The North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP), afterschool providers, and families across North Carolina are relieved that the funding for 2025-2026 21st Century Community Learning Center afterschool and summer programs is set for release on Monday, July 21. These funds were part of the $6.8 billion in education dollars delayed by the Office of Management and Budget, which have now been reinstated following widespread public outcry and advocacy.
In this time of increasing political division, NC CAP was encouraged by the bipartisan action that led to the release of these funds that make sure that the 1.4 million kids in these programs nationwide – more than 11,000 of them here in North Carolina – will continue to have safe, supportive places to learn this year after the school day ends.
This outcome was the result of a collective effort from parents, program leaders, youth advocates, and community champions that came together to speak up for what matters, and the actions of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who heard them. The sheer number of voters in North Carolina and across the country that mobilized in support of our 21st Century Community Learning Centers reflects a broad national consensus: 87 percent of voters, across party lines, support public funding for afterschool and summer programs. The popularity of these programs shows how important it will be to maintain and expand this funding moving forward.
“We are thankful for and proud of the many families, educators, and community members in the Tar Heel State and across the US who stepped up in the last two weeks and refused to let afterschool and summer programs disappear,” said Elizabeth Anderson, Director of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs. “The work of these afterschool advocates affirmed what we know to be true: afterschool matters immensely to students, families, and communities in North Carolina. While this is the outcome we hoped for, our efforts aren’t over. We have to work together to ensure continued investment in afterschool so that every child in North Carolina has access to a safe, enriching space to learn and grow beyond the school day.”
NC CAP remains concerned about funding for afterschool moving forward. Currently the Trump administration’s proposed budget contains $0 for 21st Century Community Learning Centers next year, instead collapsing it into a ‘K-12 Simplified Funding Plan’ with dramatically reduced support. 21st Century Community Learning Center funding from the federal government is the primary source funding for afterschool and summer learning programs in North Carolina. If Congress agrees to the proposed budget, North Carolina will face a host of challenges: more working families struggling to find a safe place for their children and youth after school and in the summer, more children and youth unsupervised and at risk, less academic support and lost learning time for students, more kids without access to nutrition, increased absenteeism & dropout rates, and more parents forced out of their jobs when they lose access to afterschool and summer care.
Afterschool and summer programs offer vital academic, social, and emotional support and career development opportunities for youth while also helping working families bridge the gap between school and home. Research consistently shows that regular participation in high-quality out-of-school time programming improves school attendance, academic performance, and long-term success. Future funding decisions at both the state and federal levels will require continued vigilance and advocacy to protect these essential services.
NC CAP would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Afterschool Alliance for its tireless efforts to mobilize the field and keep stakeholders informed. Their national leadership played a crucial role in securing this outcome.
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About NC CAP
Founded in 2002, the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) is a statewide afterschool and expanded learning network established to work in partnership with stakeholders across NC to increase access to high quality afterschool and expanded learning programs for all children and youth in our state. As the state affiliate of the National Afterschool Association and one of the 50 Statewide Afterschool Networks, NC CAP champions youth development, program quality, and public investment in afterschool and summer learning. Learn more at https://ncafterschool.org/.
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