Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of a new $100 million Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program designed to increase the availability of quality care and expand the capacity of child care, including school age programs, across New York State by funding the construction of new child care facilities or expanding existing ones. The initiative is expected to add between 6,000 and 10,000 new seats at child care programs for New York families.

“I deeply understand how important it is for New York State to continue to address the critical child care shortage that makes it difficult for families to find the safe, quality child care services they need,” Governor Hochul said. “Our construction grants will go a long way to increase the availability of quality child care statewide. Affordable, high-quality child care is a necessity that I want to see extended to all New York families.”

The new Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program is one of multiple initiatives promoted by Governor Hochul to expand access to affordable child care. Since taking office, Governor Hochul has directed more than $8 billion toward child care through a comprehensive approach that includes:

• Expanding access to affordable child care to 170,000 kids statewide through the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) where most families pay no more than $15 per week for child care.
• Reducing burdens on child care providers by easing outdated regulatory requirements and establishing a statewide substitute worker pool to help stabilize staffing.
• Strengthening the child care workforce and raising reimbursement for child care providers so they can retain staff and deliver high-quality care.
• Supporting employers across the state to help them meet employees’ child care needs through targeted tax credits and the creation of the State’s business navigator toolkit program.

The Child Care Capital Funding Program, a component of Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State, expands upon a $50 million Child Care Capital Program in 2024, supporting the creation of an estimated 5,500 new seats at child care facilities for New York families. It is overseen by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). The program will provide funding for design, construction, reconstruction, renovation, equipment, and other capital assets for existing or proposed not-for-profit or municipal OCFS-licensed child day care centers, OCFS-registered school-age child care programs, and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene permitted group day care programs. The facility must be intended to be used as a child care program for at least eight years and should be located in an area with a current shortage of regulated child care services.

Applications will be accepted from January 12, 2026, through February 13, 2026. Awards will be announced no earlier than April 15, 2026.

Individual grant awards will range from a minimum of $500,000 to a maximum of $5 million. To achieve regional parity, 60 percent of the funding will be targeted to the downstate region and 40 percent awarded in the rest of the state. Downstate is defined as New York City, Long Island, and the Mid-Hudson Region (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties). Within each region, the goal is to award 40 percent of the grants for school-age child care programs and 60 percent to child care centers statewide.

For more information, visit the Child Care Construction Funding Program on the OCFS website.

OCFS Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, “OCFS is proud to work with Governor Hochul and the Dormitory Authority to implement this significant new initiative that will greatly increase the availability of quality child care throughout New York State. This program is a key part of the Governor’s historic effort to provide New York families with affordable, accessible, and quality child care that enables children to be well-cared for and nurtured while their parents are at work or furthering their education.”

Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi said, “This investment is exactly the kind of long-term, structural support New York needs to expand access to safe, high-quality, affordable child care and ensure that our providers are fully equipped. By helping build and grow facilities in communities with the greatest need, we can create thousands of new seats for families and ensure that caregivers have the tools to deliver the care children deserve. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and Speaker Heastie for continuing to prioritize child care and for recognizing the scale of investment required to meet our goals.”

DASNY President Robert J. Rodriguez said, “Access to quality, affordable childcare is essential for New York families and communities to thrive. DASNY is proud to administer the Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program and help transform Governor Hochul's vision into reality. This program reflects the Governor's unwavering commitment to supporting working families and building the infrastructure that makes our communities stronger.”

About the New York State Office of Children and Family Services
The Office of Children and Family Services serves New York's public by promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of children, families and communities. The agency provides a system of family support, juvenile justice, youth development, child care and child welfare services and is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services, preventive services for children and families, and protective programs for vulnerable adults. For more information on services overseen by the Office of Children and Family Services, visit ocfs.ny.gov or call 518-402-3130. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X or Instagram.