Child Care Aware of America
Child Care Aware of America is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the U.S. child care system through a network of 400+ Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, military and DoD family fee assistance programs, research and advocacy, and GIS-based data tools serving families, providers, CCR&Rs, and policymakers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersArlington, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Child Care Aware of America does
Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 94-3060756) founded in 1987 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that operates as the only national organization with an on-the-ground network spanning the entire U.S. child care system. The organization supports a network of more than 400 state and community Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving four principal constituencies: families seeking affordable child care, child care providers (family child care homes and centers), CCR&R agencies, and federal, state, and local policymakers. CCAoA also administers an exclusive fee assistance and respite child care program in partnership with the U.S. Military and Department of Defense, serving more than 10,000 children annually across all service branches through a network of over 10,000 licensed providers, with cumulative reach exceeding 10 million families over the organization's history.
CCAoA's core offerings include CCR&R network support, military/DoD fee assistance programs, annual research publications (notably the Child Care in America: Price & Supply report and An Uneven Start state funding analysis), advocacy resources and training, the Learning Center (learning.childcareaware.org) for professional development, the Vroom brain-building program, and interactive GIS mapping tools built on Esri's ArcGIS Online platform that visualize child care supply, demand, and access gaps at the county and state level. The data.childcareaware.org platform hosts data stories and visualizations, including the Child Care Gaps Assessment co-developed with the Bipartisan Policy Center and Buffett Early Childhood Institute, which documents a national child care gap of 28.2% affecting approximately 4.2 million children under age 5. The organization convenes the field through the annual Symposium (Child Care Strong series), Leadership Institute, and Provider Appreciation Day.
Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit model comprising individual and corporate donations, foundation grants, annual membership fees, corporate sponsorships and exhibit fees for events, and event registration. Core family-facing services (CCR&R search, state-by-state resource maps, research reports, and family engagement tools) are provided free of charge, while membership programs, events, and sponsorships carry associated fees whose specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. Leadership is provided by CEO Susan Gale Perry.
Child Care Aware of America firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Child Care Aware of America
- Legal name
- Child Care Aware of America
- Website
- https://childcareaware.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Child Care Aware of America is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the U.S. child care system through a network of 400+ Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, military and DoD family fee assistance programs, research and advocacy, and GIS-based data tools serving families, providers, CCR&Rs, and policymakers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Child Care Aware of America industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child Care Services and Early Childhood Education Support
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Child-to-Staff Ratio & Staffing Compliance Monitoring (EDACAKAG)
Keywords
Where Child Care Aware of America is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Child Care Aware of America business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual and Corporate Donations: CCAoA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 94-3060756) that raises funds from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations. Donations support the organization's mission to advance quality, affordable child care.
- Sponsorships and Exhibits: Corporate sponsorships and exhibit fees for events including the annual Symposium and Leadership Institute. Sponsors gain access to child care decision-makers and influencers from CCR&Rs, early childhood programs, family advocates, government officials, and systems leaders.
- Membership Fees: CCAoA offers membership programs that provide exclusive access to experts, discounts, and resources for child care professionals, CCR&R organizations, and systems-level leaders. Membership benefits include interactive manuals, training resources, and technical assistance.
- Event Registration: Revenue from in-person events including the annual Symposium (Child Care Strong series), Leadership Institute, and training conferences. Events offer professional development, networking, and content for the child care field.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free public resources available to all families, providers, and advocates at no charge |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership program with exclusive access to experts, resources, and discounts |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Child Care Aware of America product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CCAoA is the only national nonprofit organization with an on-the-ground network supporting every part of the U.S. child care system. It supports a network of more than 400 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies across all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, delivers fee assistance and respite programs for military and DoD families through 10,000+ licensed providers, and produces authoritative research and data reports (such as Child Care in America: Price & Supply and An Uneven Start) to inform policy and advocacy for affordable, high-quality child care.
Product overview
Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) operates as a national nonprofit organization with an on-the-ground network supporting the child care system, rather than as a single product or platform company. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected services including: CCR&R Network Support (serving 400+ state and community organizations), Fee Assistance and Respite Care Programs for military/DoD families, Research and Data Reports (annual Price & Supply reports, Uneven Start funding analyses), Advocacy Resources and training, the Learning Center for professional development, Vroom Brain Building Program for early childhood education, GIS Mapping and Data Visualization tools for identifying child care access gaps, and annual events (Leadership Institute, Symposium, Provider Appreciation Day). Additional offerings include a Resource Library with 500+ materials, Emergency Preparedness Resources, Healthy Child Care Resources, Technical Assistance services, State-by-State Resource Maps, CCR&R Search functionality, and public policy resources. These products and services work together to advance high-quality, affordable child care through direct services, research, advocacy, and systems-level support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MCCYN (Military Child Care You Can Use): Fee Assistance Program serving military and non-military families
- Vroom
- Mind in the Making
Products and services
- CCR&R Network Support National network support program coordinating more than 400 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) organizations across all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, providing referrals, professional development, technical assistance, and data reporting for families and child care providers.
- Military/DoD Fee Assistance and Respite Care Programs Fee assistance and respite child care programs for active-duty military families, Guard and Reserve members, and DoD civilian employees, operated in partnership with the U.S. Military and Department of Defense. Includes MCCYN, MCCYN-PLUS, Air Force Home Community Care, Navy Home Community Care, CCYH Fee Assistance Pilot, and Exceptional Family Member Respite Care, serving more than 10,000 children annually through a network of 10,000+ licensed providers.
- Research and Data Reports Annual authoritative research reports on the U.S. child care system, including Child Care in America: Price & Supply (documenting national prices and supply trends) and An Uneven Start (state funding analysis). The 2025 Price & Supply report documented a $13,184 national average child care price and a 1% decline in licensed centers.
- Advocacy Resources and Training Training materials, guides, and tools that help advocates craft messages to elected officials and build advocacy skills for affordable, high-quality child care.
- Learning Center Online training and professional development platform at learning.childcareaware.org offering webinars, courses, and resources for child care professionals, CCR&R staff, and the child care workforce.
- Vroom Brain Building Program Partnership program with Vroom bringing brain science and early childhood development resources to families, providers, and CCR&R agencies, turning everyday moments into brain-building moments for children.
- GIS Mapping and Data Visualization Tools Interactive dashboards and mapping tools built on Esri's ArcGIS Online to visualize child care capacity, supply, and demand gaps by county and state, including automated state childcare policy tracking workflows.
- Resource Library Digital library of more than 500 research papers, checklists, webinars, videos, and other resources for families, providers, and child care professionals, filterable by year, topic, language, type, and audience.
- Emergency Preparedness Resources Resources and technical assistance for CCR&R agencies, child care providers, and families to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters affecting child care operations.
- Healthy Child Care Resources Health and nutrition resources, toolkits, and recognition programs supporting healthy environments for young children in child care settings.
- Technical Assistance Services Technical assistance for CCR&R agencies and child care systems leaders covering business support, emergency preparedness, family engagement, health and wellness, and professional development.
- State-by-State Resource Map Interactive map providing state-specific resources for child care, financial assistance, health and social services, and support for children with special needs.
- CCR&R Search Tool Directory search tool allowing families to find their local Child Care Resource and Referral agency by location.
- Annual Symposium and Leadership Institute Conferences Annual in-person national conferences (the Child Care Strong Symposium series and the Leadership Institute) bringing together child care leaders, advocates, CCR&R staff, providers, and systems leaders for skill-building, networking, and content.
- Public Policy Resources Information and resources on federal and state child care policy, CCDBG legislation, and regulations affecting providers and referral agencies.
- State Snapshots Data Stories Platform Interactive data stories platform at data.childcareaware.org allowing users to interact with meaningful child care data, access customized data visualizations, and develop actionable advocacy tools.
Quantifiable outcome
- National average child care price of $13,184 annually in 2025, representing 10% of median household income for two-parent families — documented in CCAoA's Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply report
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Child Care Aware of America
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Child Care Aware of America technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Child Care Aware of America partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- U.S. Military and Department of DefensecoreCCAoA operates the Military Child Care (MCCYN) Fee Assistance Program and Respite Child Care Programs in partnership with the U.S. Military and Department of Defense. The organization serves military families across all branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps) and has created a network of more than 10,000 licensed child care providers. Programs include MCCYN, MCCYN-PLUS (QRIS-based quality expansion), Air Force Home Community Care, Navy Home Community Care, Child Care in Your Home (CCYH) Fee Assistance Pilot, and Exceptional Family Member Respite Care.
- Bipartisan Policy CentermajorCCAoA partnered with the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute to release the Child Care Gaps Assessment, the most comprehensive analysis of child care availability in the United States. The interactive tool found a national child care gap of 28.2%, leaving approximately 4.2 million children under age 5 without access to a formal child care slot.
- Buffett Early Childhood InstitutemajorCCAoA partnered with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and Bipartisan Policy Center to develop the Child Care Gaps Assessment, an interactive tool presenting the most comprehensive analysis of child care availability in the United States.
- VroomcoreCCAoA has partnered with Vroom to bring brain science and early brain development resources to families and child care programs through the CCR&R network. Vroom provides free resources to turn everyday moments into brain-building moments. CCAoA activates Vroom in CCR&R agencies across the nation.
- EsrisupportingCCAoA uses Esri's ArcGIS Online GIS platform to map child care supply and demand across the United States, helping policymakers identify access gaps. Esri published a case study on CCAoA's use of GIS technology titled 'How CCAoA Uses GIS to Improve Childcare Access.'
- National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)supportingCCAoA references NIEER's quality benchmarks in its preschool access reporting. State-funded preschool programs are measured against NIEER's 10 quality benchmarks in CCAoA's analyses of early childhood education programs.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Child Care Aware of America competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): National nonprofit membership organization focused on early childhood education quality, accreditation, and workforce development. Directly comparable as a peer national nonprofit serving the same ECE provider and advocate ecosystem as CCAoA.
- Zero to Three: National nonprofit advancing infant and toddler development through research, advocacy, and professional resources. Comparable mission and national advocacy/research model targeting similar early childhood stakeholders.
- National Head Start Association: National membership organization supporting Head Start programs serving low-income children birth to five. Comparable national nonprofit advocacy and provider-support model, addressing overlapping ECE access and equity issues.
- First Five Years Fund: National advocacy organization focused on federal investment in early childhood programs including child care and Head Start. Comparable policy advocacy and research dissemination role in the same federal child care funding ecosystem.
- Child Care Services Association: Nonprofit that operates child care services, family support, and workforce development programs across multiple states. Comparable operating model combining direct service, advocacy, and provider support.
Broad incumbents
- Bipartisan Policy Center: Established DC think tank that partnered with CCAoA on the Child Care Gaps Assessment. Comparable in producing policy research on child care but operates across many additional policy domains beyond early childhood.
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large for-profit child care provider and employer-sponsored care operator. Comparable as a major player in the child care ecosystem CCAoA supports, but operates as a commercial provider rather than nonprofit advocacy organization.
Emerging players
- Council for a Strong America: National nonprofit advocating for child well-being, early childhood, and youth development through business and military leader engagement. Comparable advocacy approach to early childhood issues but with broader youth focus.
- Winnie: Digital marketplace for parents to search child care providers. Comparable in serving the family-facing child care search use case that CCAoA's CCR&R network addresses, but as a for-profit tech platform rather than community-based referral.
Regional players
- Parent Possible: Colorado-based nonprofit advancing quality early childhood programs and parent engagement. Comparable in mission around early childhood access and parent engagement but limited to a single state footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Child Care Aware of America social profiles
Digital presenceChild Care Aware of America financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Child Care Aware of America leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Child Care Aware of America funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Child Care Aware of America M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Child Care Aware of America
What does Child Care Aware of America do?
CCAoA is the only national nonprofit organization with an on-the-ground network supporting every part of the U.S. child care system. It supports a network of more than 400 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies across all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, delivers fee assistance and respite programs for military and DoD families through 10,000+ licensed providers, and produces authoritative research and data reports (such as Child Care in America: Price & Supply and An Uneven Start) to inform policy and advocacy for affordable, high-quality child care.
Is Child Care Aware of America a public or private company?
Child Care Aware of America is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Child Care Aware of America founded?
Child Care Aware of America was founded in 1987. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Child Care Aware of America based?
Child Care Aware of America is headquartered in Arlington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Child Care Aware of America make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual and Corporate Donations are the primary driver. The others are sponsorships and Exhibits, membership Fees and event Registration.
Who are Child Care Aware of America's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Zero to Three, National Head Start Association, First Five Years Fund and Child Care Services Association. Broad incumbents are Bipartisan Policy Center and Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Emerging players are Council for a Strong America and Winnie. Parent Possible is listed as a regional player.
Does Child Care Aware of America have an API?
No public API is recorded for Child Care Aware of America.
What industry is Child Care Aware of America in?
Child Care Aware of America's product category is Child Care Services and Early Childhood Education Support. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAG, Child Protection & Child Rights, with a secondary code of EDACAKAG, Child-to-Staff Ratio & Staffing Compliance Monitoring. Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.