Children and Family Urban Movement (CFUM) in Des Moines has exciting data on the impact that their 2014 Awesome Summer Days program had on student learning! 

87% of participants' reading levels progressed or stayed the same over the summer break. 58% of these students made gains of at least one reading level over the summer. Of this group that made improvements in their reading level, almost one-third improved by two or more reading levels over the summer! 

Check out this profile to learn more about how CFUM was able to combat the "summer slide" and best practices they want to share with other programs looking to make learning strides with their students.

We all know how crucial parent engagement is for students' success, but getting families involved in afterschool and out-of-school time programs has always been a challenge. Many parents already feel pressed for time as it is, and don't always have a clear understanding of the academic value that many afterschool programs provide.

One great way to get parents involved is through Family Literacy Events! This Afterschool Training Toolkit from the SEDL National Center for Quality Afterschool has all of the resources needed to plan and implement these events from start to finish. 

ExtendED Notes offers these tips for ensuring success for your Family Literacy Events:

• Gather a group of parents and invite them to participate in the planning process. The families in your own community and school are the best guides to what will work for your event.
• Whenever possible, offer food and child care at your events to welcome parents and make it convenient for families to attend. 
• Provide opportunities for families to view student work, attend a presentation or meet the afterschool staff. 
• Aim for a few family literacy events each year to build relationships and encourage parent involvement year-round. 

For even more resources on parent engagement, you can check out this webinar that Parenting Way recently presented to Iowa afterschool programs.

The Iowa Afterschool Alliance is using Dimensions of Success (DoS), an observation tool that pinpoints twelve indicators of STEM program quality in out-of-school time. It was developed and studied with funding from the National Science Foundation by the Program in Education, Afterschool and Resiliency at Harvard University.

The IAA is seeking individuals across the state who are interested in observing afterschool STEM programs using the DoS tool. To ensure tool validity, observers must participate in a two-day online training via webinar. Thanks to funding from the Noyce Foundation, this training is provided at no charge. 

There are a few spots available for the webinar training taking place December 16-17. This is your chance to become part of a growing network of active learning STEM experts in Iowa! 

Costco Grants

WaysToHelp Youth Grants

WaysToHelp awards grants to youth for projects that make a difference in the areas of the environment, democracy and equality, health, or community issues. Applicants must be no older than 19 and the project must be youth-initiated and youth-led.  

Learn more at WaysToHelp.org and click here for grant application information.  

BNSF Railway Foundation

If your organization or program is in or serves a community near one of BNSF's rail lines, you are likely eligible to apply for one of their grants!  

Visit their website to learn more and apply. 

Finance Project Resource Center