Funding Wins and More Your July Newsletter!

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Subject: Funding Wins and More Your July Newsletter!

4 Million Secured for Afterschool in Virginia!

In late June 2026, the Virginia General Assembly finalized Virginia’s 2026-2028 biennium budget. The budget included a total of $4 million for out-of-school time programs. These funds will be awarded to community-based organizations partnering with school divisions to provide afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs, providing additional instructional opportunities to combat learning loss for school-age children attending high-poverty, low-performing schools. In this tight budget cycle, sustaining funds for out-of-school time is a huge win! Thank you for your ongoing support!

Registration Now Open! VPOST 17th Annual Conference

Join the OST Village this November 2nd for VPOST's 17th Annual Conference at the DoubleTree in Williamsburg, Virginia. This year’s theme, The Village We Build: Strengthening Youth and Communities, will highlight the power of connection, collaboration, and community. Join out-of-school time professionals from across the Commonwealth for a day of learning, networking, and inspiration. Check out our website to learn more about opportunities to sponsor, exhibit, present, and register.

Request for Workshop Proposals Now Open!

Does our conference theme on building OST villages speak to you? Do you have an area of expertise in alignment with the Quality Standards for Virginia's Out-of-School Time Programs that you want to share with the out-of-school time community? VPOST is looking for those who have insights, proven strategies, inspiration, and innovations in the field! Full details are in the Request for Proposal, including where to submit your application. The last day to submit is August 3, 2026. Questions can be directed to Christine@v-post.org.

Read the RFP

Calling All Sponsors and Exhibitors!

VPOST warmly welcomes companies and organizations that offer solutions and support for OST educators to join us as sponsors or exhibitors at our conference. We have created a variety of sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities that can be tailored to meet your goals.

Partner with Us!

Nominate a Colleague for the Roberta Newman OST Champion Award

In our commitment to recognizing the dedication and achievements of those in the field, every year during our conference, VPOST awards up to three individuals who demonstrate one of the quality standards through exemplary action. Nominate a member of your village today!

OST Awards Submission Form

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is pleased to announce the release of grant funds for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program!

These funds will be awarded to school divisions and eligible community partners to support the development and implementation of high-quality community learning centers designed to enhance student learning, engagement, and overall development. Funding for this program is authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended.

Applications for 21^st CCLC competitive grant funds must be received by 4 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The completed application and attachments must be emailed to 21stcclc@doe.virginia.gov.

Federal 21st CCLC Updates

On June 5, 2026, a House committee approved a spending bill for the 2027 budget year that would allocate $189.3 billion to education, labor, and health programs, about 3% less than the year before. The bill maintains 21st CCLC funding for afterschool and summer programs at last year's level, $1.329 billion, despite the current administration's proposed elimination. While afterschool funding stayed the same, other programs took big cuts, including money for schools serving a majority of low-income students. The full House Appropriations Committee later approved the bill on June 9, and it now must be reconciled with the Senate's version before it can become law, with a deadline of October 1, 2026. You can learn more here. To help keep afterschool a priority, you can share your support here.

The Quality Boost offers quick, practical tips or resources aligned to one of the Quality Standards for Virginia’s Out-of-School Time Programs. Think of it as a bite-sized way to offer aligned, high-quality practices.

Fostering Inclusion and Belonging is always important, but the extended time in summer programs can give the time and space to focus on building this culture. The Why for Inclusion and Belonging explains, "All people have value and deserve opportunities to succeed while being seen for who they are."

Here are some resources to support your practice:

Universal Design Learning is a framework to create equitable and accessible learning experiences and environments
Let's Talk: This guide offers strategies and resources that help educators prepare to facilitate difficult conversations about race and racism. They can also use them to build competency when discussing other types of discrimination, such as gender bias, ableism, and religious or anti-LGBT persecution.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities: A not-for-profit that provides consultation, professional development, and more to professional groups, including aiding in creating more inclusive K-12 learning environments.
Edutopia has several articles that highlight resources for inclusion and belonging. This article is a great example that shares specific activities and strategies.

If you want to learn more about Inclusion and Belonging or any of our other Quality Standards, you can find more information here.

About 30 million children participate in the USDA’s school breakfast and lunch programs on an average school day. When school is out for the summer, kids lose access to these healthy meals, but they still need nutritious food to grow healthy and strong. That’s why Virginia offers SUN Meals at neighborhood locations to help our kids get the nutrition they need over summer break.

With SUN Meals, kids 18 and under can get free meals and snacks at schools, parks, and other group meal locations. In some rural areas, meals can also be picked up or delivered through SUN Meals To-Go. Every child is welcome to eat and connect with other kids, and some meal locations also offer fun activities! Learn more here.

Mizzen Education

Mizzen Education is a free platform made by OST for OST. Get free lesson plans, searchable by age group, subject, duration, and more! With summer in full swing, a challenge is often finding activities that channel that curiosity without requiring hours of prep or a closet full of supplies.

That's why Mizzen created the STEM Activities for Summer Camp collection. These ready-to-use lessons make it easy to bring hands-on learning into your summer program while keeping the focus on exploration, creativity, and fun. Inside, you'll find:

🔬 Hands-on STEM activities

🧠 Problem-solving and inquiry-based learning

☀️ Flexible activities for camps and youth programs

📦 Ready-to-use lessons with facilitator support

🤝 Collaborative projects that encourage teamwork and exploration

Whether you're introducing STEM concepts or looking for fresh ideas to keep youth engaged, these activities help make meaningful summer learning easier. Learn more at mizzen.org.

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Subject: Funding Wins and More Your July Newsletter!