Backed by $2.5 million from the Children’s Trust Fund, partners join forces to expand access to affordable, high-quality care.

(St. Louis, Mo., October 2, 2025) Child Care Aware of Missouri (CCAMO), in partnership with Kids Win Missouri, was recently selected by the Children’s Trust Fund of Missouri to implement a new child care cost-sharing initiative called Missouri Child Care Works. The program is designed to increase family access to affordable, high-quality child care through locally coordinated cost-sharing exchanges.

The Children’s Trust Fund, Missouri’s foundation for child abuse and neglect prevention, is providing $2.5 million to launch Missouri Child Care Works. The program is modeled after the Tri-Share approach, which distributes the cost of child care among employers, families and either state government or a philanthropic partner. The initiative begins November 1.

This marks Missouri’s first statewide implementation of the Tri-Share model. It is also the first time CCAMO and its technology partner TOOTRiS – the nation’s largest and most comprehensive child care platform and services provider – have launched a Tri-Share program together.

“As a Child Care Resource & Referral agency, we connect families to child care programs while coordinating vital resources with state and local governments,” said Robin Phillips, CEO of Child Care Aware of Missouri. “With recent shifts in the child care funding landscape, it is critical to establish sustainable funding streams and leverage innovative technology. This partnership allows Missouri, for the very first time, to combine cost-sharing with technology in a way that strengthens families, supports providers, and benefits businesses and communities statewide.”

Founded in 1999, CCAMO is a statewide nonprofit that focuses on a comprehensive early childhood education experience through impactful programs and partnerships. The organization’s services include workforce development, child care business supports, advocacy and policy work, and its new Child Care Keeps Missouri Working, a regional campaign offering concierge solutions to businesses undergoing employee recruitment and retention challenges due to the overwhelming shortage of quality child care options. For more information, call (314) 535-1458 or visit www.mochildcareaware.org.