Memo Text
The Nita M. Lowey Arkansas 21st Century Community Learning
Centers (21st CCLC) program supports the creation of community learning centers
that provide academic enrichment during non-school hours for children,
particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The
program helps students meet state and local standards in core academic
subjects, such as reading, literacy, math, and science; offers students a broad
array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic
programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of
participating children. The 2022 Nita M. Lowey Arkansas 21st CCLC Grant
Application will be open for submission from March 1, 2022, through May 1,
2022.
- An Intent to Apply must be completed before April 15,
2022, to be eligible. This form also requires documentation of public
notice given to the community about the targeted site this grant will
serve.
- All applicants will be required to achieve an overall
grant rating of “Meets Standard” in all sections to be considered for
funding.
- All sections of the grant must be completed to achieve
funding eligibility.
- Grants must be submitted via the online Submittable.com platform to be considered for eligibility.
Applicants will need to reference and, in some cases, fill out
and upload files from the Resources Section below. We ask that you please fully
review the Arkansas 21st CCLC Grant Guidance document before applying for the
21st CCLC grant. For additional technical assistance with the grant guidance,
DESE 21st CCLC Program Office will provide virtual meeting(s) to allow
potential applicants the opportunity to fully understand the guidance and the
expectations of 21st CCLC programs in Arkansas. The virtual meeting date(s) and
time(s) will be located on the Nita M. Lowey Arkansas 21st CCLC website listed
below.https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/public-school-accountability/federalprograms/nita-m-lowey---21st-century-community-learning-centers
Resources and Forms Required for Application Completion:
Applicants who achieve an overall grant rating of “Meets
Standard” (click here for the
rubric) will move to the
priority round for review. Priority percentage points (2% for each criteria
met) will be given for the following areas below if the information is provided
within the application.
- Applicant is writing for a high school-only program.
- Applicant is writing for a Comprehensive or Targeted
Support School site.
- Applicant is writing for a site where there is not
another 21st CCLC within a 30-mile radius.
- Applicant is writing for a site that has never been
awarded a 21st CCLC grant.
- Applicant is writing for a program that includes four
or more weeks of summer programming (15-20 hours).
- Applicant is a previously awarded applicant but did not
meet monthly and yearly required fiscal, programmatic, and program data
requirements on time and in an accurate manner (A negative 2
percentage points will be given to the applicant that meets
this criteria).
All applicants must provide documentation of a Public Notice.
Previously awarded applicants must complete Section 13 accurately to continue
in the review process. These two items will not receive a score, but they will
be documented as MET or NOT MET within the review process. Due to these items
being required, items marked NOT MET will not continue in the review process.
All applicants who receive the grant will be required to start programming by
October 1, 2022.