What First Steps Kent does

First Steps Kent is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and headquartered at 401 Hall St SW, Suite 385 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It functions as a backbone coordinator for the early childhood system in Kent County, administering the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage — a .25 mill property tax levy that generates approximately $8 million annually to fund roughly 30 community-based early childhood programs. The organization does not deliver services directly; instead, it channels funding and convening capacity to a network of 30+ provider organizations spanning healthcare, education, and social services, including Corewell Health System, Kent ISD, Grand Rapids Community College, Family Futures, Arbor Circle, and Cherry Health. Programs reach nearly 17,000 individuals annually (13,000 children plus 2,000 expectant parents), with 32% of Fall 2024 kindergarten students having participated in services versus 4% in 2021.

The organization's core programmatic portfolio includes the Ready by Five Provider Network, the Mainspring Early Care Alliance (in-home child care provider support), the Early Relational Health Initiative (in partnership with Georgetown University, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, and the Wege Foundation), the Inclusive Literacy Alliance (Baker Family Foundation-funded), the Rx Kids direct cash support program in ZIP code 49507, and the Morning Matters advocacy event series. Supporting tools include the online Services Finder and Early Childhood Navigators (Family Futures, Kent ISD, MomsBloom) that connect families to services. Technology is data-driven rather than AI-native: FSK contracts with Basis Policy Research and Advancing Communities for Equity for independent outcome evaluation and employs an internal Data Specialist for analytic work.

Revenue derives from three streams: the millage (primary, ~$8M annually), foundation grants (W.K. Kellogg Foundation $750,000, plus Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Wege Foundation, and Baker Family Foundation), and complementary federal/state program funding including Child Care Stabilization Grants. FSK is grant-funded and does not charge families for services; programs are free to eligible Kent County residents with children ages 0-5. Total Revenue, Support, and Net Assets for fiscal year 2023/2024 was $12,966,156 against $11,930,968 in expenses, with 97% of invested funds flowing directly into services. The organization operates with approximately 14 full-time staff led by President Jennifer Headley-Nordman (joined 2022) and is governed by a Commission composed of community representatives, funders, and parent leaders.

Name

First Steps Kent

Legal name

First Steps Kent

Website

https://firststepskent.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Steps Kent is an independent Grand Rapids, Michigan nonprofit that administers the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage, coordinating funding and a 30+ provider network to deliver prenatal-to-kindergarten programs serving nearly 17,000 Kent County children and expectant families annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Social Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (624410), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Developmental Screening & Assessment (0–5) (EDACAFAA)

Keywords

• Early childhood services
• Community grantmaking
• Early childhood education
• Nonprofit coordination
• Child welfare programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage: The primary funding source is a property tax millage (.25 mill) generating approximately $8 million annually, renewed in 2024 for six years (through December 2031), expected to generate $48 million total over the renewal period.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including W.K. Kellogg Foundation ($750,000 grant), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Wege Foundation, and Baker Family Foundation for specific initiatives like Early Relational Health and Inclusive Literacy Alliance.
3. Federal/State Program Funding: Complements state and federal funding streams, including Child Care Stabilization Grants and other public funding programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Steps Kent coordinates and funds Kent County's early childhood system by administering the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage, a voter-approved county property tax that generates approximately $8 million annually to support roughly 30 community-based early childhood programs serving children prenatal through age five. The organization also operates specific initiatives (Mainspring Early Care Alliance, Early Relational Health, Inclusive Literacy Alliance, Rx Kids 49507, Morning Matters advocacy) and provides a Services Finder tool that connects families to programs delivered through its provider network.

Product overview

First Steps Kent is an independent nonprofit organization that operates as a coordination and funding body for early childhood services in Kent County, Michigan. The organization does not offer a single unified product but rather administers multiple distinct programs and initiatives through a network of community-based provider partners. The flagship offering is the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage, a property tax-funded program generating approximately $8 million annually to support around 30 different early childhood programs. These programs are delivered through the Ready by Five Provider Network and include services such as Rx Kids (direct cash support for families), Mainspring Early Care Alliance (child care provider support), Early Relational Health Initiative, and Inclusive Literacy Alliance. Additional offerings include Morning Matters (advocacy convenings) and a Services Finder tool for families to locate appropriate programs. The organization connects families with services rather than providing direct service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage A countywide property tax-funded millage generating approximately $8 million annually to support roughly 30 different early childhood programs including prenatal support, developmental screenings, home visits, play and learn groups, and behavioral health services for children prenatal through age five in Kent County.
• Rx Kids in 49507 A direct cash support program for eligible families during pregnancy and the first months of a baby's life, providing $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 monthly for the first six months after birth. First Steps Kent serves as the local Community Champion in Kent County.
• Morning Matters A series of coffee conversation events that bring decision makers together with early childhood professionals, advocates, and community members to discuss how policy decisions impact children, families, and the professionals who serve them.
• Mainspring Early Care Alliance A provider-led initiative supporting in-home child care professionals in Kent County, offering peer support, professional growth, and community advocacy through an 11-member advisory board of in-home child care business owners.
• Early Relational Health Initiative An initiative focused on strengthening parent-child bonds from birth to age 3, working to increase awareness and access to tools, resources, and support for healthy caregiver-child relationships.
• Inclusive Literacy Alliance A two-year initiative focused on improving early literacy outcomes for children with developmental differences, including those on the autism spectrum, blind or low vision, and deaf or hard of hearing.
• Ready by Five Provider Network A network of 30+ community-based organizations that provide Ready by Five-funded early childhood programs organized into four categories: Outreach and Navigation, Healthy Development, Early Learning, and Parenting Education and Support.
• Ready by Five Services Finder An online tool allowing families to search Ready by Five services by category, service type, age range, and specific needs to find appropriate early childhood programs in Kent County.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of funds invested directly into services
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Basis Policy ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent evaluator conducting ongoing assessment of Ready by Five program implementation and impact on children and families since 2021.
• Advancing Communities for Equity (ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partner working with Basis Policy Research on Ready by Five evaluation.
• Georgetown UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with First Steps Kent on the Early Relational Health Initiative to equip caregivers and professionals with practical skills to support early relational health.
• Nurture Connection Network CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiverse collaborative including physicians, clinicians, social workers, community health workers, parents, and early childhood professionals working together to design solutions for early relational health.
• Ready by Five Provider NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 30+ community-based organizations providing early childhood programs including outreach, health, education, and parent support services.
• National Collaborative on Infants and Toddlers (NCIT)minorOthersNational partner organization focused on early childhood development.
• Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP)minorOthersNational partner organization working on early childhood systems.
• National League of Cities (NLC)minorOthersNational partner organization with early childhood focus.
• National Women's Law CenterminorOthersNational partner organization focused on child care and early learning policy.
• Grand Rapids ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in advocacy for child care affordability, played leading role in bringing Michigan's Tri-Share program to life locally.
• Rx KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Steps Kent serves as local Community Champion for Rx Kids program providing direct cash support ($1,500 during pregnancy plus $500/month for first 6 months) to eligible families in Grand Rapids ZIP code 49507.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ParentChild+: National early childhood organization providing home visiting and family literacy programs for low-income families. Comparable as a direct-service early childhood nonprofit with a similar population focus, though delivered through affiliates rather than backbone coordination.
• Start Early (formerly Ounce of Prevention Fund): National early childhood nonprofit that advocates, funds, and delivers programs for prenatal-to-age-5 children. Most directly comparable peer — same population served, similar backbone advocacy and program delivery model, though national in scope rather than county-based.
• Great Start Collaborative: Michigan's statewide network of local early childhood collaboratives in every county. Operates the same backbone convener model as FSK at a smaller scale in other counties, making it both a peer and a potential replication template.
• Help Me Grow National Center: National affiliate network helping states and communities build coordinated early childhood systems through centralized intake and navigation. Highly comparable in its system-building and provider-network coordination approach.
• Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC): Michigan's statewide public-private partnership focused on early childhood system building and Great Start to Quality. Closest geographic peer with nearly identical mission of coordinating early childhood investment across a defined service area.
• United Way for Southeastern Michigan (and similar local United Ways): Local United Way affiliates operate as backbone conveners raising and distributing community funds to a provider network. Highly analogous in structure, though United Ways typically fund a broader range of human services beyond just early childhood.

Broad incumbents

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): Largest national membership organization focused on early childhood education quality and professional standards. Adjacent in mission but operates at a national advocacy and accreditation level rather than as a local funder/convener.
• Think Babies™ / ZERO TO THREE: National nonprofit advancing infant-toddler policy and program quality. Comparable on the prenatal-to-3 early childhood systems focus but national in scope and policy-oriented rather than a local funding backbone.

Others

• United Way of Kent County: Local United Way serving the same Kent County geography as FSK. Operates as a community backbone funder in adjacent human services — both organizations fund overlapping provider networks and could be partners or competitors for local philanthropic dollars.

Emerging players

• Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP): National policy organization working on early childhood systems, including the prenatal-to-age-3 framework. Overlaps with FSK's systems-building approach but operates at policy/technical-assistance level rather than direct local funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/firststepskent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Steps Kent