New York governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a $100M commitment by the state to address a critical shortage of child care supply available to New York state families. The initiative comes as part of the governor’s historic 4-year, $7B investment into enhancing access to child care offerings in the state. Here’s everything you need to know about the investment and how you can apply for a grant.
Funding breakdown
The $100M investment is broken down into two $50M chunks:
- The first $50 million comes in the form of grants, ranging from $500,000 to $1.5M, which allow for the construction of new child care centers and school-age child care programs, as well as the expansion of existing programs.
- The second $50 million comes in the form of business tax credits, which will be available for eligible businesses that create or expand infant and toddler child care offerings by opening new seats for their employees.
What are the requirements necessary for a grant?
The grants are being awarded by the Child Care Capital Program (CCCP) for the design, construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of any new or existing state-licensed child care facilities. These programs can either be for profit or not-for-profit school age or infant/toddler child care programs and facilities.
60% of funding will go towards the downstate region (New York City; Long Island; and Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties), while the remaining 40% will be dispersed among the rest of the state.
Per their guidelines, any facility receiving funding must:
- Be used as a child care program for at least eight years
- Be shovel-ready (i.e. ready for immediate construction upon receipt of the grant)
- Demonstrate the ability to be licensed and fully operational within six months of completing construction
- Be worth at least $500,000
How can I apply and what’s next?
To apply for a CCCP grant, eligible enrollees need to complete the prequalification process through New York State Grants Gateway. Applications will be accepted from now through May 22, 2024. Grants will be announced on or after July 15, 2024.
How Bright Horizons can help
This investment is an important step towards expanding child care access and equity for all residents of New York state. For NY-based child care providers, it’s an opportunity to start or expand your offering. With a wealth of experience spanning over 35 years, Bright Horizons has partnered with businesses like yours to offer best-in-class child care solutions. We are here to help you every step of the way as you navigate the grant application process. Contact a member of our team to get started.
