Nita M. Lowey Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers Grant

The Nita M. Lowey Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers Grant is a federally funded program administered in Illinois by the Illinois State Board of Education. The opportunity is authorized by Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, and is identified under CFDA 84.287C. The program supports communities in establishing or expanding community learning centers that provide academically focused opportunities outside the regular school day. Its central purposes are to help students, particularly those attending high-poverty and low-performing schools, meet challenging academic standards; provide a broad range of enrichment, youth development, health, arts, technology, career, and related activities; and provide families with meaningful opportunities for literacy, educational development, and engagement in their children's education. Approximately $25 million in federal funding is anticipated for the program in FY 2027. Annual grant awards must be at least $50,000 and may not exceed $600,000 per funded application, with no more than $150,000 awarded per individual program site. Maximum site funding is tied to the minimum number of students expected to participate for at least 45 hours during the program year: $50,000 for 25-40 students, $75,000 for 41-55 students, $100,000 for 56-70 students, $125,000 for 71-85 students, and $150,000 for 86 or more students. ISBE determines the number and amounts of awards based on applications, regional needs, and available appropriations, and applicants may receive less than requested. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Funds must supplement rather than supplant federal, state, and local funding. General administration costs may not exceed 5 percent of the award, local evaluation costs should not exceed 10 percent of the overall budget, and no more than 25 percent of the total budget may be allocated to Expanded Learning Time activities. Eligible applicants include public and private entities, including public school districts and other Local Education Agencies, public university laboratory schools approved by ISBE, state-authorized charter schools, area vocational centers, Regional Offices of Education, Intermediate Service Centers, community-based and faith-based organizations, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, other public and private entities, and consortia of two or more eligible entities. Proposed programs must primarily serve students attending schools with high concentrations of low-income students. Specifically, proposed schools must have at least 40 percent of students from low-income families or otherwise qualify for schoolwide programs under Title I, Part A. Schools below the 40 percent threshold and schools already receiving FY 2027 21st CCLC services are ineligible. Applicants must have an RCDT code before applying and must complete applicable Grant Accountability and Transparency Act prequalification requirements. Programs must operate at least 12 hours per week for at least 28 weeks per year, with additional minimum requirements applying to proposed summer programming. Applications require the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance; applicable Joint Application Agreement; Program Summary; Program Sites and Schools information; Project Service Chart; equitable participation documentation; state-required graduation course documentation when applicable; Program Goals and Objectives; Federal Budget Summary and Payment Schedule; Budget Summary Breakdown; Program Income form; a one-page Proposal Abstract; narrative Attachments 13A through 13R; and applicant-generated Attachments 14A and 14B. Required MOUs must document partnerships and be signed as applicable by the LEA superintendent, principals of schools to be served, and co-applicants. The application package, including required signatures and supporting documentation, must be scanned into PDF and submitted through the ISBE Attachment Manager using 21cclcRFP as the Receiver Information selection. Applicants should retain the submission confirmation page as proof of submission. Late proposals will not be accepted. Applications are evaluated through a merit-based competitive review process. Proposals must earn a base score of at least 111 points to be eligible for funding. Proposals meeting that threshold may qualify for up to 50 additional competitive priority points across five priority areas: serving Comprehensive, Intensive, or Targeted schools; serving Tier 1 or Tier 2 districts not funded in Cohorts 25 or 26; serving eligible middle or high schools; serving qualifying rural schools; and qualifying as novice grantees. Priority eligibility generally requires a joint application between at least one LEA receiving Title I Part A funds and at least one public or private community organization, subject to the NOFO's exception for an LEA that adequately demonstrates an inability to secure an appropriate partner. Applicants must also demonstrate need, sound program design, organizational capacity, collaboration, evidence-based practices, evaluation processes, sustainability, appropriate management and resources, and alignment of activities with state and local academic objectives. The NOFO was released July 9, 2026, and completed proposals must be received no later than 4:00 PM on August 24, 2026. No separate LOI, concept paper, or other pre-application gating submission is identified. Successful and unsuccessful applicants are expected to receive award or non-award notices by email approximately 90 days after the application deadline. The initial grant period begins no sooner than July 1, 2026, and runs from execution of the grant through June 30, 2027. Successful applicants may seek continuation funding for up to two additional years, subject to appropriations, compliance, satisfactory performance, evaluation and monitoring results, and submission of approvable continuation applications. Total available program funding is anticipated not to exceed $25 million in each of FY 2027, FY 2028, and FY 2029, with no renewability beyond the initial three-year grant term under this NOFO. Questions regarding the opportunity should be directed to the Illinois State Board of Education Wellness and Student Care Department at 217-782-5270 or 21cclcRFP@isbe.net. ISBE states that questions concerning the NOFO will be addressed through a Frequently Asked Questions document, with FAQ changes ending after August 17, 2026. Applicants should also monitor the ISBE Funding Opportunities webpage because changes to the NOFO may be posted prior to August 17, 2026. Awardees must comply with state and federal reporting, monitoring, evaluation, fiscal control, professional development, and program assurance requirements throughout the grant period, including annual local evaluation, statewide evaluation participation, MyIRC reporting, financial reporting, monitoring activities, and required ISBE-sponsored workshops and trainings.

Verify RCDT and GATA eligibility before submission; ensure every required signature and automatic eligibility component is complete; identify every school served and its correct RCDTS code; confirm each proposed school meets the required low-income threshold and is not already served by an FY 2027 21st CCLC grant; use the required Federal Budget Summary form; submit all required signed MOUs; align needs assessment, activities, goals, evaluation, and budget; design programming for at least 12 hours per week for 28 weeks; seek a base review score of at least 111 points; where eligible, structure a qualifying joint application to compete for up to 50 priority points; submit before 4:00 PM on August 24, 2026 because late proposals will not be accepted.