California Child Care Resource & Referral Network

What California Child Care Resource & Referral Network does

California Child Care Resource & Referral Network is a California-based non-profit membership organization, founded in 1980 and headquartered at 1 Polk Street in San Francisco, that serves as the statewide coordinating body for 58 state-funded Child Care Resource & Referral (R&R) agencies. It exists to make child care more affordable, accessible, and of higher quality for California families and providers through research, education, and policy advocacy. End beneficiaries include families seeking child care, licensed and license-exempt child care providers, the 58 local member agencies, and state policymakers.

The Network operates an interconnected product portfolio: MyChildCarePlan.org is a consumer-facing search portal that lets families filter providers by location, availability, language, and special-needs experience with live support from local specialists; the Child Care Data Tool is a statewide longitudinal dataset (back to 1996) on supply, demand, and cost; TrustLine is California's official background-check registry for in-home caregivers; the Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) delivers free training and recruitment for providers; and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program provides enrollment and supply mapping for legislative districts. The underlying platform is a web-based system combining state administrative data with input from local R&R agencies and a toll-free consumer hotline (1-800-KIDS-793).

Commercially, the Network is not a revenue-generating enterprise. It is funded primarily by state government appropriations channeled through CDSS and member agencies, with services provided free to families and providers. Distribution is multi-channel — local R&R offices, the MyChildCarePlan.org self-serve portal, the hotline, email newsletters, social media, and an annual joint conference. Strategic posture is policy-driven, evidenced by annual public policy agendas, federal/state legislation tracking, and active public engagement around federal child care funding.

Name

California Child Care Resource & Referral Network

Legal name

California Child Care Resource & Referral Network

Website

https://rrnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network is a San Francisco-based non-profit membership organization coordinating 58 state-funded Child Care Resource & Referral agencies to help California families find affordable, accessible child care through MyChildCarePlan.org, statewide data tools, TrustLine background checks, provider training, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Care Resource and Referral Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Parent’s Helper (Non-Infant) & Child Supervision (HSAAAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Home-Based Infant & Toddler Care (Family Daycare) (EDACAGAD), On-Demand Sick Child In-Home Care (HSAAAJAA), Mother’s Helper + Errands/Household Running (Child Present) (HSAAAGAH)

Keywords

• Child care referral services
• Family support services
• Early childhood education
• Child care resource network
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Government Funding: The organization receives state funding as a membership organization of state-funded Child Care Resource and Referral agencies. This appears to be the primary funding source supporting their operations and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network is a non-profit membership organization that coordinates 58 state-funded Child Care Resource and Referral agencies across California. It provides families with free child care search tools (MyChildCarePlan.org), referrals through local specialists and a toll-free hotline, the official TrustLine background check system for in-home caregivers, and statewide data and research on child care supply, demand, and costs.

Product overview

California Child Care Resource & Referral Network is a non-profit membership organization of 58 child care resource and referral agencies (R&Rs) in California. The organization operates several interconnected products and services: MyChildCarePlan.org serves as the primary consumer-facing search platform for families to find child care; the Child Care Data Tool provides statewide research data on supply, demand, and costs; TrustLine offers background checks for in-home caregivers; and the Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) provides free training for providers. Together, these offerings form an ecosystem supporting families in finding, affording, and accessing quality child care while also advocating for policy improvements and conducting research to understand the child care landscape.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyChildCarePlan.org: A search and support website designed to help California families find child care.
• TrustLine
• CCIP

Products and services

• MyChildCarePlan.org A statewide search and support website that helps California families find child care. Parents can search providers by neighborhood, space/availability, languages spoken, approaches to care, and experience with medical or special needs, and connect with local specialists for live support. Free to families.
• Child Care Data Tool A user-friendly data tool presenting child care supply, demand, and cost data statewide and county-by-county, along with employment, poverty, and family budget information. Data spans back to 1996 and supports policy, research, and advocacy use cases.
• TrustLine Background Check Service California's official background check registry and verification service for in-home caregivers (babysitters and nannies). Families can confirm criminal history clearance and current TrustLine registration before hiring.
• Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) A recruitment and training program offered in partnership with local R&Rs to help start or grow home-based child care. Provides free training and resources for both Licensed Family Child Care Home providers and License Exempt/Family, Friend & Neighbor caregivers, with emphasis on infants, toddlers, and children in subsidized care.
• Emergency Child Care Bridge Program Data and Supply Maps Utilization data and district-level child care supply maps covering Emergency Child Care Bridge Program enrollment patterns by county within legislative districts, plus distribution of licensed child care supply including subsidized and unsubsidized providers.
• Family Services Direct referral and information services for parents seeking child care, including guidance on quality indicators, state licensing requirements, and subsidy programs. Delivered by child care specialists via phone, in-person, and online channels through the local R&R agency network. Free to families.
• Provider Services Resources and support for child care providers covering licensing, trauma-informed care training, professional resources, and local support for in-home and family, friend & neighbor caregivers.
• Policy Advocacy Statewide advocacy services advancing policies that support working families and healthy child development, including a public policy agenda, federal and state legislation tracking, the California state budget, child care fact sheets, and equity-focused initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Connects thousands of families annually with child care referrals and support services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 58 Local R&R Member AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Network is a membership organization of 58 state-funded child care resource and referral agencies across California. These agencies provide direct services to families and providers at the local level, while the Network provides statewide coordination, data infrastructure, training, and advocacy support.
• California Department of Social Services (CDSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDSS is referenced as the state agency overseeing child care programs and food assistance. The Network works with CDSS on food resources, CalFresh information, and other child care-related programs.
• TrustLinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrustLine is California's official background check system for in-home caregivers. The Network promotes and supports TrustLine access for families seeking verified caregivers.
• Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIP is a partnership between the Network and local R&Rs for recruitment and training of child care providers, offering free training and resources to help start or grow home-based child care businesses.
• Food Banks and Community OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Network maintains a curated list of food banks, community Freedge locations, and other essential resource providers to support families and providers in need.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Child Care Aware of America: National R&R membership organization that serves as the federal counterpart to CCR&Rs nationwide. Highly comparable as the umbrella network for state and regional child care resource and referral agencies, sharing CCR&R Network's coordinating and advocacy function at a national scale.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large employer-sponsored child care operator and back-up care provider. Comparable as an incumbent in the broader child care ecosystem, serving families through employer partnerships where the Network engages working families seeking subsidized care.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): National membership organization advancing high-quality early childhood education. Comparable to the Network as a membership-driven nonprofit influencing provider quality standards, professional development, and policy advocacy across the U.S. early childhood sector.

Direct peers

• Care.com: Leading private marketplace connecting families with child care providers (nannies, babysitters, daycare). Competes directly with MyChildCarePlan.org on family-facing provider search but operates as a paid subscription platform versus the Network's free, state-supported model.
• Winnie: Child care marketplace and software platform providing provider search and daycare management tools. Directly competes with MyChildCarePlan.org on the family search experience and shares focus on supply-side data aggregation in the U.S. market.

Others

• Zero to Three: National nonprofit advancing infant and toddler policy and practice. Comparable to the Network's infant/toddler focused work via CCIP and MyChildCarePlan.org, with overlapping research and policy advocacy on early childhood systems.
• Barnardo's: UK children's charity supporting vulnerable children and families through services, advocacy, and research. Comparable in non-profit child and family services delivery model but operates in a different regulatory and geographic context.

Regional players

• Child Trends: National nonprofit research organization focused on child and family well-being data and policy. Comparable to the Network's research and data function (Child Care Data Tool, policy advocacy) and its role in producing research that informs state and federal child care policy.
• Child Care Services Association: North Carolina-based nonprofit operating CCR&R services, TEACH scholarship program for child care professionals, and Shape NC. Comparable to the Network as a state-level R&R operator with a parallel mix of family referral, provider training, and policy work in a single state.
• First 5 California: California state agency funded by tobacco taxes that invests in early childhood programs for ages 0-5. Comparable as a California-specific funder and convener in the early childhood ecosystem, with overlapping family-facing program and policy goals.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CARRNetwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/RRNetwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/CARRNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-child-care-resource

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about California Child Care Resource & Referral Network