We’re relieved to share that the U.S. Department of Education has officially begun notifying states—including Michigan—that their Fiscal Year 2025 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant awards have been processed.

This means the critical funding that supports more than 16,000 youth across more than 230 afterschool and summer learning program sites in Michigan is finally on its way to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).

This long-awaited action comes three weeks after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) abruptly halted the release of funds, sparking concern and uncertainty for programs, families, and youth across the country. The freeze threatened summer programming and left fall planning in question for hundreds of providers in Michigan.

Thanks to powerful advocacy from the field—including your voices, stories, and persistence—this funding freeze has been resolved. We’re especially grateful to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for joining a 22-state lawsuit demanding immediate release of the funds, and to the many programs that contacted Congress, shared stories, and kept the spotlight on this issue.

What Happens Now?

State education agencies like MDE are now receiving their official 21st CCLC grant award notifications.
Once received, MDE can distribute funding to local programs—allowing sites to move forward with hiring, planning, and implementing high-quality programming.

We know the past few weeks have been stressful and disruptive. Thank you to every provider, parent, youth, and partner who stood up for Michigan’s afterschool community. Your advocacy made a difference.