UPDATED LINKS: New RFPs in your June Newsletter!

- Tweet0
- 0
- Pin It 0
- 0
- Subscribe to RSS
Subscribe

Subject: UPDATED LINKS: New RFPs in your June Newsletter!

Registration Now Open! VPOST 17th Annual Conference

Join the OST Village this November 2nd for VPOST 17th Annual Conference, taking place 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.

Learn More about Conference

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.

Eligible Applicants Include:

School Divisions
Nonprofit Organizations
City or County Government Agencies
Faith-Based Organizations
Institutions of Higher Education
For-Profit Organizations

Technical assistance workshops are scheduled as outlined below:

School divisions and eligible organizations interested in attending a workshop should submit a registration form no later than Thursday, June 11, 2026. For more resources, important dates, and to access the application, visit our website.

New Trump Budget Proposal for FY 2027 Eliminates Afterschool

The Trump Administration's FY2027 Skinny Budget proposal appears to zero out funding for 21st CCLC and consolidate the program, along with 16 others, totaling $6.5 billion, into a new $2 billion block grant known as the Make Education Great Again (MEGA) Program.

In addition, the budget proposes eliminating $2.1 billion in other education programs and reducing overall federal education investment. The preliminary budget, released April 3rd, outlines the administration's funding priorities, with additional details expected later this month. It is now up to Congress to write and pass final spending legislation for FY 2027.

URGE Congress to protect kids' afterschool and summer programs by maintaining dedicated funding for 21st CCLC!

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.

As the school year winds down and summer programs begin, this transition period is a great time for reflection. That's why we're highlighting Safe Environments.

The Why for Safe Environments explains, "We create safe and secure environments for children to be ready and available to learn."

If you want to know more about Safe Environments or any of our other Quality Standards, you can learn more here.

July 6-10, 2026, is National Summer Learning Week! NSLA's National Summer Learning Week is a nationwide celebration that elevates the importance of summer learning in keeping kids engaged, safe, and healthy during the summer months. Get helpful resources to celebrate your summer program and share your event to be featured during the week!

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.

Lights on Afterschool Poster Contest

Afterschool Alliance's Lights On Afterschool poster contest is officially open! The winning artwork will be printed on more than 50,000 posters that will be displayed at more than 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events around the world. The Lights On Afterschool poster contest is a great opportunity for an afterschool program to gain national recognition for the opportunities it offers. The winning artist will be featured on our website, blog, and a national press release, and their afterschool program will be credited on the poster in addition to receiving the grand prize of $500! Voting will take place June 22-26 on Facebook and Instagram. More info, including the entry form, is available 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! In collaboration with Mizzen, Learn Fresh has launched their MLS STEM Goals collection. This partnership tackles a key challenge in out-of-school learning: making math both engaging and impactful for all learners.

By combining real-world sports data with fast-paced, strategic play, this collection takes youth through the arc of a professional season, from signing a sportsmanship contract to tracking performance data and competing in a final championship tournament. Learn more at mizzen.org.

Support VPOST

Subscribe

Subject: UPDATED LINKS: New RFPs in your June Newsletter!