State Awards $8.5 Million for Early-education and Childcare Program Capital Renovations

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced that 20 organizations across Massachusetts are being awarded $8.5 million in capital funding to renovate early-education and out-of-school-time program facilities that serve primarily low-income families. This investment aims to support renovation projects to expand capacity and improve the indoor and outdoor quality and accessibility of learning environments for children, ensuring they have safe, healthy, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate spaces to learn, play, and grow.

“Making early education and care more affordable and accessible is a top priority for our administration. Capital investments are an important part of that,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “These capital grants give our hardworking childcare programs the financial resources they need to provide modern, healthy, and safe environments for our kids to learn and play. This funding also helps us make progress on our climate goals, which is essential for ensuring our kids have secure futures.”

As part of the administration’s whole-of-government approach to addressing climate change, and in collaboration with the Climate Office, projects were prioritized that focused on clean energy and decarbonization. Projects that included security enhancements to prevent and respond to potential threats (such as active shooters), including installation of security cameras and access-control systems, were also prioritized. Examples of eligible funding use includes modifications to improve indoor air quality, roof replacements, upgrading electrical or security systems, and physical-environment modifications addressing accessibility or other upgrades for classrooms, outdoor areas, and more.

“We are proud to be awarding $8.5 million in capital funding to 20 childcare programs across the state, promoting accessible, safe, and inclusive spaces for children of all backgrounds and abilities to grow, learn, and play,” Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler said.

Programs were eligible to receive between $200,000 and $500,000 in funding per project. Four of the awardees are in Western Mass.”

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke received $421,000 to support security upgrades, including installation of a keyless entry system, a new fence and parking-lot gate system, as well as installation of metal rolling shutters on room windows and the main hallway.

• Bright Futures Early Learning Center in Springfield received $500,000 to add a hand-washing sink in one classroom, add bathrooms for three classrooms, create a lightwell in a classroom that has no access to natural light, build an enclosure at the entrance for kids waiting for transportation, build a shed for playground equipment, and purchase lockdown emergency kits.

• Child Care of the Berkshires in North Adams recevied $483,000 for new fencing, landscaping, and play structure installation, as well as to replace windows, flooring in two classrooms, the roof system, and the steam boiler, adding a dual fuel burner and installing an air-conditioning condenser.

• Greater Holyoke YMCA received $500,000 to purchase indoor and exterior security cameras, as well as create egress from the preschool classrooms and a new entrance and exit for the after-school classrooms and program spaces.