Afterschool Program: A
Resource Guide




Whether you are a school administrator, a faith-based organization, a family child care provider or any other
type of afterschool program developer, this resource guide presents helpful publications and resources as
well as a range of considerations as you begin to develop an afterschool program.

The following resources and considerations are intended to assist those who are interested in starting a
program to serve school-age children and their families. Additional resources are available on the National
Child Care Information Center website on starting a child care center (
http://nccic.org/poptopics/starting.html
)
or family child care program (
http://nccic.org/poptopics/starfund.html
).


Things to Consider

As you begin laying the groundwork for your new afterschool program in your community, you may consider
addressing the following issues:

Estimate/Measure/Assess Supply and Demand in your Community: Your new program is most likely
to be successful if it is meeting an identified need in your community. It may be useful to speak to local
school officials, parents, or your local child care resource and referral agency to determine where there is
a need for a particular type of afterschool program.

Develop a Vision: Being able to articulate what outcomes you hope to achieve is key to attracting
families and supporters. For example, some afterschool programs aim to raise academic scores, while
others try to prevent youth violence or to promote healthy youth development.

Find Funding and Develop Partnerships: You will likely need some start-up funding to get your
program off the ground. Learning about various federal, state, or local funds and looking for private and
in-kind donations from your community to support your afterschool program is an important piece of
getting started.

Meet State Regulations: States have minimum licensing requirements that apply to programs serving
children, including afterschool programs. These requirements typically vary for types of providers, and
often include separate requirements for school-age care settings. Contact your state's licensing agency
to find out about the requirements in your state.

Plan High-Quality Activities: There is a growing body of information on curricula and activities for
afterschool programs and providers. You can familiarize yourself with some activities and identify local
training opportunities to ensure that you have the know-how and resources to serve school-age kids.
Many well respected sources are listed below.

State/Local Resources

State Afterschool Profiles:
http://nccic.org/afterschool/statep.html
:
The Afterschool Investments project has developed state afterschool profiles for every state. These
profiles list major afterschool initiatives currently ongoing in your state and include state-level contacts.
Your state profile is a good place to look for potential partners or funding sources in your state.




Starting an Afterschool Program: A Resource Guide
September 2005

State Child Care Agencies,
http://nccic.org/statedata/dirs/devfund.html

State child care agencies can help you to determine whether or not your program needs to be licensed,
and may offer financial support to afterschool programs.

Resource and Referral Agencies,
http://www.childcareaware.org
:
Local CCR&Rs can refer families needing child care to your program. They also have information on
financial assistance and funding opportunities, on existing child care programs in your community, and
on how to provide quality child care. Some provide free equipment and information on provider support
organizations, training organizations and opportunities, marketing practices, business practices, and
more. To learn if there is a CCR&R available to you, contact Child Care Aware at 1-800-424-2246 or
through the website above.

Publications

Afterschool Action Kit, published by the Afterschool Alliance, a useful tool for parents, community
members or practitioners, the kit gives advice on finding or starting a quality program, identifying
program needs and what resources to tap for help. Available online at.
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/ACTIONKT.PDF


Beyond the Bell: A Toolkit for Creating Effective After-School Programs, second edition, published by the
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL), 2001. This publication provides tools and
information in key areas of developing afterschool programs. Order online at
http://
www.ncrel.org/after/bellkit.htm.


A Resource Guide for Planning and Operating After-School Programs, published by the Southeast
Development Lab (SEDL), 2003. This publication provides an annotated resource list to support
afterschool program development for school-aged children. Available online at
http://
www.sedl.org/pubs/fam95/.

Web Resources


Afterschool.gov:
http://www.afterschool.gov

This federal website provides a range of resources on funding sources, activities, and resources for
afterschool providers


National AfterSchool Association (NAA):
http://www.naaweb.org


NAA promotes national standards of quality school-age care for children and youth 5 to 14 years old,
and grants accreditation to programs meeting the standards. The web site includes links to various
resources, including state affiliates web sites.


National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA):
http://www.naccrra.org

NACCRRA is the national network of more than 850 child care resource and referral centers (CCR&Rs)
located in every state and most communities across the US. CCR&R centers help families, child care
providers, and communities find, provide, and plan for affordable, quality child care.


National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC):
http://www.nccic.org

NCCIC, a project of the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, is a national resource that links information and people to
complement, enhance, and promote the child care delivery system. The web site includes resource lists
and other pages dedicated to school-age care and youth development.



Starting an Afterschool Program: A Resource Guide
September 2005

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
Child Care Bureau

National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST):
http://www.niost.org
NIOST is a national leader in providing highly interactive, research based training for directors and staff,
school administrators, community leaders, and others committed to providing high quality afterschool
programs for children and youth. Publications address a variety of topics, from worker compensation to
curriculum planning.


Extended-Day Learning Opportunities (EDLO) Online Resource Center:
http://www.nsba.org/edlo
The National School Boards Association maintains this clearinghouse of resources to help school
leaders implement policies and collaboration strategies to support afterschool programs
.




































For more information about the Afterschool Investments Project or to submit a request for technical assistance or information,
contact The Finance Project at (202) 587-1000 or by email at
afterschool@financeproject.org

This resource list is intended for informational purposes only. The Afterschool Investments Project and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services do not endorse any organization, publication, or resource.