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5BORO Institute at Citizens Union Launches NYC Child Care Business Council, a New Coalition of Business Leaders Advocating for Affordable Child Care

Founding members include Etsy, Kering Americas, Con Edison, Amalgamated Bank, the Partnership for NYC, and business chambers across all five boroughs

NEW YORK, NY, September 14, 2026 — The 5BORO Institute at Citizens Union today announced the launch of the NYC Child Care Business Council, a new multi-sector coalition of business leaders, organizations, and individuals who believe that quality, affordable child care is essential to a thriving workforce and a competitive New York City economy. The Council will advocate for sustainable public investment in child care so families across the city can find care they can afford.

Business leaders have historically been left out of child care policy conversations — even though they see how the child care crisis strains their workforces and their bottom lines. That is changing, and the timing could not be more critical: as City and State leaders take steps to meaningfully increase funding for child care, the business leaders whose workforces stand to benefit are eager to advocate for affordable and accessible child care.

5BORO is uniquely positioned to lead this work. Since its first report on child care in February 2024, Investing in Families and Our Future, the 5BORO Institute has argued that New York City needs deeper public investment in child care — and that the business community has an essential role to play in building a stronger, more affordable system. The 5BORO NYC Child Care Summit in partnership with Etsy in 2025 brought together leaders from across sectors to advance this conversation and make the business case for prioritizing child care investment. Now, 5BORO is formalizing these efforts by establishing New York’s first business-led coalition for child care.

“You cannot build a competitive workforce on top of a broken child care system,” said Grace Rauh, Executive Director of Citizens Union, which is home to the 5BORO Institute. “Child care is economic infrastructure — as essential to a competitive city as transit or housing. Parents cannot fully show up for work without care they can count on, and businesses cannot build the workforce they need without parents able to show up. This Council brings together business leaders who want to see the system work, and who have both a stake in the outcome and the standing to help drive change.” 

The cost of center-based child care in New York City has risen 40% since 2019, now averaging $26,000 per year, even as the number of children under age 3 in the city has fallen 12% since 2011. Nationally, the child care crisis costs the U.S. economy an estimated $172 billion annually, and nearly half of NYC working mothers report that child care issues have disrupted their work lives.

The Council will focus its work in three areas: growing a network of business champions for child care access and affordability; advising policymakers and supporting efforts to expand child care supply and strengthen implementation of new publicly-funded child care initiatives; and building public understanding of the business case for child care through communications and storytelling.

“Helping parents participate and thrive in the workforce is not only the right thing to do, it’s essential to building a stronger, more competitive economy,” said Ewa Abrams, President at Kering Americas. “As employers compete to attract and retain talent, expanding access to quality child care must be part of the conversation. We’re proud to work alongside the NYC Child Care Business Council to help advance meaningful solutions for New York families.”

“New York’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit can only thrive when parents have the support they need,” said Jeffrey Zubricki, Head of Global Public Policy at Etsy. “Child care should be simple, flexible, and accessible. That’s why Etsy is proud to be a founding member of the New York City Child Care Business Council to help make that vision a reality.”

“As a mom of a toddler, I know that child care isn’t just a side issue for working parents, but what makes work possible. New York City is at its strongest when everyone has the resources they need to participate fully in the workforce, including young families. The reality is that affordable, reliable childcare is a core pillar of a modern economy and it is essential to address this gap now to keep our city economically competitive and vibrant. We are proud to participate in the NYC Child Care Business Council to help New York City become a place where working parents and their children can thrive,” said Emma Pfohman, CEO of the Association for a Better New York (ABNY).

“Making child care more accessible and affordable is one of the most practical investments we can make in the city’s future. At Msquared, we build the places where New Yorkers live and work, and none of that holds together without sustainable child care systems supporting it. This Council is a chance for real estate and business leaders to put weight behind fixing it,” said Alicia Glen, Founder & Managing Principal at Msquared.

“Haussmann has spent years building housing for New York families, but housing alone isn’t enough to keep them here,” said Josef Goodman, Principal at Haussmann Development. “Child care has to be part of what we’re building toward. Families choose neighborhoods based on whether they can raise kids there, not just whether they can afford the rent. Developers who ignore that are missing half the picture.”

Founding members of the NYC Child Care Business Council include: Association for a Better New York (ABNY), Amalgamated Bank, Bobbie, Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Con Edison, Eggs All Day, Etsy, The Future Forum, Haussmann Development, Hotel Association of New York City, Joy Construction, Kering Americas, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Msquared, NYC Hospitality Alliance, Partnership for New York City, Queens Chamber of Commerce, REBNY, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Majority, Tech:NYC, Vivvi, Wellthy, and Workplayce.

Businesses and individuals interested in joining the Council are invited to contact the 5BORO Institute at childcare@fiveboro.nyc.

About the 5BORO Institute at Citizens Union: The 5BORO Institute is an innovative think tank housed at Citizens Union dedicated to strengthening New York City through creative and actionable public policy solutions. By partnering with policymakers, the private sector, academia, and community leaders, 5BORO tackles the city’s most complex challenges to ensure New York remains vibrant and resilient.