Missouri Child Care Innovation Grants
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Childhood
Up to $625,000 (matching grant)
MO child care startup & expansion grants
A pair of state grants administered by Missouri's DESE Office of Childhood to address child care shortages by funding new and expanding programs. The two tracks are an Innovation Grant to Start-Up a New Child Care Program (for prospective providers launching a licensed program) and an Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program (for currently licensed providers growing operations). Funds, allocated from Missouri's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) via House Bill 2 (2025), support startup or expansion costs, staff training, minor facility modifications required for licensing, employee retention incentives, and licensing/regulatory assistance. Applicants must be CCDF-eligible and meet health and safety training requirements. The program ran in FY2026 (Start-Up cycle closed Nov 30, 2025; Expansion cycle closed Feb 28, 2026) and is appropriated annually.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- Up to $625,000 (matching grant)
- Realistic amount
- Award amounts are not published by DESE on the program page; funding is tied to the document…
- Deadline
- Annual cycle. FY2026: Start-Up Grant closed Nov 30, 2025; Expansion Grant closed Feb 28, 2026. Appropriated annually via CCDF.
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Missouri
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- CCDF-eligible child care provider meeting all health and safety requirements
- Start-Up track: prospective provider launching a new licensed program
- Expansion track: currently licensed provider expanding operations
- Owner/director and staff complete required trainings (CPR/First Aid, CCDF Health and Safety, Caring for Vulnerable Children, Missouri Milestones Matter; owner/director also Subsidy Orientation)
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Child care business startup or expansion costs
- Staff training and professional development
- Minor facility modifications required for licensing
- Employee retention incentives
- Licensing and regulatory assistance
Ineligible expenses
- Costs unrelated to addressing a child care shortage / outside the funded scope
How to apply
-
1
Confirm CCDF eligibility and complete trainings
Ensure the provider is CCDF-eligible and that the owner/director completes required trainings (CPR/First Aid, CCDF Health and Safety, Caring for Vulnerable Children, Missouri Milestones Matter, Subsidy Orientation).
~6 hrs
-
2
Prepare the business plan and required documents
Complete the business plan, partner commitment letters, and notarized statements using DESE-provided templates; align the proposed use of funds to the startup or expansion goals.
~8 hrs
-
3
Submit during the open cycle
Submit the Start-Up or Expansion application before the cycle deadline. Questions go to childhoodgrants@dese.mo.gov.
~3 hrs
The required trainings (CPR/First Aid, CCDF Health and Safety, Caring for Vulnerable Children, Missouri Milestones Matter, Subsidy Orientation) are a real gate — complete them early so a training gap doesn't sink an otherwise strong application. Tie your narrative explicitly to relieving a documented local child care shortage, which is the program's stated purpose.
Deadline & timing
DESE Office of Childhood opens cycles tied to the fiscal-year CCDF appropriation. Contact childhoodgrants@dese.mo.gov for the next cycle.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.