What we do:
Supporting Providers, Strengthening Communities
Our Child Care Business Services provide coordinated guidance, practical tools, and individualized support to help programs start strong, grow strategically, and remain financially stable.
Running a child care program is more than caring for children—it’s building a foundation for families, communities, and the local economy. We provide guidance, resources, and personalized support to help providers succeed, ensuring that every program thrives and delivers high-quality care.
Specialist Services:
Focused on strengthening Child Care programs from the inside out.
Business Coaching & Program Support
Running a successful child care program requires organizational, financial, and leadership skills. Our goal is to help up-and-running programs operate confidently, professionally, and profitably while maintaining high standards of care.
Coaching and Technical Assistance Can Include:
- Bookkeeping and financial reporting
- Budget development and tuition rate setting
- Grant applications and reporting
- Marketing and branding strategies
- Enrollment growth and retention
- Parent communication systems
- Contracts and policy development
- Staff recruitment, onboarding, and retention
- Long-term business planning and sustainability
Entrepreneurship & Community Partnerships
Child care providers are not only educators; they are entrepreneurs contributing to the economic stability of their communities. Sustainable programs require strategic positioning, community visibility, and thoughtful growth planning beyond day-to-day operations. Our service focuses on strengthening providers as business leaders while building partnerships that expand opportunity, access, and long-term impact.
Coaching and Technical Assistance Can Include:
- Identifying community service gaps
- Reviewing insurance and liability protections
- Aligning tuition with market conditions
- Preparing for grants and funding opportunities
- Accessing statewide initiatives and resources
- Connecting with leadership networks
- Aligning growth with regional workforce needs
Starting a Child Care Program
If you plan to open a child care center, family child care home, group family child care home, or school-age program, New York State requires completion of a mandatory online information session through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). If you are unsure which type of care best fits your goals, we can walk you through your options and help you make an informed decision.
Starting Services Can Include:
- Day Care Center Applications – Assistance with the FAMS system and completion of required documentation.
- “Introduction to Family Child Care” sessions – A required session for providers starting a family child care program.
- VOICE Applications – Support completing online OCFS applications for Family Child Care programs.
- Understand program types and licensing pathways
- Navigate OCFS requirements and regulations
- Develop start-up budgets and cost projections
- Build foundational policies and procedures
Quality Initiative Grants
These grants provide targeted support and guidance to strengthen Health & Safety practices in licensed and registered child care programs. Funding is designed to help programs meet and maintain New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) standards by covering the cost of required trainings, equipment, and supplies.
Grants may be used to enhance overall program quality by improving health and safety systems, upgrading materials, and creating safe, nurturing learning environments for children.
Quality Initiative Grant Information:
- Each year, the following grants are available:
- 12 Family and Group Family Child Care provider grants
- 12 Center-based and/or School-Age program grants
- Programs may be eligible to apply for a Quality Initiative Grant every two years, based on identified health and safety needs.
Business Development & National Support Resources
Early Care & Learning Council (ECLC)
ECLC’s Management Training Series supports child care center directors in all counties across the state by training both new and experienced directors on all topics essential to running a safe, high-quality program. Their Business Navigator Guide provides practical tools to help providers align business planning with workforce and economic development strategies.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides targeted support to child care businesses nationwide by offering guidance on business planning, access to capital, financial management, and long-term sustainability strategies.
Office of Child Care | Child Care Technical Assistance Network (CCTAN)
Their Child Care Quality and Business Support Center (CQBSC) supports state and community leaders and their partners in the planning and implementation of rigorous approaches to quality in all early care and education settings for children from birth to school age. Additionally, their Resource Guide for Starting and Operating a Child Care Business offers step-by-step tools and practical information for launching and managing a successful program.
Have questions about becoming a child care provider?
Becoming a child care provider in New York involves understanding the different types of programs, meeting training and safety requirements, and completing the appropriate registration or licensing steps so you can legally care for children and, if applicable, receive subsidy payments.
