NMOST

Afterschool Policy Pulse
2026-01-09 10:00 - 10:30 (America/Denver)
Welcome to the Policy Pulse! Every second Friday at noon ET, Afterschool Alliance Senior VP of Policy, Erik Peterson, will recap the latest policy developments, what we know (or don’t know!) about how they may impact afterschool and summer programs, and what may be coming up next. Submit your questions in advance so we know what’s top of mind for you: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScatCxIspYzqu7wSl2T-OWV2iipwr4CHsZF8Ttyn2UDbD_4jQ/viewform

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Applying for the New York Life Foundation's 2026 Aim High Grants for Middle School OST Programs
2026-01-15 12:00 - 13:00
The New York Life Foundation will make 40 grants to out-of-school time programs serving youth through their Aim High local grant program. Join us for this webinar to learn more about the funding opportunity, eligibility requirements, and expectations. The speakers will be Jan Brown, Senior Program Officer at the New York Life Foundation, and Dan Gilbert, Director of Whole Child Initiatives at the Afterschool Alliance and administrator of the grant application and review process. Review the application and FAQ beforehand and have your questions ready, and hear tips on submitting a strong application.
The Aim High program is part of the New York Life Foundation’s ongoing investment in middle school OST programs to help eighth-graders reach ninth grade on time. The grant program will fund a total of 40 afterschool, summer and expanded learning programs nationwide, based on a competitive application process.
Applications are due February 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET. To learn more about this grant opportunity, view the full RFP and submit your application here.
Speakers:

Jan Brown, Senior Program Officer, New York Life Foundation
Dan Gilbert, Director of Whole Child Initiatives, Afterschool Alliance

Resources:

Aim High Grant Program – Homepage
Aim High Grant Program – Application Portal
Aim High Grant Program – Full Request for Proposals (PDF)

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Brite Practices: Research-Based Guidance for Supporting STEM Identity Online
2026-01-15 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for an insightful webinar based on the successful Brite program, where experts will share research-based guidance for supporting girls’ STEM identity development in online spaces.

Brite is an online, interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program built for girls ages 13-16 offered by National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and Smart Girls HQ, through initial funding from the National Science Foundation and continued funding from The Volgenau Foundation. During this exciting webinar, Dr. Roxanne Hughes, Associate Professor in Science Education at Florida State University, will share research findings from the Brite program, and the Brite team will walk participants through six “Brite Practices” that educators and program leaders can integrate into their own programming. Leave this webinar with the resources you need to cultivate an inclusive and engaging environment that creates a deeper connection to STEM and empowers young people to see themselves as future innovators!
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EdFunders OST Impact Group Monthly Field Convening: Youth Leadership and Youth Grantmaking
2026-01-16 10:00 - 11:00
Monthly Field Convening Calls
Join us on for the first Monthly Field Convening Call of the year on Friday, January 16th from 12-1pm ET. We’ll highlight examples of youth leadership and youth grantmaking as well as share tools and resources for integrating best practices into your programming and grantmaking strategy.
This webinar is free and open to all. Register here.

January 2026 YEI Educator Power Hour: Igniting New Ideas for the New Year
2026-01-20 14:00 - 15:00
January 2026 YEI Educator Power Hour: Igniting New Ideas for the New Year
Register: http://pages.services/powerhour.youngentrepreneurinstitute.org/january-2026-power-hour-sign-in/?ts=1764793232140

Career-Connected Learning Training: Building Engineering & Awareness in Pre-K and Kindergarten
2026-01-21 13:00 - 14:00
STEM Next is accelerating our efforts to advance career-connected learning in afterschool and summer learning programs with our Career-Connected Learning Framework for Out-of-School Time Providers. In this training, we will dive deep into the first phase of Career Awareness. With our partners at the Museum of Science in Boston, we will explore curricular resources that are tailored to preschool and kindergarten contexts. Attendees will learn how engineering and career awareness can be integrated into existing activities to support literacy development, number sense, creativity, and collaboration.
Audience: This training is designed for out-of-school time program providers and staff, including directors, professional development and quality specialists, and facilitators. It is also ideal for out-of-school time organizations, including museum and library staff.
Attendees who complete the post-training survey will be entered into a raffle to win a $100 Amazon gift card for their program.

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Unlock Funding for Girls' STEM Programs: AI Tools to Transform Your Grant Finding and Proposal Writing Webinar
2026-01-28 13:00 - 14:00
This 90-minute workshop is designed to explore and practically examine the current applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the critical work of fundraising and grant development. The session will focus on several key stages of the process, including identifying potential funders (prospect research), the careful review and understanding of grant solicitations, making strategic decisions about which opportunities to pursue, navigating proposal review processes, and techniques for writing strong, successful proposals. Participants will be introduced to relevant AI tools that can be leveraged to streamline the funding search and significantly enhance the efficiency of their grant writing efforts.
This workshop is hosted by the California Girls STEM Collaborative.
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Centering Youth Voice in Adult-Centric Spaces
2026-01-29 11:00 - 12:00
Young people have the insight, passion, and lived experience to lead meaningful change—yet too often their voices are excluded from decisions that directly affect their lives. In this dynamic Thought Leader session, we’ll explore what it truly means to center youth voice in traditionally adult-centric spaces such as school boards, policymaking, nonprofit leadership, and community planning.
Join us as we unpack the challenges and opportunities of shared leadership with youth. Through powerful examples and practical strategies, participants will learn how to authentically engage young people as equal partners in decision-making, shift adult mindsets and structures to make space for youth leadership, and create environments where intergenerational collaboration thrives.
Whether you’re an educator, nonprofit professional, policy leader, or advocate, this session will offer fresh insights and actionable tools for transforming your space into one that uplifts and centers the voices of young people.
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The Summer Nutrition Landscape: Setting the Scene for Summer 2026
2026-02-12 13:00 - 14:00
Join FRAC for a look at the summer nutrition landscape as we gear up for Summer 2026. This webinar will provide a picture of where summer nutrition programs stand today, highlight opportunities for growth, and explore best practices that help ensure every child has access to nutritious meals when school is out.
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NMOST's 16th Annual Spring into Summer Conference
2026-03-03 08:00 - 17:00
The New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network (NMOST) invites you to attend our IN-PERSON 16th Annual Conference: Spring into Summer 2026! This is our first in-person conference since 2019 and we can’t wait to see you there! It will be held at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque on March 3rd.
Registration will open early January 7th.
For planning purposes

Early Bird Registration will be $145 and available through February 1st
Regular Registration will be $185 starting on February 2nd
The group room rate at the Embassy Suites will be $159 and the block will open when registration opens

Save the date…mark your calendars…you won’t want to miss it!

Understanding Young People’s Political and Civic Engagement as a Counter to Democratic Backsliding
2026-03-12 10:00 - 11:00
As democracies around the world face increasing pressure, from voter suppression and disinformation to disengagement and distrust, young people are stepping up to defend and reimagine civic life. This session examines how youth political and civic engagement is not only a sign of hope, but a strategic response to democratic backsliding.
Together, we’ll explore how young people are organizing movements, influencing policy, and demanding representation in systems that have historically marginalized their voices. We’ll dive into the data and real-world examples that show how youth-led action can reinvigorate democratic institutions and create a more equitable future.
Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of what drives youth civic participation, the systemic barriers they face, and how educators, organizations, and institutions can support their leadership in meaningful, lasting ways.
This session is a must-attend for anyone committed to youth empowerment and the future of democracy.
Register

Understanding Young People’s Political and Civic Engagement as a Counter to Democratic Backsliding
2026-03-12 10:00 - 11:00
As democracies around the world face increasing pressure, from voter suppression and disinformation to disengagement and distrust, young people are stepping up to defend and reimagine civic life. This session examines how youth political and civic engagement is not only a sign of hope, but a strategic response to democratic backsliding.
Together, we’ll explore how young people are organizing movements, influencing policy, and demanding representation in systems that have historically marginalized their voices. We’ll dive into the data and real-world examples that show how youth-led action can reinvigorate democratic institutions and create a more equitable future.
Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of what drives youth civic participation, the systemic barriers they face, and how educators, organizations, and institutions can support their leadership in meaningful, lasting ways.
This session is a must-attend for anyone committed to youth empowerment and the future of democracy.

For questions, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at nylcweb@nylc.org.
This event will take place on Thursday, March 12 at 11:00 AM CT via Zoom. You will receive the link to join the Zoom call closer to the date.

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Operating Strong Summer Meals Programs
2026-03-19 13:00 - 14:00
Building and sustaining strong Summer Meals programs requires thoughtful planning and effective operations. This webinar will walk through the key components of operating high‑quality summer meal programs – whether you are a returning sponsor or operating for the first time in 2026.

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Youth Voices: Women and Girls Shaping a Sustainable Future Through STEM
2026-03-31 17:00 - 18:00
Tune in for a powerful panel featuring young women from NGCP’s Youth Advisory Board. They will share their unique and vital perspectives on how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is central to solving urgent global problems—from climate and environmental challenges to economic well-being and more.
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Summer Meals: Outreach That Works
2026-04-09 13:00 - 14:00
Effective outreach is essential to ensuring that families know when, where, and how to access Summer Meals. This webinar will explore outreach strategies that help programs reach more children and boost participation throughout the summer.

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