Federal Resources for Afterschool
Providers
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.
Program Startup and Operation
- The 4-H Youth Development Program and the Cooperative Extension System (CES):
http://www.csrees.usda.gov
http://www.national4-Hheadquarters.gov
The 4-H Youth Development Program and the Cooperative Extension System (CES): The CES, administered by over 130 land grant universities and anchored in all 3,150 counties across the country, is a network of academically trained university faculty and staff who provide a broad array of staff training, curriculum, community collaboration building, evaluation, resource development, and other expertise and resources to out-of-school time programs. The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of the CES. Most information and resources are at no—or minimal—cost.
- Corporation for National and Community Service Resource Center
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org
The Corporation for National & Community Service provides starting points to aid you in developing and maintaining procedures and programs related to volunteering, community service, and service-learning.
- Helping America's Youth
http://www.helpingamericasyouth.gov
Helping America's Youth is a nationwide effort, initiated by President Bush and led by First Lady Laura Bush, to benefit children and teenagers by encouraging action in three key areas: family, school, and community. The Community Guide to Helping America's Youth, available on this website, will provide you with information on building partnerships, assessing your needs and resources, and selecting from program designs that could be replicated in your community.
- National Child Care Information Center
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/index.html
The National Child Care Information Center, a project of the Child Care Bureau, is a clearinghouse and technical assistance center that links parents, providers, policy-makers, researchers, and the public to information on child care licensing, quality improvement, financing and range of other topics.
- National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning
http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/
As part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education, this guide organizes resources in the six areas identified by the National Center for Community Education (NCCE) to be necessary for the successful operation of after-school programs: Management, Communication, Programming, Integrating K-12 and After-School Programs, Community Building/Collaboration, and Evaluation. Through this resource you can access technical assistance, training and tools to help you develop quality, balanced programming that engages student learning.
- Shared Features Of Quality Afterschool Programs: Follow-Up On The TASC Evaluation
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/fam107/fam107.pdf
This study, conducted by Policy Studies Associates, with support from the U.S. Department of Education, introduces you to the key features of high-performing afterschool programs sponsored by The Afterschool Corporation (TASC).
- Starting An After School Program: A Resource Guide
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/starting_program.pdf
This resource, developed by the Afterschool Investments project, highlights publications, resources, and issues to consider when establishing an afterschool program. These resources are intended to assist you in starting a program to serve school-age children and their families.
- State Child Care Regulations
http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/states.htm
The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education has compiled the child care regulations for all of the states in one location as part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This site enables you to access information on your state or to compare regulations nationwide.
- Supplemental Educational Services
http://www.ed.gov/nclb/choice/help/ses/index.html
This site, on the U.S. Department of Education website, provides information about the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) provision of the No Child Left Behind Act. SES offers non-profit and for-profit organizations and agencies funding for the provision of academic assistance and instruction to children from low-income families outside of the regular school day. Explore the SES policy and its requirements to find out if it is a good match for your organization.
Funding and Financing Resources
- Afterschool Investments State Afterschool Profiles
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/statep.html
The Afterschool Investments project, a technical assistance project supported by the Child Care Bureau, has developed profiles for each state to provide a snapshot of the "state of afterschool" that provide an opportunity for you to learn about funding resources and initiatives in your state.
- Federal Funding Basics
http://www.afterschool.gov/docs/federalFunding.html
This section of the Afterschool.gov website provides you with general information about the major types of federal funding that support afterschool programs.
- Financing an After School Program: A Resource Guide
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/financing_ap.pdf
This resource guide, developed by the Afterschool Investments project, highlights publications and resources to help you support and sustain your program over time.
- Grants.gov
http://www.grants.gov
This website is a single, comprehensive location for finding and applying for all federal grant programs. This cross-agency Web site has information about more than 800 grant programs involving all 26 federal grant-making agencies and can guide you through the process of applying for funding.
- Searchable Database of Federal Funding Sources
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/afterschoolfund
The Afterschool.gov website provides a searchable database of federal funding sources that support afterschool programs. Through the links provided on this page, you can find funding that can help to support your program, learn more about the different types of federal funds, and view key resources on how to write effective grants.
Curriculum Materials and Activities
- Department of Justice, Youth ARTS Development Project
http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/2001_5_2/contents.html
The YouthARTS Development Project brought together Federal agencies, national art organizations, and a consortium of local arts agencies to develop and assess arts-based prevention programs for at-risk youth.
- Environmental Protection Agency, Community Service Project Ideas
http://www.epa.gov/teachers/
Community service projects allow students to apply the lessons learned in the classroom to real-life situations and experiences. The Environmental Protection Agency provides you with ideas for community service projects as well as a listing of events in your local area through this site.
- National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
http://www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org/tools_resources/index.html
The Learn and Serve America National Service-Learning Clearinghouse is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service to support the service-learning community and can aid you in strengthening schools, programs, and communities using service-learning techniques and methodologies.
- Fit Source
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/fitsource
Sponsored by the Child Care Bureau, Fit Source is an easy-to-use site where you can find a variety of physical activity and nutrition resources for the children they serve.
Related Resources
For more information or to access any of these tools, visit Afterschool.gov
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