Scholarship and Voucher Information

HOW CAN WE HELP? 

Imogen Foundation is committed to providing the most inclusive and accessible programs possible. We work with families, schools, and other public institutions to ensure that financial concerns are not barriers to access to our programs for children. 

Our afterschool programs are all licensed and registered with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), which enables us to accept vouchers for child care – giving families in need of financial assistance access to all of our afterschool and camp services at reduced cost- sometimes even free. 

Child care vouchers are mini-grants that New York State provides that help low-income families afford child care services. These vouchers are administered in NYC through MyCity and HRA. 

Please see the following pages for instructions on how to pre-screen and apply for this subsidy. To request financial assistance from IF, a family must first apply for a child care voucher. 

Child care vouchers offer:
Quality childcare at reduced cost-even free for licensed provider 

Step 1 

PRE-SCREENING ELIGIBILITY
CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILD CARE SUBSIDY 

To receive financial aid, families must first complete a child care subsidy pre-screening. 

You may qualify if: 

Your household income is within the eligible range
You are experiencing homelessness
You work 10 or more hours per week and you make at least minimum wage ($16/hour)
You are in an educational or vocational training program
You have been looking for work
You live in temporary housing. This includes families who may be living in shelter or sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason.
You are receiving services for domestic violence
You are receiving substance abuse treatment 

Complete the pre-screening on MyCity, and be sure to screenshot or save your results for the next step. MyCity Pre-Screening

Step 2 

COMPLETE THE FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION
COMPLETE APPLICATION FORM 

       After pre-screening: 

                    Fill out the Financial Aid Application and upload/record your pre-screening results. 

Step 3 

MYCITY/HRA STATUS
IF PRE-SCREENING STATUS IS: 

      Eligible 

Begin your full application on MyCity, or through your HRA account if you already receive Cash Assistance  or SNAP. Voucher processing takes about 6 weeks. While your request is processing, your credit card will not be charged for tuition. Once your voucher is approved and issued, your tuition will be adjusted accordingly. 

Watch step-by-step instructions here if needed 

     Pending/Waitlisted 

If you are waitlisted or remain pending for more than 30 days, we will assess your application to determine if we can offer you an internally funded scholarship. Financial aid will appear on your account only after you are approved for a child care voucher. 

                   Denied 

If you were denied during pre-screening, we will review your application to determine whether we can offer an internally funded scholarship. 

Internal Scholarship Schedule 

Fall Registration Period
May 12, 2026 – August 1, 2026 

Spring Registration Period
November 1, 2026- January 9, 2027

If offered a Scholarship you have 7 business days to accept. After you have accepted the offer it will be applied to your account within 10 business days. Scholarships are for the Full 2026-2027 school year. Your scholarship will be applied to your Spring 2026 Registration after you select your spring classes.

 

Step 4 

TRACK YOUR VOUCHER APPLICATION 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS 

Do not submit duplicate MyCity applications—it may delay your case. 

Renew your application 2 months before your child starts afterschool. 

Call ACS Voucher Enrollment Unit at (212) 393-5361 or (212) 361-5796 to request a transfer if switching to IF Afterschool. Do this within 5 days for each child. 

Please look out for email and physical mail delivery in correspondence to your application process. If you encounter any issues or need assistance, contact ACS or HRA directly. 

 

Step 5 

PENDING PERIOD 

CONFIRMATION 

Once we receive confirmation of approval, your tuition will be adjusted within 10 business days. By applying for child care vouchers, you ensure your child has access to high-quality afterschool programming while receiving the support your family needs. 

 

For further questions email: 

registrar@ifafterschool.org