On July 31, 2025, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced its FY 2026 education spending bill with a bipartisan 26–3 vote. According to committee summaries and external policy analysis, the bill preserves $1.329 billion in funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)—matching FY 2025 levels and rejecting the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the program through block grant consolidation.
Why This Matters: The 21st CCLC program serves more than 1.7 million students annually. Thanks to strong advocacy, this vital afterschool funding remains intact—for now. Public support is overwhelming: over 80% of voters favor continued federal investment. Program leaders like you are the reason this funding survives.
What Program and Site Directors Need to Know:
- Funding is protected for now. The Senate bill maintains full 21st CCLC funding at current levels for FY 2026.
- The final outcome is still pending. The full budget must be passed by both chambers, but the House’s proposed funding level for afterschool is somewhat lower than the version advanced by Senate appropriators.
- Helpful provisions included. New language encourages timely grant distribution and adequate ED staffing to reduce rollout delays.
- Now is a critical time to engage. Share your story, show your impact, and encourage your community to do the same.
Read the full policy breakdown →
📆 July 2025
On July 21, 2025, State Education Agencies received their official Grant Award Notifications (GANs) for the FY 2025 cycle of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). This funding covers the 2025–26 school year and allows states to move forward with awarding local afterschool and summer program grants.
The total federal allocation remains at $1.329 billion, the same as FY 2024. However, individual state amounts have changed based on updated low-income student data.
Source: Afterschool Alliance – July 22, 2025
✅ What Program and Site Directors Need to Know
- Funding is moving forward. GANs were delivered to state agencies. Program-level subgrants will begin as states complete their internal approval process.
- Compliance terms apply. States must accept federal conditions related to civil rights, participation eligibility, and faith-based provider rules.
- State-level timing may vary. Your local program's access depends on your state agency's formal acceptance and grant release schedule.
- Other education funding remains frozen. While 21st CCLC is now active, programs relying on Title IV-A, Title II-A, Title III-A, and other streams should expect delays.
📝 Action Steps for Directors
| Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Check with your state agency | Confirm grant release timeline and local application details |
| Review updated compliance language | Ensure your program aligns with federal and state funding terms |
| Prepare for variable state allocations | Funding amounts may shift based on revised low-income enrollment data |
| Stay informed about other funding streams | Additional federal grant programs may still be delayed |
| Invest in sustainable program materials | Helps reduce prep time, supports compliance, and ensures your program can run strong even with future funding changes |
Now is the perfect time to invest in sustainable afterschool programming!
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This page will be updated with new information about the 21st CCLC program, state timelines, or additional grant activity. Bookmark it and return regularly for updates.