(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Education Jennifer Niles announced 40 winners of the school year 2017-2018 out-of-school time grant competition. The organizations serve more than 21,000 students in Washington, DC before and after school and on the weekends. 

“As we accelerate school reform in Washington, DC, we are looking beyond what’s happening in the classroom,” said Mayor Bowser. “We will continue to ensure that every child in the District has the opportunity to reach their full potential, and I am proud to partner with community organizations that support our students every single day.”

The grant competition invited high-performing, non-profit youth development organizations serving young people between the ages of 5 and 24 to apply for school year 2017-2018 program funding. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) received 104 applications, which were then reviewed by three impartial reviewers. Applicants were ranked on a variety of factors, including overall reviewer rankings and overall program quality rankings.

The 40 programs funded through school year 2017-2018 grants, which total $2 million, will serve children and youth in each of the District’s four quadrants, focusing predominantly on Wards 1, 7, and 8. 45 percent of funding will go to programming that serves young people in Wards 7 and 8.  

“Ensuring kids in every pocket of the city are able to continue learning outside of the typical school day is a citywide priority,” said Deputy Mayor for Education Niles. “These community organizations, along with the wide array of offerings from the Department of Parks and Recreation, DC Public Schools, our public charter schools, and our libraries, will give more students the opportunity to explore their passions and interests and grow academically.”

This year is the first time the DME awarded out-of-school-time grants for the school year. The Office on Youth Outcomes and Grants Establishment Act of 2016 transferred responsibility for out-of-school-time grants from the now dissolved DC Trust to the DME. The DME previously awarded $2 million in grants to 39 organizations in April for summer programming. 

“Project Create is thrilled to be included among the high-quality youth-serving nonprofits selected as the first grantees of the District’s out-of-school time initiative,” said Christie Walser, Executive Director of Project Create. “We are a small fish in a big pond, so we are grateful for the recognition and support for organizations like ours, who are doing important and urgent work East of the River in underserved communities. We look forward to working with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education in the coming year as we significantly and positively impact children and youth in our great city.”

In the fall, DME will launch the Commission on Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes, a body of government leaders and residents charged with drafting a strategic plan for how the District coordinates, funds, and supports opportunities for students outside of the regular school day. 

The following organizations are being awarded grants:

1. A Greater Washington Field of Dreams
2. After School All Stars
3. Asian American LEAD
4. Beacon House
5. BEST Kids
6. Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
7. Brainfood
8. City Dance
9. City Kids Wilderness Project
10. DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative
11. DC Scores
12. Eagle Academy Public Charter School
13. GALA Hispanic Theatre
14. Girls Inc DC
15. Global Kids
16. Higher Achievement
17. Hope Foundation Re-Entry Network
18. Horton's Kids
19. Jubilee Housing
20. Kid Power
21. Latino Student Fund
22. National Center for Children and Families
23. One Common Unity
24. People Animals Love
25. Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington
26. Project Create
27. Reading Partners
28. Recreation Wish List Committee
29. Sasha Bruce
30. Sitar Arts Center
31. The Fishing School
32. The Learning Tree
33. The Musicianship
34. The SEED School of Washington DC
35. Thurgood Marshall Academy
36. United Planning Organization
37. Urban Alliance
38. US Dream Academy
39. Washington School for Girls
40. Young Playwrights' Theater

The DME partnered with the United Way of the National Capital Area to facilitate the grant-making process. In the upcoming months, the Out of School Time System Set-up Team will offer workshops and support to potential applicants for future grant competitions.