The New York Life Foundation and the Afterschool Alliance are awarding $1.35 million to out-of-school programs serving disadvantaged middle school students through the Aim High grant program.

Twenty-six grants will be awarded this year in three categories:

  • Ten awards of $15,000 over one year will go to programs with annual organizational budgets of $150,000 or more to help them better serve and support youth with disabilities or special needs.
  • Eight grants of $50,000 per year over the span of two years (for a total award of $100,000) will go to programs with annual program budgets of $250,000 or more and annual organizational budgets of $500,000 or more.
  • Eight grants of $25,000 per year over the span of two years (for a total award of $50,000) will go to programs with annual organizational budgets of $250,000 or more.

Grant recipients may use funds for technical assistance, enhancing direct service activities, and/or program expansion. The recipients of two-year grants will be chosen on the strength of their support for youth in the transition to the 9th grade, specifically around such indicators of success as on-time promotion; school attendance rates; improved behavior, grades and test scores; and/or the development of social and emotional skills.

The Afterschool Alliance will convene a panel of reviewers, including leaders in the out-of-school programs field, researchers, program directors, and experts on quality programming, to assess applicants and make grant awards. Grant recipients will be notified in May.

The application deadline is Jan. 26.