New York State is rolling out a major new investment aimed at tackling one of the most persistent challenges facing working families: a shortage of affordable, high-quality child care.
The state’s new Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program will provide $100 million to build new child care facilities and expand existing ones. Officials say the initiative could add between 6,000 and 10,000 new child care seats across the state, with a focus on communities where care is hardest to find.
Funding to support construction, expansion, and modernization
Announced December 1, the program will offer grants ranging from $500,000 to $5 million. Funds can be used for design, construction, renovations, equipment, and other capital expenses related to child care centers or school-age programs.
To ensure equity, 60% of the funding will go to New York City, Long Island, and the Mid-Hudson region. The remaining 40% will support programs in the rest of the state. Applications open February 2, 2026, and close March 13. Award announcements are expected no earlier than May 4, 2026.
Programs must commit to using the funded facilities as child care sites for at least eight years and be located in areas with an identified shortage of regulated child care services.
Part of a broader child care strategy
The new funding is part of a larger push by New York to improve access to child care statewide. Recent efforts include expanding the Child Care Assistance Program, investing in workforce support, and offering tax incentives to employers who help their workers find care.
Governor Kathy Hochul, who included the program in her 2025 State of the State plan, called child care “a necessity that I want to see extended to all New York families.” Since taking office, her administration has directed more than $8 billion toward child care initiatives.
The program is overseen by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY).
OCFS Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said the funding “will greatly increase the availability of quality child care throughout New York State.”
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