ISBE Announces $37.8 million in Funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Competition

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has announced that applications are open for the fiscal year 2026 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant competition, which will provide an estimated $37.8 million in federal funding over the next three years, subject to annual federal appropriations. Funded through Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, the program supports schools and community organizations in establishing or expanding after-school programs that help students meet state and local learning standards, particularly those attending high-poverty, low-performing schools.

"After-school programs open doors of opportunity for students," said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. "They give students a safe, supportive place to learn, explore, and discover what excites them. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program helps schools and community partners provide meaningful opportunities that boost academic success and build stronger connections between students, families, and their communities."

The FY 2026 21st CCLC grant competition will provide $12.6 million in grants in this fiscal year. Recipients will have the opportunity to reapply for continued funding for up to two additional years, contingent upon compliance with federal and state laws, state grant-making rules, passage of sufficient federal appropriations for the program, and satisfactory performance in the preceding grant year.

Grant awards will range from $50,000 to $600,000 annually, depending on program size and scope, with individual site awards ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 per year. Awards will not be renewable under this Notice of Funding Opportunity/Request for Proposals (NOFO/RFP) beyond the initial three-year grant term.

The 21st CCLC grant program expands educational access and enriches learning for students across Illinois. In FY 2024, the most recent year for which data are available, 21st CCLC programs served 53,714 students across Illinois. Participants gain access to tutoring, STEM and arts enrichment, mentoring, recreation, and family engagement opportunities. Research from the Afterschool Alliance shows that after-school programs help boost school attendance, improve academic achievement, and strengthen connections between schools, families, and communities.

Eligible applicants include public and private entities such as school districts, university laboratory schools, state-authorized charter schools, area vocational centers, Regional Offices of Education, Intermediate Service Centers, community-based and faith-based organizations, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and consortia of two or more eligible entities. Past and current recipients are eligible to apply. However, applications are ineligible if they propose to serve any school or other entity that will already be receiving 21st CCLC services during FY 2026.

Applicants must propose to primarily serve students attending schools where at least 40% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Joint applications are encouraged and may qualify for additional priority points during evaluation. Novice applicants must participate in a joint application to be eligible for those priority points, consistent with the program's intent to prioritize partnerships.

Applicants may submit multiple proposals in response to this NOFO/RFP​ but may receive no more than three awards in the competition.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24 through ISBE's Attachment Manager. Interested applicants should carefully review the eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria, which have been updated for clarity in this year's competition.

Full application materials and instructions are available on ISBE's 21st CCLC: Prospective Grantees webpage​.