Interested in starting, expanding, or addressing quality in an afterschool program in North Dakota?

The ND Afterschool Network recently released a Program Start-Up Toolkit to serve as a guide that outlines the necessary components of an afterschool program. Find out if your program needs to obtain childcare licensing, how to define, plan, staff, and fund your program, and guidance on how to cultivate quality within your program.

The toolkit is not a prescriptive guide that tells you exactly how your program must be structured in order to be successful. Rather, regardless of program design or content, this guide helps provide a framework for high-quality, safe, and affordable afterschool programs for youth across North Dakota.

High-quality out-of-school time programs can make important contributions to the healthy development of young people. To have the best chance at success, youth need to receive supports and experiences across many different settings: in their families, schools, afterschool, and in their communities.

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North Dakota public libraries and schools that participate in summer reading challenges or other engagement activities, including the annual College SAVE Summer Reading Champions Campaign, are eligible to be considered for grants awarded as reimbursements from the ND Department of Public Instruction.

At the end of the challenge/engagement period (but no later than August 5, 2024), participating entities must complete and submit a "Summary of Engagement" form to NDDPI.

Summary of Engagement form must be submitted by August 5, 2024 and funds must be expended by September 30, 2024.

Child Care Facility Improvement Grants: ND Health and Human Services will award grants to HHS licensed family and group child care providers, child care centers, licensed preschool and school-age programs. The intent is to assist existing child care businesses with facility revitalization and can be used for costs related to meeting health, safety, and licensing needs. Facilities must be located within North Dakota and be licensed by HHS for six or more months before applying. Learn more about this and other Child Care Program Grants here.

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.

Designed for OST programs, Project Brainy is a six-session neuroscience-based curriculum that enables youth to build social-emotional skills, engage in interactive STEM learning, and increase literacy. Summer and fall OST programs are invited to apply to participate in a research project to study the implementation of the curriculum. Selected programs will receive training, ongoing support, and a $1,500 participation stipend.

Summer applications due May 17, Fall applications due August 2

July 29 - 30, 2024

Holiday Inn, Fargo

The North Dakota Afterschool Network and Child Care Aware of ND are partnering for a second year to host the ND Out-of-School Time and Early Childhood Summit! Join us for two days of in-person learning and connecting with early childhood and school-age out-of-school time program leaders!

Join us for a full day session on July 29 on Owning Your Influence with Amy Brady and Eric Gordon of The Flourish Lab! Learn about the importance of self-compassion in your work, reconnect with your WHY, and walk away with specific tools and strategies you can use to up your leadership game when things are going well and when things feel hard.

Registration Cost:

$75 for Day 1 or Day 2

$125 for Both Days

Credit:

Summit is approved for 7.5 hours Growing Futures credit per day (up to 15 hours total if both days attended) and one graduate credit (15 hours) through Valley City State University if both days attended.