MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards
Contact information:
For information about this awards program, contact Research Associate Chris D'Agostino at cdagostino@afterschoolalliance.org or (202) 347-2030.
Type of foundation: The MetLife Foundation is a corporate foundation. The Afterschool Alliance is an organization established in 2000 by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, J.C. Penney Company, Inc., the Open Society Institute/The After-School Corporation, the Entertainment Industry Foundation and the Creative Artists Agency Foundation.
Types of grants: This is an awards program.
Description: The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation are seeking innovative and potentially lesser known afterschool programs that excel at engaging middle schoolers. Organizations can be nominated (or can nominate themselves) in one of the following areas:
- Afterschool and Digital Learning - Programs that have demonstrated success with leveraging digital technology to facilitate engaging learning experiences, enhance technical skills, and strengthen critical thinking across core subject areas.
- Afterschool and the Arts – Programs that have demonstrated success using the arts as means to strengthen self-confidence and self-expression, to build community and to improve academic and skills development.
- Afterschool and Parent Involvement/Engagement - Programs that have demonstrated success in creatively engaging parents to help them become more involved in students' learning both in and outside of school.
- Afterschool and School Improvement - Programs that have successfully utilized School Improvement Grant funding to help promote positive change and improved academic outcomes in partnering schools.
Sample grants:
2011 winners: Kids Rethink New Orleans (New Orleans, LA); Higher Achievement (Washington, DC); Urban Arts/Project Phoenix (Oakland, CA); 21st Century PASOS (Gettysburg, PA); and America SCORES (Chicago, IL).
2010 winners: Cypress Hills/East New York (CHENY) Beacon Program (Brooklyn, NY); Junior ACE (Sacramento, CA); Learning through an Expanded Arts Program - LeAp 22 ( Bronx, NY); San Antonio Youth Centers (San Antonio, TX); Science Club for Girls and C.E.L.L.S. - Career Exploration, Leadership and Life Skills (Cambridge, MA); and The Bridge Project (Denver, CO).
Fit for public broadcasting: This award opportunity may be a fit for public media outlets that operate and/or partner with afterschool learning programs. The award program is specifically interested in digital learning, so programs that offer youth media training, for example, might be of interest. The award program is also interested in arts-focused projects, again a potential fit for public media. Organizations may nominate themselves (and are encouraged to do so).
Eligibility: Program staff and directors are allowed and encouraged to nominate their own program, but you do not have to be officially affiliated with a program to nominate it. However, the most competitive nominations will need data from the program itself. Nominators may submit only one nomination per program.
Deadline: May 15, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.
How to apply: Nominations must be submitted online at this site. Additional information about the program is available here.
Giving range: Five awards of $10,000 each will be given.
