The
Provider
Audit

What This Is

The Provider Audit is our way of putting words and numbers to something childcare providers already know:

Public funding helps keep childcare running.

Providers do too.
 

Every day, providers spend their own money, work unpaid hours, and make personal sacrifices so families can keep going to work, school, and appointments. Most of that never shows up in reports or policy discussions. This audit is about making those contributions visible.

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What We Mean by Provider Investment

Provider investment is not abstract. It looks like buying diapers, food, and supplies out of pocket. It looks like staying late, opening early, or covering staffing gaps without pay. It looks like missing family events, postponing time off, and showing up even when you are exhausted.

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These are not rare exceptions. They are routine parts of keeping childcare available in Michigan communities.

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Why We’re Doing This

As the state reviews child care programs, we want to make sure the full picture is on the table.
 

This provider-led audit is meant to sit alongside formal reviews, not replace them. It exists to show what providers contribute every day and to remind decision-makers that childcare does not run on funding alone. It runs on people.
 

We hope this helps ground future conversations in reality and leads to policies that recognize and support the true cost of providing care.