Subsidized Child Care Centers

A number of area child care centers offer scholarships or some form of subsidized child care.  The following are types of financial aid often offered by programs:

Dedicated Voucher Slots/CCVC – In order to ensure child care subsidy availability throughout Mercer County, the State of New Jersey has provided a limited number of dedicated voucher slots to approximately 15 child care centers. This program is referred to as CCVC (formerly CBC).  Children in the dedicated voucher slots must meet the same eligibility criteria as those on the New Jersey Cares for Kids child care subsidy program. Applicants must reside in Mercer County. NJ Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) application documents are submitted by the parent to the child care center, which in turn forwards the information to Child Care Connection for processing.  

Scholarship – Centers offer a full or partial scholarship to families demonstrating financial need.  Funds are not from the State but are usually raised by the center’s own fund-raising efforts or private donations. Click here for a list of centers in Mercer County that offer scholarships.

Sliding Scale – Tuition at “sliding scale” centers is based on family income; centers develop their own fee scale, so tuition amount will vary from center to center. Click here for a list of providers in Mercer County that offer SLIDING SCALE CENTERS IN MERCER COUNTY 2022. 

DOE Preschool Program (formerly known as “Abbott”) – Trenton’s Public Schools now start at age three.  This work is subcontracted to local child care centers.  A child must be a resident of the city of Trenton and have reached his or her third birthday on or before October 1 to start school in September. Click here to be taken to the DOE-Contracted Pre-K Programs page.  To contact the Trenton Board of Education’s Early Childhood Department directly, call 609/656-4900, ext. 5667 (Monday & Wednesday only, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.) or visit its offices at 929 Parkside Avenue in Trenton.  

To speak to a Child Care Connection counselor regarding subsidized child care centers in your area or the DOE Pre-K program, call 609-989-8101.

Please note that Child Care Connection offers this information as a service and does not license, endorse, or recommend any particular program.  Each program may have specific guidelines for meeting scholarship or subsidy eligibility.  You should contact and visit several programs to determine which one best fits your family’s needs.