The Murphy Administration’s latest funding aims to enhance childcare facilities statewide, marking one of the largest state investments in the U.S.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy today spotlighted a landmark $1 billion commitment by his administration to expand access to affordable, high-quality child care across New Jersey. Additionally, the governor unveiled a new injection of $17 million into the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Child Care Facilities Improvement Program. This boost increases the state’s total investment in childcare infrastructure to over $140 million, setting a national precedent for state-level childcare support.
The announcement was made at The Kids Palace II, a child care center in West Orange that has significantly benefited from NJEDA funding, enabling it to extend its services.
This significant financial commitment is part of the Murphy Administration’s broader strategy to bolster the essential childcare sector in the state. The NJEDA’s Child Care Facilities Improvement Program offers grants up to $200,000 to eligible providers for enhancements that foster high-quality early childhood learning environments. So far, the program has allocated $85 million in grants to more than 400 childcare centers, supporting over 34,000 children and employing upwards of 8,500 staff members. With today’s additional funding, another 200 centers are expected to receive financial awards, bringing the total to over 600 centers across all 21 New Jersey counties.