Resources > Sustainability

Afterschool, before-school, and summer programs have become essential supports for working parents and a key part of life for many American children. These programs offer safe havens for children, as well as academic and development opportunities that many children and youth need.

But despite a growth in after-school programs nationwide, many communities struggle to finance and sustain quality programs. In the past decade, The Finance Project has developed unparalleled resources that help leaders address financing and sustainability issues for out-of-school time programs. The Out-of-School Time clearinghouse brings together The Finance Project’s resources with resources developed by other organizations dedicated to building better after-school programs.

To be successful, policy and program leaders need good information on developing effective youth engagement approaches and greater understanding of what works, for whom, and at what cost. They also need access to strategies to finance and sustain these efforts.

Published: 2008

Download PDF

Investing in afterschool programs helps children of rural communities break out of the cycle of poverty and creates opportunities for at-risk youth. In areas where prospects and resources are limited, afterschool programs are often the only source of supplemental enrichment in literacy, nutrition education, technology, and preparation for college entrance exams. Afterschool programs offer an effective and affordable way of overcoming obstacles confronting rural communities and helping children realize their full potential.

Published: September, 2007

Download PDF

The need for work supports, along with state flexibility to allocate TANF funds, affords a valuable opportunity to “make the case” for using TANF dollars to support out-of-school time programming. Moreover, policymakers, program leaders, and intermediaries must be able to understand and assess the policy and fi nancing options for using TANF or MOE funding on out-of-school time initiatives.

Published: June, 2007

Download PDF

Grants.gov is the source to FIND and APPLY for federal government grants. Managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Grants.gov is a portal for all discretionary grants offered by 26 federal grant-making agencies.

You do not have to register with Grants.gov to find grant grant opportunities. However, once you are ready to apply for a grant, you will need to get registered. This process takes 3-5 business days.

Afterschool.gov is a one-stop website connecting the public, and particularly afterschool providers, to federal resources that support children and youth during out-of-school time. A great range of resources is included on Afterschool.gov, including issues that face America’s youth, and information about starting and operating an afterschool program. Afterschool.gov includes resources from a variety of federal agencies, including a searchable database of federal funding sources. While afterschool resources are spread across the Federal government (including HHS, ED, Justice, and others), Afterschool.gov provides a single location for the public to access this information.

The Afterschool Investments Project, a contract with the Finance Project, helps to maintain the content of Afterschool.gov. Afterschool.gov is governed by an Interagency Executive Oversight Committee, including representatives from several Federal agencies across Government. If you have any questions or comments about the site, please refer to the "Contact Us" link on the Afterschool.gov homepage.

The Finance Project has published federal funding guides targeted to leaders interested in funding programs and services in specific policy and program areas, including early care and education, out-of-school time, obesity prevention, workforce development, and substance abuse and mental health.  These resources are available online and in published form.

In addition, we have developed and maintain an up-to-date, online tool that enables leaders to search for federal funding sources relevant to their specific needs.  This tool brings together information on:

• Funding sources and their purposes
• How these funds can be used across an array of policies, programs and services
• Eligible recipients, partners, and beneficiaries of funding
• The flow of funds
• Funding history
• Application processes and requirements
• Links for additional information

This program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

With the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21stCCLC) competitive grant program has been transferred to the state level. The purpose of this important program is to establish or expand community learning centers that provide students, particularly those who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools, with academic enrichment opportunities along with activities designed to complement the students’ regular academic program. Community learning centers must also offer families of these students literacy and related educational development.

Centers, which can be located in elementary or secondary schools or other similarly accessible facilities, provide a range of high-quality services during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session (such as before and after school, or during summer break). These services support student learning and development and may include: tutoring/mentoring, homework help, academic enrichment (such as hands-on science or technology programs), community service opportunities, as well as music, arts, sports and cultural activities.

Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public or private organizations are eligible to apply for a 21st CCLC grant.

The Tony Grampsas Youth Services (TGYS) Program is a program authorized by §25-20.5-201 through 205, C.R.S. and intended to provide funding to community-based organizations that serve children, youth and their families with services designed to reduce youth crime and violence and to prevent child abuse and neglect. Eligible entities include non-profit organizations, local governments, schools, and faith-based organizations. TGYS is housed in the Child, Adolescent and School Health Unit in the Center for Healthy Families and Communities in the Prevention Services Division at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The TGYS program embraces a positive youth development approach in working with children, youth, and families. TGYS values children, youth, and families and their experiences, backgrounds, talents, and contributions. TGYS assumes that children and youth have the potential to become healthy, fulfilled, and productive citizens of Colorado given the proper support and guidance from caring adults, organizations, and communities.

It is encouraged that local programs integrate an assets-based philosophy into their programs, services, and organizations where staff identify and foster the strengths in the individuals, families, and communities they serve.

In the TGYS application process, programs are asked to address the risk and protective factors that their programs and services target among their participants. Programs that emphasize protective factors, while working to mitigate risk, are perceived as being aligned with the TGYS Program’s philosophy.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of corporate philanthropy. Know that you can partner with your local businesses and philanthropists. Below are resources that could help develop a plan for these types of partnerships. CAN is not endorcing any one of these sources.

State Farm - The board is comprised of 30 youth from around the United States and Canada who serve as equal members on the board. The board is given responsibility over the resources of $5 million dollars to grant signature service-learning projects that seek to solve important community issues. State Farm will begin accepting applications for the 2009-2010 board in February of 2009.

The Two Percent Club - The member companies of the 2% Club consist of a wide range of industry representation and include every size of business, from sole proprietors to the largest employers. They have supported hundreds of Denver nonprofits with donations, employee volunteers, in-kind support and pro bono services. These leaders encourage and demonstrate business involvement in the community through their support of philanthropic efforts within their own companies, through their own personal commitment and through their leadership and encouragement of others.

CALS - listing of many national charitable giving corportations.

www.fundsnetservices.com/comm01.htm - list of potential corporate funding opportunities

AirTRAN Airways - gives to community organizations, primary focus area kids sports and leadership.

American Furniture Warehouse - Under the direction of president and CEO Jake Jabs, American Furniture Warehouse has been actively involved with the Colorado community for more than 30 years. For us, giving back is a top priority. As such, American Furniture contributes more than $2 million as well as time and in-kind donations to hundreds of worthwhile organizations each year, including The Muscular Dystrophy Association, Easter Seals Colorado, March of Dimes, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Project C.U.R.E., among many others.

Afterschool.gov connects afterschool providers to federal resources that support children and youth during out-of-school time. The site offers information from an array of federal agencies on starting and operating an afterschool program, accessing resources for program funding and financing, delivering fun and innovative curriculum and activities, and addressing issues facing America’s youth. Afterschool.gov provides in a single location information on a myriad of federal afterschool resources that are otherwise widely dispersed and difficult to find in one setting. The resources below represent a sample of the many information sources that Afterschool.gov has to offer.

Download Reference Sheet

This Guide provides communities with detailed information about more than 100 federal funding sources that help promote the five core resources needed by young people. Each funding source in this guide has been categorized according to the five resources, and information on the programs' goals, grantee eligibility, and updated contact information has been provided to help you determine if pursuing these grant opportunities is right for you.

Download Resource Guide

As states and districts prepare for the disbursement of billions of dollars from the federal stimulus bill, there is a tremendous opportunity both to create jobs quickly and take a major step toward closing the achievement gap through innovative programming.

A joint paper from the Education Commission of the States and the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University identifies how states can use summer learning programs to maximize new federal funds while also increasing their chances of receiving additional federal funding through the Race to the Top awards program

Download PDF

Published: March 2009