This grant will support the United Ways of Texas to start up and coordinate a new statewide afterschool network in Texas. The network will work to create an afterschool system and as a new network, will work to increase high-quality afterschool opportunities in the state. The network will bring together youth-serving organizations, state agencies, and other key stakeholders, and will complete a statewide mapping study of afterschool services and needs. To ensure that new models and best practices are incorporated nationally, the network will share lessons learned and products with the other statewide afterschool networks.

This grant will support the University of Maine at Farmington to coordinate the Maine statewide afterschool network. In addition to continuing the network's core work to advance afterschool programs in Maine, the network will complete a multiyear project to establish a system of credit attainment for school-linked afterschool opportunities. The network seeks to create a model for standards-based, school-linked, afterschool programs that provide youth with personalized learning opportunities and credit toward graduation in afterschool settings. To ensure that new models and best practices are incorporated nationally, the network will share lessons learned and products with the other statewide afterschool networks.