Starting an Afterschool Program
Planning to start an afterschool program? Congratulations!
With just 15% of children enrolled in afterschool programs around the nation, you will be providing a much needed opportunity for young people and families in your community. There is no definitive approach to starting an afterschool program; each community is different and the process varies depending on where you are and what type of program you plan to create. We’ve put together this section of resources and tools for anyone starting a quality afterschool program:
Start-Up Guides: Free guides and resources for creating and maintaining a quality afterschool program.
Program Development, Management and Curriculum Building: You’ve gotten started, so now what? These resources provide information on program development, curriculum building and management.
Funding and Sustainability: Securing funding is critical to the sustainability of your afterschool program. Visit our funding toolkit to learn about the various ways you can fund and sustain your program.
Community Partnerships and Sponsorship: Afterschool programs are often successful because they harness community resources and engage community based organizations in their programming. Find resources and ideas on building strong partnerships here.
Research: From afterschool outcomes to best practices to polling data, this section has everything you’ll need to make a strong case for your program.
State-Level Resources: Learn more about afterschool programming in your state. Find valuable state level resources, including state agency and statewide afterschool network contact information, research on the need for afterschool in your state and the latest state afterschool policy developments.
Websites to Know: There are countless ally organizations with resources to help strengthen your program. Visit these websites and learn how they can help you.
Already have a program and looking to evaluate it and share your program's strengths? Check out Harvard Family Research Project's Afterschool Evaluation 101.
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