Governor Hochul Announces Applications Now Open for $500 Million in Child Care Workforce Grants

Governor Hochul Announces $500 Million Workforce Retention Grant Program for Child Care

Introduction

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that applications are open for $500 million from the FY 2024 Budget to bolster New York’s child care workforce through the Workforce Retention Grant Program. This funding will support approximately 150,000 direct child care staff through financial incentives ranging from $2,300 to $3,000 in retention and referral bonuses for existing staff as well as sign-on bonuses for new staff.

“As a mother who put her career on pause due to a lack of affordable child care, I understand first-hand how much not having access to these services can affect a family,” Governor Hochul said. “Through the Workforce Retention Grant Program, we can help grow and support our child care workforce as we continue working to expand access to this essential service for families across our state.”

Workforce Retention Grant Program

The FY 2024 Budget created the Workforce Retention Grant Program, which will make $500 million in underutilized federal funds available as grants for eligible child care programs. This funding can be used for staff retention bonuses and recruitment activities, including expenses related to recruiting and hiring new staff and employer taxes incurred while issuing bonus payments or recruitment expenses.

Eligible Child Care Programs

Eligible child care programs include school-age child care programs, day care centers, family day care homes, group family day care programs, small day care centers, and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene-permitted Article 47 group centers. Staff eligible for retention and referral bonuses must be employed at the program’s physical location, have an active, direct child caring role, have worked a minimum number of hours per week from January 1, 2023, and June 26, 2023, and have a completed background check on or before June 26, 2023.

Additional Funding and Initiatives

Apart from significant investments in the child care workforce to ensure safe, quality care for families, the FY 2024 Budget includes additional historic funding. This includes a $4.8 million investment in a new Employer-Sponsored Child Care Pilot Program, where participating employers, the state, and employees will split the cost of child care. The pilot will operate in three separate regions throughout the state.

The FY 2024 Budget also established a new Employer Child Care Tax Credit available to businesses that create new child care seats (and expand existing options) for workers. The $25 million annual credit will be administered over two years through the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF) and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).

Additionally, $1 million was allocated in the Budget to create a statewide business navigator program in each of the 10 Regional Economic Development Council regions. This program will help interested businesses identify options to support employees’ child care needs and will also develop a statewide employer child care guidebook.

Expansion of Empire State Child Credit

The FY 2024 Budget also invests in New York’s families by expanding the Empire State Child Credit (ESCC) to include children younger than four. This expansion will provide $179 million in total support for more than 525,000 low- and middle-income taxpayers thanks to the inclusion of nearly 630,000 additional children. The ESCC, which has excluded children younger than four since its inception in 2006, will now provide an additional average benefit of $340 per affected taxpayer and $284 per newly included child.

Statement from Office of Children and Family Services Acting Commissioner Suzanne Miles-Gustave

“Child care workforce grants are vital to hiring and maintaining quality staff to care for our youngest New Yorkers – one of the most important jobs that exists. Child care employees are primarily women, many of whom are of color. These grants recognize their important role in the nurturing and development of our children. All of the Governor’s bold child care initiatives and reforms underscore how deserving our providers are and help make vital child care services more affordable, accessible, and equitable for New York’s hardworking families.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article discusses the allocation of funds to support New York’s child care workforce and initiatives aimed at making child care services more affordable and accessible. These issues are connected to the SDGs mentioned above.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
• SDG 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
• SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

The article highlights efforts to improve access to quality child care, recognize the importance of child care employees (primarily women), and promote the inclusion of all individuals in the workforce, regardless of their background or status. These targets align with the SDGs mentioned above.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of child care staff receiving retention and referral bonuses
• Number of new child care staff hired through the Workforce Retention Grant Program
• Percentage of child care programs utilizing the Workforce Retention Grant Program
• Number of employers participating in the Employer-Sponsored Child Care Pilot Program
• Number of new child care seats created by businesses eligible for the Employer Child Care Tax Credit
• Number of businesses utilizing the statewide business navigator program for child care support
• Number of low- and middle-income taxpayers benefiting from the expansion of the Empire State Child Credit

The article mentions various indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets, such as the number of child care staff receiving bonuses, the number of new hires through the grant program, and the number of businesses participating in child care initiatives. These indicators provide insights into the effectiveness and reach of the programs.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: governor.ny.gov

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