Washington - Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program Grant

The Washington - Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program aims to enhance educational opportunities in high-poverty, low-performing communities. With approximately $6.5 million in funding, the program supports academic enrichment, youth development, and family engagement initiatives. It encourages applicants to participate in a Bidders Conference for guidance on grant proposals, with awards ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, contingent on federal funding and program performance.

Purpose
The purpose is to provide opportunities for communities to establish or expand activities in community learning centers that
provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students, particularly students who attend low-performing schools, to meet the challenging state academic standards.offer students a broad array of additional services, programs, and activities, such as youth development activities, service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, arts, music, physical fitness and wellness programs, technology education programs, financial literacy programs, environmental literacy programs, mathematics, science, career and technical programs, internship or apprenticeship programs, and other ties to an in-demand industry sector or occupation for high school students that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students.offer families of students served by community learning centers opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development.
Funding
OSPI anticipates awarding approximately $6.5 million to support the implementation of 21st CCLC
programs in high-poverty, low-performing communities, providing services consistent with the
intent and purpose of the federal 21st CCLC statute and guidance. Prospective applicants are
encouraged to attend a Bidders Conference for guidance and technical assistance on developing
and submitting a program proposal. The 21st CCLC grant awards are up to five years §4203(a)(8)(A)
contingent upon federal funding. Programs must show progress in implementing the project goals
and activities as approved in their original grant proposal. No grant is less than $100,000 and will
not exceed $500,000. OSPI reserves the right to increase and/or decrease a grant award in
subsequent years of funding. OSPI may exceed a grant award of $500,000 to accommodate future
program requirements, cost of living increases, proposed program amendments, and/or any other
implemented policies by OSPI §4203(a)(5)(A)-(B) and §4204(h).