How can we fund our program?

Your ELO will need the support of federal, state, and private funders and partners to reach its full potential. Here is where to find the help you need.

Federal/state/local

Afterschool.gov provides a database of available federal dollars for afterschool programs.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services lists requests for proposals (RFPs) from ODJFS.

US Department of Justice offers grants for delinquency prevention initiatives and other youth oriented activities.

United Way will help you find the location of your local United Way agency.

Community Transportation Magazine offers ideas for funding transportation for children to and from your program site.

US Department of Education offers grants for technology equipment.

Ohio Office of Criminal Justice funds programs that reduce crime and address juvenile delinquency

 

Technical assistance for funding help

The Finance Project offers an excellent overview of costs incurred by afterschool programs and ideas for funding sources and revenue streams from federal, state, and private sources (easily adaptable to other types of ELOs).

Afterschool.gov offers tips on how to write grants for after school programs (easily adaptable to other types of ELOs).

The Foundation Center offers proposal writing seminars, a comprehensive online library of foundations, free online tutorials, and other aids for grant seekers. A branch of the center is located in downtown Cleveland.

The Afterschool Alliance offers fundraising tips, the definitions for grantwriting terms, and what to do if you are turned down

HOSTS, Helping One Student to Succeed, offers points to consider before beginning the grantwriting process

Large corporations that focus on children and education

JCPenney Stores

Target Stores

Honda of America Foundation
24000 Honda Pkwy.
Marysville, OH 43040
Telephone: (937) 645-8785
Contact: Lourene Hoy - Admin. Coord.
E-mail: rene_hoy@ham.honda.com

Community foundations

Akron Community Foundation

Ashland County Community Foundation
P.O. Box 733
Ashland, OH 44805
Telephone: (419) 281-4733
Contact: Lucille G. Ford - Pres.

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

The Cleveland Foundation

The Columbus Foundation

The Community Foundation of Greater Lorain County

Middletown Community Foundation

The Sandusky/Erie County Foundation

The Springfield Foundation
4 W. Main St., Ste. 425
Springfield, OH 45502-1323
Telephone: (937) 324-8773
Contact: Robin Atwood Pfeil - Exec. Dir.
Additional Info: FAX: (937) 324-1836

Greater Springfield Development Foundation
2525 N. Limestone St., No. 101
Springfield, OH 45503

Toledo Community Foundation Inc.
608 Madison Ave., Ste. 1540
Toledo, OH 43604-1151
Telephone: (419) 241-5049
Contact: Pam Howell-Beach - Dir.

The Youngstown Foundation
P.O. Box 1162
Youngstown, OH 44501
Telephone: (330) 744-0320
Contact: G.M. Walsh - Exec. Dir.

 

Private foundations and other sources

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Benton Foundation's KidsCampaigns

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Communities in Schools provides training and technical assistance; a national identity; national, regional, state and local partnerships; and rigorous standards for emerging efforts.

Twenty-first Century Community Learning Centers

Ohio Family & Children's First

Local businesses

Consider also approaching local businesses, universities, and the community affairs departments of local corporations for donations of:

• Goods and services

• Staffing assistance

• Project evaluation

• Fundraising assistance or grants

The eThe Employer Toolkit Template provides ideas for involving businesses in child care initiatives.

Statistical information -- making your case to funders

In some cases, funders need to know that a need for ELO programs exists. The studies below provide carefully researched proof.

The RAND Studies are independent evaluations of afterschool programs on the academic skills of children who participate.

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids sponsored the report "America's After-School Choice: The Prime Time for Juvenile Crime Or Youth Enrichment and Achievement," a report on the impact of afterschool programs on juvenile crime rates; synthesis of key findings from other national organization and government agency studies of afterschool impact.

The US Census Bureau released "Who's Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Fall 1995" to present data on child care arrangements and the number of latch-key children.

The Urban Institute released "Child-Care Patterns for School-Age Children with Employed Mothers", an investigation of the different types of child care arrangements, including unsupervised "self-care" that has school-age children home alone after school without supervision or structured activities.

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