Ready, STEM, Go! Registration Now Open

The North Dakota Afterschool Network is partnering for a second year with 5 other statewide afterschool networks to bring afterschool professionals across North Dakota and the country with two days of STEM learning and professional development. With support from the STEM Next Foundation and Million Girls Moonshot Initiative, this event is FREE for all afterschool educators!

Afterschool Policy & Funding Updates

Biden-Harris 2024 Student Achievement Agenda: Increase Summer and Afterschool Learning

The Biden-Harris administration announced the Student Achievement Agenda. Included in the agenda are three evidence-based strategies that improve student learning:

Increase student attendance
Provide high-dosage tutoring
Increase summer learning & extended or afterschool learning time.

The administration is urging States, districts, and schools to adopt these three strategies to support student learning. One study found that when students consistently participate in high-quality afterschool enrichment programs, it adds about four months of student learning to the academic year. Summer programs lasting five weeks with at least three hours of academic instruction per day add about two months of learning in math and one month of learning in reading.

Pending appropriations, the Department plans to run several grant competitions in 2024 that support academic achievement through priorities for evidence-based instructional approaches and supports. Across several grant programs, funds may be used to support academic success strategies including high-dosage tutoring, extended, afterschool and summer learning time, ongoing support for educators such as math and literacy coaching, and more.

Learn More

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Matching Grant Program: Open to schools and youth-serving organizations (birth through 12th grade), the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) annual Matching Grant program can help double your impact on children's literacy within your community. RIF will accept grant applications from January 29 through February 29, 2024.

North Dakota Corn Council FREE Teacher Resources: The North Dakota Corn Utilization Council announces a new initiative to provide free lessons to ND educators and bring STEM education into K-12 classrooms through the launch of Mystery of Corn Educational readers. ND educators can subscribe for free to receive a reader for each student to investigate a mystery about corn. These readers can be used along with other corn STEM lessons or as a standalone piece. Each reader comes with a teacher guide and supplemental teaching materials. The readers have been developed to meet ND educational standards and four versions are available: K-1, 2-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Suggested uses of the readers include activities for substitute teachers, science or STEM learning time, small reading groups or reading centers, career exploration, and as an afterschool resource.

Main Street Community Education Grants: The State Historical Society of North Dakota is administering the Cultural Heritage Grant Program for projects encouraging partnership between a teacher/educator and a local museum or history organization that will connect youth, young adults, and the community to local and regional history. Teachers and educators are encouraged to apply for a Project Grant up to $15,000 or a Field Trip Grant up to $1,500. Projects must be completed by May 31, 2025. Application must be received a minimum of 4 weeks prior to event and funds are allocated on a rolling basis.

Discover Literacy Grants: Discover is offering grants of up to $5,000 to nonprofit organizations working in the areas of education and literacy. Funding, donations, and sponsorships are intended to support programs and initiatives that meet the needs of various communities across the country. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

BNSF Railway: Grants will be considered for a BNSF Railway Foundation grant if they meet at least two of the following criteria: Your organization or project has significant BNSF employee participation, your organization or services provided are in close proximity to a BNSF main line; or if BNSF is the only railroad in your state; Your request is related to the railroad industry; and/or your request is for direct programming or project support. Strong preference given to requests that fall under the following areas of interest: Environmental, sustainability, or conservation projects, health & human services, or cultural and historic preservation. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

Upcoming Training & Events

Watch for registration information to come soon for the ND Out-of-School Time & Early Childhood Summit!

July 29 - 30, 2024

Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND

ND Afterschool Quality Coaching

The ND Afterschool Network is hosting a Spring 2024 Cohort of the Afterschool Quality Coaching Book Study. This 5 week series will include training and support to implement a flexible coaching model into your afterschool or out-of-school time program. Weekly reading and action assignments will follow each live session to practice new skills and debrief as a group.

This series is FREE to any North Dakota afterschool professional. Participants will receive both required texts at no cost.

Contact Kristin Knorr to register.

February ConnectEd Live Session Schedule

ConnectEd supports North Dakota educators in their efforts to provide high-quality, extended day programming for youth for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8.

Lessons are streamed live from 4:00 - 4:30pm CT and recordings of all lessons are available on-demand. Your role is to co-facilitate by engaging students on your side of the screen while our state partners deliver the lesson. You are able to customize the learning experience to the needs of your program by downloading the lesson resources.

Upcoming live lessons:

February 6: Grades 3-8, ND Game and Fish/Habitats of ND
February 13: Grades K-2, ND Council on the Arts/Visual Artist Nicole Gagner
February 20: Grades K-2, Gateway to Science/National Engineers Week Event
February 27: Grades 3-8, ND Heritage Center and State Museum

ConnectEd is supported in part through the North Dakota Afterschool Network's Million Girls Moonshot Initiative.

Learn More

Strategies for Retaining Volunteers in Youth-Serving Organizations

February 7 | Virtual

Many youth-serving organizations engage volunteers to deliver youth programming. As organizations grow in scale and complexity, engagement of new volunteers and retention of quality volunteers are key priorities. Join University of Minnesota Extension volunteer systems director for youth development to learn more about promoting volunteer retention and creating organizational stability through strengthening volunteer management practice. Audience: Adults who work with and on behalf of youth. Register here.

Holistic Wellness for Educators

February 13 | Virtual

Participants will examine their own self-awareness and life balance in order to assess how they are managing during the new and irregular normal. Join kid-grit to analyze "bad habits" and how to build healthy ones. Mindfulness and emotional intelligence strategies will help participants stay healthy and productive. Audience: frontline staff, educators, support staff

February 15 | Virtual

Every Hour Counts will host "Powered by Youth Voice: Future of Afterschool for Youth, By Youth" on Thursday, February 15th at 2pm CST. Young people and intermediary partners will share their hopes for the future of afterschool. Register here.

BeHeard for Educators

February 19 | Virtual

Behavioral Health Education, Awareness, and Response Development (BeHEARD) for Educators explores behavioral health concerns in youth aged 10-17. This basic course will provide you with tools to support youth struggling with a wide range of behavioral health concerns. This course includes 4-5 hours of self-learning modules and a 4-hour live virtual session. Register here.

NSLA: 2024 Summer Planning Bootcamp

March 6-7 | Virtual

All children deserve access to an enriching summer experience that supports their personal and academic development. This two-day webinar series is designed to equip you with tools, ideas, and best practices to elevate your summer program planning game. Guided by dynamic experts and leaders, day 1 will focus on policy & research, student well-being, and using summer to promote youth voice, nature, community service, college prep, and career exposure. On day 2, we will shift towards academic support, creative enrichment activities, and partnerships to support and reach more youth. Register here

National AfterSchool Association Annual Convention

March 17-20 | Dallas, TX

Find your all at the National AfterSchool Association Convention in Dallas, TX from March 17-20, 2024! Join us for an NAA24 filled with opportunities to be authentic, brave, and curious with fellow out-of-school time professionals who just get it! Register now.

Ready, STEM, Go!

March 27-28 | Virtual

Save the Date for the second annual Ready, STEM, Go! virtual conference for out-of-school time educators. Hosted by six statewide afterschool networks, including the North Dakota Afterschool Network, this two-day event is free for any afterschool or summer learning staff interested in incorporating STEM into your programming. Registration Open Now!

Our Mission

We equip North Dakota afterschool programs with the tools and support to expand program quality, build leadership capacity, and ensure access to afterschool programs for all youth in their community.