|
This week the OST Office welcomed two new staff members to the team! The OST Office is excited to welcome Shanna Samson as the new Supervisory Grants Management Specialist and Mark Weinberger who will work as a Grants Management Specialist.
Shanna has spent the last ten years working for Alexandria City Public Schools in the Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement. In this role, she was able to develop from conception multiple division-wide programs focused on supporting vulnerable students and families, including out-of-school time programming.
Prior to joining the team, Mark has worked in various areas of the youth development field that range from being a chef, a teacher, a musician, and a program director right here in the District.
Join us in welcoming both of these stellar people to the team!
On Saturday, March 25, 2023, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education's (DME) Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office) will gather government agencies, non profit organizations, families and other stakeholders for Summer In The City. This event will help District families identify the various programming opportunities, learning experiences, jobs, and more available for youth during the summer months.
Organizations that have not yet indicated their interest in participating should complete this brief form.
The Institute for Youth Development is committed to providing youth development professionals with an opportunity to gain practical skills that can be implemented in their interactions with youth immediately. This listing of upcoming workshops helps promote a positive environment with youth.
Space is limited! Register today.
Consider supporting out-of-school-time (OST) programs this tax season by making a Contribution to Taxpayer Support for Afterschool Programs for At-Risk Students on your DC individual income tax form, under the contributions section on Schedule U part II, line 2. These funds will support grants to help bring safe and meaningful opportunities to youth in the District of Columbia beyond the school day.
A contribution of as little as $1.00 can make a major impact!
Improve staff competencies by hosting a training through The Institute for Youth Development (The Institute). The Institute offers free virtual or in-person on-demand workshops to youth development professionals serving District of Columbia youth. A minimum commitment of 10 participants is required to host the workshop; request a training here. Email questions to learn24@dc.gov.
View the Institute for Youth Development Catalog of Workshops here.
Please note: Requests should be scheduled at least six weeks in advance.
Sitar Arts Center engages DC youth, from early childhood to young adulthood, in building a creative community of learning and belonging that removes financial and cultural barriers to arts education and career training. Sitar's offers afterschool programming and summer programming for youth ages 5-17. Classes include dance, drama, digital arts, music, visual arts, and creative writing. Sitar Arts Center also partners with DC arts organizations such as DC Jazz Festival, The Washington Ballet, Project Create, Levine Music and more to facilitate classes for youth. Additionally, Sitar places a emphasis on intentional acts of gratitude to express a genuine appreciation for the community members and all that is done, and experienced together.
Learn more about Sitar, their mission, and their types of programming here.
In the first newsletter of each month, The Institute for Youth Development will highlight a specific indicator from the Weikart Center's Youth Program Quality Assessment (PQA) on promising practices in the field.
 Creating a Safe Environment
Over the next few months, promising practices dive deep into the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, Program Quality Pyramid, which has four domains to ensure programs are meeting the needs of youth.
This month, the focus is on the Safe Environment domain. This is the most vital domain as it ensures programs meet the most basic needs of the youth and creates a strong foundation towards excellent programming. The Safe Environment domain contains five components:
-
Physically Safe Environment - Youth should feel safe in the program space, and also feel safe when traveling to and from programming.
-
Psychological and Emotional Safety - Just as important, as physical safety, is emotional safety. The program environment should consist of a warm tone and there should be no evidence of bias, or exclusion.
-
Appropriate Space and Furniture - Program should ensure furniture is the appropriate size for children and youth. For example, elementary aged youth should not be sitting in furniture made for high school students and vice versa. In addition, there should be consideration given to the amount of space for planned activities.
-
Healthy Food and Drinks - It is important that youth have nourishment to stay engaged and focused. By providing youth with healthy food during programming can assist in providing this basic need.
-
Emergency Procedures - Whether in person or virtual, youth should be aware of what to do in case of an emergency.
Once programming has all the components of this domain then the program staff can focus on providing a Supportive Environment. The next edition of promising practices will focus on the Supportive Environment domain.
Explore additional resources about the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality at this link.
The Bowser Administration and DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) announced that hundreds of District teens will gather for the “Take Care: Mind, Body and Soul Health Fest,” a teen-driven and teen-focused event at Kenilworth Recreation Center (4321 Ord Street, NE) from 12 pm to 4 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2023.
More information can be found here.
Fair Chance is currently accepting applications for the Praxis Partnership; a free, one-year, customized capacity building program for small nonprofits who serve children, youth, and families experiencing poverty in Washington, DC. Praxis Partners typically are organizations with budgets between $250K – $1M that are looking to build their infrastructure and take their organizations to the next level. Priority is given to organizations with leaders who have shared lived experience with the communities they serve. Applications are due by Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 5:00 pm. Learn more about this opportunity here.
The 2023 GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant presented by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. A total of 160 grants worth a collective total of $95,000 will be awarded. Grant amounts range from $500 to $1,500. Applications must be received by Friday, February, 10, 2023 to be considered. For more information, click here.
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington is accepting applications to be a member of the 2023-24 Catalogue. The Catalogue for Philanthropy recognizes some of the best high-impact‚ community-based nonprofits in the Washington, DC region. Applications must be received by Tuesday, February 14, 2023 to be considered. Click here for more information, benefits, eligibility criteria, and areas of interest.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is accepting applications for its Summer Reading Program. Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded to support the creation or expansion of summer reading programs in local nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries. Applications must be received by Thursday, February 16, 2023. Program guidelines, a list of previous grant recipients, and application instructions are available at this website.
The David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund awards selected nonprofit leaders in the Greater Washington region up to $15,000 to attend an intensive executive training program. This professional development program will enhance the attendees leadership, creative thinking, strategy, and management skills. The deadline to submit a letter of interest is Tuesday, February 23, 2023. Learn more about focus areas, eligibility criteria, deadlines, and past awardees by clicking here.
The Sparkplug Foundation is accepting applications from start-up organizations and new projects of established organizations in music, education, and community organizing. The maximum grant amount is $20,000. A letter of intent must be received by Monday, May 8, 2023. For more information on deadlines and criteria, click here.
Weekly newsletter of funding opportunities.
 For resources and additional information on the District of Columbia Government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.
|
