Missouri Children's Trust Fund Board

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $12.2 million (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Varies by program
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $100,000+
• Geographic Focus: Missouri statewide

Contact Details

Website: www.ctf4kids.org
Phone: 573-751-5147
Email: ctf@oa.mo.gov
Address: Harry S Truman Office Building, Room 860
301 West High Street; P.O. Box 1641
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1641

Program Contacts:

• Jennifer Sommerfeld, Program Director: jennifer.sommerfeld@oa.mo.gov (573-751-6511)
• Amy Sielaff, Home Visiting Director: amy.sielaff@oa.mo.gov (573-526-6050)

Overview

Established in 1983 by the Missouri General Assembly, the Missouri Children's Trust Fund (CTF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has allocated nearly $68 million in public funding toward programs preventing child abuse and neglect. Operating within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF strengthens families through grant distribution, education, awareness, and partnerships. The organization distributed $12.2 million in grants through 69 awards in 2024, supporting community-based organizations statewide. CTF recently approved over $19 million in Facility Improvement and Infrastructure funding to 59 organizations, demonstrating significant expansion in its grant-making capacity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Discretionary Grants (Mini-Grants): Up to $5,000 (non-renewable, one year)
• Responsive Funding: Up to $100,000 per year (renewable for 4-year cycles, rolling basis)
• Home Visiting Programs: Up to $500,000 in federal CBCAP funds (FY2024-2027)
• Child Sexual Abuse Prevention: $1.7 million over four years
• Marketing Campaign Grants: Up to $30,000 per agency
• Facility Improvement and Infrastructure: Major grants (recently $19 million distributed)

Priority Areas

• Home visiting services for low-income families
• Childhood sexual abuse prevention
• Infant safe sleep programs
• Programs incorporating five protective factors (parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting, concrete support, children's development)
• Community-based child abuse and neglect prevention

What They Don't Fund

• Programs outside of Missouri
• Individual assistance or direct services not part of prevention programs
• General operating expenses unrelated to prevention programming

Governance and Leadership

CTF is governed by a seventeen-member Board of Directors, thirteen of whom are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Missouri Senate. The organization operates with a mission to prevent child abuse and neglect and envisions "children and families in a safe, nurturing and healthy environment, free from child abuse and neglect." Funding sources include dedicated fees on marriage licenses and vital records, voluntary contributions designated on Missouri State Income Tax returns, sales of specialty CTF license plates, general donations, and grant income.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through competitive grant processes when funding opportunities are announced. CTF provides informational meetings to help applicants learn about grant programs and application requirements. Sign up for CTF's General Newsletter to receive updates on funding opportunities as they become available.

Decision Timeline

• Discretionary grants reviewed anytime after March 1 until funds are obligated
• Multi-year grants typically span 4-year cycles
• Specific timelines vary by program

Success Rates

Not publicly available

Reapplication Policy

Discretionary grants are not renewable. Multi-year grants like Responsive Funding are renewable for up to three additional years based on performance outcomes and fund availability. Grantees must fund an increasing proportion of program costs during the last three years of multi-year grants.

Application Success Factors

• Incorporate Five Protective Factors: Applications must describe how programs will build parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete support in times of need, and children's social and emotional development
• Evidence-Based Approaches: CTF particularly values high-quality, evidence-based home visiting services with demonstrated preventative outcomes
• Mission Alignment: Programs should directly support strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect
• Community-Based Solutions: CTF prioritizes funding community organizations with local expertise and reach
• Sustainability Planning: Multi-year grant recipients must demonstrate ability to increasingly fund program costs over time

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Monitor the CTF website and subscribe to their newsletter as funding opportunities are announced periodically with no fixed annual schedule
• Focus proposals on incorporating the five protective factors framework - this is a mandatory requirement
• Leverage CTF's informational meetings and contact program staff directly for guidance before applying
• Consider starting with smaller discretionary grants ($5,000) to establish a relationship before pursuing larger multi-year funding
• Emphasize evidence-based practices and measurable prevention outcomes in your application
• Build sustainability into your proposal as CTF requires increasing cost-sharing in multi-year grants
• Target one of CTF's priority areas (home visiting, childhood sexual abuse prevention, infant safe sleep) for stronger alignment

References

• Children's Trust Fund of Missouri Official Website (ctf4kids.org) - Accessed February 2026
• CTF Funding Opportunities Page (ctf4kids.org/ctf-funding-opportunities/) - Accessed February 2026
• CTF Funded Programs (ctf4kids.org/program-partners/) - Accessed February 2026
• Missouri Children's Trust Fund GuideStar Profile - Accessed February 2026
• Instrumentl 990 Report for Missouri Children's Trust Fund - Accessed February 2026
• Missouri Revisor of Statutes Section 210.173 - Accessed February 2026