Boston After School & Beyond Awarded $4.5 million State Grant to Bolster Enrichment and Social Emotional Learning for Students Attending After School Programs

Boston, Wednesday, March 2, 2022 – After school programs throughout Boston will have access to new grants of up to $100,000 to support enrichment and social emotional learning for the city’s highest need students under a Boston After School & Beyond initiative funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Funding for the programs will be awarded by the end of April through the $4.5 million state grant to Boston Beyond and will have a significant positive impact in helping Boston school children at a critical time. 

“Increasing access to enrichment is crucial for helping students recover from the pandemic,” said Boston Beyond Executive Director Chris Smith. “We are excited to contribute to this statewide approach and support Boston’s youth development programs.”   

Boston Beyond is one of seven regional or statewide non-profit organizations selected to award funds to community based organizations that run after-school and summer programs. 

Boston Beyond will make ASOST-R grants between $15,000 to $100,000 to qualified programs. Funds can be used to support a variety of program needs, including staffing, scholarships, transportation, supplies and materials, meals for participants, mental health services and enrichment. 

In its role, Boston Beyond will provide support, training, technical assistance, coaching, professional development, evaluation, fiscal management and oversight to subgrantees offering programs with at least half of participating students attending a school located in the City of Boston.

Boston Beyond will be hosting an information session on the application process and subgrant requirements on Thursday, March 3, 2022 from 12 pm to 1pm (Click to join). Interested applicants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the session. An additional information session will be offered March 8, 2022 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm (Registration required).

ASOST programs operating outside the City of Boston can contact DESE or the following awardees for more information based on organization type and region:

• Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs (Statewide — YMCAs only)
• Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership (Southeast/Western-Regions 1/5)
• Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs (Statewide — Boys & Girls Clubs only)
• Springfield Empowerment Zone (Springfield)
• United Way of Central MA (Central-Region 2)
• United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley (Northeast/Metro West/Greater Boston-Regions 3/4/6, excluding Boston)

The school year application launched on March 3, 2022, and submissions were accepted through March 18, 2022. Awards will be announced no later than April 8, 2022.

The summer application launches on March 31, 2022, and submissions will be accepted through April 29, 2022.

Click here to view the recording of our second ASOST-R FC409 grant information session.

Click here to view a summary of applications for School Year 2021-2022 ASOST-R funding.