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Max Funding
Up to $100K
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Application Due Date
Feb 6, 2026
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Funder Details:
Funder Type:
Private
Funding Frequency:
Annual Grant
Use of Funds:
Programs/Projects, General Operating
Funding Duration:
One-Year Grant, Multi-Year Grant
Application Type
Full Application
Eligibility:
✅ 501(c)(3) Organizations
Program Areas:
Education, K-12 Education, Youth, STEM Education
Locations:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington DC
About The Grant
Supporting Out-of-School Time Programs Serving Middle School Youth
On behalf of the New York Life Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance invites out-of-school time programs to apply for a competitive grant opportunity to support and bolster the ability of afterschool and summer learning programs to help prepare middle school students for success in high school, college, and life.
Why Middle School?
A large body of evidence indicates the critical role of middle school in determining a young person’s long-term academic trajectory. Enriching out-of-school time (OST) programs—such as afterschool and summer learning programs—are an effective means of helping middle school students successfully transition from 8th to 9th grade. In addition, these programs provide benefits to students that extend beyond academics, helping develop the whole young person—cognitively, socially, and emotionally.
The New York Life Foundation’s educational enhancement grantmaking strategy aims to help students in middle school thrive and become better prepared to complete high school and go on to college, providing them a brighter future.
Why was the Aim High Program created?The New York Life Foundation created the Aim High grant program to support the ability of local community-based afterschool and summer learning programs to provide the foundational skills and guidance that middle school students need to be prepared for the critical transition into high school.
The 2026 Aim High Grant Program
Forty general operating grants of $20,000 will be awarded. Applicants must be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations providing afterschool and summer programming for middle school youth, with at least 80% of those served from families with low incomes. Programs must demonstrate outcomes for middle-school youth that support the transition to high school.
Grants will be made in mid-July 2026 and end on September 1, 2027.
Requirements
Applicants must be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations providing afterschool and summer programming for middle school youth, with at least 80% of those served from families with low incomes.
Applicants must have an annual budget – as defined by total operating expenses in the most recently-completed fiscal year - of $200,000 or more.
Afterschool and summer programming: Applicants must currently provide afterschool and summer programming for middle school-aged youth.
Applicants must offer at least 9 hours of programming per week for a minimum of 20 weeks during the school year.
Grantor Information:
Name:
New York Life Foundation
Type:
Private
Contact:
Not provided
More Info:
Restrictions:
Restricted