Action urgently needed: Boys & Girls Club of America faces critical funding delay

STAFF REPORT

On June 30, The U.S. Department of Education (ED) notified state agencies that FY25 Department of Education funds, including funding for 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grantees, was being withheld indefinitely. This unprecedented decision carries serious implications for Boys & Girls Clubs and the young people and families who rely on them.

As a result, states did not receive allotted funding expected on July 1 for local afterschool and summer programs. The move could immediately impact summer and afterschool programs funded by a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant for the 2025-2026 school year.

The federal government has said it is holding the money to review 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funding, even though the funds were mandated by Congress' FY 2025 spending bill and signed by the President in March. No timeline or process has been shared for this review. 

On July 1, Boys & Girls Clubs of America released a public statement from President and CEO Jim Clark, as follows:

Afterschool and summer learning programs are cornerstones of academic success, public safety and family stability for millions of young people — but right now, we stand at a dangerous tipping point. The decision to withhold 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funds — despite Congressional approval for FY25 — threatens to unravel a decades-long, bipartisan investment in youth development. For over 20 years, 21st CCLC have helped kids succeed — and the results are clear. Students show better attendance, stronger engagement and improved academic outcomes, with 70% completing more homework and nearly half overcoming chronic absenteeism.

We’re deeply grateful for this funding that helps young people achieve real results—all while providing safe, supportive environments staffed by caring professionals so parents and caregivers can work with confidence. The impact goes beyond kids: for every $1 invested in Boys & Girls Clubs, communities see an average return of $10.

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Just like any organization, Boys & Girls Clubs depend on financial commitments to operate — to recruit talent, deliver services and meet the needs of families they serve daily. If these funds are blocked, the fallout will be swift and devastating: Up to 926 Boys & Girls Clubs could be forced to shut their doors, and more than 220,000 kids — many of them in underserved communities — will lose access to essential supports like healthy meals, caring mentors and safe spaces during the most vulnerable hours of the day. It would also mean the loss of 5,900 jobs at Boys & Girls Clubs around the country.

This funding supports the families of hardworking Americans who count on these services. Club sites and camps could shutter mid-season — upending care for working parents and leaving kids without critical safety nets.

Every moment of delay puts more kids at risk. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s about putting kids first.

We call on the Administration, with bipartisan support in Congress, to act swiftly and release the funds that families are already counting on. America’s future depends on how we show up for its kids — especially right now.

Stoney Hays, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks, explains why the lack of funding matters to the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks:

The 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funds are essential to the mission of Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks especially as we wrap up Summer Enrichment Programs and prepare for the new School Year with Afterschool Programs at Crane, Forsyth, Branson and Reeds Spring in partnership with each School District supporting working families. These funds make it possible for us to provide a safe, engaging and enriching environment for 1,500 young people in grades K-12. Our programs offer academic support, career exploration, leadership development and access to caring mentors—resources that are often out of reach for many in our community.

If this critical funding were to go away, the impact would be devastating. We would drastically reduce services here in Taney and Stone counties leaving over 700 youth without a safe and supportive space after school. We would face the loss of over 30 staff mentors including academic services and enrichment opportunities that directly affect the long-term success of our youth—and the families who rely on us for affordable, high-quality care. The stability and consistency this program provide are essential to keeping young people on track academically, emotionally and socially. The continuation of this funding is not just important—it is essential for the well-being, safety and success of the young people we are committed to serving.

The decision to withhold 21st CCLC funds carries serious implications for Boys & Girls Clubs across Missouri and the young people and families who rely on them. If these funds are blocked or reduced, the fallout will be swift and far-reaching. 

We are focused today on creating awareness of this issue and bringing together all our supporters in Missouri to advocate for the continuation of this critical investment in our kids.

Jeff Bilberry, Board Chair of the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks, addresses a critical service that is in jeopardy:

 Across the Ozarks, food insecurity has become a rising concern. One way that we have been able to help the young people and families that we serve is by providing a hot meal during our After School Programs and up to three meals a day during our Summer Enrichment Programs. Without access to this critical resource, I’m concerned that many of our young people will be at risk of not having access to healthy meals on a routine basis. It’s important that we take action to advocate for our young people by contacting our state leadership to remind them of how important the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks are to our local communities.

Please take action now.

We know that the Administration has been responsive to public pressure and this hold has the possibility of being lifted. This is where we need your help—we need your voice. We are calling on every parent/guardian, business owner, community leader and community advocate to join this urgent push. Use this link to contact your members of Congress TODAY and urge them to release these funds immediately: bgca.quorum.us/campaign/132348. Please amplify this and share out widely. We need to drive a surge of phone calls to decision makers. The more voices decision makers hear from, the stronger our chances of protecting the futures of the kids and families who rely on us.

Another way to help is to invest in kids is through our BGC Ozarks Back a Child Campaign through monthly giving at bgcozarks.org or the QR code, or sponsor a table for our upcoming Thanks4Giving Gala Event featuring St. Louis Cardinal Hall of Famer Willie McGee November 6 at the Branson Convention Center

Should you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to Stoney Hays at shays@bgcozarks.org; phone 612-282-5935.

We know this development is unsettling, and it comes at a time when our message couldn’t be clearer: America needs Club kids. Now more than ever, thank you for continuing to show up for our mission and for the Clubs working tirelessly to open doors for young people. Your unwavering dedication, especially in uncertain times, is what keeps our movement strong. Thank you for all you do for kids, families and communities.