Council's Cate Riley Innovation to Quality Grant Applications Are OPEN

Once again the Council invites child care, after school and nursery schools regulated by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to apply for a Cathryn A. Riley Innovation for Quality Prize. Each Prize will be funded up to $2,000 depending on the project budget request and availability of funds. The Council launched the Innovation for Quality Prize initiative in 2016 to support new improvements in early care and education quality. Since its inception, 28 Prizes have been awarded. To see the list of inspiring projects, click here.

Applications are due by the close of business on Friday, April 14, 2023. For questions, please contact Anna Silvani, Executive Assistant at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For a copy of the application, click here.

Let's do something great for Westchester's children!

• Do you have an amazing idea for your child care/after school program that needs some resources?
• Something you've always wanted to try?
• A promising approach that will make great things possible for Westchester children?

Then we encourage you to apply for a Cate Riley Innovation for Quality Prize. Three (3) grants up to $2,000 each will be awarded.

Child care centers, after school programs, family and group family providers, nursery schools and child care resource and referral agencies are eligible.

Applications are due by close of business on Friday, April 14, 2023.

For more info: CLICK HERE!

For an application: CLICK HERE!

For questions, email Anna S. (Kathy Halas' assistant) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Did you know 97% of occupations in NYS pay better than child care?

The NYS budget must do more for the child care workforce. 

We appreciate everything the Governor and the NYS Senate and Assembly have done for child care.

But a new report released by the Raising New York Coalition shows just how big the compensation gap is. And it's that compensation gap that is causing the vacancies and high staff turnover in the child care field.

Did you know that a Lead Teacher now being paid $43k (NYS average) would have to be paid $73k to reach a living wage in Westchester?

We are calling for a direct investment in the child care workforce of $1.2bil which includes $1bil in a Child Care Workforce Compensation Fund and $190mil for a health insurance premium support program.

Please do these 2 things today:

1. Send your support letter to Governor Hochul and your representatives in the Senate and Assembly. Click Here! Just 3 mins of your time!
2. Share this email with friends, family, co-workers, parents - everyone who cares about children and those who care for them.

Want more info? Check out these info sheets from the Empire State Child Care Campaign:

ESCCC Fund Child Care Workforce

ESCCC 2023 Policy Priorities

ESCCC Fund Immigrant Children

For the full Raising New York Report on the true cost of child care: Click Here!

More than 150 parents, child care providers, nonprofit leaders and business executives from the Mid-Hudson region joined us virtually last week to call on New York State elected leaders to adequately fund child care in the upcoming budget. We are asking for $1.2 billion for the child care workforce, including $1 billion for a Child Care Workforce Compensation Fund, to combat the child care worker shortage and ensure these professionals earn a fair and livable wage. Today, they are paid less than 97% of all other occupations in the NYS workforce! Following the event, we sent resources to every attendee to help them engage their fellow providers, parents, board of directors and communities. Watch the event here. Send your letter to Governor Hochul and your legislators here.

Children who struggle in child care settings may need developmental intervention but often don't get screened, especially if their families are low-income-earning. As a result, these children end up leaving their programs, because of the challenges involved in meeting their needs. They fall further behind, and parents are left without reliable care. It's our goal to intervene as soon as possible for these children, to ensure they get the help they need to meet developmental milestones and be prepared for kindergarten. So as part of our strategic plan, we hired two new developmental specialists - Maria Fredrick and Yolanda Dodson. Both work with programs throughout the county to screen children, help parents obtain additional services through Early Intervention and school districts’ Committees on Preschool Special Education, and enable the child care staff to adapt their learning strategies to best support the children. Maria also has a special focus on Peekskill, where the Council is implementing a new community impact strategy to provide more programmatic and business supports to Peekskill child care programs, and work more closely with employers to meet the child care needs of their workforce.