Financing an Afterschool Program: A Resource Guide

Finding funding sources to support your afterschool program can be challenging, whether you are starting a new program or looking for resources to sustain or expand an existing program. This resource guide highlights publications and resources as well as a range of considerations to help program developers who seek to support and sustain programs over time

The following resources and considerations are intended to assist those who are interested in financing a program to serve school-age children and their families. Additional resources are available on the National Child Care Information Center web site on financing a child care program (http://nccic.acf.hhs/poptopics/index.html#financing).

Things to Consider

• Create a Budget: Before looking for new funding, it is important to prepare a budget that lays out your program's expenses, current sources of funding, and funding gaps that you hope to fill. The cost worksheet listed under "Budgeting Publications" can help you to determine your program's costs.



• Refine your Program's Vision: Being able to articulate what outcomes you hope to achieve can be key to attracting financial support. For example, some afterschool programs have a primary aim of promoting healthy development, while others may describe their intended goals as improving academic outcomes, preventing youth violence, or providing high-quality child care for working families. It may be useful to work with your program's stakeholders to clarify your program's vision before applying for new funds.



• Familiarize Yourself with the Funding Landscape: A range of public, private and in-kind resources may be available to your program. The first step to accessing these funds is to become familiar with the major sources available in your community, state and nationally. Resources available in this guide may help you to begin this process.



• Develop Partnerships: Consider reaching out to others in your community who have similar goals. Partners may include: business leaders, schools, law enforcement agencies, social services agencies, universities, and faith-based organizations. Strong community support may lead to additional resources, whether through support (cash or in-kind) from those partners or by opening the door to new funding opportunities.



• Consider Diverse Funding Sources: Maintaining a diverse portfolio of public and private funds can help ensure that your program survives when any one funding source ends. You may consider adding further flexibility to your budget by generating your own funds through program fees or community fundraising.



• Continually Work to Find Funding: Don't wait until you are nearing the end of a grant to think about the long-term sustainability of your program. By planning early to sustain your program, you will have ample time to collaborate with community partners and consider the range of funding sources that may be available to you.

State/Local Resources

State Afterschool Profiles : http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/statep.html
The Afterschool Investments project has developed state afterschool profiles for every state. These profiles list major state and local afterschool initiatives and include state-level contacts. Your state profile is a good place to start looking for potential partners or funding sources.

State Child Care Agencies : http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/statepro/index.html
State child care agencies can help you to determine whether your program needs to be licensed, and may offer resources to help gain financial support.

Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies : http://www.childcareaware.org
Local child care resource and referral agencies (CCR&Rs) can refer families needing child care to your program. They also have information on financial assistance and funding opportunities, on existing child care programs in your community, and on how to provide quality child care. Some provide free equipment and information on provider support organizations, training organizations and opportunities, marketing practices, business practices, and more. To learn if there is a CCR&R available to you, contact Child Care Aware at 1-800-424-2246 or through the web site above.

Publications

Budgeting

The Business Side of Child Care: A Reference Manual for Child Care Advocates and Lenders, by the Center for Community Self-Help, 2002. This reference manual provides an overview of the business aspects of planning for and operating a child care program that includes model budgets for centers of varying sizes and locations Available online at http://www.selfhelp.org/pdfs/childcare%20manual.pdf.

Cost Worksheet for Out-of-School Time and Community School Initiatives, by Martin J. Blank and Barbara Hanson Langford, The Finance Project, September 2000. This worksheet is intended to help program developers to document your current financial status and to develop realistic financial projections. Available online at: http://www.financeproject.org/Publications/costworksheet.pdf.

Finding Funding and Building Partnerships

Finding Funding: A Guide to Federal Resources for Out-of-School Time and Community School Initiatives, published by The Finance Project, 2003. This comprehensive publication includes detailed information on all potential federal funding sources for out-of-school time programs. Available online at http:www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/FundingGuide2003.pdf.

A Guide to Successful Public-Private Partnerships for Out-of-School Time and Community School Initiatives, published by The Finance Project, 2001. The guide is designed to provide policy makers, program leaders, system-building advocates, and others with practical information on creating and maintaining public-private partnerships. Available online at www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/ostpartnershipguide.pdf.

Nourish Their Bodies, Feed Their Minds: Funding Opportunities and Nutrition Resources for Afterschool Programs, published by the Food Resource Action Center, 2005. To make it easier for out-of-school time programs to participate in federal child nutrition programs, this toolkit provides information on how the child nutrition programs operate and how to access them. Available online at www.frac.org/Afterschool_Guide.pdf.

Resource Development for Youth Services Professionals. Prepared by the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth, this publication offers tips on several aspects of resource development, including organizational strategic planning, researching available funding sources, and developing grant proposals. Available online at: http://www.ncfy.com/pubs/resdev.htm.

Replacing Initial Grants: Tips for Out-of-School Time Programs and Initiatives, published by The Finance Project, 2002. This book is designed to help new program directors find longer-term funding by providing concrete tips and examples of ways other out-of-school time initiative leaders have succeeded in replacing initial seed grant money by creating a diverse portfolio of federal, state, local, and private funds. Available online at www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/fptips.pdf.

Using NCLB Funds to Support Extended Learning Time: Opportunities and Challenges for Afterschool Programs, forthcoming from the Council of Chief State School Officers and The Finance Project, 2005. This brief provides examples, tips, and considerations for afterschool programs navigating recent changes in federal education funds supporting afterschool programs. Available online at http://www.financeproject.org/publications/usingnclbfunds.pdf.

Grant Writing

Preparing a Grant Proposal: Five Steps in the Proposal Writing Process, by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), 2002. This guide presents a five-step proposal writing process: getting agreement on the problem, describing the project's expected outcomes, designing the program, locating funding sources, and writing the proposal. Available online at http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=102.

Writing a Successful Grant Proposal, Minnesota Council on Foundations, 2002. While developed with a focus on foundations in Minnesota, this publication outlines information that should be included in most grant applications. Available online at http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/writing.htm.

Finding the Funds You Need: A Guide For Grantseekers, by Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension, 2001. This publication and additional resources on this site provide information for programs that are applying for grants from private foundations. Available online at http://cedev.aers.psu.edu/grantwriting.

Community Fundraising

Take Ten Minutes: Principles to Consider Before Engaging in Fund Raising, by Barry Silverberg, for Strategic Creativity, 2002. This publication lists eight fundamental principles that are essential for fundraising success. Available online at http://www2.austin.cc.tx.us/npo/downloads/SC2Q2002/TakeTenMinutes.pdf.

Fundraising 101: The Basics of Proposal Writing, Prospecting, and Getting Money for Your Program, by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), 2001. This presentation provides an overview of the fundraising basics, from prospecting for leads and potential funders to writing effective grant proposals and locating new funding sources. For information about how to access this PowerPoint, contact Anna Wong at awong@liscnet.org or online at http://www.liscnet.org/resources/experts. Information on major web sites for Philanthropy and Fundraising is available from LISC on the web at http://www.liscnet.org/resources/links/fundraising.shtml.

Web Resources

Afterschool.gov: http://www.afterschool.gov
This federal web site provides a range of resources on funding sources, activities, and resources for afterschool providers.

The Foundation Center: http://fdncenter.org
The Foundation Center's web site provides tips on the grant seeking process as well as an online directory of private, philanthropic organizations throughout the country.

Grants.gov: http://www.grants.gov
This web site 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 available grant programs involving all 26 Federal grantmaking agencies. The site provides information in a standardized format across agencies and includes a "Find Grant Opportunities" feature to help applicants find potential funding opportunities.

Grantionary: http://www.eduplace.com/grants/help/grantionary.html
The Grantionary is a list of grant-related terms and their definitions developed by Houghton Mifflin Company. This web site also provides tips on grant-writing.

National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC): http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov
NCCIC, a project of the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a national resource that links information and people to complement, enhance, and promote the child care delivery system. The web site includes resource lists and other pages dedicated to school-age care and sources of funding.

Out-of-School Time Finding Funding Clearinghouse: www.financeproject.org/irc/ost/funding.asp
This section of The Finance Project's Out-of-School Time Information Resource Center highlights funding sources and financing strategies and considerations for their implementation. Strategy brief topics include: accessing funding from federal agencies, such as SAMHSA or the Department of Justice; utilizing specific funding streams, such as Title I, CCDF, or TANF; and financing particular program components, such as facilities or transportation.

SchoolGrants: http://www.schoolgrants.org
SchoolGrants lists a variety of preK–12 school grant opportunities available to elementary and secondary schools and districts across the United States. It also provides grant-writing tips and links to useful online resources. Examples of successful grant proposals are available online at: http://schoolgrants.org/Samples/samples.htm.

The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci
This web site provides faith-based and other community organizations with guidance on available federal funds and resources to help programs develop quality grant proposals.

For more information about the Afterschool Investments Project or to submit a request for technical assistance or information, contact The Finance Project at (202) 587-1000 or by email at afterschool@financeproject.org

This resource list is intended for informational purposes only. The Afterschool Investments Project and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services do not endorse any organization, publication, or resource.

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