Child Care Aware of Washington
Child Care Aware of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers Washington State's Early Achievers child care quality system and connects families with providers through a statewide network of six regional partners and 265 Early Learning Coaches, funded primarily by DCYF government contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersTacoma, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Child Care Aware of Washington does
Child Care Aware of Washington (CCA of WA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, that serves as the state's primary child care resource and referral intermediary. The organization connects Washington families with licensed child care providers through a Salesforce-based Child Care Finder portal and a toll-free Family Center (1-800-446-1114), while simultaneously supporting child care providers through coaching, professional development, scholarships, and business management tools delivered via a statewide network of six Regional Partners (Brightspark, Opportunity Council, Child Care Action Council, ESD 112, Catholic Charities Central WA, and Community Minded Enterprises) and 265 Early Learning Coaches deployed across all counties.
The organization's core technology platform integrates the Child Care Finder (Salesforce-hosted searchable database filtering by region, care type, and special needs), the Business Edge Portal (used by 1,500+ programs for compliance forms, policies, and business tools), Power BI county-level data dashboards covering licensed capacity and cost of care, and Canvas LMS for professional development. Holding Hope, a sub-brand, delivers Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. CCA of WA administers Washington State's Early Achievers quality recognition system under contract with the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), making the organization a quasi-governmental intermediary in the state's early learning ecosystem.
CCA of WA operates a grant-funded managed services model with primary revenue from DCYF government contracts, supplemented by individual and corporate donations to the 501(c)(3). All core services are provided free to families and providers; scholarship benefits ($2,000-$9,000 per program for quality improvement, up to $9,000 tuition for Montessori credentials) are disbursed as financial assistance rather than fee-for-service transactions. Customer segments include families seeking child care, licensed providers seeking training and quality improvement, and policymakers and advocates relying on CCA of WA's data products and advocacy campaigns such as Child Care for WA.
Child Care Aware of Washington firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Child Care Aware of Washington
- Legal name
- Child Care Aware of Washington
- Website
- https://childcareawarewa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Child Care Aware of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers Washington State's Early Achievers child care quality system and connects families with providers through a statewide network of six regional partners and 265 Early Learning Coaches, funded primarily by DCYF government contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Child Care Aware of Washington industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child Care Resource and Referral Services
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers (EDACAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC)
Keywords
Where Child Care Aware of Washington is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tacoma
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Child Care Aware of Washington business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Contracts & Grants: Primary funding from Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) contracts, including the Early Achievers program administration and regional partner funding. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit receiving public funding for early learning initiatives.
- Individual & Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting early childhood education. The organization explicitly solicits donations as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Montessori Credential Scholarship - up to $9,000 tuition/fees plus $500 books/materials reimbursement plus release time |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Early Achievers Quality Improvement Awards - $2,000 to $9,000 per program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Child Care Aware of Washington product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Child Care Aware of Washington is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that connects Washington State families to licensed child care providers through a free Salesforce-based search portal and a toll-free Family Center, and supports those providers with coaching, professional development, scholarships, business tools, and mental health consultation. It administers the statewide Early Achievers quality recognition and improvement system under contract with the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), and operates public data dashboards and advocacy campaigns aimed at solving Washington's child care crisis.
Product overview
Child Care Aware of Washington operates as an integrated platform offering multiple interconnected services for the early learning ecosystem. The core offerings center on the Child Care Finder—a free Salesforce-hosted search portal for families to find providers—and the Early Achievers Program, Washington's quality recognition and improvement system for child care. These are supplemented by add-on modules including Professional Development Calendar (training courses via Zoom and Canvas), Scholarships Program (Montessori and BA pathway financial assistance), Holding Hope Mental Health Consultation (IECMH services), Business Edge Portal (provider business tools), Data & Statistics Dashboard (Power BI-powered county reports), Child Care for WA Campaign (advocacy), and Business Supports (coaching and operational assistance). The Family Center hotline and Regional Partners network provide additional family-facing and provider-facing support layers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Holding Hope: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program supporting children's social-emotional development
Products and services
- Child Care Finder Free Salesforce-based searchable database allowing Washington State families to search for licensed child care providers by region, type of care, and special needs accommodations. A core, standalone consumer-facing product used by 15,254 families.
- Early Achievers Program Washington's quality recognition and improvement system for child care programs, administered by CCA of WA under DCYF contract. Provides coaching, professional development, and a recognition framework that helps families understand program quality.
- Family Services Consumer-facing service helping Washington State families find child care, access financial assistance such as Working Connections Child Care subsidies, and navigate the child care system via a toll-free Family Center hotline (1-800-446-1114) and email support in multiple languages.
- Professional Development Calendar Training and professional development opportunities for licensed child care providers, including live virtual sessions via Zoom, in-person trainings, and self-paced courses on Canvas LMS, covering topics such as EQEL, PACE, business of child care, advocacy, and early childhood mental health.
- Business Edge Portal One-stop self-service portal for Early Achievers child care providers offering policies, regulations, guidance, and discounts on business tools, including customizable forms, lesson plan tips, and training resources. Used by 1,500+ child care programs statewide.
- Scholarships Program Financial assistance scholarships for early learning professionals in Early Achievers, supporting professional development and education. Includes the Montessori Credential Scholarship with up to $9,000 tuition/fees (paid directly to MACTE-accredited academic institution in Washington State), up to $500 books/materials reimbursement, and release time paid to employer at $15/hour up to 3 hours/week. 60 graduates completed in June 2025.
- Holding Hope Mental Health Consultation Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) consultation service pairing mental health consultants with child care providers and Early Achievers Coaches to promote social-emotional development and support for young children. Bilingual Spanish statewide service available.
- Data & Statistics Dashboard Interactive Power BI dashboard providing county-level data on licensed child care capacity, program demographics, cost of care, child care demand, and community demographics across Washington State. Used by policymakers, advocates, and the public.
- Child Care for WA Campaign Statewide advocacy campaign organizing parents, providers, businesses, and advocates to solve Washington's child care crisis through policy advocacy for affordable, high-quality child care and living wages for providers.
- Business Supports Operational and professional support services for child care providers, including business planning, marketing, bookkeeping, human resources, enrollment software, and one-on-one coaching.
Quantifiable outcome
- 265 Early Learning Coaches supported 138,985 hours of quality improvement in 4,740 licensed childcare settings in 2023
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Child Care Aware of Washington
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Child Care Aware of Washington technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
Child Care Aware of Washington partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Help Me GrowcorePartnership announced August 2025 to join forces for families. Collaborative effort connecting child care resources with Help Me Grow's family support infrastructure to expand access to early learning support.
- Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)corePrimary government funder and program partner. CCA of WA administers the Early Achievers quality recognition program and delivers services under DCYF contracts. DCYF provides funding, regulatory oversight, and program coordination for early learning initiatives statewide.
- Early Achievers (DCYF Quality Recognition System)coreWashington State's quality recognition and improvement system for child care programs. CCA of WA serves as a key implementation partner, providing coaching, scholarships, and business supports to enrolled providers.
- Child Care for WA CampaigncoreBroad movement of parents, child care providers, businesses, and advocacy organizations working together to fix Washington's child care crisis. CCA of WA is a founding/organizing partner of this campaign.
- Brightspark (King & Pierce Region)coreRegional partner serving King and Pierce counties. Provides child care resource and referral services, professional development coordination, and family access programs.
- Opportunity Council (Northwest Region)coreRegional partner serving Northwest Washington. Provides Early Achievers coaching, professional development, and family services in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Snohomish counties.
- Child Care Action Council (Olympic Peninsula Region)coreRegional partner serving the Olympic Peninsula. Provides professional development, Enhanced STARS training, and licensing-required training for child care providers.
- ESD 112 (Southwest Region)coreRegional partner serving Southwest Washington through Educational Service District 112. Provides early learning coordination and professional development services.
- Catholic Charities Central WA (Central Region)coreRegional partner serving Central Washington through Catholic Charities. Provides early learning services and child care resources in the Central region.
- Community Minded Enterprises (Eastern Region)coreRegional partner serving Eastern Washington. Provides early learning coaching, professional development, and community-based training for child care providers.
- Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)minorAccrediting body for Montessori credential programs. CCA of WA scholarships can be used at any MACTE-accredited program in Washington State.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Child Care Aware of Washington competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Zero to Three: National nonprofit advancing infant and early childhood mental health and development policy; another prior affiliation of CCA of WA's new CEO and a peer in the broader early childhood ecosystem where Holding Hope competes for mindshare.
- NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children): National membership organization for early childhood educators providing accreditation, professional development, and policy advocacy; comparable in provider-facing professional development services.
- Parent Trust for Washington Children: Washington statewide nonprofit delivering parent education and family support programs; adjacent ecosystem peer in the family-facing early childhood support space.
- Thrive by Five Washington: Washington-focused early childhood public-private partnership advancing child care and early learning policy — a recent employer of new CCA of WA CEO Rob Colombini and a closely aligned policy/advocacy peer.
- Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF): Primary state government funder and contract partner of CCA of WA; the regulatory and funding body that defines the policy and contracting environment in which CCA of WA operates.
Direct peers
- Child Care Services Association (North Carolina): North Carolina nonprofit providing child care resource/referral, provider education, and workforce scholarships — directly comparable business model combining CCR&R services with a scholarship pipeline.
- Child Care Aware of America: National umbrella organization for Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies; Child Care Aware of Washington is a member/state affiliate. Directly comparable mission, structure, and service categories (resource/referral, provider training, advocacy).
- Child Care Aware of Minnesota: Minnesota's statewide CCR&R affiliate of Child Care Aware of America, providing parent referrals and provider training under state contract. Closest structural peer — single-state CCR&R operating under state funding.
- Child Care Resource Center (California): California-based CCR&R agency delivering child care referrals, provider training, coaching, and subsidy navigation. Most operationally comparable peer to CCA of WA given scale and full CCR&R service stack.
Regional players
- Child Care Aware of Oregon: Oregon's CCR&R organization offering comparable family referral and provider support services under state contract; comparable model but Pacific Northwest neighbor rather than direct Washington competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Child Care Aware of Washington social profiles
Digital presenceChild Care Aware of Washington financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Child Care Aware of Washington leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Child Care Aware of Washington funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Child Care Aware of Washington M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Child Care Aware of Washington
What does Child Care Aware of Washington do?
Child Care Aware of Washington is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that connects Washington State families to licensed child care providers through a free Salesforce-based search portal and a toll-free Family Center, and supports those providers with coaching, professional development, scholarships, business tools, and mental health consultation. It administers the statewide Early Achievers quality recognition and improvement system under contract with the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), and operates public data dashboards and advocacy campaigns aimed at solving Washington's child care crisis.
Is Child Care Aware of Washington a public or private company?
Child Care Aware of Washington is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Child Care Aware of Washington founded?
Child Care Aware of Washington was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Child Care Aware of Washington based?
Child Care Aware of Washington is headquartered in Tacoma, United States, in the North America region.
How does Child Care Aware of Washington make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Contracts & Grants are the primary driver. The others are individual & Corporate Donations.
Who are Child Care Aware of Washington's main competitors?
Others on record are Zero to Three, NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), Parent Trust for Washington Children, Thrive by Five Washington and Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Direct peers are Child Care Services Association (North Carolina), Child Care Aware of America, Child Care Aware of Minnesota and Child Care Resource Center (California). Child Care Aware of Oregon is listed as a regional player.
Does Child Care Aware of Washington have an API?
No public API is recorded for Child Care Aware of Washington.
What industry is Child Care Aware of Washington in?
Child Care Aware of Washington's product category is Child Care Resource and Referral Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAAAH, Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers, with a secondary code of HSAAAIAC, Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare. Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.