Full-Service Schools Funding Note

Table of Contents (Jump To):

Federal Funding for Out-of-School Time Initiatives

Funding Example

Current Opportunities

Additional Resources

Funding Focus: Out-of-School Time Initiatives

The Finance Project is pleased to announce the first installment in an ongoing series of E-blasts designed to share information and technical assistance resources on financing and sustaining full-service school initiatives.  Monthly E-blasts will provide valuable information about key funding sources and financing strategies to support the array of programs, supports, and services offered through full-service schools, including out-of-school time programs, health services, family supports, parental engagement, community and economic development, as well as advocacy and education reform efforts.  E-blasts will also include links to additional resources as well as information on current funding opportunities for full-service schools. 

Federal Funding for Out-of-School Time Initiatives

Out-of-school time (OST) programs are an important component of many full-service schools, and, as a growing body of research indicates, play a key role in helping young people to succeed both academically and socially.  Over the past decade, federal funding sources have provided billions of dollars to states and communities to support OST initiatives. Federal funding sources represent an important category of funding for full-service school leaders to consider.  Major sources of federal funds that can support OST programming include:

Education Funds: The U.S. Department of Education administers a number of funding programs to support OST initiatives. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) program, supports community learning centers that provide students with a broad array of academic enrichment services, community services, and cultural activities.  In 2008, 21CCLC distributed over $1 billion dollars to state education agencies, which then awarded discretionary grants to eligible entities, including local education agencies and community-based organizations.  The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), passed in 2001, created additional funding opportunities for OST programs.  For example, NCLB requires that supplemental educational services be available to low-income children attending schools that do not meet minimum performance standards.  OST programs may become eligible providers of supplemental services.

Juvenile Justice Funds: Funds from the Department of Justice can support violence prevention programs that may be held in OST settings. For example, The Title V Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention funds collaborative, comprehensive, community-based delinquency prevention efforts. States may use these grants to fund a wide range of prevention programs relevant to OST, including mentoring, gang prevention, substance abuse prevention, and youth development.  In 2007 approximately $15 million in Title V funds was allocated to states.

Community Development Funds:  Funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provide communities with flexible resources to address a range of community development needs.  The CDBG program received over $1billion in fiscal year 2008, and 15 percent of those funds were earmarked toward public services and can support a range of social services including OST, health, welfare, education, employment, and youth development programs.  The recently enacted economic stimulus (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) provides for an additional $1 billion in funding for CDBG. In addition, the Corporation for Community and National Service manages the national AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn and Serve America, and VISTA programs all of which can provide a range of volunteer resources for OST programs.

Child Care Funds: The federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), a block grant administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides subsidies to low-income families to support care for children under age 13. Federal dollars also support state quality improvement initiatives, including funds specifically targeted toward improvements in the quality of school-age care.  In 2006, these federal dollars included almost $3 billion dedicated to mandatory and matching funds, and another $2 billion for discretionary grants.  Funding flows to the lead agency, and from there to parents, program administrators and providers.

TANF Funds: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is another flexible block grant to states that provides cash assistance and work supports to low-income families. Its major goals are to help individuals move from welfare to work and to strengthen two-parent families. Up to 30 percent of a state’s TANF allocation may be transferred to CCDF. Funds may also be spent directly on OST programs, typically under the purpose of reducing teen pregnancies or as a child care support to eligible families.  States develop plans for allocating these dollars.   OST advocates can work to influence the development of those state plans to include support for OST programs.  In addition to regular block grant funds, the economic stimulus provides an estimated $3 billion in additional TANF funding for states through 2010, as part an emergency contingency fund and extension of TANF supplemental grants.

Funding Example

Claremont School District; Strong Programmatic Vision Sustains Community School Initiative:  Claremont School District in New Hampshire pro­vides extensive before and after school program­ming to students in grades K-12. These programs are part of the district’s Schools of the 21st Century (21C) initiative that provides comprehensive school-based services to children and families in the community. The district serves over 600 of their 2000 children in out-of-school time activities, and runs a range of related community programs, including dental services, a youth employment program, and parent education programs.  The district is able to support these programs through a variety of federal and state funding sources. In June of 2001, Claremont became a recipient of a federal 21CCLC grant of $1.5 million dollars, allowing the district to provide before and afterschool homework help and enrichment services to four elementary schools, four middle schools and four high schools. 21CCLC funds also supported school breakfasts, the salary of a parent educator, and vacation camps.  In addition, the district was also able to leverage funding from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in early 2001 for a parent education program.  The district is able to maintain and operate programming at full capacity through employing a number of strategies, including: (1) developing a clear vision before seeking funds; (2) making strategic financing choices; (3) and developing broad-based commu­nity support.  Due to strong community support for the program, in 2005, Claremont town meeting attendees sup­ported a district budget that included the balance of funds needed to sustain programming. The district continues to coordinate with community partners to apply for additional sources of funding, including a federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant and additional state funding to sup­port afterschool and home visiting programs.

Current Opportunities: Competitive Grants for Out-of-School Time Initiatives

The focus of this month’s funding opportunities is on competitive grants that school leaders and/or their partners can apply for to support their out-of-school time initiatives.

Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools: Partnerships in Character Education Program

Purpose:  This program supports grantees as they design and implement character education programs that can be integrated into classroom instruction, are consistent with state content standards, and can be implemented in coordination with other reform efforts. Funds can be used to purchase materials, teacher training, and provide assistance to schools or Institutions of Higher Education.  

Eligibility:  Local Education Agencies (LEAs), State Education Agencies (SEAs)

Total Available Funds: $1,277,480

Deadline: February 24, 2009

For more information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2008-4/122208b.html

Carol M. White Physical Education Program

Purpose:  The Carol M. White Physical Education Program provides grants to LEAs and community-based organizations (CBOs) to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Eligibility:  LEAs, including charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law, and CBOs, including faith-based organizations provided that they meet the applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. The Secretary limits eligibility under this discretionary grant competition to LEAs or CBOs that do not currently have an active grant under the PEP program.

Expected Number of Awards: 95

Deadline:  March 6, 2009

For more information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/programs/whitephysed/index.html

Saucony Run For Good Program

Purpose:  The Saucony Run for Good Program financially supports community-based organizations that initiate and support running and fitness programs for children under 18. 

Eligibility:  Community-based organizations and Non-profit organizations that initiate and support running and fitness programs for children.  Program participants must be 18 years of age or younger. All proposals must demonstrate the grantee will conduct programs that increase participation in running in order to positively impact the lives of participants. Organizations must provide proof of tax exempt status.

Maximum Award: $10,000

Deadline:  June 13, 2009

For more information, visit: http://www.sauconyrunforgood.com/

Additional Resources

For more information on financing and sustaining the OST component of your full-service school initiatives, see the following resources, available at www.financeproject.org:

• Federal Funding Database: 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, eligibility, potential partners, the flow of funds, and funding history.
• Out-of-School Time Clearinghouse brings together The Finance Project’s resources with the resources developed by other organizations dedicated to building better after-school programs.  The OST Clearinghouse includes a variety of resources, such as publications, tools, reports and articles. 
• Finding Resources to Support Mentoring Programs and Services for Youth
• Preparing to Take Advantage of New Programs in the Economic Stimulus Package: Considerations for Out-of-School Time Providers and Stakeholders
• Snapshots of Sustainability: Profiles of Successful Strategies for Financing Out-of-School Time Programs
• Using CCDF to Finance Out-of-School Time and Community School Initiatives
• Using CDBG to Support Community-Based Youth Programs
• Using NCLB Funds to Support Extended Learning Time: Opportunities for Afterschool Programs
• Using TANF to Finance Out-of-School Time Initiatives

Stay tuned for the next E-blast installment to help finance and sustain full-service schools!

If you would like to add or remove a contact from this dissemination list, please send an email to info@financeproject.org with the subject line “Full-Service Schools E-blast”

REGION IV ASP
2008-09
ASES and 21st CCLC Grantees
Kickoff Conference & Two-Day ASSETs Summer Institute
Hs Lordships • 199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley

Tracks for Kickoff Conference
August 12, 2008 • 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
$25 per person
Administrators and Coordinators
• Program Orientation for NEW 21st Century Elementary & Middle School Programs
New Directors, Coordinators and Program Staff
• Nuts & Bolts of After School – “Leading the Way”
Site Coordinators and Line Staff
• ADHD or just active? Learning disability or just unfocused? How do I help?
• Parents as Partners: the key to strengthening your afterschool program
Line Staff
• Math Standards as applied to Thematic Activity Approaches in After School
• Academic Language Standards as applied to Thematic Activity Approaches in After School

Tracks for Two-Day ASSETs Summer Institute
August 11-12, 2008 • 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
$50 per person
(for all Site Coordinators, high after school staff, teachers,
and community-based organizations)
Day I — Monday, August 11
• Steps to a Strong Partnership
• Youth Step Up: Youth Speakers & Reps
• Strive, Jive and Thrive: The Staff Team that Works
Day II — Tuesday, August 12
• Introduction to High School Academics
• Youth At the Table

Register online at www.acoe.org  or by mail or fax.
Click on Training and Professional Development; then click on Announcements and scroll to ASSETs High School Institute or Region 4 After School Annual Kick Off Conference

Kids First! group says it has signatures needed for November ballot measure

Kelly Rayburn
Oakland Tribune STAFF WRITER

Article Created: 06/09/2008 03:58:12 PM PDT

By Kelly Rayburn

OAKLAND — A group called the Oakland Kids First! Coalition turned in nearly 45,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office Monday, aiming to place a ballot measure before voters in November to dramatically increase youth services.

Measure proponents say it would “protect and expand” the services initially provided under Measure K, approved in 1996. But the proposed 2008 measure, known as Kids First! Two, has drawn opposition from Mayor Ron Dellums and some members of the City Council.

The coalition needs about 18,900 valid signatures to force a ballot question. And while they could face a tough fight come November, about 75 teenagers and youth program leaders celebrated what they’d already accomplished.

Kim Miyoshi, executive director of Oakland Kids First, just one of the nonprofit organizations that falls under the umbrella of the Oakland Kids First! Coalition, said the campaign was “like the little engine that could.”

“All the challenges seemed somewhat insurmountable,” she said. “It seemed like the City Council wasn’t for it, … and yet every time we hit a roadblock almost a miracle would happen and more people would get on board.”

Measure K mandates that 2.5 percent of the city’s unrestricted general fund revenue be set aside in the Oakland Children’s Fund for youth programs. The new initiative would nearly double funding for the Children’s Fund starting in 2011 by mandating that 2.5 percent of all city revenue go toward the fund. The city’s yearly general fund is about $475 million while its total revenue is close to $1 billion.Groups that receive funding include Oakland Kids First, the East Bay Asian Youth Center, Girls Inc. of Alameda County, Youth ALIVE! and Youth UpRising.

Mayor Ron Dellums said in a statement the “proposal pursues a laudable objective that I support.” But he continued that, “by increasing expenditures and not increasing revenues, this measure would reduce budgets for other crucial city services including many services that support Oakland kids.” The mayor said he remained committed to working with outside government and private funding sources to benefit nonprofit organizations such as those funded by Measure K.

City Councilmember Jean Quan (Montclair-Laurel), the head of the council’s finance committee, reiterated her opposition to the measure. She noted that the council extended the original set-aside provided by Measure K through 2021, but said increasing that percentage further could mean deep cuts to other city services, such as parks and recreation and senior programs.

Initiative proponents said youth programs are more important than ever, with crime rates high.

“I think in neighborhoods all across the city that residents and families want Oakland to be a place where they can raise their children in a safe and nurturing environment,” said David Kakishiba, executive director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center. “And it think the Kids First! initiative would go a long way to making that happen.”

Reach Kelly Rayburn at 510-208-6435 or krayburn@bayareanewsgroup.com.

(From the CalSAC May Newsletter)

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Special Projects Program provides musical instruments and instrument repairs to existing K-12 school music programs that have no other source of financing to purchase additional musical instruments and materials.

Eligibility: After-school music programs that are at least three years old or have a music-related umbrella organization that is at least three years. Maximum Award: $8,000. Deadline: August 1, 2008.

For more information, click here.

(From the CalSAC May Newsletter)

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation give grants to organizations to start or expand Nature of Learning programs in their communities. Grants support start-up expenses associated with new programs and offer continued support to existing Nature of Learning programs.

Nature of Learning is the National Wildlife Refuge System’s community-based environmental education initiative that seeks to use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote greater understanding of local conservation issues; encourage interdisciplinary approaches to learning that enhance student academic achievement; use field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real world issues; and, partner local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals and local businesses. Maximum Award: varies.

Eligibility: Programs involving a partnership among a local school(s), community group (e.g., Refuge Support Group), and National Wildlife Refuge.

For more information, click here.

(From CalSAC’s May Newsletter)

The California Department of Education reports that technical problems had delayed the announcement of 21st CCLC Cohort 5 awardees until the close of business Friday, May 23.  The awardees were announced briefly and then removed from the website due to a glitch in the approval process. The results have now been re-posted along with a recently updated frequently asked questions document.

For more information on the 21st CCLC program, including a recently updated frequently asked questions document, click here.

To find out about recently released funding including 21st CCLC awardees, click here.

(From the  CalSAC May Newsletter)

Senate Bill 1674 (SB 1674 – Torlakson), was released from the Suspense File and passed the Senate Appropriations Committee. The provision within the bill as it was originally written to establish a minimum grant award for small schools was deleted due to perceived cost pressures, in order to move the other provisions forward.

If passed, the bill will continue to establish the California After-School Teacher Pipeline Pilot Program, ensure that sub-contractors/ sub-providers of ASES and 21st CCLC programs receive a reasonable grant allotment for administrative functions, and allow ASES programs to operate on weekends with students who attend the after school program on regular school days (and without counting weekend activities toward program attendance).  This bill should go to a full floor vote this week.

For more information about this bill, click here.

At the last Steering Committee meeting, we discussed the following issue that may be affecting our members.

Currently each school in the district has $94,000 of remaining 21^st Century Fund monies.  The district is trying to spend it all, and is turning the money over to many of our members. If it isn’t spent, the money reverts back to district, state, or feds.  The district will be audited next year on core funds.  That means many of the district’s main contractors will also be audited.
This raises questions about what to do with the monies:

1.      If it’s accounted for as a deferred expense, auditors could demand that it be given back.

2.      If monies are spent this year that can’t be continued next year, it may lead to unrealistic expectations at the school site.

3.      One idea is to spend these monies now in place of unrestricted funds which can be spent later.

Dear Friends of Oakland Public Schools . . .

Please attend the April 30th Rally to oppose the Governor’s $5 Billion cut to California’s public schools.

The impact to Oakland Unified School District is $23 million – - equivalent to 300+ teachers.

Hear parents, teachers, and students explain how these cuts will directly affect our schools!!!

Learn about concrete steps you and I can take to get our voice heard in Sacramento!!!

Oakland Public Schools

An investment we can’t afford to cut.

RALLY TO OPPOSE

GOVERNOR’S $5

BILLION

CUT TO EDUCATION

April 30, 2008 at 4PM

1025 2^nd Avenue, Hunter Hall

More information: www.ousd.k12.ca.us

Hosted by the Oakland Board of Education and co-sponsored by the Honorable Barbara Lee, the Honorable Don Perata, the Honorable Sandre Swanson, the Honorable Loni Hancock, Sheila Jordan, Superintendent, Alameda County of Education, and the Oakland Education Association.

To all of those that have submitted grant applications to the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, the funding recommendations were posted to the OFCY website last night.  You can access them at http://www.ofcy. <http://www.ofcy.org/download/2008-2009%20RFP/2008-2009%20Prelim%20Package/Funding%20Package%20POC%204.23.08%20All%20Strategies%20(2).pdf> org/download/2008-2009%20RFP/2008-2009%20Prelim%20Package/Funding%20Package%20POC%204.23.08%20All%20Strategies%20(2).pdf

These preliminary recommendations will be the main agenda item at Wednesday’s POC meeting at 6PM at City Hall in the Council Chambers. 

If we at OCASA can be of any help to you in understanding OFCY and it granting process, I am available to answer your questions.

Edward

Edward Hannemann

Chair – OCASA Steering Committee

510-482-0606