Afterschool Alliance

Afterschool Alliance is a United States-based, nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on expanding access to affordable, high-quality afterschool programs for children and young people. It operates as both an advocacy organization and a sector resource center, working to increase public and private investment in programs that serve students outside regular school hours, including before-school, afterschool, and summer-learning initiatives. The organization emerged from public-awareness and capacity-building work associated with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. Those efforts were connected to the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, which provides grants to communities for afterschool and related learning programs. In September 1999, the Mott Foundation, federal education officials, and a group of philanthropic, corporate, entertainment, and nonprofit partners came together to establish a dedicated national alliance. The organization was formally incorporated in 2000. Afterschool Alliance combines communications, coalition building, research dissemination, public education, and policy advocacy. Its work is aimed at policymakers, education and youth-service organizations, program providers, families, businesses, philanthropic institutions, and community leaders. The organization promotes the view that afterschool programs can support academic achievement, workforce participation by parents, youth development, safety, health, and community engagement. It also seeks to raise awareness of the unmet demand for such services and the consequences of inadequate funding. Its activities include organizing national advocacy events, supporting state and local afterschool coalitions, producing reports and policy materials, training spokespeople, and coordinating public campaigns. The Afterschool for All Challenge has brought together program staff, students, parents, advocates, and public officials for training, networking, and meetings with members of Congress. The Lights On Afterschool campaign uses public events, media outreach, and symbolic displays to show the value of afterschool programs and the skills developed by participating students. The Afterschool for All petition and the Afterschool Ambassadors initiative extend the organization’s coalition and communications work beyond Washington, D.C. The Alliance has supported federal policy proposals affecting the afterschool field, including efforts to reauthorize and strengthen the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. It has also advocated for child-care legislation and emphasized the importance of quality school-age care to children’s educational and developmental outcomes. The organization’s public materials describe a network of more than 25,000 afterschool program partners, while its publications and communications have reached tens of thousands of interested readers each month. Afterschool Alliance is not a commercial product brand. Its principal offerings are advocacy campaigns, sector information, convening programs, research and communications materials, and training or public-engagement initiatives. Its present role is that of a national intermediary and public advocate for afterschool programming in the United States.

Afterschool Alliance was created in response to growing recognition that children and adolescents need structured, supervised, and educational opportunities beyond the traditional school day. Its institutional roots lay in work by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education to expand afterschool services through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative. Under that public-private model, the federal government supplied grants to local communities, while philanthropic support helped develop training, evaluation, and public-awareness efforts. The initiative attracted organizations from outside government and philanthropy that shared an interest in making afterschool opportunities more widely available. In September 1999, representatives associated with the Mott Foundation, the Department of Education, JCPenney, the Open Society Institute and The After-School Corporation, the Entertainment Industry Foundation, and the Creative Artists Agency Foundation came together to form the Afterschool Alliance. The organization was formally incorporated as a nonprofit in 2000. From its beginning, the Alliance was designed to perform two related functions. First, it would serve as a communications and advocacy platform for increasing public and private investment in afterschool programs. Second, it would act as a central resource for the field, distributing information and connecting providers, coalitions, policymakers, businesses, funders, and community organizations. This combination allowed the Alliance to address both public understanding and the practical needs of organizations delivering services. A major part of the organization’s strategy has been to make the value of afterschool visible to the public. Lights On Afterschool became its signature national awareness campaign, using rallies, demonstrations, media coverage, and local events to show what students learn and do in afterschool settings. Events have included student exhibitions and community gatherings, while prominent buildings and civic institutions have used lighting displays to signal support. In 2001, Arnold Schwarzenegger served as honorary chair of the event. In 2008, the campaign changed its symbolic lightbulb from an incandescent design to a compact fluorescent lamp, linking the campaign’s visual identity with energy-efficiency messaging. The Alliance also developed the Afterschool for All Challenge, a Washington, D.C., conference and advocacy gathering for youth, staff, parents, program leaders, community representatives, and supporters. The event combines training and networking with meetings involving congressional offices and recognition of public officials who have supported afterschool programming. Its broader Afterschool for All initiative has used a national petition and coalition structure to express support for quality, affordable afterschool opportunities for every child and young person. The organization has additionally trained Afterschool Ambassadors to act as local spokespeople, communicate with media, and explain the value of afterschool services in their communities. Policy advocacy has remained central to the Alliance’s work. It has supported federal efforts to preserve and improve 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the main federal funding stream for afterschool programming, and has promoted legislation intended to encourage innovation in before-school, afterschool, and summer-learning programs. The Alliance has also engaged with child-care policy, arguing that school-age care contributes to academic performance, work habits, study skills, and positive developmental outcomes while helping parents meet work and family responsibilities. Over time, Afterschool Alliance has built relationships with national associations, education and youth-service groups, businesses, philanthropic organizations, state and local coalitions, and program providers. Its published materials have reached a substantial professional and public audience, and the organization has reported relationships with more than 25,000 afterschool program partners. The Alliance remains an active U.S. nonprofit intermediary whose work centers on public education, advocacy, coalition building, research communication, and professional support rather than the direct sale of consumer products.

• 2015

  Afterschool for America's Children Act reintroduced

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The proposed federal afterschool legislation was reintroduced in the 114th Congress.

• 2014

  Afterschool for America's Children Act introduced

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  House legislation was introduced to reauthorize and strengthen the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative.

• 2013

  Advocacy for child-care reauthorization

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The Alliance supported the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 and emphasized the role of quality school-age care.

• 2008

  Lights On Afterschool adopts a compact fluorescent lightbulb symbol

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The campaign replaced its former incandescent-bulb symbol with a compact fluorescent design as part of an energy-efficiency message.

• 2001

  Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes Lights On Afterschool honorary chair

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Arnold Schwarzenegger was named honorary chair of the organization’s nationwide Lights On Afterschool campaign.

• 2000

  Afterschool Alliance incorporated

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The Afterschool Alliance was formally incorporated as a U.S. nonprofit organization.

• 1999

  Founding coalition formed

  [1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  A group led by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education joined with corporate, philanthropic, and nonprofit partners to establish the organization.

A national, nonpartisan voice and information hub for afterschool providers, advocates, policymakers, families, and community partners.

• Public-awareness campaign

  Lights On Afterschool

  A nationwide annual campaign that uses rallies, open houses, student demonstrations, media outreach, and civic displays to communicate the value of afterschool programs. The events give students opportunities to present skills developed through their programs and help communities illustrate the demand for continued investment. The campaign has been associated with thousands of events across the United States and broad local and national media attention.

• Conference and advocacy convening

  Afterschool for All Challenge

  A Washington, D.C.-based gathering for young people, parents, afterschool staff, providers, advocates, agency leaders, and community representatives. The event combines professional learning and networking with meetings with congressional offices and recognition of public officials who have supported afterschool programs.

• Petition and coalition initiative

  Afterschool for All

  A national petition and coalition effort calling for every child and young person to have access to quality, affordable afterschool opportunities. The initiative has involved education, civic, business, sports, philanthropic, and community organizations, as well as public officials and other supporters.

• Advocacy and spokesperson training

  Afterschool Ambassadors

  A training initiative that prepares participants to serve as local spokespeople for afterschool programming. Ambassadors receive communications and media training, share field experience, and act as community liaisons to explain the educational, developmental, and social value of afterschool services.

• Information and advocacy resources

  Policy and research resources

  Reports, policy analyses, communications materials, and other publications designed for afterschool providers, coalitions, policymakers, funders, families, and community partners. These resources support public education, coalition advocacy, and efforts to increase investment in school-age and summer-learning programs.

• Lights On Afterschool

  United States

  A nationwide public-awareness campaign featuring community events, student showcases, media outreach, and symbolic lighting displays that demonstrate the importance of afterschool programs.

  Outcome. The campaign has become a recurring national observance with thousands of participating events and substantial local media visibility.

  Source
• Afterschool for All

  United States

  A petition and coalition initiative supporting universal access to quality, affordable afterschool programs.

  Outcome. The initiative attracted approximately 19,000 individual and organizational signatories according to the cited reference material.

  Source
• Afterschool Ambassadors

  United States

  A communications and advocacy program that trains participants to represent afterschool issues in their communities and to engage with media and local stakeholders.

  Outcome. Participants serve as trained local advocates and public messengers for afterschool programming.

  Source

• 2014

  Support the Afterschool for America's Children ActStrategy

  Background

  The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program was the principal federal funding stream for afterschool programs, and advocates sought its reauthorization and improvement.

  Action taken

  Afterschool Alliance joined more than 110 organizations in supporting House legislation introduced by Dan Kildee and Rosa DeLauro.

  Aftermath

  The proposal was reintroduced in 2015, but the supplied reference material does not establish that it became law.

  Source

• 2013

  Support Child Care and Development Block Grant reauthorizationStrategy

  Background

  Federal child-care policy was being reconsidered, including requirements concerning eligibility, oversight, background checks, and inspections.

  Action taken

  The Alliance supported the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 and argued that quality school-age child care contributes to positive outcomes for children.

  Aftermath

  The organization continued to frame afterschool provision as part of both child development policy and support for working families.

  Source

• 2008

  Change the Lights On Afterschool campaign symbolStrategy

  Background

  The campaign used a lightbulb as a public symbol for afterschool awareness and participation.

  Action taken

  The Alliance replaced the incandescent lightbulb symbol with a compact fluorescent lightbulb to associate the campaign with energy efficiency.

  Aftermath

  The revised symbol continued the campaign’s visual approach while adding an environmental-efficiency message.

  Source

• 2015

  Afterschool for America's Children Act reintroduced[1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The afterschool funding and program-reauthorization proposal was reintroduced in the 114th Congress, continuing the Alliance’s advocacy for expanded federal support for before-school, afterschool, and summer-learning programs.

• 2014

  Afterschool for America's Children Act introduced in the House[1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Representatives Dan Kildee and Rosa DeLauro introduced legislation intended to reauthorize and strengthen the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative. Afterschool Alliance joined more than 110 national, state, and local organizations in supporting the proposal.

• 2013

  Afterschool Alliance supports Child Care and Development Block Grant reauthorization[1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The organization supported the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 and highlighted the importance of quality school-age child care for children’s academic, developmental, and family-support outcomes.

• 2001

  Lights On Afterschool expands national public awareness[1]Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The Alliance’s nationwide Lights On Afterschool initiative mobilized large numbers of community events and public demonstrations to highlight the contribution of afterschool programs to children, families, and communities.

1. 1Afterschool Allianceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Afterschool Alliance official websiteafterschoolalliance.org