More than $3 million in federal funding is now available for summer 2023 enrichment programs that address student learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and enrichment service providers can request such resources.
Program providers can apply until January 9, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. on the website www.SMCStrong.org. Funds will be distributed in March 2023. Grants will range from $15,000 to $100,000 depending on how many school-age children?Kindergarten through 12th grade? are currently cared for.
Two types of summer enrichment program providers may apply for a grant:
1) Local government and school district providers that offer programs for youth with annual household incomes of less than 80 percent of area median income.
2) Local non-profit and for-profit businesses that provide enrichment programs to this same population of youth.
All funded programs will revitalize student learning and promote emotional well-being. In addition, grant program organizers encourage programs that offer meals, mental health services, and transportation to apply. Programs that will give local workers the opportunity to enter or remain in youth-serving jobs are also encouraged.
This is the second round of the Board of Supervisors funded Summer Enrichment Scholarships.
Notably, the Board approved $3 million in funding for this second round after hearing the results of a third-party evaluation of the 2022 program. That evaluation showed that the majority of the 6,767 students participating in programs supported by the Scholarships for Summer Enrichment 2022 significantly increased their social skills and development last summer.
Applicants must, among other criteria, be located in and serving the youth of San Mateo County, be operational by summer 2023, provide at least 4 weeks ?20 days? of summer enrichment programming and offer at least 4 hours of programming per day.
In turn, it must serve school-age children "TK -12th grade", while the school district's programs must serve mainly socially and economically disadvantaged youth "SED", while non-profit organizations must give attest to having experienced negative economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic and provide summer enrichment programs for SED youth.
Similarly, local small businesses must attest to having experienced negative economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have 25 or fewer full-time employees, and provide summer enrichment programs to SED youth.
Applicants will be selected based on a weighted score that includes communities to be served, plans to serve more students by adding slots and/or hours, whether they offer other supports for students and families, and whether they can hire additional staff and/or use the grant to increase staff salaries.
For a full list of application and scoring criteria and to apply, applicants can visit the site https://www.smcstrong.org/apply-for-funding.
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