Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program (MO)

Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program (MO)

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Last Updated: February 19, 2026

Summary

The Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program in Missouri aims to enhance access to quality child care for families by providing funding to licensed providers. This initiative, supported by the Child Care Development Fund, encourages business partnerships and community contributions to address the child care shortage. Eligible providers can utilize the funds for expansion, staff training, and facility improvements, ensuring compliance with state health and safety standards and promoting a robust workforce in early childhood education.

Overview

Note: The Innovation Grants are available to child care providers in two forms: Innovation Grant to Start-Up a New Child Care Program and Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is the administrative arm of the State Board of Education. It is primarily a service agency that works with educators, legislators, government agencies, community leaders and citizens to maintain a strong public education system. Through its statewide school-improvement activities and regulatory functions, the Department strives to assure that all citizens have access to high-quality public education. DESE does not regulate, monitor or accredit private, parochial or home schools. The Department’s responsibilities range from early childhood to adult education services. Innovation Grants House Bill 2 (2025) allocated funds from Missouri’s Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) to be used towards innovation grants to increase access to high quality child care across Missouri during Fiscal Year 2026. These grants are available to child care providers in two forms: Innovation Grant to Start-Up a New Child Care Program for prospective child care providers wanting to start a new licensed child care program. Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program for currently licensed child care providers. Innovation Grant funds must be used to implement solutions to reduce the child care shortage in the state, including but not limited to the following: Funding for child care business start-ups or expansion Staff training and professional development Minor modifications or improvements to the facility that are required for licensing Incentives to retain employees Assistance with licensing and other regulatory requirements Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Office of Childhood, is offering the Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program to help licensed providers expand their child care programs to increase access to child care for families across the state. This opportunity provides funding support through matching business or community partnership contributions. This is made possible using the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), which is a state and federal partnership program that provides financial assistance to low-income families to access child care so that they can work or attend a job training or educational program. Missouri also uses CCDF to invest in quality to benefit thousands more children by building the skills and qualifications of the teacher workforce, supporting child care programs to achieve higher standards, and providing consumer education to help parents select child care that meets their family’s needs. For this reason, any facility applying for the grant must be CCDF eligible in order to receive payment(s).

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. A CCDF eligible provider shall be a child care provider who meets all of the health and safety requirements of the state subsidy program. These health and safety requirements require training, which is reported through the Missouri Professional Development (MOPD) system.Each child care staff member must complete: Age-appropriate CPR and First Aid training from one of DESE’s approved models;CCDF Health and Safety training;Caring for Vulnerable Children training; andMissouri Milestones Matter training.The owner/director of the child care facility must complete:All of the above trainings, andSubsidy Orientation training.