The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage emerged from nearly a decade of strategic planning and community mobilization led by First Steps Kent. First Steps Kent, a nonprofit focused on improving early childhood outcomes, coordinated a series of needs assessments in Kent County, MI, in 2011, 2015, and 2017 to identify major service gaps and opportunities. These findings laid the groundwork for pursuing dedicated public funding. Under the leadership of First Steps Kent, the Yes! Ready by Five campaign was established to pursue a voter-approved children’s fund. Much of the momentum and strategy toward this property tax stemmed from attendance at Children’s Funding Project’s first Children’s Funding Institute.

With no precedent for an early childhood millage in Michigan, the Yes! Ready by Five campaign invested in public opinion research and hired a political strategist to guide the campaign. The initiative brought together a bipartisan coalition of supporters to ensure success. In June 2018, the Kent County Board of Commissioners voted to place the proposal on the November 2018 ballot. With 57% voter approval, Kent County became the first in the state to establish a local, dedicated funding source for early childhood services.

The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage supports children from birth through 5 years old across Kent County. For an average cost of a cup of coffee or box of cereal per month to local homeowners, the millage funds a comprehensive network of services designed to improve children’s health, development, and school readiness. By investing early, the millage aims to create lasting positive outcomes for children, families, and the broader community.

Fund Purpose and Impact

Adult showing a couple kids how to make crafts — Photo credit: First Steps Kent

The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage is designed to ensure all children in Kent County, MI, have a healthy start in life. The primary goals are to support parents during their early childhood journey and ensure children from birth to age five are healthy. The millage provides support for over 30 community-based programs, offering services such as prenatal education, developmental screenings, parenting education through home-based coaching, play-and-learn groups, behavioral health therapy, environmental safety improvements, and early literacy resources. Since its approval, the Ready by Five Millage has made significant strides in improving early childhood outcomes across Kent County. Key highlights of the fund’s impact include the following:

Since 2019, more than $50 million in local funds to support approximately 20,000 individuals annually through parent education, provider professional development, early childhood navigation, early learning, and healthy development
Statistically significant outcomes for improved kindergarten literacy readiness for children who are English language learners
Improved kindergarten readiness for early learning participants who attend three or more sessions

Governance and Administration

The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage is administered by First Steps Kent, an independent nonprofit with a longstanding focus on early childhood care and advocacy. Following voter approval of the millage, the Kent County Board of Commissioners formally approved First Steps Kent to serve as the administrator, recognizing its leadership role in proposing and shaping the Ready by Five campaign. When the millage was reauthorized in 2024, Kent County and First Steps Kent entered into a new six-year contract authorizing First Steps Kent to continue administration of the millage funds. This contracting process occurs each time the millage is renewed. As administrator, First Steps Kent allocates funding through a competitive request-for-proposals process, ensuring that millage dollars are directed toward programs that align with community needs and demonstrate evidence-based impact.

The Ready by Five Resident Proposal Review board is a community-rooted body responsible for reviewing funding proposals, recommending funding levels, and monitoring program investments for effectiveness. The board is composed of at least nine members, including representatives from the Kent County Board of Commissioners, at least one early childhood expert, and four parents. Board members apply through an open application process to ensure broad community representation and transparency.

With administrative and technical support from First Steps Kent staff, the Ready by Five Resident Proposal Review Board evaluates proposals and recommends which community-based programs should receive millage funding. The Kent County Board of Commissioners plays an additional oversight role by reviewing independent audits and approving the overall millage budget annually. Together, this layered governance structure ensures funding decisions are transparent, fiscally responsible, and aligned with the values of Kent County, MI families.