School districts are invited to apply for a 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant.
The learning centers are intended to assist students from high-poverty and low-performing schools in need of additional support by providing academic enrichment opportunities and activities designed to complement regular school instruction.
The grants must specifically support programs offered outside of regular school hours.
“After school programming plays a vital role in student success,” Sue Burgard, who helps oversee the 21st CCLC grant program for the South Dakota Department of Education, said.
“Students served by 21st Century Community Learning Centers get to have fun while participating in highly enriching programming that serves as a strong supplement to their daily school work.”
Districts must first complete and submit a Notice of Intent to Apply form by Friday, January 19.
The Notice of Intent to Apply and guidelines for filling out the application are now available and can be found at http://www.doe.sd.gov/oatq/21cent.aspx.
Following submission of the Notice of Intent to Apply, districts will receive the information needed to access the 21st CCLC grant’s online system with the deadline to complete the grant application by Friday, March 2. All applications must be completed online; no paper applications will be accepted.
Grant award amounts range from $50,000 to $150,000 per year, and the length of a grant is five years. Funding comes from the federal government in the form of formula grants to the states.
Contact Sue Burgard at sue.burgard@state.sd.us or 605-773-5238, with questions about the grant application process.