New initiative will test a data-driven model to stabilize child care providers, reduce waitlists, and strengthen the county’s workforce
WESTCHESTER, NY — As families across New York and the nation face crushing child care costs, long waitlists, and shrinking access to reliable early care, The New York Community Trust—the community foundation for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester—has awarded $1,000,000 in grants to strengthen the sector by boosting pay for nonprofit child care providers in Westchester County.
The initiative will test whether supplementing wages for early childhood educators can improve recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction by helping child care providers—many of which operate on razor-thin margins and struggle to raise wages—compete with other employers that may offer similar pay, less demanding work, and better benefits.
“Westchester cannot solve the affordability crisis without confronting the workforce crisis at the center of child care,” said Laura Rossi, The New York Community Trust’s vice president for Westchester. “Early childhood educators do essential, highly skilled work, yet too many are paid wages that make it impossible to stay in the field.”
Child care is not only a family issue, but also an economic one. Expanding access to quality child care has the potential to increase families’ economic security, reduce the gender-based pay gap, and strengthen the local economy. In Westchester County alone, child care shortages are estimated to cost $1.5 billion each year in lost economic activity and productivity.
“This initiative is designed to test a direct, practical solution: raise wages, stabilize classrooms, support working families, and build the evidence policymakers need to enact lasting change,” Rossi said.
Through the program, up to 100 early childhood educators will receive a $2-per-hour wage supplement, up to $350 per month, for three years. In June, The Trust made grants to three nonprofit childcare centers across the county to support these wages increases: Lois Bronz Children’s Center in White Plains, Mount Kisco Child Care Center in Mount Kisco, and Elizabeth Mascia Child Care Center in Tarrytown.
The Trust will provide the grants over 40 months and will contract with an independent consultant to track the program’s progress and assess its impact on workforce stability, provider capacity, and the broader local economy. Participating centers will report on turnover, vacancies, and hiring, while educators receiving supplements will report on their job satisfaction and financial stability. The program will also survey employers across the county on how access to dependable childcare affects their workers’ attendance, retention, and productivity.
To develop the program, The Trust reviewed similar wage-enhancement models in nine states, including California, Iowa, and Washington, D.C., and assessed Westchester’s local child care landscape. It conducted six months of research, convenings, and collaboration with child care providers, advocates, business leaders, and county and state elected officials to identify causes of the child care crisis and brainstorm solutions.
The Trust developed the program in close partnership with members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, which will lead a task force to monitor its progress. The task force includes representatives from each group that participated in the brainstorming sessions, and it will use the findings to develop policy recommendations for permanent solutions and support a stronger talent pipeline for Westchester employers.
“As a parent of young children, I know firsthand the difficulties of accessing quality, affordable child care,” said Westchester County Legislator David Imamura, District 12. “This initiative is an important step for Westchester’s working parents and the local economy”
“Child care is both a family necessity and an economic foundation,” said Westchester County Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, District 8. “Our partnership with The New York Community Trust builds on Westchester County’s commitment to making quality child care more accessible and affordable, while recognizing that early childhood educators deserve wages that reflect the essential work they do. This initiative is a thoughtful and promising step for working families in my district and across Westchester.”
“Safe and reliable child care is a critical community asset, not only for families but also for the local economy,” said Westchester County Legislator Erika Pierce, District 2. “But providing and accessing child care remains a struggle–for providers and families alike. Improving pay for early childhood educators can potentially bring a huge payoff: increased staffing, the creation of more child care slots, and potentially even leading to a decrease in costs for families. We are so grateful to The New York Community Trust for funding this initiative. Together we can grow our economy while improving the lives of working families.”
“The Families Task Force has long recognized that quality child care that is both dependable and affordable is a key pillar to ensuring that families and businesses can thrive and grow in Westchester County,” said Westchester County Legislator Nancy Barr, District 6, Co-Chair of the Families Task Force. “We are grateful to The New York Community Trust for spearheading this program, and we look forward to monitoring the results from this initiative.”
While New York State lawmakers continue to consider broader policy solutions, including a statewide pay equity fund for early childhood educators, The Trust’s initiative is intended to generate local evidence that can inform both county and state action.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins is a longtime champion of efforts to strengthen the child care sector.
“This pilot program is an important step toward addressing one of the greatest challenges facing working families and child care providers today: recruiting and retaining a strong early childhood workforce,” said Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins. “More than twenty years ago, I helped establish a similar initiative as a member of the Westchester County Legislature, and it is gratifying to see that approach being revisited. I commend County Executive Jenkins and the Board of Legislators, especially Legislators Imamura, Williams Johnson, Pierce, and Barr, for their leadership and commitment to continuing this work. This effort complements New York State’s ongoing commitment to supporting working families through historic investments in child care assistance, workforce supports, and affordability initiatives.”
The investment builds on The New York Community Trust’s history of supporting child care in Westchester and throughout the region. If successful, the initiative could offer a roadmap for making wage enhancements a permanent part of Westchester’s child care system and serve as a model for communities across New York.
About The New York Community Trust
The New York Community Trust is New York’s largest community foundation, serving New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. For more than 100 years, The Trust has brought together the local knowledge and diverse expertise of its team and nonprofit and philanthropic partners to support thriving and equitable communities and help donors champion the causes they love. The Trust makes approximately $200 million in grants each year from its charitable funds set up by individuals, families, foundations, and corporations.
For more information about The New York Community Trust’s work in Westchester County, visit thenytrust.org/westchester.
