October 19, 2023, Ticonderoga, NY – The Ticonderoga Revitalization Alliance has announced the receipt of a $248,570 grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission(NBRC) to support the Ticonderoga Community Childcare Project.
The grant will be used to support construction and start-up costs of the new childcare center to be located at St. Mary’s School in Ticonderoga. Ti-Alliance has been working since early 2022 with a dedicated team of committee members, school leadership, and professionals from the surrounding communities to develop a plan to bring public childcare to Ticonderoga.
With the NBRC grant, funding is now mostly in place and this fall the committee will be beginning renovations at the school, securing an experienced childcare operator, and identifying potential staff for the facility. Ti-Alliance expects to offer pre-enrollment to families throughout the region in November. Information on pre-enrollment will be posted in the Sun Community news and at the Childcare section of the Alliance’s website www.ticonderoga-alliance.org/challenge-of-childcare when available.
The Northern Border Regional Commission is a Federal-State partnership for economic and community development in northern New England. Every year the NBRC provides Federal funds for critical economic and community development in underserved areas along the Canadian border. In the past they have been focused on infrastructure projects that were historically defined as roads, bridges, waterways, and other traditional infrastructure. Recently, they have broadened this definition to include childcare, affordable housing, and other foundational infrastructure that supports these communities.
“We are so grateful for this support from NBRC and the efforts of our legislators that helped facilitate this grant. Public childcare creation is a very expensive endeavor and small communities like ours rarely have the resources to undertake the investment required. We have very supportive employers like Sylvamo and very generous residents. With the help of NBRC’s public funds, we can marry up the public and private funds to make this happen and build sustainable childcare for our families and employers,” said Ti-Alliance’s Executive Director, Donna Wotton.
Ti-Alliance is an economic development 501c3 non-profit working to develop business, employment, housing, education, childcare, and other activities that enhance the economy of the Ticonderoga Area and build a strong regional economic hub in the southern part of the North Country. For more information about Ti-Alliance and how to get involved in Childcare for Ticonderoga, visit the official website at www.ticonderoga-alliance.org.