Applications for new and continuing 21st Century Community Learning Center grant programs in Ohio will be accepted this spring for next school year, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) has announced to current program administrators.
This is great news for successful programs that wish to compete for new rounds of funding as well as for schools and community organizations proposing entirely new programs. New grants could serve approximately 20,000 children next year.
The announcement followed strong advocacy from all regions of the state led by the Ohio Afterschool Network. In response to feedback from state and local leaders, program administrators and families, ODE crafted a plan to expedite alignment with the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan.
New applicants should be prepared however for a shorter-than-usual application period and later-than-usual award announcements. Specific dates are forthcoming, but ODE indicated that the deadline for new and continuing applications is likely to be in May, with awards issued in August.
As in the past, the program will be highly competitive. Last year, only the top 13% of applicants received funding.
Additionally, ODE told current recipients that there will be an increased focus – and new technical assistance – for program sustainability. The effort would allow future grants to support more new programs and ultimately serve more children in Ohio. Read more about ODE’s plans in this post on ODE’s 21CCLC newsletter.
