On behalf of the New York Life Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance invites out-of-school time programs to apply for a competitive grant opportunity to support and bolster the ability of afterschool and summer learning programs to help prepare middle school students for success in high school, college, and life.
Donor Name: New York Life Foundation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/06/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The New York Life Foundation created the Aim High grant program to support the ability of local community-based afterschool and summer learning programs to provide the foundational skills and guidance that middle school students need to be prepared for the critical transition into high school.
Funding Information
Forty general operating grants of $20,000 will be awarded.
Grant Period
Grants will be made in mid-July 2026 and end on September 1, 2027.
Uses of Funds
Aim High general support grants are intended to provide flexible funding that organizations may use in whatever way best supports their efforts to prepare middle school youth for success. Grantees may choose to allocate funds toward direct services, professional development, capacity building, technical assistance, or program expansion. Funds may not be used for capital projects. No specific timeline or project outcomes are required.
Eligibility Criteria
- 501(c)(3) status: Organizations must be 501(c)(3) organizations and will be required to submit their Employer Identification Number (EIN) to verify their status.
- Middle school youth (6th, 7th, 8th graders) served: Programs must serve participants in middle school. For the purposes of this grant program, middle school youth are defined as students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Applicants for this grant program may serve students outside of this grade range, but grant funds, if awarded, are for supporting middle school youth.
- 80% or more of population served is low income: Applicants for this grant program must serve a high percentage—at least 80%—of low-income youth. For the purposes of this grant program, “low-income” is defined as students who qualify for the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRPL). Serving a high-need population is a priority. This requirement applies to the aggregate population served by the program(s) that would receive Aim High grant funds.
- Organizational budget: Applicants must have an annual budget – as defined by total operating expenses in the most recently-completed fiscal year – of $200,000 or more.
- Afterschool and summer programming: Applicants must currently provide afterschool and summer programming for middle school-aged youth.
- Program dosage: Applicants must offer at least 9 hours of programming per week for a minimum of 20 weeks during the school year.
- Geographic scope: Applicants will be accepted from anywhere within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Applicants from US Territories, such as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, are ineligible to apply.
For more information, visit Afterschool Alliance.
