DOC denies PTEEO early education grant request

BREWSTER – A major grant that a new Pateros non-profit group promoting early education had applied for through the state Department of Commerce was denied last week forcing the applicants to look for other options to go forward.
Pateros mayor Carlene Anders spoke about the funding denial at the regular monthly meeting of the Brewster Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday, Feb. 5.
The non-profit, Pateros Treehouse Early Education Organization (PTEEO) was formed in October 2019 as a vehicle to establish a new early education center in Pateros to replace the only other center in the city that plans to close its doors once a replacement is available.
Last December, PTEEO applied for a grant in excess of $400,000 with the state Depart of Commerce to renovate the vacant Church of Christ building at 128 N. Independence St. in Pateros, and open a 52-child capacity early learning center, more than doubling the current occupancy currently available in the city.
The DOC in partnership with the Department of Children Youth and Families (CDYF) announced the recipients of the $17.2 million for early learning facilities on Thursday, Feb. 6, but PTEEO was not among those awarded funds. But few small communities were.
Of the $17,293,438 DOC awarded this year, only $736,000 went to small community early learning, said Anders. That funding will pay for 25 new day care spots. A small community is defined as 5,000 residents and below. Out of the 281 communities in the state, 168 qualify for that designation.
Over the past four years from 2017-2020 only 4 percent (.04%) percent of early learning DOC grants went to small communities.
The PTEEO’s  board was scheduled to meet Friday evening, Feb. 7 to discuss its options.
“We got letters of support from all our legislators on this project for this grant,” said Anders. “One of my legislative drives is to try to figure out how to get some of those funds to rural, smaller communities.”
Anders said PTEEO will probably reapply and make sure those funds are designated toward rural areas.
Another option PTEEO is pursuing next year is a possible state appropriation in the absence of a DOC grant.