Summer Strong DC

The Summer Strong DC grant program is administered by the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office), which operates under the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) in the District of Columbia. Through the Learn24 network, the OST Office coordinates out-of-school-time (OST) efforts across nonprofits, government agencies, and educational institutions. Learn24 supports equitable access to high-quality OST programming for children and youth across Washington, DC. This grant program is designed to fund nonprofit organizations that serve DC youth with impactful summer programming aimed at academic, social-emotional, and developmental growth. The 2026 Summer Strong DC grant opportunity targets nonprofit organizations with a proven history of delivering youth development programming. Funding is available in two categories based on the organization's size: (1) organizations with an annual operating budget over $250,000 may apply for up to $100,000; (2) smaller nonprofits with budgets at or below $250,000 may request up to $90,000. The OST Office anticipates awarding a total of approximately $1.6 million in grants, contingent on the availability of funds. Programs must provide structured summer learning opportunities for school-aged District youth, with a minimum dosage of five hours per day, five days per week, for five consecutive weeks between June 22 and August 22, 2026. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits in operation for at least two years and in good standing with the IRS, District licensing authorities, and the Office of Tax and Revenue. Organizations previously funded by the OST Office in FY26 (excluding My Afterschool DC grantees) are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate fiscal responsibility, maintain annual overhead expenses below 30% of the total budget, and, if requesting more than $50,000, submit a recent audit or financial review by an independent CPA. Programs must serve at least 20 unduplicated DC youth (15 for small nonprofits) for the full five-week period. Preference is given to organizations that serve at-risk and underserved youth as defined by specific criteria, including homelessness, foster care status, economic disadvantage, disability, English learner status, and residency in Wards 4 through 8. Applications must be submitted via the Cityspan RFA portal (Learn24RFA.cityspan.com) by 5:00 PM EST on February 25, 2026. One application per organization is permitted. Applicants must upload various documents, including financial statements, licensing and tax certificates, and proof of nonprofit status. The application requires detailed narratives covering program design, staffing, youth engagement, community connections, measurable objectives, and a line-item budget with a supporting narrative. The evaluation process will award up to 64 points for the proposal, with up to 7 additional competitive priority points for serving high percentages of at-risk/underserved populations. Key deadlines include the grant release on January 14, 2026, an optional information session on January 20, and the application deadline on February 25. Grant notifications will be made in April 2026. The grant period extends from June 1 through September 30, 2026, with programming required between June 22 and August 22, 2026. Awarded grantees must comply with various monitoring, training, insurance, and reporting requirements and are expected to maintain enrollment and attendance benchmarks. All awarded funds must be spent on direct programmatic expenses. Notably, grant funds cannot be used for capital improvements, vehicle purchases, staff bonuses, political activities, or services for youth outside of DC.

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