PASE Network News

The NYS Office of Children and Families (OCFS) recently released the New York State Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Request For Proposals (RFP 1164). This funding is intended to serve high-school-aged youth (ages 13-21) during afternoon and evening hours, weekends, and/or school breaks, including the summer, using a positive youth development approach. The BOOST initiative is a pilot approach to fostering stronger bonds between school, as a primary institution of stabilization and growth, and community programs that offer arts; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); civic engagement; leadership development; and career exploration opportunities. Learn more by reviewing the RFP materials and submit applications by May 9, 2025. 

Are you working on innovative and community-driven solutions to complex challenges in adolescent and young adult health? Consider applying to youthink Incubator Hub through Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The Incubator Hub supports teams through a dynamic, inclusive, and impactful process that is informed by design thinking. The program offers hands-on training, coaching, a peer network, funding, and more. Eligible teams should have at least one youth member (ages 18-25). Learn more by reading the program FAQs, and apply via the website by April 23, 2025. 

The Coalition of Youth Development Intermediaries has created a training fund to provide honoraria to nonprofit, youth-serving organizations to take established, high-quality trainings or related resources and adapt them for use beyond their own organizations and current reach. The fund anticipates honoraria in the range of $1,000 - $5,000 until all funding is used. Please see the overview here for complete details, and apply using the online submission form. 

Young Futures has announced the Call Me Maybe Challenge, $500K in funding for schools and nonprofits working to tackle the phone policy debate in education, with funding seeded by Pinterest and supported by Pivotal Ventures and Susan Crown Exchange. This challenge will fund solutions that meet schools and student populations where they are, offering actionable models and tangible solutions that work for a given community to enhance learning while reducing the negative impacts of phone use in schools. The funding model is designed to give young people a real voice in policy decisions related to technology use. The first step is to take an eligibility quiz, and prospective applicants can also attend an information session on March 31, 2025. Check out the full RFP on the Young Futures website – applications are due by April 9, 2025. 

The New York Life Foundation is set to award 30 grants to out-of-school time (OST) programs serving youth through their Aim High grant program. Aim High is part of the New York Life Foundation’s ongoing investment in OST programs to help underserved middle school youth reach the 9th grade on time and be better prepared for high school. Both one-year grants for $20,000 and two-year grants for $100,000 are available, with all grants beginning in August 2025. Awardees must be nonprofit organizations serving middle school youth, with at least 75% of those served from families with low incomes. Learn more about proposal criteria and applicant eligibility via the Aim High grant webpage and view a recording of a recent info session for a program overview and application tips. Applications are due March 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM and can be submitted electronically.