Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mamdani launches emergency grants for home-based childcare providers
By
Karen Yi
Published Aug 7, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Photo by Yana Paskova/For The Washington Post via Getty Images
By
Karen Yi
Published Aug 7, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Mamdani administration will offer $3 million in emergency grants to home-based childcare providers to help keep their doors open when they face unexpected emergencies.
City officials announced Friday that about 500 family childcare providers who care for kids in their homes would be eligible to apply for grants this year ranging from $1,000-$10,000.
"Home-based childcare providers are the backbone of our childcare system. They should not have to shoulder emergencies on their own. When a refrigerator breaks, a pipe bursts or a storm damages a home, families can lose access to the care they rely on overnight,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement.
“This microgrant program is about making sure government shows up before a crisis becomes a closure. It’s one more step toward building a childcare system that values every provider and every family.”
There are more than 6,000 family providers across the city who often operate on razor-thin margins and earn a median wage of $6 an hour, according to a report by the New School's Center for New York City Affairs. These providers, who are largely women of color and serve more than 100,000 children, will be key for Mamdani to realize his vision of universal childcare.
The city is seeking an administrator to run the microgrant program and officials issued a request for proposal on Friday. The Mamdani administration said the program, which was developed with a working group of family providers and advocates, should officially launch by the end of the year.
“When we invest in providers, we protect children, families and entire communities,” said Gladys Jones, founder and CEO of ECE on the Move, an organization of early childhood educators.
Childcare providers in the city care for kids in a variety of environments, including their homes, local schools and commercial spaces. Providers can be paid out of pocket by families or receive state or city subsidies — either through vouchers or contracts. It’s a fractured system that often leaves family providers earning among the lowest wages — and in further financial straits when something breaks or needs repair.
“We know how a single maintenance issue in their home can impact not only the service they provide, but their livelihood too,” said Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez, who chairs the committee on early childcare education.
City officials said every family provider will be able to apply for a grant, even if they don’t hold a contract with the city to provide free preschool services for toddlers.
The grants will be funded through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a nonprofit that facilitates public-private partnerships.
Tagged
childcare
economy
new york
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Feds taking over case of boat that capsized in New York Harbor, killing mom and baby
The US Coast Guard is investigating whether the company was operating an illegal charter boat.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Aug 10, 2026 at 11:37 a.m. ET
Bronx shelter offers a fresh start for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers
The specialized shelter offers 140 beds and job training for formerly incarcerated men.
By
Willow Higgins
News
Bronx shelter offers a fresh start for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers
The specialized shelter offers 140 beds and job training for formerly incarcerated men.
By
Willow Higgins
Early Addition: City bill sets up fight with Amazon
By
Maddie Bristowe
MTA plans to beat the heat at sweltering subway stations with heat capture technology
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Volunteer groups help maintain NYC parks as budget remains flat
By
Liam Quigley
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .