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Deadline: Friday, March 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET
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On behalf of the New York Life Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance invites out-of-school time programs to apply for an Aim High grant, supporting and bolstering their efforts to prepare middle school students for success in high school, college, and beyond.
Why Middle School?
A large body of evidence indicates the pivotal role of middle school in shaping a young person’s long-term academic trajectory. Enriching out-of-school time (OST) programs—such as afterschool and summer learning programs—are an effective means of helping middle school students successfully transition from 8th to 9th grade. Additionally, these programs provide holistic benefits to students that extend beyond academics, nurturing the cognitive, social, and emotional development of students. The New York Life Foundation’s educational enhancement grantmaking strategy aims to help middle school students thrive and become better prepared to complete high school and pursue college, providing them with a brighter future.
Why was the Aim High Program created?
The New York Life Foundation established the Aim High grant program to support local community-based afterschool and summer learning programs to provide the foundational skills and guidance that middle school students need to be prepared for the critical transition into high school.
The Aim High Grant Program
This competitive grant program includes both one- and two-year grant opportunities. Applicants can only apply for one of these grants. One-year grants will commence in August 2025 and conclude in August 2026. Two-year grants will begin in August 2025 and end in August 2027.
One-Year Grants:
Fifteen one-year, $20,000 general operating grants will be awarded to programs that demonstrate successful student engagement strategies and have strong impact data. Unlike in previous years, applicants for the one-year grants will not have to meet a specific focus or theme.
Two-Year Grants:
Fifteen two-year grants of $100,000 will be awarded to middle school programs to support efforts that help reduce school absences and chronic absenteeism, which has a strong impact on educational attainment.