Boston Beyond is the connecting force for summer and after-school learning across our city. Our diverse network of nearly 500 providers is committed to developing essential skills for college, careers, and life. Participants collaborate to design innovative programs, engage students equitably, and deepen impact at every grade level and in every neighborhood.
Measurement & Improvement
Use Boston Beyond’s suite of evaluation tools to capture your program’s impact and to gain valuable insights that can help you improve program quality and student outcomes.
Professional Learning
Exchange best practices with a diverse network of peers. Strengthen your staff’s capacity to build students’ skills through engaging real-world curricula and evidence-based practices.
Funding Opportunities
Gain access to a shared pool of funding, including city and state allocations and private grants secured by Boston Beyond to grow and improve programs.
Networking
Join Boston’s largest community of out-of-school providers and supporters. Connect with like-minded peers, local schools, city agencies, funders, and others who can help you achieve your mission.
How we improve as a network
FAQs
What types of organizations can join the Boston Beyond network?
Our diverse network includes community-based nonprofits, including arts organizations, museums, parks, sports and recreation providers, businesses, and more. Any type of organization that provides summer or after-school learning to Boston children may be eligible to participate.
What are the other eligibility criteria for joining the network?
Programs must serve two or more students in grades PK-12, at least half of whom attend a school in Boston. Programs should serve students consistently over time (i.e. not a one-time event), for a minimum of two weeks. Activities should be structured for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Is there a fee to join?
No. Participating in the Boston Beyond network is completely free. In fact, we provide participants with measurement and professional learning services that have an estimated in-kind value of $4,500 annually.
What types of professional development opportunities are offered?
Boston Beyond offers a mix of in-person and virtual learning opportunities to our network every year. Some sessions are open on a drop-in basis to staff from all member organizations, and other multi-session programs are designed for smaller groups committed to a deeper course of study. We lead trainings to certify youth program observers, as well as quarterly calls to review and learn from program data. We select other topics by identifying common areas for improvement in our data and via participant input. Past topics include creating room for youth choice and reflection in programming, cultivating critical thinking and other essential skills, and engaging students as leaders.
What funding opportunities are open to network members?
Boston Beyond actively works to generate grant funding to distribute to our network. While some grants have specific requirements (e.g. STEM or social and emotional learning focus), most are available for any program to apply for and are disseminated equitably across all eligible applicants.
What are the data and measurement requirements?
Network members must track and share student attendance, enrollment, and demographic information in Partner Portal, our citywide database. They must also administer an end-of-session youth survey and host one of our certified observers for feedback on program quality and student skill development. Members are also required to certify at least one staff member as a Boston Beyond Certified Observer who will observe other programs in Boston.
How can my organization join the network?
If you believe your program meets our eligibility criteria and want to learn more, contact Wil Cardwell, at wcardwell@bostonbeyond.org.
Sign up by April 1 to participate in our summer network, and by August 7 to participate during the school year.
Our Network’s Innovations
Ready to Join?
If your organization is committed to providing high-quality after-school or summer learning to Boston students and you meet our network eligibility requirements, we want to hear from you!
Contact
Partner Portal