The West Virginia Dept. of Education will release its request for proposals for the 2025 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant competition in early February.
Community organizations and agencies can apply for funds to support engaging and academic after-school programs and activities.
Grant funding supports tutoring, homework assistance and a broad range of supplementary programming beyond the regular school day.
The grant also requires family engagement opportunities allowing parents and caregivers to engage in their children’s learning.
“When community organizations partner with public schools, great things can happen that support high academic standards and provide students the chance to thrive and achieve,” said state superintendent of schools Michele L. Blatt. “The West Virginia Dept. of Education invites those with a desire to champion academic progress to apply and help students reach their goals.”
A bidder’s conference outlining program requirements will be held in Charleston at the Kanawha County Public Library at 123 Capitol St. beginning at 10 a.m. Feb. 11.
An additional meeting will be held in Morgantown at the Erickson Alumni Center at West Virginia University at 1 Alumni Drive starting at 10 a.m. Feb. 12.
An online conference will be available Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. for those who cannot attend in person.
All proposals are reviewed for completeness and adherence before being submitted into the competitive peer review process.
The peer review process consists of a scoring system to determine each proposal’s quality and potential for success.
Grants will be announced at the end of July 2025, and after-school programming must begin before Oct. 15.
Grant funds are provided to awardees for five years, contingent on continued federal funding and successful program implementation.
Questions may be directed to Sherry Swint at [email protected] or by calling 304.558.7805.
The Brooke County Review, Wellsburg, WV