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Title IV, Part B, Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Community Learning Centers

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News & Announcements

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Grant Cycle Update

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is committed to supporting student learning and development through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program. This program provides grants to eligible organizations that implement community learning centers aimed at enhancing educational opportunities outside of the regular school day. In previous years, the 21st CCLC grant was awarded as a three-year grant. In consultation with stakeholders, the Department is transitioning to a five-year grant beginning in 2025.

In an effort to address significant changes in the grant cycle while ensuring continued support for students, VDOE has developed a transition plan that will prevent any disruption in programming. The typical Request for Proposals (RFP) process for the 21st CCLC grants, which usually takes place in the Spring, will be shifted to the Summer of 2025. As a result, the new 5-year grants will be awarded in the Spring of 2026. To avoid a gap in programming, VDOE will extend the current three cohorts (Cohorts 21, 22, and 23) of 3-year grants by one additional school year, making each grant a 4-year term. This adjustment ensures a seamless transition from the current 3-year cycle to a new 5-year grant structure and maintains high-quality programming for Virginia's students.

Key Dates for 2025-2026:

  • June 5, 2025: Release of the new 5-year RFP
  • June 23-27, 2025: RFP Workshops
  • September 1, 2025: Application Deadline
  • September - October 2025: Peer Review Process
  • November 2025 - January 2026: Internal VDOE Processing
  • January 2025: Webinar for Cohort 21
  • February 2026: Award Announcement

VDOE is dedicated to ensuring a smooth and successful transition for both grantees and staff.

 

About Title IV, Part B, Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Community Learning Centers

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV, Part B) program supports the creation of opportunities for 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 and mathematics; offers students enrichment activities that complement regular academic programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

VDOE funds, through a competitive process, projects that provide significant expanded learning opportunities for children and youth, and that will assist students to meet or exceed state and local standards in core academic subjects.

Application Process

Applying for A New Grant

All 21st CCLC grants are awarded on a competitive basis. VDOE will give priority to applications that meet any or all of the following criteria:

  • Joint applications between at least one school division and at least one public or private community organization;
  • Propose to serve students in schools that either are Priority Schools, Conditionally Accredited Reconstituted or Accreditation Denied for the current school year;
  • Proposals to serve students in elementary schools; or
  • Proposals to serve students who attend schools with free and reduced-price lunch eligibility of 75 percent or greater.

 RFP Application and Resources

Continuation Application

The purpose of the continuation application is to ensure that grantees are:

  • managing grant funds awarded;
  • operating programs in compliance with regulatory requirements;
  • making satisfactory progress towards meeting the goals and objectives stated in the original approved application; and
  • making progress toward meeting Virginia's performance indicators for 21st CCLC grant programs. The information reported in the continuation application must reflect the information stated in the approved application, unless changed by amendments approved by the Department of Education

The continuation application for years 2 and 3 are available upon request from the 21st CCLC office at the Virginia Department of Education.  Please email 21stcontinuation@doe.virginia.gov  with your request specifying which year. 

Grantee Information

Grant Awards

All Grantees

Current 21st Century Grant Coordinators

Financial Information

Financial Management – Budget Transfers and Reimbursements

  • Entities serving as the fiscal agent for a grant are to submit budget transfer requests and reimbursements via the Virginia Department of Education’s Online Management of Education Grant Awards (OMEGA) system.  OMEGA user set up forms with instructions, a detailed User’s Guide, and access to online training opportunities are available at OMEGA.  Click on “SSWS Instructions” in the upper right hand corner to open a PDF file containing a SSWS access guide.
  • The OMEGA Users Guide is located by logging into SSWS, clicking on the application "Online Management of Education Grant Awards (OMEGA)", then clicking on the “Help” link in the upper right hand corner, then click on the User's Guide  (PDF).

Forms

Resources

VDOE Resources

External Organizations

Outside Resources

Evaluation

A copy of reports from prior years is available upon request from the 21st CCLC office at the Virginia Department of Education.  Please email your request to 21stcclc@doe.virginia.gov.

Equitable Services to Private School Students

Under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended, local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to provide services for eligible private school students as well as eligible public school students.

Go to: Title VIII: General Provisions

VDOE 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Staff and Assignments

List of 21st CCLC Staff (Word)