21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B)
Eligibility
- K–12 schools and community organizations running before- and after-school enrichment programs
- Programs must serve students attending low-income schools or who attend schools that have made adequate yearly progress challenges
- California receives its share through a formula allocation from the U.S. Department of Education, the state then runs competitive sub-grants to local education agencies
- Summer learning programs also qualify
Goals
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is designed to:
- Provide academic enrichment that helps students meet state academic standards in core subjects
- Offer STEM and technology education through hands-on, project-based programs
- Support family literacy and engagement activities alongside student programs
- Expand access to quality after-school programming in high-need communities
Application Due Date
Title IV-B is a formula grant, federal funds flow to state education agencies, which then run competitive sub-grant processes. In California, the California Department of Education manages the sub-grant competition. Check the CDE website for the current California sub-grant cycle and deadlines.
Grant Award Amount
California receives approximately $140 million annually from the federal government through the Title IV-B formula. National funding totals $1.3 billion. Individual sub-grant awards to local programs vary but can range from tens of thousands to over a million dollars depending on program size and scope.
Allowable Purchases (aligned with Forward Education solutions)
Title IV-B explicitly covers technology-based enrichment activities including robotics kits, STEM kits, engineering kits, and technology education. After-school coding clubs, robotics teams, and maker programs are strong fits.
Forward Education products eligible under Title IV-B
- micro:bit STEM Kits (Smart Solar Energy, Climate Action, Smart Hydroponics): purpose-built for after-school enrichment. Students build, code, and collect real sensor data, exactly what 21st CCLC programs are funded to provide.
- Coding for Good kit: introduces block and text-based coding through community-impact projects. Aligns directly with the program's goal of combining academic enrichment with real-world application.
- Coding for Climate kit: ties environmental science and STEM together, a natural fit for California programs with climate and sustainability goals.
- MicroChat (AI literacy platform): builds foundational AI literacy skills in an after-school format. Covers responsible use, critical thinking, and practical AI tools, increasingly relevant for district STEM goals.
Keep in Mind
You apply to California's sub-grant process, not directly to the federal government. Watch CDE's funding announcements and subscribe to their mailing list.
Applications need data showing the population served is eligible, typically Title I school attendance or documented low-income metrics.
The statute names robotics, STEM, and engineering kits. This makes Forward Education products a natural budget line, you're not stretching the intent of the grant.
21st CCLC sub-grants in California are often awarded as 3–5 year grants, giving programs time to build and sustain curriculum.
We'll help you write a 21st CCLC application that stands out.
Forward Education has helped after-school programs across the country build grant-ready STEM curriculum plans. We'll help you connect program goals to allowable purchases and write narrative language that reviewers notice.
- Curriculum planning that ties your after-school program goals to specific Forward Ed kits
- Budget narrative language for technology line items
- Sample program models from funded 21st CCLC sites using hands-on STEM
- Review and feedback on a draft application you've started
The Forward Education Grant Guide
Plain-English guide to federal formula grants, state competitive funding, and private STEM grants, including a full chapter on after-school funding programs like 21st CCLC.
Download the Grant Guide
