Sources, Use, and Adequacy of Funding for Five Afterschool Programs

This brief presents case study research on afterschool program funding.

The five sites in the study received funding from multiple sources to provide program services. Among the sources, in-kind support from school districts and volunteers was often crucial to support program operations. Program administrators reported spending considerable time fundraising and anxiety about maintaining funding levels. Staff describe their funding as adequate to provide their current programming, but all noted a desire for additional funding to expand programming to better meet the needs of school-age children and improve staff training.

A collaboration by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and Office of Women’s Health, the Improving Programs, Policies, and Services to Promote Healthy Development in Middle Childhood in Afterschool Settings project examined how relevant federal investments support local efforts. The study focused on the extent to which evidence-based interventions are implemented in afterschool programs; promising practices for administering, improving, and sustaining these interventions; and how programs can better address the needs of boys and girls.