CityWide Cultural Access Program for Child Care Centers
Enroll in our program to see all that a Cool Culture partnership offers to your early child care center’s families.
Eligibility and Enrollment
Enrollment for child care centers for the 2024-2025 program year is now open for returning partners and will be opening in August 2024 for new partners. learn more about enrollment and prepare for our next program year by checking out our Enrollment Guide + FAQs.
Eligibility
To be eligible, your child care program should offer one of the following:
- A Center-based Early Head Start, Head Start, Child Care, 3K or UPK Program
- A Home-based Early Head Start Program, a Family Child Care Program
- A Home Visiting Program
Additionally, at least:
- 60% of families pay tuition of less than $700 per month, or
- Program fees for families are fully subsidized (program services is free of charge for families)
Enrollment Pricing
Enrollment Capacity | 2024-2025 Fee |
|---|---|
1 – 124 Children | $900 |
125 – 300 Children | $1,300 |
301 – 500 Children | $3,500 |
501 – 1000 Children | $4,000 |
1001+ Children | *Please Inquire with staff |
Timeline
School/Center Enrollment: Your school or child care center enrolls with Cool Culture by November 22nd, 2024.
Family Registration: Families at enrolled schools and centers will be able to register for the Family Pass from September 9, 2024 to January 31, 2025.
Family Pass: Family Passes are distributed to your school or center from the end of October through February, depending on when you filled out the registration form. The pass is valid at nearly 90 cultural partners through October 31, 2025.
2024
July 31st 2024 – November 2024 | Centers and Schools apply to enroll with Cool Culture. New Partners begin enrollment at the conclusion of August 2024. |
|---|---|
September 9 | Family Registration Opens The family Registration Period is on a rolling basis and passes are printed based on application submission date. Each Family must complete the Family Registration Form in order to receive a family pass. Each pass is printed and customized based on the information received on the Family Registration Form. |
September 9 – October 4 | 1st Round of Family Registration at Your Center or School (ONLY centers and schools enrolled by August 31 can sign up families; Family Passes will be distributed by late October) |
Late October | Family Passes are distributed to your center or school from the 1st Registration Round Family Passes from the 1st Registration round are printed and distributed to partners through mailing. Only applications submitted and approved between Sept 9th – Oct 4th will be distributed. |
October 5 – November 4 | 2nd Round of Family Registration (All enrolled centers and schools can sign up families; Family Passes will be distributed in Late November) |
Late November | Family Passes are distributed to your center or school from the 2nd Registration Round Family Passes from the 2nd Registration round are printed and distributed to partners through mailing. Only applications submitted and approved between Oct 5th – Nov 4th will be distributed. |
November 5 – January 3 | 3rd Round of Family Registration (All enrolled centers and schools can sign up their families; Family Passes will be distributed in Late January) |
2025
Late January | Family Passes are distributed to your center or school from the 3rd Registration Round Family Passes from the 3rd Registration round are printed and distributed to partners through mailing. Only applications submitted and approved between Nov 5th – Jan 3rd will be distributed. |
|---|---|
January 4 – 31 | 4th (FINAL) Round of Family Registration (All enrolled centers and schools can sign up their families; Family Passes will be distributed in Late February) |
Late February | Family Passes are distributed to your center or school from the 4th Registration Round Family Passes from the 4th and FINAL Registration round are printed and distributed to partners through mailing. Only applications submitted and approved between Jan 4th – Jan 31st will be distributed. |
July 2025 | Early enrollment for centers and schools open to secure their place in the next academic year |
October 31, 2025 | Current Family Passes expire |
About the Cultural Access Program
What does my early childhood program receive?
Family Passes for free general admission to NYC cultural institutions, Cool Culture Family Festivals, Seminars & Dialogues for educators to harness the power of arts and culture, and art-making and wellbeing resources will be available with your child care center’s enrollment.
What’s my program’s role?
All of our participating centers will have access to an array of creative and helpful seminars, symposiums and dialogues that will guide administrators and educators to:
- Register and distribute family passes and prepare families for visits to the Cultural Institutions.
- Co-design experiences and activities for our annual Bring the Cool Family Festival.
- Create projects that engage and build family engagement.
- Empower families and communities to become civically engaged in dialogue that acknowledges critical community issues and creative opportunities to address them.
What is a Cultural Liaison, and how do I select them?
A Cultural Liaison is a child care center staff member who has a good relationship with and love for your community of children and adult caregivers. Your Liaison will need to have email access, know their way around a computer, be prepared to engage heavily through email and have administrative skills to keep the site’s program organized. This leadership role calls for someone who will enjoy leading family art-making workshops and will be a voice for the community, sharing their needs and concerns.
DID YOU KNOW?
Cool Culture is aligned with National, State and Local Learning Standards. The Citywide Cultural Access Program is aligned with DOE Early Learn requirements for community partnerships and family engagement, NYS Pre-K Foundation for the Common Core in social/emotional development, approaches to learning, and literacy, and Blueprint for the Arts.
Further, our programs, pedagogical frameworks, and practices are rooted in Cool Culture’s social justice values and situates families at the center of our work.
Did You Know?
Cool Culture is aligned with national, state and local Learning Standards. Our Citywide Cultural Access Program is aligned with DOE EarlyLearn requirements for community partnerships and family engagement, Blueprint for the Arts, and NYS Pre-K Learning Standards in social-emotional development and approaches to learning. Further, our programs, pedagogical frameworks, and practices are rooted in Cool Culture’s social justice values and situates families at the center of our work.
Did You
Know?
Cool Culture is aligned with national, state and local Learning Standards. Our Citywide Cultural Access Program is aligned with DOE EarlyLearn requirements for community partnerships and family engagement, Blueprint for the Arts, and NYS Pre-K Learning Standards in social-emotional development and approaches to learning. Further, our programs, pedagogical frameworks, and practices are rooted in Cool Culture’s social justice values and situates families at the center of our work.
