The Nurturing Center Inc

What The Nurturing Center Inc does

The Nurturing Center Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1978 by Susan Christofferson and headquartered in Kalispell, Montana. It serves families with young children and licensed child care providers across four northwest Montana counties: Flathead, Lincoln, Lake, and Sanders. Its mission is to expand access to affordable, high-quality early childhood care in rural communities through scholarship funding, federal nutrition program sponsorship, coalition-building, and provider training.

The organization operates five interlocking programs: the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program, which provides tuition assistance to families; sponsorship of the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), which reimburses child care providers for meals served to enrolled children; the Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead Valley; Community Resources referrals and supports for families; and Professional Development for child care providers. The underlying technology stack is minimal, consisting of KidKare.com used for CACFP claims and reporting, with no proprietary platform or product development disclosed.

Revenue is generated through charitable contributions from individual donors and regional foundations, supplemented by federal CACFP reimbursement claims processed through the KidKare platform. Services to families are provided free of charge, eliminating any consumer pricing model. The organization is governed by a six-member board and operates through partnerships with the Best Beginnings Council and the Montana Department of Health and Human Services for the scholarship program, Child Care Resources for scholarship processing, and Spark Montana and Zero to Five Montana for technical assistance. Funding support is drawn from the L.S. and Aline W. Skaggs Foundation, the C.F. and Margaret L. Heckathorn Sr. Charitable Trust, and the Whitefish Community Foundation.

Name

The Nurturing Center Inc

Legal name

The Nurturing Center Inc

Website

https://nurturingcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 providing child care scholarships, federal CACFP food program sponsorship, and early childhood coalition-building to families and child care providers across four counties in northwest Montana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Postpartum Newborn Care & Parent Education (NCS) (HSAAACAA)

Keywords

• Family support services
• Child care scholarships
• Early childhood programs
• Community resource distribution
• Child welfare nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Queens Village

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Nurturing Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donor contributions. EIN #: 81-0383437. Donations are tax deductible. Multiple donation tiers are offered for various programs.
2. Federal CACFP Funding: The organization sponsors the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in Northwest Montana, a federal program providing funding for nutritious meals and snacks to children in qualifying child care settings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Nurturing Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides family support services across Northwest Montana, including free distribution of essential baby supplies (diapers, wipes, formula, safety items, blankets), Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarships for families, sponsorship of the federal CACFP nutrition program for child care providers in four counties, CPR/First Aid training for providers, and coordination of the Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead Valley. All services to families are provided at no cost.

Product overview

The Nurturing Center Inc operates as a nonprofit social services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected family support programs. The core offerings include the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship (financial assistance for childcare), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP - nutrition funding for childcare providers), the Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead Valley (community coordination), Community Resources (free essential supplies), and Professional Development services (CPR/training for providers). These programs work together to strengthen families and provide comprehensive support to parents and children in Northwest Montana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead Valley (ECCFV): An inclusive effort to bring community-based organizations that serve young children and families together with families and community members. Provides networking, strategic planning and learning opportunities for early childhood professionals.

Products and services

• Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Child care scholarship program providing financial assistance for child care in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, and Sanders counties, including out-of-school-time scholarships for summer care. Awards scholarships to eligible families to make child care more affordable.
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Federal nutrition program sponsored by the organization across Northwest Montana, providing reimbursement funding for nutritious meals and snacks served to children enrolled in qualifying child care facilities. Providers submit monthly attendance and menu claims via KidKare.com. Covers family child care (1 adult to 6 children) and group child care (2 adults to 12 children) facilities.
• Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead Valley Community coalition bringing together organizations serving young children and families to identify barriers, coordinate services, eliminate silos, and provide networking, strategic planning, and learning opportunities for early childhood professionals. Includes council meetings, educational trainings, and community forums.
• Community Resources Program Free distribution program providing diapers, wipes, formula, safety items (car seats, pack-and-plays), blankets, and resource referrals to families in need across the four-county service area.
• Child Care Provider Services and Professional Development CPR and First Aid training for child care providers, with referrals to partner organizations (Spark Montana, Zero to Five Montana, Child Care Resources) for licensing support, professional learning communities, emergency preparedness, fingerprinting, and business development services.

Named customers3 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

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Early Childhood Coalition of Flathead ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn inclusive collaborative effort bringing together all community-based organizations serving young children and families in Northwest Montana. The coalition identifies barriers, facilitates coordination, and works to eliminate silos among agencies providing early childhood services.
• Child Care ResourcescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMissoula-based organization now processing all Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarships for Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, and Sanders counties. Provides child care referrals, vacancy updates, and provider portal support.
• Spark Montana (Spark Learning Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical assistance provider for child care providers covering licensing support, professional learning communities, emergency preparedness, and fingerprinting services. All questions about opening childcare are directed to Spark Montana.
• Zero to Five MontanacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages sub-pool, childcare business supports, and Shared Services for child care providers. Questions about business support services are directed to this organization.
• LIFTS (Linking Infants & Families to Supports)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA project of Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Montana. Provides searchable database for parenting support, maternal mental health resources, and family-friendly events in the area.
• Montana Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide professional organization for early childhood educators. Listed as a resource for professional development and networking.
• Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)coreOthersState agency overseeing early childhood services and CACFP program administration in Montana. Organization displays DPHHS logo as partner/supporter.
• USDA CACFPcoreOthersThe Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federal program that provides funding for nutritious meals and snacks. The Nurturing Center sponsors CACFP in Northwest Montana covering four counties.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Child Care Resources (Montana): Missoula-based nonprofit that processes Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarships for the same four-county region The Nurturing Center serves. Direct operational partner with overlapping provider and family audiences, making it the closest functional peer.
• Zero to Five Montana: Statewide early childhood nonprofit managing child care business supports and shared services. Operates adjacent programs serving child care providers in the same Montana ecosystem, with overlapping funder and partner relationships.
• Spark Montana (Spark Learning Lab): Montana technical assistance provider for child care licensing, professional learning, and emergency preparedness. A formal referral partner of The Nurturing Center serving the same provider base with complementary services.
• Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Montana: Statewide maternal and child health nonprofit operating the LIFTS resource database that The Nurturing Center links families to. Comparable mission, comparable donor base, and direct referral integration in Montana.
• Montana Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC): Statewide professional association for early childhood educators offering professional development and networking. Listed as a resource on The Nurturing Center's site; both serve the same Montana early childhood workforce.

Broad incumbents

• Parents as Teachers: National parent-education nonprofit operating evidence-based home visiting and family support programs. Comparable parent-education component and Six Protective Factors-adjacent philosophy, but at national scale with affiliate networks rather than a single regional hub.
• Prevent Child Abuse America / Healthy Families America: National organization supporting home visiting programs designed around protective factors for preventing child abuse and neglect. The Nurturing Center's framework mirrors Healthy Families America's model, though at a single-region scale versus a national affiliate network.
• Child Care Aware of America: National child care resource and referral organization supporting state networks. Comparable referral, scholarship, and provider-support functions but at a national scale with state-level affiliate structure rather than a single regional nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Center4Nurture
• Facebookfacebook.com/thenurturingcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-nurturing-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Nurturing Center Inc