$11 Million In Federal Grants Targeted For CT Summer Programs

CONNECTICUT — Up to $11 million in federal funding is being targeted for summer 2021 youth recreational and enrichment programs, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday.

The funding will come from the portion of the American Rescue Plan Act allocated to the Connecticut State Department of Education, and be prioritized for communities and children who were most impacted by the pandemic, according to a news release.

Two types of grants — "expansion" and "innovation" — will be available.

Expansion grants are for organizations to fund existing enrichment opportunities and increase access for children who might otherwise not have access to summer camp or programming . These grants are geared towards local organizations. Applicants may apply for up to $25,000 to either serve more children, subsidize enrollment costs, or both. Priority will be given to providers that can quickly scale programming to serve more students and/or make their programming more financially accessible to students from low-income communities. The grant process will prioritize applications that have additional matches through the American Rescue Plan Act funding provided to local school districts and municipalities. CSDE expects approximately 20,000 additional students to benefit from this grant program.

Organizations that can implement programs at scale either regionally or statewide may apply for innovation grants. Applicants may apply for up to $250,000 to students through existing programming or through the creation of new programming. CSDE expects approximately 5,000 additional students to benefit from this grant program.

The grant applications and additional information on both programs will be released by CSDE in the coming days, according to the release.

"Leveraging the assets that already exist throughout Connecticut, we can provide engaging, hands-on, and transformative experiences to help children build connections with their peers, access services to address their social-emotional and mental health needs, and continue learning every day, everywhere to prepare for a successful transition this fall," said Acting Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker.