1. This presentation is designed to help program staff and stakeholders build a sustainability plan for afterschool programs.
Throughout this presentation, we take the approach that sustainability depends on relationships and access to information.

2. The National Voice for Afterschool
Grew out of partnership between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to support afterschool
Works with a diverse group of afterschool advocates and providers, including the 21st CCLCs, to represent a collective voice
Communicates with network of 35,000 supporters and policy makers nationwide
A little about the Afterschool Alliance:
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of afterschool programs and advocating for quality, affordable programs for all children. It is supported by a group of public, private and nonprofit organizations that share the Alliance's vision of ensuring that all children have access to afterschool programs by The Alliance was formed on the belief that afterschool programs are critical to children and families today, and that the need for programs is not adequately addressed. In communities today, 14.3 million children take care of themselves after the school day ends, including almost four million middle school students in grades six to eight. Just 6.5 million children are in afterschool programs - but the parents of another 15.3 million children say their children would participate in afterschool - if a program were available. Creating more afterschool programs, increasing program quality and moving toward long-term sustainability requires building strong public will in support of afterschool. The Alliance was created to conduct this public awareness and advocacy work and to serve as a national voice for afterschool. Vision, Mission The Alliance has a broad vision for afterschool, a defined mission and key underlying goals: Vision: The Alliance works to ensure that all youth have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs by the year Mission: To engage public will to increase public and private investment in quality afterschool program initiatives at the national, state and local levels.

3. Sustainability Building Relationships Getting Started Finding Funding
Experience shows that the most successful afterschool programs are based on broad partnerships.
Working with a diverse group of community partners can increase the potential for sustainability because each partner organization comes with its own constituency and contacts that provide a range of support that can benefit afterschool.

4. Building Relationships
Takes time and effort
Needs a team approach
Requires an assessment of outreach that needs to be done to key stakeholders
The sustainability of your afterschool program depends on how well you reach out and build relationships with people who can help you identify potential untapped resources.
It takes time and effort to build meaningful collaborations with individuals. Building a team within your program and delegating responsibility will allow you to go farther, faster.
The Building Sustainability worksheet will help you recognize the extra resources that are within your grasp - in some cases, resources literally across the street.
Afterschool program leaders will want to assess where they are on the continuum of outreach to key people and develop action steps to further their relationship.
Not only should you reach out to those you know, but programs will need to reach to the furthest edge of their network to break into new territory for support.

5. Don’t Go It Alone!
“Just like a successful program requires tremendous amount of personal attention, so does a successful funding strategy. We have found that our successes can generally be tracked back to making that personal contact with people, whether they are from a corporation, a church, a government agency or an individual who wants to get involved.”
Often afterschool programs focus much of their energy on writing grants and applying for funds. Afterschool leaders should remember to make the most of their contacts and their contacts’ contacts and not be afraid to ask for help!
Set aside time to plan for sustainability and build those crucial relationships that will pay off down the line!

6. 3 Steps to Getting Started
Step 1- Create a Sustainability Committee
Reach out to staff, board members, parents and other key members of your afterschool program.
Use our Building Sustainability worksheet to guide the committee’s work.
A team approach is crucial. Building sustainability needs many ideas, voices and networks.

7. Power of Proximity
Start “close to home” – what are the potential resources and who are the stakeholders in the neighborhood?
Look a bit further – reach out to the outer edges of your circle to find new stakeholders.
Think creatively!
In building a strong stakeholders network for your program it is best to begin by identifying your own personal support network, your staffs’ and the board members. The Building Sustainability worksheet will help uncover resources and stakeholders, along with a priority order for reaching out to them.
Everyone knows someone with the power to influence other people. From the personal networks you identify, your program can discover a potential stakeholder collaboration to support and sustain your work.

8. 3 Steps to Getting Started
Step 2 - Focus Your Energy
After completing the Building Sustainability worksheet, you’ll have targeted potential funding sources and stakeholders.
Begin with the top 3-5 targeted stakeholders and funding sources and then move onto a longer-term strategy.
Prioritizing the list will help everyone manage their time and move the team closer to the goal in a shorter amount of time.

9. Ways to Engage Potential Stakeholders
Arrange an in-person meeting or invite the stakeholder to visit your program
Hold a Lights On Afterschool Event and invite stakeholders to speak
Use Afterschool for All: Project 2010 as an community engagement outreach tool and invite leaders to sign-on to the effort
Build partnerships - how can you help each other?
There are several ways to engage new and current afterschool stakeholders. Listed here are some tried and true methods we have seen accomplish the goal.
Whatever method you choose, be sure to pay attention to the details, be mindful in your planning and always follow through with more information and a well-written thank you note!
Visit the Advocacy Tools section of the Afterschool Alliance’s Web site at for all the tools you will need to send invitations, plan site visits, events, and more.

10. 3 Steps to Getting Started
Step 3 - Develop a Schedule
Set up and stick to a plan
Like other keys to planning a successful program, sustainability needs an allotted time each week.

11. Finding Funding
There is no single formula that fits every afterschool program.
Diversify - programs need to determine the mix of public funding, parent fees, foundation support, corporate contributions and in-kind donations that suits them, the families they serve, and the resources available.
Securing a mix of funders is one of the most important things a program can do. A diversity of funding sources helps bring about sustainability.

12. There are several different types of funding that support afterschool programs. No one funding source can do it alone. This chart shows the many different pathways through which funding can reach a program.
In some cases, a program will want to apply for single purpose funding, i.e. funding to support snacks, mentoring or extended learning.
In other cases, multipurpose funds are appropriate because they tend to be more flexible and can support a range of activities.

13. More Tools and Resources
Afterschool Alliance
Afterschool Advocate newsletter
Online Sustainability Forum
The Finance Project and the Foundation Center out-of-school time products
– the new federal source for annual grant funds available across the Federal government
The Afterschool Alliance has created tools and materials to help your program succeed. Our Web site is full of useful tips and strategies of how to gain public support for your program, find funding and plan toward sustainability.