Raising Awareness in Afterschool

About this grant

Afterschool programs provide children with important opportunities to learn, prepare for a successful career, gain new skills and develop relationships with caring adults. This is critical for children in disadvantaged communities. Also critical is the need to engage key decisionmakers in support of afterschool programs Funding will enable the Every Child Matters Education Fund (ECMEF), in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance, to raise the visibility of afterschool programs through media, polling, focus group research and community outreach; identify and engage a group of afterschool leaders in Virginia; encourage afterschool program staff and parents to raise awareness of the need for public support of afterschool programs; and evaluate campaign outcomes, and collect data and research on voter/candidate responses to afterschool issues in 2006 state elections.ECMEF was established to make the needs of children a national priority and to promote the adoption of smart policies for children and families.