Learn24 Announces New Executive Director
After an extensive search, the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office) and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education is thrilled to announce a new Executive Director. We welcome Dr. Shontia Lowe, a seasoned educator and systems leader with over 15 years of experience in the out-of-school time (OST) and education space. Dr. Lowe's most recent role saw her leading and coaching 30+ school leaders and staff to improve performance outcomes for students in need of support and interventions. Her experiences span the entire grants continuum, as a direct OST program provider, as a grant-maker and reviewer, and as a partner supporting grantees with capacity building.
The OST Office is excited about what the future holds with Dr. Lowe at the helm. Dr. Lowe will soon be embarking on a listening tour that includes stakeholders and partners, so stay tuned!
Thank You Vonia Bowie!
The OST Office and the OST community in the District are extremely grateful to Vonia Bowie for leading, navigating, and guiding the OST Office for the last nine months as the Interim Executive Director. On behalf of the OST team and the individuals impacted by our work, we want to send Vonia Bowie a huge THANK YOU!!!
As programs gear up for the upcoming school year, it is imperative to continuously find new methods to improve staff competencies and prepare youth development professionals for their daily interactions with youth. The Institute for Youth Development (The Institute) offers free virtual on-demand workshops to youth development professionals serving District of Columbia youth. A minimum commitment of 10 participants is required to host the workshop; request a training here. Email questions to learn24@dc.gov. An example of some workshops available include:
- Active Learning
- Ask-Listen-Encourage
- Best Practices of Youth Work
- Building Community
- Core Competencies of Youth Workers
- Developmental Youth Outcomes
- Introduction to Youth Development
- Planning and Reflection
- Youth Voice
View the complete listing of offerings from the Institute here.
Please note: Requests should be scheduled at least six weeks in advance.
The OST Office is currently accepting applications for individuals with expertise or background in youth development to serve as a grant reviewer. Current grantees and applicants are eligible to volunteer. Interested individuals should complete this brief interest form.
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) is hiring a Community Ambassador! The DME is excited to fill this critical role with someone who has deep experience in community building and organizing, who will thrive when working directly with residents within the District’s diverse communities to create better outcomes in our education and workforce system. The individual will be based in the community and will actively participate in community-based education discussions, facilitate connections and conversations, synthesize and elevate community input in decision making, and share important information about the DME and its work with community members. The posting is available here.
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is releasing funding for approximately five to seven grants to support existing successful evidence-based tutoring programs to scale. The funding period will run from approximately Jan. 9, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2024. Please see OSSE’s HIT website or the 2022-23 grants forecast for more detailed information on the available award types and eligibility (for the latter, scroll down the page to download the Excel document with the grant details).
The RFA will be available on OSSE’s website on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022 at 12 pm. The deadline to submit an application will be Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022 at 3 pm. Applications will be accepted only through OSSE’s Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) grants.osse.dc.gov.
If you have any questions about the grant, please email the HIT grants team at HIT.Grants@dc.gov.
Afterschool Alliance recently released a publication as part of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 series. Some key findings from the report include that 97 percent of providers across the country report that their programs were open in some capacity this year. Staffing remains a top concern, with almost 7 in 10 providers saying they are extremely or very concerned about finding appropriate staff to hire and/or staffing shortages and 51 percent reporting waiting lists for their programs. Read the entire brief here.
Recently, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) published an article detailing how organizations can consider intentionally integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) in programming to advance positive youth outcomes across the community. Given the challenges impacting youth over the past several years, there is a need for youth development professionals to focus on developing SEL skills that improve confidence, attitudes, behaviors, and youth outcomes. Some ways to incorporate SEL during the upcoming school year include:
- Collaborate with your school district and other community-based organizations to work towards shared goals and ensure alignment.
- Assess how you are already supporting SEL.
- Establish a commitment to SEL across all out-of-school time and youth development offerings.
- Start small.
- Dedicate time for staff to learn more about SEL.
To read the entire article, please click here.
The Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office) is excited to partner with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to help provide OST programs to students with specific needs. Examples of programs that the scholarship may support include, but are not limited to, programs designed specifically for students with disabilities, advanced learners, and English Language Learners. Individuals not considered at-risk may also be eligible to receive a scholarship based on need and availability of funding. Scholarships of up to $10,000 are available for individual students for use in approved OST activities in calendar year 2022. The minimum scholarship award is $1,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, please click here.
The FY2023 Students in the Care of DC Out of School Time Coordinating Entity RFA invites high-performing, fiscally responsible, non-profits to apply for this grant competition. OST Office anticipates awarding one grant of up to $420,000 to coordinate an OST program for justice systems involved youth. Applicants may request up to $420,000. The deadline to apply is Monday, August 29, 2022, at 5:00 pm.
View the complete RFA here. Applications can be completed here.
The Venable Foundation is offering grants to nonprofit organizations in the Washington, DC area for projects that benefit underrepresented communities and low-income areas. Funding priorities include the environment, health, arts and culture, workforce development, education, youth impact, human services, and legal services. The average grant size is $10,000. Applications must be submitted no later than Thursday, September 1, 2022 to be considered. For more information, please click here.
The Capitol Hill Community Foundation awards grants to non-profit organizations, schools, and other neighborhood groups in support of programs and projects that benefit residents of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Organizations can apply for up to $2,500. Applications must be received by Monday, September 26, 2022 to be considered. Read more about criteria and past grantees here.
The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation Eager to Learn program will award nonprofit organizations up to $25,000 to provide college test prep assistance to vulnerable learners and to promote education and access to trade schools. This program will ensure that students from every socioeconomic background have access to the highest quality SAT and ACT prep materials and tutors as well as opportunities to explore careers in the skilled trades by attending a trade-specific school. Applications must be submitted no later than Tuesday, November 1, 2022 to be considered. For more information, please click here.
The Walmart Foundation Local Community Grant Program will award grants of up to $5,000 to support nonprofit organizations that focus on addressing the unique needs of their communities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but must be received no later than Saturday, December 31, 2022 to be considered. Apply here.
Weekly newsletter of funding opportunities.
 For resources and additional information on the District of Columbia Government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.
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