Governor Hochul Awards $100 Million to Expand Free and Low-Cost Afterschool Programs Across New York State

Strengthening Afterschool Programs Serving Nearly 40,000 Children

Advancing Governor’s Mission To Expand Access to Affordable Child Care

State’s Child Care Assistance Program Covers 130,000 Children, With Most Eligible Families Paying No More Than $15 Per Week for Child Care

State Officials Participate in National Lights on Afterschool Initiative

Governor Kathy Hochul announced New York State has awarded about $100 million in grants to support free and low-cost afterschool programs serving nearly 40,000 children in high-need areas statewide. State officials from the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) also participated in the 25th Annual Lights on Afterschool initiative today by visiting programs in New York City and the Capital Region.

“Afterschool programs give our kids outlets to explore their creativity, build their skills and thrive in a supportive environment,” Governor Hochul said. “We're continuing to invest in free and low-cost afterschool programs and expanding access to affordable child care to help young people grow and give families the support they need.”

The State grants announced today were awarded by OCFS through the Learning and Enrichment Afterschool Program Supports (LEAPS) initiative to help fund new or continuing afterschool programs targeted to children in high-need areas in New York State.

These LEAPS grants were awarded to a total of 238 afterschool program sites statewide. The full list of awarded sites can be seen here.

Region	Number of Sites Awarded	Funding Awarded
Capital Region	22	$6,480,000
Central New York	18	$6,400,000
Finger Lakes	17	$5,750,000
Long Island	20	$8,920,000
Mid-Hudson	22	$12,340,000
Mohawk Valley	19	$4,960,000
New York City	74	$38,690,000
North Country	14	$3,380,000
Southern Tier	5	$1,530,000
Western New York	27	$8,450,000

 

As a part of the OCFS Commissioner's participation in the Lights On Afterschool initiative, Dr. DaMiaHarris-Madden visited programs in the Bronx operated by the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families and Good Shepherd Services, while other members of the OCFS leadership team visited the Lansingburgh Boys & Girls Club in Troy. Now in its 25th year, the initiative recognizes the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering educational opportunities and the development of new skills.

Programs eligible for LEAPS grants included State-licensed school-age child care programs – or organizations interested in becoming a licensed school-age child care provider – that serve children in high-need school districts. Per-site funding amounts were based on each program's OCFS-licensed capacity. The grants are intended to fund the critical programming and other costs of developing and running the program. Grants are contingent on programs completing all licensing and contract requirements and therefore subject to change.

The grants announced today are part of Governor Hochul’s continued efforts to make high-quality child care more affordable and accessible. Other recent efforts include expanding access to the State's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Eligible families can apply online for CCAP, which currently covers free or low-cost child care for 130,000 children statewide. While eligibility is based on multiple factors, including income and family size, many families may qualify for CCAP if their household income is at or below 85 percent of the State Median Income. Currently, 85 percent of the State Median Income for a family of four is approximately $108,000. Under CCAP, most eligible families pay no more than $15 per week for child care.