: Q&A with Erikson Institute President Dr. Mariana Souto-Manning
    Category: Stories
  89. June 21, 2022

    Chicago’s Academy for Global Citizenship Anchors New State-of-the-Art Learning, Sustainability, and Wellness Hub Catered to Community Needs
    Category: Stories
    Architect's rendering of the Academy for Global Citizenship at the Cultivate Collective hub
  90. June 20, 2022

    Recorrido de Fotos: Proveedores de educación infantil en Grand Rapids mejoran sus edificios a través del programa Learning Spaces
    Category: Stories
  91. June 20, 2022

    Photo Tour: Grand Rapids Early Childhood Education Providers Enhance Facilities Through Learning Spaces Program
    Category: Stories
  92. May 18, 2022

    Madison Nonprofits Team Up on Affordable Housing and Early Childhood Education in a Win-Win for Everybody
    Category: Stories
  93. May 18, 2022

    IFF’s 2021 Annual Report | Meeting the Moment: Change, Equity, Impact
    Category: Stories
    Cover of IFF's 2021 Annual Report
  94. May 01, 2022

    April 2022 Loan Round-up
    Category: Stories
    Architect's rendering of Galleria 89 in South Chicago
  95. February 16, 2022

    Facility Turnaround in Detroit Helps Nonprofit Focus on “The Right Work at the Right Time in the Right Place”
    Category: Stories
    A photo of the St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center in Detroit
  96. January 18, 2022

    Photo Tour: The Marygrove Early Education Center Puts Young Learners at the Center of Community Revitalization
    Category: Stories
  97. November 16, 2021

    Home-based early childhood education providers deserve to be included in funding, supports
    Category: Thought Leadership
  98. November 04, 2021

    ENR Midwest: ENR Midwest Names 2021 Best Projects
    Category: Press
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  99. September 17, 2021

    The Kresge Foundation: New, state-of-the art Marygrove Early Education Center celebrates grand opening
    Category: Press
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  100. September 15, 2021

    Trailblazing Early Learning Center Opens Doors on Marygrove Campus in Detroit
    Category: Stories
    Marygrove Early Education Center