Tuition Assistance Programs

At the YMCA of Greater Erie, we believe that all children deserve a safe, nurturing place to grow – regardless of a family’s financial situation. That’s why we partner with local and state organizations to help working families access the support they need for child care. If you’re exploring options for YMCA Child Care, you may qualify for one or more of the following assistance programs:

PA Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) *

*This opportunity is your FIRST step in the assistance process. Please apply to ELRC first.

The ELRC offers state child care subsidies to eligible working families based on income and employment status.

Erie County
Early Learning Resource Center for Region 1
Counties Served: Crawford/Erie/Mercer/Venango
3823 W. 12th St.
Erie, PA 16505-3381
Phone: (814) 836-5898
Toll-Free: 1-800-860-2281
Fax: (814) 314-2831

Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)

EIO (Educational Improvement Organization) – Funding to enhance educational programming and reduce tuition costs.
Pre-K Scholarship Program – Designed specifically for families with children in our preschool childcare programs.

PA Pre-K Counts

The Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts program makes quality pre-kindergarten programs available to PA residents at no cost to qualifying families.

Erie Future's Fund

Erie’s Future Fund is a high-quality preschool scholarship for income eligible families of children up to two years prior to Kindergarten eligibility, who reside in Erie County.

YMCA Tuition Scholarship

As a nonprofit, charitable organization, the Y provides financial assistance for Y membership and programs in order to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to the Y. Through generous contributions from YMCA members, friends, local businesses and the United Way, no one is turned away from the YMCA due to an inability to pay. All records are kept confidential. A sliding scale is used to determine how much assistance is awarded.