Out-of-School Time - Full Year and After School Grants

The Out-of-School Time initiative aims to enhance youth readiness for learning by funding innovative programs in Monroe and Ontario counties. With a budget of approximately $1.5 million, the Farash Foundation supports diverse out-of-school activities, addressing the 87% of children's time spent outside school hours. By fostering equitable access and listening to community feedback, this program seeks to create enriching environments where youth can develop skills, connect with mentors, and thrive.

Enriching children's lives today for a brighter tomorrow.
Our North Star
Ensuring youth are ready to learn by supporting innovative, high-quality out-of-school time (OST) programs in Monroe and Ontario counties.
The Spark
Between before school, after school, weekends, breaks, and summer vacation, 87% of kids’ time (18 and under) is spent out of school. We want to challenge our partners to think big and creatively so we can create more OST programs for youth to learn new skills, connect deeper with peers and mentors, and have fun.
How We Can See It Through
Let’s expand equitable access and participation in high quality out-of-school-time programs to set youth up to thrive into adulthood.
Create more out-of-school time opportunities: We have great programs for our youth to learn and grow—but not enough. To increase access, we’ll support a range of programs for kids to learn and grow. Let’s try something new, together. Let’s work together to expand and create more innovative, engaging experiences.Build grantee capacity: It’s critical that organizations of all sizes have breathing room to innovate and the resources to maintain quality as they grow. Capacity building, longer grant cycles, and general operating support are all key to success.Make participation easy: To ensure youth who face the greatest structural barriers to involvement—and who may benefit the most—can attend regularly, let’s work together to find ways to make access and participation easy.Listen to parents, caregivers, and youth: The people who these programs serve know themselves best. Let’s listen to these groups and incorporate their feedback into program design.
The Farash Foundation will partner with community-based organizations across Monroe and Ontario counties to invest in school year and full year out of school time programs that meet these needs through a broad range of fun and engaging programs.
Funding
The foundation is making approximately $1,500,000 available through this funding opportunity. The number and size of awards will depend on responses to this request. Previous Farash Foundation OST funding awards have ranged between $21,000 and $600,000 with an average grant size of approximately $137,000. This is not a set range, and the foundation encourages prospective grantees to seek the amount of funding required to offer quality out-of-school time programming.

Application Details

About us and this opportunity
through meaningful grantmaking.
partnering with big thinkers and visionary organiza=ons of all sizes to provide resources and to take risks on bold new
ini=a=ves. As a private charitable founda=on, we provide grants to organiza=ons within Monroe and Ontario coun=es,
as well as Jewish organiza=ons and ini=a=ves both locally and globally.
In the spring of 2023, the Farash Founda=on launched a new out-of-school =me educa=on strategy, The Other 87%,
referring to the percentage of =me children spend not in school.
an opportunity to meet the varying needs of the youth of today.
crea=vely so that we can create more OST programs for young people to learn new skills, connect deeper with peers and
mentors, and have fun! The founda=on believes that suppor=ng the crea=on of more safe and enriching experiences in
out-of-school =me will help ensure kids feel ready to learn and flourish.
The Farash Founda=on will partner with community-based organiza=ons across Monroe and Ontario coun=es to invest in
out of school =me programs that meet these needs through a broad range of fun and engaging programs.
What opportuni1es are available?
Organiza=ons can apply for funding to support:

1. School year only OST programming. (September 1, 2025-June 30, 2026)
2. Full year OST programming that includes both a school year and summer program component (September 1,

2025-August 31, 2026)
The founda=on will consider proposals that seek single year or mul=-year support for up to 3 years (2025/26, 2026/27,
and 2027/28). Organiza=ons seeking mul=-year funding should have a proven track record of providing quality out-of-
school =me programming.
What we are looking for
The Farash Founda=on is seeking to partner with organiza=ons who support young people through out-of-school
programs that promote the following:

• Op1on 1: School Year Only Programs that:
• • Provide a minimum of 28 weeks of OST learning and enrichment programming for 4 or more days each week for
• at least 3 hours per day in safe environments with meals and/or snacks.
• • Offer OST school year programming to a cohort of youth for the en=re program dura=on.

Op1on 2: Full Year OST Programs that:

• • Provide a minimum of 28 weeks of OST learning and enrichment programming for 4 or more days each week for
• at least 3 hours per day in safe environments with meals and/or snacks during the school year (September to
• June) and,
• • Provide a minimum of 4 weeks of OST summer learning and enrichment programming for a minimum of 4 weeks
• for 4 or more days each week for at least 3 hours per day in safe environments with meals and/or snacks during
• the summer (July and August).
• • Offer school year and summer programming to a cohort of youth for the en=re program dura=on.
• General Guidelines for all applica1ons:
• • Programs should focus on children ages 3-18 years of age.
• • Programs should detail how they will grow their programs through any one, or a combina=on of, the following:
• expansion of available seats, increased program weeks, increased hours per day, or increased number of
• program days per week.
• • Programs should offer a broad range of enrichment opportuni=es that spark learning, curiosity, and promote
• academic skill development.
• • Programs should have a solid plan to incorporate opportuni=es that address and help youth develop social and
• emo=onal skills.
• • Programs should incorporate inten=onal youth and caregiver voice, choice, and par=cipa=on in the design,
• development, and implementa=on of the program models and proposed ac=vi=es.
• • Programs should provide staff with posi=ve youth development training and professional development
• opportuni=es.
• • Programs should propose clear youth goals and a way to measure them.
• Who Can Apply
• This request is open to nonprofit organiza=ons, community-based organiza=ons, tribes and tribal organiza=ons, and
• schools serving communi=es in Monroe and Ontario Coun=es that are tax-exempt under Sec=on 501(c)(3) of the Internal
• Revenue Service Code of 1986, as amended, and are not classified as private founda=ons or Type III suppor=ng
• organiza=ons under Sec=on 509 of the Code.
• Small nonprofits, community-based organiza=ons, and youth-led organiza=ons are highly encouraged to submit
• proposals.
• Overnight summer camps will not be considered under this funding opportunity.
• Grants will not be made to individuals, par=san poli=cal organiza=ons or to support lobbying efforts and acempts to
• influence legisla=on, research grants, or scholarships to individuals.
• Funding Available
• The founda=on is making approximately $1,500,000 available through this funding opportunity for the contract period of

September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026. The number and size of awards will depend on responses to this request.
Previous Farash Founda=on OST funding awards have ranged between $21,000 and $600,000 with an average grant size
of approximately $137,000. This is not a set range, and the founda=on encourages prospec=ve grantees to seek the
amount of funding required to offer quality out-of-school =me programming. The founda=on will also consider

proposals that seek single year or mul=-year funding for up to 3 years (2025/26, 2026/27, and 2027/28). Organiza=ons
seeking mul=-year funding should have a proven track record of providing quality out-of-school =me programming.
Comple1ng and submiGng your applica1on
The applica=on is accessed through the Founda=on’s grant portal, FLUXX. A pdf of the proposal ques=ons is available
here.
Applica=ons
received aher this date will not be considered.
Proposals will be submiced via online applica=on. Visit the Farash Founda=on grant portal Here to get you and/or your
organiza=on registered and to access your FLUXX account.
Applica=ons will not be reviewed if submiced in a format other than the online FLUXX applica=on.
Incomplete proposals cannot be accepted.
How we will review applica1ons

• Proposed project aligns with Farash Founda=on mission and OST Strategy.
• Proposed project meets all required criteria for chosen op=on and general guidelines for all applica=ons as

detailed in the RFP.

• Clarity of passion for working with youth.
• The program model and loca=on provide equitable opportuni=es for those youth who could benefit the most.
• Budget and budget narra=ve are clear and appropriate based on program model and dura=on.
• For organiza=ons seeking mul=-year funding, data detailing past successful outcomes.

Learning and Repor1ng
The founda=on asks our partners to help us learn how the awarded funds invested with your organiza=on impacted your
an=cipated outcomes. This is accomplished through check-in conversa=ons during the grant period where we can
celebrate your successes and be a thought partner in tackling any emerging challenges to your success. At the
conclusion of your grant, the founda=on will ask for a post-grant report that includes a narra=ve descrip=on of how
youth were impacted by the grant and what you learned.
funds were expended.
Need more Informa1on?

RFP Issued –Proposal Period Open April 10, 2025
All About the RFP Webinar Information Session April 22, 2025
Funding Decisions July 2025
Would you like addi1onal support?
Applica=on support is available for organiza=ons interested in applying for the OST program funding opportunity!
Your Program Officer can support you by helping to determine appropriate fit between your work and this funding
opportunity, providing guidance on how best to answer applica=on ques=ons, suppor=ng your applica=on development,
and suppor=ng you in explaining your qualifica=ons in the clearest and most concise way.
It’s easy to schedule some technical assistance =me with your program officer, all you need to do is use the following
Calendly link and choose a date and =me that works best for you and your team. Click Here to schedule a 1:1 technical
assistance Zoom meeIng.
Ques1ons may be addressed to:

• Todd Michel Waite
• Program Officer
• twaite@farashfounda=on.org
• (office) 585-479-4469