Mississippi Business Alliance Child Care Research Report
Mississippi employers face numerous workforce challenges ranging from employee retention to workforce participation; however, business leaders across industries consistently cite one factor that affects productivity, recruitment, and long-term economic growth: access to affordable, reliable child care.
From late 2025 through early 2026, Moore Media Group partnered with the Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation to conduct polling research about this important issue, seeking to better understand how child care affects Mississippi’s workforce and what role employers might play in addressing the issue. The report contained reliable data from business leaders across the state and helped create actionable recommendations for lawmakers. After research was concluded, we designed the final report into an engaging and educational printed piece ready for distribution. Research was conducted through a grant from the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi funded by the Mississippi Department of Human Services,
Polling Research
Moore Media Group worked with Bastillian Strategies to design and conduct a statewide survey of 300 Mississippi business decision-makers, including owners, executives, hiring managers, and HR professionals. The survey was conducted with a margin of error of ±5.66% at a 95% confidence level.
Our research confirmed that child care access is a workforce and economic development challenge affecting employers across Mississippi.
Key findings from the study included:
Child care is consistently cited by employers as a barrier to workforce participation and retention
56% of employers who offer child care support reported increased employee loyalty, retention, and productivity
53% of employers said they would be more likely to participate if incentives such as tax credits were simplified
Only 8% of businesses surveyed currently offer any form of child care support to employees
The report helped elevate child care as acritical workforce issue for Mississippi’s business community and provided a data-driven basis for policy discussions around employer incentives and workforce participation.
Report Design & Communications
Moore Media Group also designed and produced the final report, translating complex research findings into a visually engaging and easily digestible publication. Through thoughtful layout, graphics, and storytelling, the report was designed to clearly communicate key insights and policy implications from our research data. We then assisted the MSBA Foundation with public relations support through the creation of distribution of a press release outlining the report’s findings, and coordinated media appearances with chamber leadership.
Impact
In addition to delivering a quality report, our research helped guide the Mississippi Legislature to approve a measure to lower the amount employers must contribute to qualify for a tax credit when providing a stipend to employees for child care.
Through Senate Bill 2867, an employer is eligible for a 50% tax credit if they provide at least $2,000 per child for a direct payment made to a licensed child care facility. The credit may not exceed $3,000 per year for each participating child. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2026.
The bill also simplifies the process for receiving the credit. by certifying employers as eligible for the tax credit as long as the facility is registered with the state.
