The final bills of the 2022-23 New York State budget were released in the early hours of Saturday, April 9, 2022. Due to the tireless efforts of a broad-based and inclusive advocacy coalition – including the WNY Women’s Foundation in a leadership role – the final budget includes significant new funds for child care, although not the $5 billion our coalition had pushed for.
This budget will lay a strong foundation for Universal Child Care in New York, if the expansions to NYS child care are rolled out swiftly and with stakeholder input. Some key highlights include:
- Expanded eligibility for child care subsidies to 300% of the federal poverty level, meaning an eligible family of four earning up to $83,250 ($54,930 for a family of 2) will be eligible for assistance to pay for child care. This increase stands to make tens of thousands of New York families newly eligible for child care assistance.
- Increasing the market rate, used as a basis for provider reimbursement, from the 69th to the 80th percentile for child care small businesses who serve our most economically disenfranchised families.
- Investing $343 million to continue stabilization funds for child care providers, with 75% of the funds to be used for “workforce initiatives.”
- WNY Women’s Foundation with our WNY elected officials, led by Senator Tim Kennedy, once again secured $2 million for the Erie County facilitated enrollment child care subsidy program. It is anticipated that this program will serve as a bridge to sustained higher eligibility levels this year.
