As some after-school programs can attest, funding can be unpredictable. While many 21CCLC programs are able to secure funding for a period of 3-5 years, some are unable to secure large dedicated grants in perpetuity. This could be attributed to a lack of funding at the federal level, inadequate record keeping, poor performance results, or a host of other reasons.

There are many ways that program directors or managers can help their after school programs stay competitive with funding opportunities. A reality of any publicly funded education program is the possibility of budget cuts. While educators are used to this, they may still be wondering: what are the best ways to stay competitive with grant opportunities, and make sure my program receives what it needs?

Get organized

When educators and administrators are overwhelmed, housekeeping paperwork and records management can take a backseat to more pressing concerns, such as making sure classrooms are properly staffed or receiving adequate funding for each student participant. Having a software program that can automatically manage some of your administrative tasks frees up valuable resources. Taking the burden of manually entering data off the administrative staff allows them more time to engage with students, expand on current program offerings, provide more tangible resources (such as school supplies), and operate more efficiently.

Submit reports in a timely manner

When data is well-organized, it becomes much easier for staff to continue to maintain excellent records, no matter how busy the school year becomes. Additionally, when it comes time to report on program performance, dedicated after school software can help lighten the load by compiling reports automatically, making them easy to submit to local, state, or federal agencies or other funders on time without scrambling at the last minute.

When these reports are completed and submitted regularly, it can open the door for future funding opportunities.

Encourage staff members to keep impeccable records

Many schools are stuck with outmoded forms of data management. While many businesses in the private sector may have the option to update their systems at any time, public sector organizations don’t always have the same luxury. Older methods of data management are often highly-manual, meaning that the computer does little else besides store information, and any analysis must be created and managed by the user.

Another issue with paper or spreadsheet records is the increased chance of information going missing or being analyzed incorrectly, resulting in inaccurate reporting. When we’re in a hurry, we tend to make more mistakes, and certain times of the year can be more hectic than others. With after school program software, these mistakes become far less frequent, or even nonexistent.

It can be daunting to change the way we store and submit information, but it doesn’t have to be. These days, any kind of data migration tends to be fast and efficient as more and more businesses, government agencies, and departments discover the need to digitize records and move away from paper and manual record-keeping systems.

Simplify daily operations and offer great support to administrators and educators by providing them with the tools to quickly and easily compile and submit records. Want to learn more? Contact the experts at AfterSchool21 to request a demo.