Childcare Programs

United Way of York County is on a mission to assist working households on their journey toward financial stability.

With that mission in mind, we've introduced childcare programs to help York County families access high-quality learning opportunities at an affordable cost.

Early Childhood Education Scholarship Program 

United Way of York County values how positive early learning experiences can affect a child for their lifetime.
United Way supports York County families on their journey towards finding affordable, quality early learning
experiences for their children. Our goal is to assist working households on their journey toward financial stability.

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Children aged 6 weeks through 5 years of age.
• The child must attend a Keystone STARS 2, 3, or 4 center to be eligible.
• The parent/child must either reside or be employed by a company located in York County.
• Parents/guardians receiving the Child Care Works subsidy are ineligible to apply. 

*Please note that scholarships are not provided for children once they enter kindergarten, and we do not offer scholarships for before- and after-care programs.*

Applications will reopen in March of 2026. 

For more information, please contact childcare@unitedway-york.org

Early Childhood Education Center Grant

The High Quality Early Childhood Education Center Grants are designed to strengthen York County's early childhood education workforce by supporting employee retention and stability. This grant provides funding to offset childcare tuition costs for employees who work at high-quality nonprofit early childhood education (ECE) centers in York County.

Recognizing that access to affordable, reliable childcare is a significant barrier for many ECE professionals, this funding is intended to reduce financial strain on staff, improve retention, and support centers in maintaining a stable, experienced workforce.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Be a nonprofit organization operating in York County, PA, with an appropriate IRS determination
• Operate an early childhood education center that serves children from birth through six years old
• Hold an active Keystone STARS Level 3 or Level 4 designation at the time of application and award
• Use grant funds solely to offset childcare tuition for employees working at the center, with up to 10% allowable as administrative fees

Eligible employees may include full-time and/or part-time staff, as defined by the applicant center, provided the assistance is clearly described in the proposal. 

The grant is open from February 23 to March 13.

For more information, please contact dillarza@unitedway-york.org

Every Child Has Opportunities (ECHO)

United Way of York County is a proud funding partner in Every Child Has Opportunities (ECHO). This is an early childhood education initiative led by Community Connections for Children and York County Economic Alliance.

The goal of ECHO is to double the number of children from low-income families in York County who have access to high-quality early childhood education. This is equivalent to 1,600 additional 0-6-year-olds. Together, we will utilize a strategic and targeted approach, addressing immediate, crisis issues while developing solutions to long-term, chronic issues.

For more information, please visit https://echoyork.org/.