Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
The Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network, known as Child Care Aware of Minnesota, is a public charity based in St. Paul, Minnesota. It supports Minnesota’s early care and education system through provider grants, workforce and professional-development programs, quality-improvement work, and child care information and technical assistance.
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network at a glance
- Total assets
- $8,010,989
- -5.2% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $10,172,967
- +6.2% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $74,247
- -28.8% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $10,277,209
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
- How to Apply
-
For Child Care Services Grants, contact the local county Grant Administrator for application instructions. Regional applications are submitted online through the program Develop Organization Account and are awarded competitively.
- Review Cycle
- The 2025–26 Regional Grant priorities covered July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026. The website lists September 1–25 as the annual Regional Grant application period; that cycle is past.
- Deadline
- The 2025–26 Regional Grant priorities covered July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 10 River Park Plaza 820, St Paul, MN 55107
Phone: (651) 290-9704
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
8 open opportunities from Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
American Rescue Plan Support Grants
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
Amount
Average $77,400 awarded to child care centers; Average $8,400 awarded to family child care programs
Deadline
Deadline not published
CDA Awards
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Child Care Services Grants
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
40 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 40 grants of 40 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s work and programs are described as statewide in Minnesota. The Child Care Services Grants page directs applicants to district offices, and the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program is listed as serving Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network gives
- 61% of 2021 grantees were also funded in 2020. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $638K (2021) to $17.5M (2020). In 2021 it made 40 grants totaling $638K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Potential in Education Inc Operating as Jack & Jill Minneapolis, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $21,000 |
| Bright Start Child Care Center Inc St. Paul, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $21,000 |
| 7 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $115,750 |
| St Paul Midway YMCA Early Childhood Learning Center St. Paul, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $18,250 |
| Aurora Child Care Inc St. Paul, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $18,250 |
| Lovely Child Care Center LLC St Cloud, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $18,250 |
| New Horizon Academy Plymouth, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $18,250 |
| Open Arms Lutheran Child Development Center St. Paul, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $18,250 |
| Afton View Child Care Center St. Paul, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $15,500 |
| Tender Child Care LLC St. Paul, MN | Peacetime Emergency Grant | $15,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,010,989 | $10,172,967 | $10,277,209 | — | — | $74,247 |
| 2024 | $8,449,489 | $9,578,543 | $9,246,252 | — | — | $104,246 |
| 2023 | $7,483,495 | $7,448,220 | $7,325,221 | — | — | $15,538 |
| 2022 | $6,467,075 | $6,931,533 | $6,904,611 | — | — | $4,802 |
| 2021 | $4,720,894 | $6,974,952 | $7,025,622 | $638,250 | 40 | $4,205 |
| 2020 | $4,159,197 | $44,860,485 | $45,095,145 | $17,533,300 | 432 | $9,673 |
| 2019 | $4,291,125 | $5,278,117 | $5,301,027 | — | — | $5,591 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s website says it works to build an equitable, high-quality early care and education system that meets the needs of Minnesota families and children. Its 2024 filing describes work that includes coordinating professional development, supporting child care providers and educators, administering Parent Aware rating activities, and helping families access information about child care.
Child Care Services Grants help qualified child care programs pay for supplies, equipment, technology, and training. The grants are administered through district offices and include Regional, Start Up, and Emergency grants. For the 2025–26 Regional Grant cycle, priorities included children’s health and well-being; relationships with families; teaching and relationships with children; assessment and planning for individual children; and professionalism.
Examples of organizations reported as grantees include Kid Zone Child Care Center, which describes its mission as providing quality child care and early education for children from six weeks through kindergarten, and Hazel Park Learning Center, which describes its mission as providing quality, affordable preschool and child care in East St. Paul. Community Child Care Center describes its mission as supporting children and families through affordable, high-quality early childhood education in a safe and inclusive setting.
Grantmaking
The IRS filing data lists zero grants for each of 2023, 2024, and 2025. Separately, the provided records identify three grants made in 2021: $15,500 to Kid Zone Child Care Center and $12,750 each to Hazel Park Learning Center and Community Child Care Center. These are the listed examples, not a reported total for the year.
The organization also offers Child Care Services Grants to qualified child care programs. Regional grants are awarded competitively; district offices may also have funding for start-up costs and emergencies. Its website says regional applications are submitted online through a program Develop Organization Account and directs applicants to their local county Grant Administrator for information and instructions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 IRS filing lists Marcia Schlattman as board chair, Liz Kuoppala as board vice chair, Brittany Clausell as board secretary, and Maria Steen as treasurer. It also lists Nancy Hafner, Margaret Mahowald, Zang Vang-Lee, Joann Johnson, Ariane Bromberg, and Juliet Lee as board members.
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network is led by Ann McCully, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 4 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ann McCully
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$96K (2019) → $146K (2025)
Marcia Schlattman
Board Chair
Board Member → Board Treasurer, 2021
Board Treasurer → Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diane Benjamin
Director of Communications
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Calahena Merrick
Associate Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$104K (2022) → $144K (2025)
Nou Thao
Associate Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$105K (2024) → $117K (2025)
Joann Johnson
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Liz Kuoppala
Board Vice Chair
Board Member → Board Secretary, 2022
Board Secretary → Board Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Steen
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brittany Clausell
Board Secretary
Board Member → Board Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Juliet Lee
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Mahowald
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ariane Bromberg
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Hafner
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Zang Vang-Lee
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
April Kraemer
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christina Valdez
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Amundson
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Marquardt
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Otto
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Nathan
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (16)
- Former: Lanay Miller (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Phyllis Sloan (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Marlene Jehnke (2019–2023) — Board Vice Chair
- Former: Hortensia Leon (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jodi Wambeke (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Huber (2019–2022) — Board Chair
- Former: Jodi Schneider (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Kelly Monson (2021–2022) — Associate Director
- Former: Nicole Collins (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Becky Littlewolf (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Hannah Riddle De Rojas (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Laurel Wills (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Fletcher (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Nedra Robinson (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Tammy Oveson (2019) — Board Secretary
- Former: Wendy Walburg (2019) — Board Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $146K, to Ann McCully (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network
How large is Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network?
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.2M.
What does Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network fund?
The organization’s website says it works to build an equitable, high-quality early care and education system that meets the needs of Minnesota families and children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network?
For Child Care Services Grants, contact the local county Grant Administrator for application instructions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network make grants?
The organization’s work and programs are described as statewide in Minnesota. The Child Care Services Grants page directs applicants to district offices, and the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program is listed as serving Minnesota.
What is Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network's EIN?
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1730422. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network's focus areas in our free grants database
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Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network down — hundreds of funders to go?