Career Ready Early Scholars Program Grant

The Career Ready Early Scholars Program (CRESP) Grant is administered by the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES), through its Office of Youth Programs (OYP). This initiative aims to serve youth between the ages of 9 and 13 who are enrolled in middle or elementary schools and are residents of the District of Columbia. The CRESP program was initially launched as a pilot in 2023 through the Middle School Career Exploration Pilot Emergency Amendment Act, which authorized summer programming for middle-school aged youth. Following the successful pilot year in which over 1,200 youth were served, with 93% of participants affirming its value, the CRESP Grant has become an institutionalized effort to provide career exploration during the summer for youth who are otherwise underserved in this age range. The program’s primary objective is to deliver comprehensive, hands-on career exploration activities in high-demand industries such as business, public safety, healthcare, information technology, and infrastructure. Youth participants will be exposed to topics ranging from STEM and public speaking to financial literacy and college readiness. Through structured curriculum toolkits developed by DOES, the program emphasizes skill-building in areas such as teamwork, communication, and decision-making. Each youth will receive $125 per week as an incentive, along with daily nutritious meals and opportunities for up to four educational field trips over the six-week summer program. DOES anticipates awarding up to two grants totaling $280,000, calculated at a rate of $7,000 per youth for six weeks of in-person programming. Each funded program must serve a minimum of 20 youth. Applicants may include nonprofits, for-profits, educational institutions, and community-based organizations authorized to operate within the District. All applicants must be in good standing with local and federal tax and compliance obligations. Staff working directly with youth must complete background checks, and each site must maintain CPR/First Aid certified personnel and mandated reporters. The application process includes a mandatory pre-application conference held virtually on August 25, 2025. Interested applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply using Attachment H. All final applications must be submitted electronically via the District’s Grants Management System by September 8, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Paper submissions are not accepted. The anticipated award date is September 30, 2025, with the grant performance period running through September 30, 2026. Programs are expected to operate from June 29, 2026, to August 7, 2026, for a minimum of 180 instructional hours. Evaluation of applications will be based on five weighted scoring criteria: organizational profile (10 points), participant profile (20 points), program description (40 points), past performance (15 points), and budget/budget narrative (15 points). Additional consideration may be given to applicants that serve youth with behavioral challenges and those that demonstrate a presence in underserved Wards. Grantees must comply with rigorous reporting requirements, including monthly and quarterly performance and expenditure reports, and submit a final report within 30 days of the grant’s end. Applicants must include required attachments such as business licenses, proof of insurance, IRS documentation, staffing plans, organizational charts, and budget narratives. Contact for additional information is the Office of Grant Administration and Resource Allocation (OGARA) at OGAGrants@dc.gov. All materials and program activities must adhere to the guidelines set forth in the RFA and supporting documents.

Ensure all attachments are uploaded through the Grants Management System. Attend mandatory pre-application conference. Clearly outline how your organization meets staffing, training, and curriculum requirements. Demonstrate experience with youth ages 9–13.