21CCLC Blog

TransACT Communications (transact.com) has acquired App-Garden (app-garden.com), a leader in K-12 transportation and operations administrative software. The App-Garden team has over 27 years of experience in developing easy-to-use administrative software to support school bus routing, field trip management, event scheduling and facilities management, volunteer operations, virtual substitute teacher training, and more. Working together, TransACT and The App-Garden are proud to offer K12 administrators cost effective software and outstanding customer service to help improve operations and service delivery in school district operations.

After-school and out-of-school-time (OST) programs offer more than just childcare. Research consistently finds that they promote social skills, bolster students’ connection to school, increase school attendance, improve grades and academic achievement, and reduce problem behaviors. Better data enables these programs to improve student outcomes by focusing on services that offer the most value to participants. Many after-school programs rely on the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) program to fund their services. The grants this program funds require annual reporting that includes data on attendance, outcomes, academic achievement, participant demographics, and more. Use the easiest to use and most cost effective 21APR reporting software to meet federal grant requirements.

This blog was published in 2020 and updated on May 24th, 2023.

High-quality after-school programs serve an important purpose in our communities. Research shows they improve everything from educational outcomes and school attendance to social and emotional learning. 

The key to creating a successful grants management plan is making the best possible use of funds to set a program up for long-term success. Research is extremely important during this stage—and there are a few key things to remember:  

This blog was updated on July 25th, 2023.

After-school enrichment programs offer many benefits, such as:

• Building on different skill sets
• Inspiring future career paths
• Improving school-day attendance

In fact, nine in ten adults say after-school programs are important to their community. This article highlights a few ways that after-school enrichment programs help today’s youth.

Download our Guide to Creating a Successful Educational Grants Management Plan for Your After-School Program

Securing funding to keep an after-school program alive and thriving is challenging. Long-term thinking is essential for securing funding and sustaining after-school programs. By focusing on what is ahead—and putting a plan in place to manage grant funding—after-school program directors can give their programs a strong foundation for the future. This article explores the importance of long-term thinking when it comes to creating grants management plans for after-school programs.

After-school programs are essential to our communities. Without these programs, millions of parents would be left without a reliable, secure, and enriching space for their child to go before or after-school hours. But because these programs exist, participants are allowed the opportunity to receive additional education in a space that is safe and affordable. 

An after-school business plan helps support the long-term sustainability of a program. As programs grow and evolve, it makes sense to revisit funding strategy, particularly the funding sources that are needed to sustain a program as various grants end.

It’s no secret that attendance, both during and after school hours, has close ties to student success. Research has long shown that when students regularly participate in quality after-school programs, their school-day attendance, classroom work habits, and decision-making skills all improve.

It’s that time of year again, Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week! We are proud to team up with the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) to celebrate the professionals at the heart of after-school programs nationwide.