Questions on the gap between the price parents pay and the "true cost" of quality care were the catalyst for the True Cost of Quality (TCOQ) project launched in the spring of 2001 by the City of Seattle's Northwest Finance Circle. The mission of the Northwest Finance Circle, a community collaboration, was to improve and expand the financing of early childhood and afterschool programs by creating a new system of financing and by testing out innovative financing strategies. Over two years they sponsored TCOQ budgeting classes for over 50 child care center directors and 16 family child care homes. This article focuses on their work with child care center directors. (Contains 3 resources and 1 endnote.)