A Set-up for Failure: The Disbursement of 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds in the State of Maryland
As an organization that
raises awareness about the issues that affect children, youth and families,
this is certainly one of them.
In July 2015, In Reach applied for a 21st Century
Community Learning Center (CCLC) grant through the Maryland State Department of
Education (MSDE) and was awarded the competitive grant effective September 1,
2015. We were elated to receive our congratulatory letter. Imagine our dismay
and shock over six months later that we still have not received one drop of
funding and when contacting MSDE, their reply is simply "we are working on
it" and funds will be released "immediately".
Several weeks have passed and nothing has been received.
In Reach, like many of the other 21st CCLC
grantees, work with some of the most underserved and at-risk children and families
and being located in Prince George’s County where funding is already scarce has
made this a very difficult experience. It should never take this long for an
agency to disburse funds. This would be an unacceptable practice in any other
business structure. Why is it that an agency that has been disbursing 21st
CCLC funds for years, still lacks the ability to execute funding in a timely
and efficient manner?
The implementation of an afterschool program does not happen
in one day. It takes at least four weeks to get a program up and running and
that's with everything in place so not receiving funding in a timely manner
sets organizations up for failure. With an understanding that the grant is
retroactive to its start date of September 1st, In Reach
decided to move forward with implementing its K-8 College and Career Ready 21st
CCLC afterschool programming at three schools with the goal of operating for the
proposed seven months. Expecting some type of delay, we could not have imagined
that it would take over six months to receive funding for the almost 200
students that we serve, their families, our afterschool teachers, and staff.
This is unacceptable. We need funds to be released now! 21st CCLC grantees have invested everything into their programs and many, like In Reach, will not be able to continue serving children who
need afterschool programs the most. This is an atrocity and an injustice. We have been set up to
fail.
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In Reach, Inc., is a tax-exempt nonprofit
organization that prepares students for college, work and life. In addition to
providing direct services, we raise awareness about the issues that affect
children, youth and families.
The Maryland State Department of Education 21st
Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program is managed by the Office of
Extended Learning.
