JSMF Announces Three 2026 Grants Totaling $2.2 Million
The James S. McDonnell Foundation is pleased to announce three new investments totaling $2,248,477 that are intended to reduce childcare costs for families, make workforce learning opportunities more accessible for St. Louis youth, and drive public engagement and awareness of economic mobility.
Kids Win Missouri
Kids Win Missouri is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to improving the health, education, safety, and overall well-being of children across Missouri, especially those most at risk due to poverty, neglect, abuse, or systemic inequities. The coalition is partnering on Child Care Works, a public-private cost-sharing program that reduces childcare costs for parents by distributing them among families, employers, and the state of Missouri.
JSMF’s investment will match $250,000 in employer contributions to Child Care Works, reducing the financial burden for 100 early childhood education seats.
Nine PBS
Nine PBS is a community-licensed public media organization based in St. Louis, Missouri, dedicated to enriching lives through educational programming, local storytelling, and civic engagement. The organization is launching a four-year, multi-platform initiative aimed at addressing key drivers of economic mobility in the St. Louis region through a new signature public affairs program.
JSMF’s investment will support staffing and program production related to Nine PBS’s Economic Mobility initiative.
St. Louis Community College
St. Louis Community College (STLCC) is a public, multi-campus college system serving the St. Louis region, focused on providing accessible, affordable, and career-relevant education to a diverse student population. STLCC’s Workforce Learning Connection technology infrastructure project will design and deploy a centralized Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform to serve as the operational backbone for a regional workforce learning ecosystem connecting employers, school districts, students, and families. This platform will support coordination of career exploration activities, dual credit and dual enrollment participation, and work-based learning opportunities while providing tailored access points for employers, students, and K-12 staff.
JSMF’s investment will support the implementation of the new CRM system.