Contact Information
Great Start for Kids
Attn: Joan Blough
1738 Commonwealth Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Phone: 269-345-5968
Fax: 517-484-6549
info@greatstartforkids.org

About the Initiative

Governor Granholm’s Great Start initiative was announced in her 2004 State of the State speech to encourage early literacy efforts and parenting education. Great Start began as an initiative to better coordinate the services the State of Michigan provides for its children. The initiative entailed immediate steps to strengthen Michigan’s early childhood efforts and to create the state’s blueprint to build an early learning system for all children. For an overview of the Great Start initiative, please see Background Info.

The next key step in the development of Michigan's early childhood system was the establishment of the Michigan Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) in February 2005. The ECIC will allow the state to more effectively focus early childhood efforts and leverage public and private dollars to expand the availability of high-quality early education and child care, including parenting education.

The blueprint for Michigan's comprehensive early childhood system contains:

• The vision for children from birth to age 5 and their families
• The mission, or purpose, of an early education and care system
• Results and indicators of progress
• Policies, programs, services, and supports that make up the system

Please see the Discussion Area for the current community conversation about Michigan's Great Start System.