Now open: New York Life Foundation offers grants up to $100,000 for OST programs serving middle school youth

The New York Life Foundation’s 2025 Aim High grant competition is now open for applications! A total of 30 grants totaling $1.8 million will be awarded to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving middle school youth. This marks the 9th year of the Aim High grant competition, bringing the total Aim High investments to $13.35 million!

Programs will be selected for grants based on their ability to help youth transition successfully to ninth grade and how they provide academic, social, and emotional supports for youth. Eligible programs can apply for a $20,000 or a $100,000 grant. Take a look at the opportunities to find the grant category that best aligns with your program’s goals and mission.

The grant categories are:

$100,000 Level

• Fifteen (15) 2-year, $100,000 grants ($50,000 per year) to support programs implementing strategies to improve young people's educational attainment by reducing school absences and chronic absenteeism

$20,000 Level

• Fifteen (15) 1-year, $20,000 general operating grants to support programs that can demonstrate successful student engagement strategies and have strong impact data

Grant funds may be used for technical assistance, enhancing direct service activities, and/or program expansion. All applicants must describe how their programs support youth in the transition to the ninth grade.

• Two-year grant applicants will need to demonstrate improved results around indicators of success such as on-time grade promotion, school attendance rates, behavior, grades and test scores, and/or the development of social and emotional skills.
• One-year grant applicants must describe how they intend to support programs that can demonstrate successful student engagement strategies and have strong impact data.

The New York Life Foundation invests in middle school OST programs to help eighth-graders living in marginalized and under-resourced communities successfully get to ninth grade on time and prepared for high school. Research indicates that increased learning opportunities through high-quality afterschool, expanded-day, and summer programs leads to greater academic achievement, better school attendance, and greater student engagement.

Since 2013, the Foundation has invested more than $85.8 million toward national middle school OST initiatives. The Aim High RFP grants program provides a way for the Foundation to support smaller programs in communities nationwide.

The Afterschool Alliance is administering the grant application process on behalf of the Foundation. An expert panel of external reviewers will assist in evaluating the applications. Awardees will be notified in June 2025.

Join us on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 2 p.m. EST for a livestream to learn more about the Aim High grant process and best practices for a strong application.

Applications are due March 7, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. View the full RFP and submit your application.

Questions? Email the Afterschool Alliance at aimhigh@afterschoolalliance.org.