The afterschool field is complex, as there are local, regional, state, and federal stakeholders - not to mention youth-serving agencies, parents, funders, providers...and more. Some focus on the afterschool profession and professional, others on the financial (and political) supportive structure, and still others on the educational and developmental opportunities for the individual youngster. Some groups emphasize the younger children, and some are focused on the older child. There are organizations that focus on providing direct care and those that focus on funding, professional development, and legislation.

The information and guidance these organizations offer to their constituents and the public are based on years of experience and research.

Professional membership organizations provide support and service to the afterschool worker on national, statewide, and regional levels. Some focus primarily on the afterschool professional, while others maintain afterschool information as a special interest group or division of the organization. The National AfterSchool Association (and its state affiliates) is dedicated solely to the afterschool professional and crosses many organizational boundaries. Other groups listed offer afterschool sections or divisions to members for whom afterschool is a portion of their focus.

Research and training is conducted by advocacy groups and by research-focused groups. Current, key, downloadable publications are often available at no cost.

National alliances and advocacy organizations are dedicated to support education, health, and welfare of children and youth and many specifically address the issues of out-of-school time. Each has its own combination of missions, methodologies, trainings, publications. Visiting websites of these organizations can be of great use for specific or overarching issues.

Throughout the country, local branches of youth serving organizations offer programs and activities. Many also have program guides, activity sheets, and planning tools available for general use as well.

National Membership Organizations - Direct Service

National AfterSchool Association (NAA) represents the voice of the afterschool field in the areas of professional development, program quality, public policy and current issues affecting children and youth in their out-of-school time.

AfterSchool Professional Network - No-dues network working for you. Are you an afterschool professional looking for solutions? For support? For discounts? For ideas? Does 'no cost' work well for your budget? Then sign-up for the AfterSchool Professional Network, geared to aid you in both your day-to-day work and in your career growth. It does not compete with any other professional organizations, so no need to 'pick just one'.

American Library Association - Service to Children The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a network of more than 4,200 children's and youth librarians, children's literature experts, publishers, education and library school faculty members, and other adults committed to improving and ensuring the future of the nation through exemplary library service to children, their families, and others who work with children.

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Our community of educators—175,000 members from more than 135 countries and 58 affiliates—spans the education profession. We're teachers, principals, superintendents, administrators, supervisors, curriculum developers, professors of education, school board members, and others. We are all dedicated to quality teaching, learning, and leadership.

National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) is our nation’s leading voice for child care. We work with more than 800 state and local Child Care Resource & Referral agencies to ensure that families in every local community have access to high-quality, affordable child care. To achieve our mission, we lead projects that increase the quality and availability of child care, offer comprehensive training to child care professionals, undertake groundbreaking research, and advocate child care policies that positively impact the lives of children and families.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC is committed to becoming an increasingly high performing and inclusive organization.

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) is to lead in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle level principals and other education leaders in their commitment to all children.

NAESP is the strongest unified voice for pre-K-8 leaders across the U.S. and around the world.

National Middle School Association (NMSA) has been a voice for those committed to the educational and developmental needs of young adolescents. NMSA is the only national education association dedicated exclusively to those in the middle level grades.

With over 30,000 members representing principals, teachers, central office personnel, professors, college students, parents, community leaders, and educational consultants across the United States, Canada, and 46 other countries.

National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) For 40 years, the National Recreation and Park Association has advocated the importance of thriving, local park systems, the opportunity for all Americans to lead healthy, active lifestyles, and the preservation of great community places.

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Academy for Educational Development (AED) Center for Youth Development and Policy Research "... to create and strengthen the infrastructures that support positive development for all youth in America. Activities include public education, research, policy formulation, and technical assistance aimed at U.S. communities which seek to expand opportunities and support systems for disadvantaged young people.

Afterschool Alliance " ...is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of afterschool programs and advocating for quality, affordable programs for all children. It is supported by a group of public, private and nonprofit organizations that share the Alliance's vision of ensuring that all children have access to afterschool programs by 2010."

America's Promise Alliance "As the nation's largest cross-sector alliance for young people, we bring together mayors, governors, community leaders, business, nonprofit groups, faith groups, foundations, parents, teachers, young people themselves and media. Together, we can create greater impact than any of us could achieve alone."

American Association of School Administrators (AASA) "... members are not only superintendents of schools; they are also school system CEOs and the chief education advocates for children. AASA members advance the goals of public education and champion children’s causes in their districts and nationwide. As school system leaders, AASA members set the pace for academic achievement. They help shape policy, oversee its implementation and represent school districts to the public at large."

American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) "...mission is to broaden the awareness and understanding of policymakers and to strengthen the youth policymaking process by bridging policy, practice, and research. We do this by identifying the most pertinent high-quality information on youth issues available and providing a forum for prominent leaders in government, programming, and research, as well as the youth themselves, to share their viewpoints and expertise about the policies and practices that improve outcomes for all youth."

CFLeads (formerly Coalition of Community Foundations for Youth) "a network of over 300 community foundations in communities across the United States dedicated to securing improved conditions for children, youth and families. Launched a decade ago with support from the Rockefeller Foundation."

Corporate Voices for Working Families "is a nonpartisan, nonprofit corporate membership organization created to bring the private sector voice into the public dialogue on issues affecting working families....Collectively our 55 partner companies employ more than 4 million individuals throughout all fifty states, with annual net revenues of $1 trillion."

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids takes a hard nosed look at crime prevention strategies, informs the public and policymakers about those findings, and urges investment in programs proven effective by research. Our organization focuses on high quality early education programs, prevention of child abuse and neglect, afterschool programs for children and teens, and interventions to get troubled kids back on track. We do not fund or operate any direct service programs for children.

National Collaboration for Youth " a coalition of the National Assembly member organizations that have a significant interest in youth development. Members of NCY include more than 50 national, nonprofit, youth development organizations that collectively serve more than 40 million young people; employ over 100,000 paid staff; utilize more than six million volunteers; and have a physical presence in virtually every community in America." Online resource: National Youth Development Information Center.

National Community Education Association (NCEA) "Community Education, the educational philosophy that underlies community schools, advocates the creation of opportunities for community members — individuals, schools, businesses, and public and private organizations — to become partners in addressing community needs. Community education is most easily recognized in the community school, a facility that is open beyond the traditional school day for the purpose of providing academic, recreation, health, social service, and work-preparation programs for people of all ages."

National Human Services Assembly "is an association of the nation’s leading national non-profits in the fields of health, human and community development, and human services. Many of the member organizations are national offices of large networks of local health & human service organizations. Others are national research or resource organizations or national programs...a vehicle for collaborative action among its members and other interested parties in the public, private and nonprofit sectors."

National League of Cities - Institute for Youth Education, & Families "helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of children, youth, and families in their communities. NLC launched the Institute in January 2000 to recognize the influential and unique roles that mayors, city council members, and other local leaders play in strengthening families and improving outcomes for children and youth."

National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks "...brings together established statewide afterschool networks in their collective mission to build partnerships and policies that are committed to the development and sustainability of quality afterschool programs. These partnerships — funded through the support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation — are focused on actively engaging key decisionmakers in support of school-based/school-linked afterschool programs, particularly in underserved communities. (Funded by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation). Online resource: Resources on Afterschool.

National Parent Teacher Association (PTA)"... To support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community, and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children; ...To assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children; ...To encourage parent and public involvement in the public schools of this nation. "

National School Boards Association (NSBA) Extended-Day Learning Opportunities " a clearinghouse of information for school board leaders to build and sustain quality extended learning opportunities for all students." (Funded by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation).

The Finance Project Children and Family Services "Helping leaders to finance and sustain initiatives that promote the healthy development of children and youth, while strengthening families."

The Forum for Youth Investment (The Forum) "...provides youth and adult leaders with the information, technical assistance, training, network support and partnership opportunities needed to increase the quality and quantity of youth investment and youth involvement...and is "moving ideas to impact" by building on and contributing to the big ideas coming from the various youth-related fields." Online info resource: Connect for Kids.

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Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) at Harvard Graduate School of Education. "to advance knowledge development, providing training, professional development and technical assistance, and offer strategies to encourage continuous learning and promote dialogue. Under this framework, HFRP's goals are to:

• Develop, test, and communicate methods that promote continuous improvement and accountability
• Promote diversity, program and system complexity, and outcomes measurement and attainment through evaluation practices
• Expand and strengthen the professional development base of those who work directly with children and families
• Provide policymakers, practitioners, and foundations with research and information to guide them as they fund new strategies and strengthen existing initiatives."

National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College. For over 30 years, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, has successfully brought national attention to the importance of children's out-of-school time, influenced policy, increased standards and professional recognition, and spearheaded community action aimed at improving the availability, quality and viability of programs serving children and youth. For more information about NIOST and their services, visit their website at www.niost.org.

Child Trends "a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization providing social science research to those who serve children and youth. To advance its mission, Child Trends collects and analyzes data; conducts, synthesizes, and disseminates research; designs and evaluates programs; and develops and tests promising approaches to research in the field."

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National Youth Serving Organizations

4-H USA (4-H Afterschool) "is a national effort brining under one umbrella the may 4-H learn-by-doing experiences in the after-school timeframe. Through 4-H Afterschool programs, Cooperative Extension trains staff and develops quality afterschool programs wehre young people learn leadership, citizenship and life skills."

Afterschool All-Stars "Improves kids lives by nurturing their minds, bodies and spirits through programs that incorporate independent learning, academics and enrichment activities. Serves 60.000 youth annually through after school and summer programs in 14 cities across the country."

Boys & Girls Clubs of America "Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. Boys & Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun. They are truly The Positive Place For Kids."

Camp Fire USA "...one of the nation's leading not-for-profit youth development organizations, currently serving nearly 750,000 children and youth annually...provides all-inclusive, coeducational programs in hundreds of communities across the United States. Founded in 1910, Camp Fire USA's outcome-based programs include youth leadership, self-reliance, after school groups, camping and environmental education and child care. Serving youth from birth to 21, Camp Fire USA helps boys and girls learn - and play - side by side in comfortable, informal settings."

Girl Scouts of the USA "...dedicated solely to girls—all girls—where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world. In partnership with committed adult volunteers, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives, like leadership, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth."

Girls Inc. "...provided vital educational programs to millions of American girls, particularly those in high-risk, under-served areas. Today, innovative programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent, and fulfilling lives."

JA Worldwide JA Afterschool™ is a national initiative dedicated to meeting the need for quality educational afterschool programming. JA’s afterschool efforts utilize a variety of Junior Achievement’s K-12 grade business and economic programs to create rich, engaging afterschool experiences for at-risk children in diverse communities across America.

United Neighborhood Centers of America (ANC) "...works in partnership with neighborhood centers to find solutions to social problems which hinder individual self-development and prevent productive community life. "

YMCA of the USA "...is the nation's largest provider of child care programs, YMCAs provide family-centered, values-based programs to nurture children's healthy development. Well-trained staff provide safe, affordable, high-quality care so you can have peace of mind while you work. Like all Y programs, child care is open to all, with financial aid available. Staff members are partners with parents and other caregivers, working together to help kids grow up healthy, happy and strong."

YWCA USA "Our mission to eliminate racism and empower women. We provide safe places for women and girls, build strong women leaders, and advocate for women's rights and civil rights in Congress."

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Department of Agriculture - Child Nutrition Program

Department of Agriculture - Summer Food Program Service

Department of Education

Department of Justice - Office of Justice Program

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State, City, Regional Organizations
Coming soon - send your links to info@AfterSchoolPRO.net and be a part of the inaugural listing.

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