Description
The New Jersey Department of Education is offering up to eight competitive grants totaling $3 million to support 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) for FY27. Grants fund a 12‑month program (Sept 1 2026 – Aug 31 2027) that must provide before‑school, after‑school, and summer services to students in grades 3‑12, focusing on academic remediation, enrichment, positive youth development, health, nutrition, and family involvement. Applicants may be LEAs, non‑profit CBOs, higher‑education institutions, or other eligible entities, and must serve at least 75 students (minimum 30 per site) with a 1‑staff‑to‑15‑students ratio. Funding ranges from $250 k to $600 k depending on the number of students served, with strict budgeting, reporting, and evaluation requirements, including monthly EZ reports, quarterly interim reports, and a final expenditure report. The program also requires child‑care licensing (if serving children ≤ 13), transportation provision, external evaluation, and a sustainability plan.
• Eligible applicants: NJ non‑profit orgs, LEAs (including charter schools), higher‑education institutions, for‑profit agencies, tribal entities, and consortia.
• Required program components: before‑school (≥ 1 hr/day), after‑school (≥ 3 hr/day), summer (≥ 4 hr/day for ≥ 4 weeks) and a suite of six core service areas.
• Funding limits: $250 k‑$600 k per award based on student count; indirect costs capped at 8 %, administrative costs ≤ 10 %; sub‑granting ≤ 20 % to any single entity.
• Reporting & compliance: monthly reimbursement requests (15th), quarterly interim reports, final report (Oct 31 2027), and mandatory on‑site monitoring visits.