The New York Life Foundation and the Afterschool Alliance today announced $1.8 million in new grants to 40 after school, summer, and expanded learning programs serving disadvantaged middle school youth. The funds will go to organizations across the United States. These latest grants bring the total of New York Life Foundation’s support for out-of-school-time (OST) programs to $11.55 million over the eight years of its Aim High program. The Aim High grant initiative is part of New York Life Foundation’s ongoing investment in OST programs to help middle school youth in under-resourced communities reach the 9th grade on time and better prepared for high school.
Half of this year’s 40 grants go to OST programs that support social justice, and to programs dedicated to supporting youth entrepreneurship and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset. The remaining grants focus on supporting OST programs’ work to help students transition successfully to the 9th grade. Awarded through a competitive process, the 2024 Aim High grants are going to OST organizations in Washington, D.C. and 20 states: Arizona; California; Connecticut; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; Nebraska; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Texas; Virginia; and Wyoming.
“Students today face significant academic, social, and emotional challenges, and OST programs provide much-needed support. These programs have a proven track record of helping students do better in school and build the skills they need for their future success,” said Heather Nesle, president of the New York Life Foundation, one of the largest corporate funders of bereavement support, and Afterschool Alliance board member. “This year, we’re particularly excited to have added grants focused on entrepreneurship, offering opportunities for young people to launch their own businesses, explore careers, and nurture entrepreneurial mindsets, while developing teamwork, planning, and problem-solving skills in the process. All this is invaluable for youth as they prepare for high school, higher education, and careers.”
Research shows that participation in high-quality afterschool, expanded day, and summer programs leads to greater academic achievement, better school attendance, and more engaged students.
“As afterschool and summer learning programs struggle with rising costs and federal pandemic relief winds down, the New York Life Foundation’s Aim High grant program provides an enormous boost to these programs and the students they serve,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “The Afterschool Alliance is honored to continue partnering on this effort. These new grants will help 40 extraordinary programs do even more to support middle school students. We congratulate this year’s award recipients and thank the New York Life Foundation for its commitment and generosity.”
The 2024 Grant Winners
Ten organizations were awarded two-year grants of $50,000 per year, for a total of $100,000 each:
Aim High for High School, San Francisco, California
Jamestown Community Center, San Francisco, California
Girls Inc. of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, Inc., Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Soccer Without Borders, Baltimore, Maryland
Bronx River Art Center, Bronx, New York
Fresh Youth Initiatives, Inc., New York, New York
Omega Community Development Corporation, Dayton, Ohio
Casa Guadalupe Center, Allentown, Pennsylvania
After-School All-Stars North Texas, Dallas, Texas
Ten organizations were awarded two-year grants of $25,000 per year, for a total of $50,000 each:
Communities In Schools of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Reality Changers, San Diego, California
Family & Children’s Agency, Norwalk, Connecticut
New American Pathways, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia
viBe Theater Experience, Brooklyn, New York
Charlotte Community Services Association, Charlotte, North Carolina
Mighty Writers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Latinitas, Austin, Texas
Aspire Afterschool Learning, Arlington, Virginia
ForKids, Chesapeake, Virginia
Ten organizations were awarded one-year grants of $15,000 to support their work with a focus on youth entrepreneurship and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset:
After-School All-Stars DC, Washington, DC
BEST Kids, Inc., Washington, DC
The Immokalee Foundation, Naples, Florida
Kismet of Kings, Jersey City, New Jersey
Morrison Mentors, Inc., Hempstead, New York
Women’s Housing & Economic Development Corporation, Bronx, New York
Homeless No More, Columbia, South Carolina
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, Houston, Texas
Community Outreach Coalition, Portsmouth, Virginia
Evanston Youth Club for Boys & Girls, Evanston, Wyoming
Ten organizations were awarded one-year grants of $15,000 to support their work to advance social justice:
Literacy Connects, Tucson, Arizona
Generation Music & Arts Academy, San Lorenzo, California
Many Languages One Voice, Washington, DC
The Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, St. Petersburg, Florida
Citizens for a Sustainable Future, Inc., Tallahassee, Florida
Summerbridge Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
Love Your Magic, Inc., Lynn, Massachusetts
Musica Franklin, Greenfield, Massachusetts
Visionary Youth, Lincoln, Nebraska
Colaborativa La Milpa, Asheville, North Carolina
The Afterschool Alliance convened a selection committee of experts in the OST field, including youth, to assess applications and make grant recommendations.
ABOUT THE AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at www.AfterschoolAlliance.org.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK LIFE FOUNDATION
Inspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided over $440 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of educational enhancement, childhood bereavement and social justice. The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees and agents of New York Life through its Volunteers for Good program and Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative. To learn more, please visit www.newyorklifefoundation.org.
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