Child Care Aware of Missouri

What Child Care Aware of Missouri does

Child Care Aware of Missouri (CCAMO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1999 and operating since 2000 under the mission of supporting the first two-thousand days of a child's life by serving those who serve children. The organization is the Missouri state affiliate of Child Care Aware of America and operates a multi-program portfolio spanning the full child care ecosystem. CCAMO serves three primary constituencies: families with children birth to age five seeking child care referrals, subsidy navigation, and developmental resources; child care educators and providers pursuing credentials, degrees, compensation support, and business administration training; and Missouri employers seeking workforce stability through child care access solutions.

The organization's core service offerings include a statewide child care referral and resource line (operating 800-200-9017 and 314-535-1458), the TEACH Missouri scholarship program (operating since 2000 and licensing the framework from Early Years NC), the WAGE$ Missouri wage supplement program, MO-SECA administrator coaching, CDA Scholarship Project, Emergency Preparedness training, and the Show Me Child Care Resources data portal. Two flagship initiatives launched in 2025-2026 extend the model further: Child Care Works — Missouri's first statewide Tri-Share child care cost-sharing program implemented in partnership with TOOTRiS — and a parallel Aetna-funded cost-sharing initiative. Sub-brands include TEACH Missouri, Child Care Keeps Missouri Working (CCKMW), WAGE$ Missouri, Child Care Works, MO-SECA, and the Amanda Schwartz Scholarship Fund.

CCAMO's revenue model is dominated by government contracts and grants, primarily from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Childhood, supplemented by federal pass-through funding and foundation grants. Corporate donations (notably $50,000 from Aetna in 2026) and individual contributions form a secondary stream, alongside modest fee-based income from concierge referral services, data payments, and webinar registrations. Most services are delivered free to families and providers. The go-to-market approach is community-led, combining direct service delivery, public-sector partnerships, and statewide community engagement, with documented funding events including a $5.6M WAGE$ state pilot in 2026 and a $40K Child Care Aware of America grant in 2024.

Name

Child Care Aware of Missouri

Legal name

Child Care Aware of Missouri

Website

https://mochildcareaware.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Child Care Aware of Missouri is a St. Louis-based nonprofit that provides child care referral, scholarship, and workforce programs for Missouri families, early childhood educators, and employers, operating programs such as TEACH Missouri, Child Care Works (Tri-Share), and WAGE$ Missouri.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Care and Education Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs & Inclusive Caregiver Placement (HSAAALAH)

Keywords

• Child care referral
• Early childhood education
• Child care scholarships
• Tri-Share child care
• Child care workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Grants: Primary funding from Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Childhood contracts, federal grants, and foundation funding to support early childhood programs and professional development.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Corporate donations (Aetna $50,000), foundation grants, and individual contributions supporting specific programs and initiatives.
3. Fee-Based Services: Concierge referral services, data payments, and webinar registrations for select services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Child Care Aware of Missouri operates a statewide suite of child care resource and referral, scholarship, and workforce programs for Missouri families, child care providers, and employers. Its core offerings include Child Care Works (Missouri's first statewide Tri-Share child care cost-sharing program), TEACH Missouri (educator scholarships and credentials), Child Care Keeps Missouri Working (employer workforce solutions), WAGE$ Missouri (educator wage supplements), MO-SECA (administrator leadership training), and direct family referral and subsidy assistance services.

Product overview

Child Care Aware of Missouri operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of child care-related services. The core programs include Child Care Works (a Tri-Share child care cost-sharing program implemented with technology partner TOOTRiS), TEACH Missouri (scholarship program for early childhood educator professional development since 2000), and Child Care Keeps Missouri Working (employer and community workforce solutions). Supporting offerings include WAGE$ Missouri wage supplements, MO-SECA leadership training for administrators, CDA Scholarship programs, and Show Me Child Care Resources. The organization also provides direct family services through child care referral and subsidy assistance, mental health resources, and emergency preparedness training. The portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem addressing child care access, educator compensation, professional development, and family support across Missouri.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEACH Missouri: Scholarship program supporting early childhood care and education professionals to earn credentials and degrees.
• Child Care Keeps Missouri Working
• WAGE$ Missouri
• Child Care Works
• MO-SECA
• Show Me Child Care Resources

Products and services

• Child Care Works (CCW) Tri-Share Program Statewide Tri-Share child care cost-sharing program that expands access to affordable, high-quality child care by sharing costs among employers, families, and government or philanthropic partners. Implemented with technology partner TOOTRiS.
• TEACH Missouri Scholarship program supporting early childhood care and education professionals to earn national credentials (including CDA) and college credit-based education (up to master's level) while increasing compensation and retention. Licensed from Early Years NC.
• Child Care Keeps Missouri Working (CCKMW) Business and community initiative developing workforce capacity, stability, and potential through innovative cost-sharing models that connect employers, families, and communities to shared child care solutions supporting workforce stability and economic growth.
• Child Care Referral Service Statewide concierge service connecting families with appropriate child care providers via phone (800-200-9017, 314-535-1458) and online portals.
• Child Care Subsidy Assistance Program helping families navigate and access child care subsidy programs to make child care more affordable.
• WAGE$ Missouri Wage supplement program for child care educators aimed at boosting educator pay and strengthening the early childhood workforce, including a $5.6 million St. Louis County pilot.
• MO-SECA (Missouri Supporting Early Childhood Administrators) Year-long statewide project providing no-cost training, tools, 1:1 coaching, and program assessment to help child care administrators effectively lead and manage their business operations, including leadership and business management training.
• Show Me Child Care Resources Online resource portal providing tools, information, and support materials for child care providers and families across Missouri, including data and reports on the state's child care landscape.
• CDA Scholarship Project Program helping child care professionals earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential through scholarship support covering tuition, books, and application fees.
• Emergency Preparedness for Child Care Programs Training program preparing child care providers to handle various emergencies, including a completed yearlong project training 39 providers across Missouri and impacting over 850 children.
• Amanda Schwartz Scholarship Fund Scholarship fund supporting master's certificate scholarships in honor of Amanda Schwartz's dedication to early childhood education and TEACH Missouri leadership development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39 providers trained in emergency preparedness impacting 850+ children
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TOOTRiScoreTechnology or Integration · 25 October 2025Technology partner for Missouri's first statewide Tri-Share child care program (Child Care Works). TOOTRiS platform enables the cost-sharing model connecting employers, families, and government/philanthropic partners.
• Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) - Office of ChildhoodcoreOthersPrimary government funder through statewide quality initiative contracts. DESE Office of Childhood funds TEACH Missouri, professional development, and child care resource programs.
• Early Years (NC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensor of TEACH Early Childhood Missouri program. Provides program framework and support for early childhood education scholarship initiatives.
• St. Louis CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner for $5.6 million WAGE$ pilot program targeting early childhood educator compensation in St. Louis County.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Child Care Aware of America: National coordinating body for the state Child Care Resource and Referral network and CCAOMO's parent affiliate. Most directly comparable peer because it operates the same resource, referral, and policy advocacy model at the national level and channels federal and foundation funding to state agencies like CCAOMO.
• Child Care Services Association (Early Years): North Carolina-based nonprofit that licenses the TEACH program to CCAOMO and operates its own TEACH, WAGE$, and Smart Horizons workforce development programs. Highly comparable as a peer organization delivering early childhood educator scholarships, wage supplements, and professional development.
• TOOTRiS: Technology platform partner powering CCAOMO's Child Care Works Tri-Share program and an employer-facing child care benefits platform in its own right. Directly comparable because it delivers the same Tri-Share cost-sharing functionality CCAOMO now offers, and could expand independently into Missouri.
• Child Care Aware of Minnesota: State-level sibling affiliate operating child care resource and referral, parent education, and professional development across Minnesota. Directly comparable as a peer CCR&R agency with similar mission, funding mix (state + foundation), and program portfolio.
• Child Care Aware of Kansas: State-level sibling affiliate serving Kansas families, providers, and employers through referrals, training, and workforce programs. Closely comparable in scope, funding structure, and program mix to CCAOMO.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons: Largest U.S. provider of employer-sponsored child care, back-up care, and early education with hundreds of centers and a public company (BFAM). Comparable as a broad incumbent delivering employer-facing child care solutions that overlap with CCAOMO's Child Care Works and CCKMW offerings.
• KinderCare Learning Companies: One of the largest U.S. for-profit child care and early education providers operating thousands of centers nationwide (NYSE: KLC). Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same child care access and workforce ecosystem CCAOMO addresses.
• Care.com: Public online marketplace (CRCM) connecting families to caregivers and child care providers at national scale. Comparable at the family-facing referral layer where CCAOMO competes for parent mindshare.

Emerging players

• Wonderschool: Tech-enabled platform helping families find child care and supporting home-based providers with business tools. Comparable as an emerging player building a digital child care marketplace that could overlap with CCAOMO's referral services.
• WorkLife Systems: Technology platform integrated with CCAOMO for employer workforce and child care benefits administration. Comparable as an emerging enabling platform serving overlapping employer clients and child care programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MOChildCare
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ChildCareAwareMO
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildCareAwareofMissouri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/child-care-aware-of-missouri
• Instagraminstagram.com/mochildcare

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Child Care Aware of Missouri