Project Grant 18VSAMD003

THE FUND FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, ON BEHALF OF MARYLAND OUT OF SCHOOL TIME (MOST) NETWORK, IS REQUESTING SUPPORT 25 FT VSY AND 1 VISTA LEADER- WITH THE GOAL OF RECRUITING 35 FT VSYS BY THE END OF 2019 FISCAL YEAR- TO SUPPORT THE NETWORK AND MOSTS PARTNERS OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS TO BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH, ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY, AND INCREASE RANGE OF IMPACT IN MARYLAND. WE ARE REQUESTING $570,036 FROM CNCS IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT OUR 25 PLANNED STATEWIDE VISTA PROJECTS WHILE WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE OUR NET IMPACT ON OST IN MARYLAND USING VISTA RESOURCES. THE MOST NETWORK WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2007 AS A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE TO INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF OUT OF SCHOOL TIME (OST) OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH, AND THE FUND WILL SERVE AS MOSTS FISCAL AGENT UNDER THIS GRANT. THE FOLLOWING ARE OUR PROPOSED AREAS OF FOCUS: 1) INCREASING ACCESS TO AND PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE UNIQUE STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES; 2) ELIMINATING YOUTH HUNGER AND IMPROVING HEALTH IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BY INCREASING ACCESS TO MEALS, QUALITY NUTRITION EDUCATION, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; 3) EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE THE LEAST ACCESS TO OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE EDUCATION FOCUS AREA (K-12 SUCCESS), AND SECONDARILY WITH HEALTHY FUTURES. THE MOST NETWORK IS ONE OF 50 STATEWIDE AFTERSCHOOL NETWORKS SUPPORTED BY THE CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION WITH MATCHING LOCAL INVESTMENT. MOST HAS A ROBUST AND ACTIVE COALITION WITH PARTICIPATION FROM ALL TWENTY-FOUR JURISDICTIONS IN MARYLAND AND REPRESENTATION FROM ALL KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE OUT OF SCHOOL TIME FIELD, INCLUDING SCHOOL SYSTEMS, LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARDS (LMBS), RECREATION & PARKS DEPARTMENTS, SMALL-SCALE AND LARGE-SCALE PROGRAM PROVIDERS, AND LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OFFICIALS.