Fundraising efforts have provided a reprieve to two Springfield nonprofit organizations that operate after-school and summer-learning programs in the community. But those programs will serve fewer children this year, and there's no guarantee that the same level of after-school and summer-learning services will be available once the donated money runs out.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois raised $880,000 to keep after-school programs in place for more than 700 kids at eight Springfield locations for the remainder of the current-school year, according to CEO and executive director Tiffany Mathis Posey. Those monies will help to offset the loss of $1.2 million in federal grant funds distributed by the Illinois State Board of Education.
"We sent a letter out to parents in District 186 letting them know our fundraising efforts have been successful," Mathis Posey said. "We continue to fundraise since we still have next school year to go, but we let everybody know that we are finishing out the school year at those affected eight sites."
The eight Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois program sites that are now funded through the end of the school year are Dubois Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Matheny-Withrow Elementary, Ridgely Elementary, Black Hawk Elementary, Harvard Park Elementary, Franklin Middle School and St. Patrick's Elementary.
Another Springfield nonprofit is using community generosity to continue its program for kids, although at a reduced level. Compass for Kids was able to raise $180,000 in private donations through Jan. 31, according to founder and CEO Molly Berendt. When those donations are combined with $93,804 from United Way of Central Illinois and $480,000 in Title I funds plus transportation services from Springfield School District 186, a total of 300 kids will be able to attend Camp Compass this summer.
Camp Compass' 2025 summer learning program will operate at two locations, Ridgely Elementary School and Matheny-Withrow Elementary School, with 150 kids served at each location. That is much fewer than last year when 924 kids were served at seven locations.
The federal emergency pandemic funding that provided a $2 million annual investment for summer-learning programs through Compass for Kids expired Sept. 30, 2024, forcing the agency to look elsewhere for funding.
"We are incredibly grateful for the individuals, the churches and the groups who stepped up to sponsor a camper to attend Camp Compass this summer," Berendt said. "Some people have been extremely generous, and we are very proud of how hard we worked to raise the money to make it possible for 300 kids to have a life-changing experience this summer."
But 300 kids is still far fewer than 924.
"It's also somewhat disappointing to know that we could serve more kids if there were more funds," Berendt added.
The after-school and summer-learning programs are a key way to address the drop in academic performance scores brought on by the pandemic, Berendt said. Those programs also provide options for working people who have no access to, or cannot afford, places where their children can stay and learn during their parents' working hours.
The Compass for Kids federal funding loss can be directly attributed to Congress' non-renewal of emergency funding. For the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois, the situation was more nuanced.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois received a $1.2 million grant each year for 10 years, starting in 2015, from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. However, agencies that had not previously received those grant funds were given priority during the application process last year, which meant that BGCCI was suddenly without a major funding source for 2025.
The $880,000 fundraising effort gives BGCCI some breathing room for the moment, but Mathis Posey is now looking at what will happen after the current school year is over.
"The Springfield community was extremely generous during this time just trying to sustain our programs, but the way things stand right now, we're not able to keep those eight sites afloat year after year from a fundraising perspective," Mathis Posey said. "We have convened a long-range planning committee with board members to discuss what this is going to look like long term. We are considering all scenarios right now so that we can move forward as best as possible."
Mathis Posey intends to apply for another 21st CCLC program grant if the Illinois State Board of Education accepts new applications in the near future. Even during the years when the agency received the grant funds, BGCCI still had to raise additional amounts totaling $450,000 to $600,000 every year to pay for its 178 staff at 22 locations.
"At least we feel comfortable at this point, because of the donations, that we're not putting ourselves at a deficit by staying open through the end of the school year," Mathis Posey said.
The Illinois State Board of Education had $10 million in 21st CCLC grant funds to award in Fiscal Year 2025 and received applications totaling more than $34.5 million, according to board spokesperson Lindsay Record. The reason that organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of Illinois, whose grant cycles came to a close last year, could not be renewed was because they had already reached the maximum number of renewals allowed by the program rules, she said.
The BGCCI after-school program sites that are not affected by the federal grant, and remain open, include: Ball Charter, Jane Addams, Hazel Dell, McClernand, Owen Marsh and Sandburg Elementary schools; Grant Middle School; and the club's headquarters on 15th Street. The service expansion that BGCCI was able to achieve in Jacksonville School District 117 will remain open as well.
Another nonprofit, Springfield Urban League, ceased after-school operations in mid-2024 at its seven locations that had been funded by a $1 million federal grant that was not renewed. This means approximately 700 students at Feitshans, Southern View, Laketown, Lee and Graham Elementary schools have lost access to after-school programming through the Urban League The grant also funded the NAACP Back-to-School Stay-in-School Academy and an after-school program at Springfield High School.
"We need these programs now more than ever, and we're urging policy makers and community partners to recognize the critical role that they play in educational and social development," said Springfield Urban League president and CEO Marcus Johnson.
The Urban League is still supporting approximately 400 students at Springfield High School, Southeast High School, Lanphier High School, Washington Middle School and Jefferson Middle School through other programs with alternative funding sources. The organization is also seeking additional funds to bolster remaining programs and to bring back those that have been shut down.
"We have been voraciously writing grants of all kinds to secure money and resources to not only sustain the programs that we have, but to build upon them," Johnson said. "If anyone wants to donate to the Springfield Urban League, they can. We would love that."
