The After-School Funding Landscape
After-school and expanded learning programs serve more than 10 million children nationally and represent a well-funded priority for both federal and private funders. The evidence base is strong — programs that meet quality standards improve academic outcomes, reduce risky behaviors, and allow parents to remain in the workforce. This combination of demonstrated impact and bipartisan political support has made after-school programming one of the more robust niches in education grant-making.
The challenge is not finding funders — it is navigating the different eligibility rules, performance requirements, and application processes across federal, state, and foundation sources.
Federal After-School Grant Programs
21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)
Title IV, Part B of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) funds the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program — the largest dedicated federal grant for after-school and summer learning programs. In FY2024, 21st CCLC received approximately $1.3 billion in federal appropriations, which is distributed by states to local programs through competitive subgrant processes.
Eligible applicants are public agencies, private organizations (including nonprofits), and tribal organizations that partner with public schools to provide services primarily to students in high-poverty schools (those eligible for Title I funding). Programs must serve students during non-school hours or periods and must provide academic enrichment, tutorial services, drug/violence prevention, and family engagement activities. Grants are multi-year (typically 3–5 years) and award amounts vary by state, with individual grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000+ annually.
Apply through your state education agency (SEA). Search "[your state] 21st CCLC application" for current solicitations.
Title I Schoolwide Programs
Schools operating Title I schoolwide programs can use Title I funds to support extended learning time, including before- and after-school programs, if they are included in the school's comprehensive school improvement plan. While not a dedicated after-school grant, Title I schoolwide programs represent a flexible pool of federal funding that school principals can direct toward after-school programming. Schools with 40% or more students from low-income families qualify for schoolwide status.
Promise Neighborhoods
The Department of Education's Promise Neighborhoods program funds comprehensive cradle-to-career pipelines in high-need communities. After-school programming is a core component of most Promise Neighborhoods proposals. Planning grants range from $500,000 to $1 million; implementation grants have reached $6 million per year. Eligible applicants are nonprofits and institutions of higher education working in partnership with the local school district.
Foundation Grants for After-School Programs
Wallace Foundation
The Wallace Foundation is the most significant private funder of expanded learning and after-school programming in the United States, with a focus on building the evidence base and improving program quality. Wallace funds both direct program grants and national learning initiatives. Direct grants to community-based organizations and school districts typically range from $500,000 to several million dollars over multi-year periods. The foundation releases periodic funding opportunities on its website; unsolicited applications are reviewed during open grant cycles.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
RWJF funds after-school programs primarily through its health lens — physical activity, nutrition, and healthy behavior promotion in out-of-school time. Grants through RWJF's Health is Everything program and its Active Living Research initiative support after-school programs with strong physical activity and wellness components. Awards range from $200,000 to $1 million for multi-year projects.
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
The Mott Foundation has been one of the longest-running private supporters of after-school and community education in the U.S. Mott funds national advocacy organizations, intermediaries (like the Afterschool Alliance), and direct service programs in its priority geographies including Flint, Michigan. Grants typically range from $100,000 to $500,000. The foundation accepts letters of inquiry year-round through its online portal.
Bezos Family Foundation
The Bezos Family Foundation's Bezos Academy model focuses on early childhood, but its broader philanthropic portfolio includes summer and after-school learning investments. The foundation makes targeted grants for high-quality expanded learning programs, particularly those addressing learning loss in underserved communities. Award amounts are not publicly listed; submit an inquiry through the foundation's website.
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards grants specifically for literacy programs, including after-school and summer reading initiatives. Youth literacy grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations within 20 miles of a Dollar General store. Applications open annually in January.
State-Level After-School Funding
Many states supplement 21st CCLC federal funds with state appropriations for extended learning. Examples include:
- California: The California AfterSchool Network administers state-funded Expanded Learning Opportunity (ELO) grants, distinct from 21st CCLC.
- New York: DYCD (NYC Department of Youth and Community Development) and the state Education Department fund separate after-school programming streams.
- Texas: TEA administers 21st CCLC and separate Extended Learning programs.
- Illinois: ISBE supplements 21st CCLC with state 21st Century funding for additional sites.
Building a Strong After-School Grant Application
- Align with school data: Use your partner school's academic performance data, attendance records, and poverty indicators to establish need. Funders want to see why this community, why this school.
- Show your quality framework: Reference a recognized quality standards framework — SELPAS, YPQA, Quality Standards for Expanded Learning — and explain how your program meets or is working toward those standards.
- Document family engagement: Attendance data without context is weak. Show that families chose and value your program through participation rates, survey results, and parent testimonials (anonymized if needed).
- Demonstrate school-day alignment: The strongest after-school grant applications show deliberate coordination with the regular school day — teachers sharing student data, after-school staff attending professional development, homework help aligned to classroom content.
- Include a sustainability plan: What happens after the grant period? Parent fees, district contribution, state funding, and local corporate support are all viable sustainability mechanisms. Be specific.
Search After-School Grant Opportunities
After-school programs can qualify for education grants, youth development grants, community development grants, and health promotion grants — creating a surprisingly broad universe of eligible funding. FindGrants.io lets you filter by program focus and eligibility type to surface relevant opportunities across all these categories from a single search. Over 23,000 grants indexed, updated regularly.