Summer and After-School Programming Receive Funding from ARPA
Published on April 25, 2022
Denver's Office of Children's Affairs (OCA) has allocated just over $775,000 to support various nonprofit organizations that provide free, all-day programming for youth during the summer months and activities after-school. These funds have been made available by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program, a part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to aid in the continued recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Several organizations participated in a competitive grant process to apply for the ARPA funds. The Office of Children's Affairs opened the Request For Proposals to the public in February 2022, and selected organizations were announced in April. Funding awarded to each organization varied, ranging from $190,000 - $400,000, and will support comprehensive programs offered June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2024.
The 12 organizations selected include:
- Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver
- Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation
- Girls Inc.
- Heart & Hand Center
- Mile High 360
- MSU Denver
- Scholars Unlimited
- Sims-Fayola Foundation
- Struggle of Love
- Sun Valley Youth Center
- Vive Wellness
- YMCA
The impact of COVID-19 forced many of these organizations to close their doors in the early days of the pandemic. Providing resources and funding to youth-serving organizations allows them to maintain quality programming for Denver's young people. This is a critical component to the city's economic recovery. These programs not only improve academic achievement, social-emotional development, health and well-being, but they also give parents a safe place to send their children so they can go to work.
The Office of Children’s Affairs used data, the Child Well-Being Index, as part of their selection criteria for ARPA funding. This data highlights various factors that influence a child’s chances for success. It provides a map of the neighborhoods, which have high percentages of youth of color and students who are chronically absent from school, areas with high child poverty rates, along with many other factors.
ARPA funding for the 12 organizations will help serve children and their families living in vulnerable communities, and create a more equitable, healthy and sustainable Denver.