BOOST after‑school grantees describe services and ask for $7.5 million to sustain programs
March 02, 2026 | 2026 Legislature Georgia, Georgia
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Polly McKinney, advocacy director at Voices for Georgia’s Children, and Katie Landis, director of the Georgia Statewide After School Network, told the committee that the Building Opportunities and Out of School Time (BOOST) competitive grants support evidence‑based after‑school and summer programs across Georgia and asked lawmakers for $7,500,000 to sustain the program.
Landis said the FY26 BOOST RFP drew 143 eligible applications requesting more than $30,000,000; limited funding allowed awards to only the top 44% (63 grantees: 60 community grantees and 3 statewide grantees). She said priority points were given for literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading, numeracy, and workforce development and for programs serving counties not already receiving federal after‑school dollars.
McKinney and Landis described grantee activity: roughly 73% of respondents reported providing literacy and numeracy instruction aligned to grade level, and about 64% reported workforce development activities such as career days, guest speakers and internship connections. They said BOOST currently supports programs serving nearly 40,000 youth across about 650 sites in 101 counties and that many awarded grants are smaller than ARPA‑era awards, limiting the number of youth each grantee can serve.
The presenters asked the committee for $7,500,000 to bring the program to a sustainable continuation level; they said the funding did not fully underwrite programs (BOOST awards were constrained to no more than 40% of an applicant’s operating budget) but filled essential gaps such as hiring certified instructors and providing transportation for participants.
Committee members asked for lists showing county coverage and for technical‑assistance efforts to help unfunded applicants improve future proposals; Landis said her organization provides professional development open to both funded and unfunded providers. The presenters offered additional district‑level and reviewer data to the committee after the meeting.
No vote or appropriation was taken at the session.
Landis said the FY26 BOOST RFP drew 143 eligible applications requesting more than $30,000,000; limited funding allowed awards to only the top 44% (63 grantees: 60 community grantees and 3 statewide grantees). She said priority points were given for literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading, numeracy, and workforce development and for programs serving counties not already receiving federal after‑school dollars.
McKinney and Landis described grantee activity: roughly 73% of respondents reported providing literacy and numeracy instruction aligned to grade level, and about 64% reported workforce development activities such as career days, guest speakers and internship connections. They said BOOST currently supports programs serving nearly 40,000 youth across about 650 sites in 101 counties and that many awarded grants are smaller than ARPA‑era awards, limiting the number of youth each grantee can serve.
The presenters asked the committee for $7,500,000 to bring the program to a sustainable continuation level; they said the funding did not fully underwrite programs (BOOST awards were constrained to no more than 40% of an applicant’s operating budget) but filled essential gaps such as hiring certified instructors and providing transportation for participants.
Committee members asked for lists showing county coverage and for technical‑assistance efforts to help unfunded applicants improve future proposals; Landis said her organization provides professional development open to both funded and unfunded providers. The presenters offered additional district‑level and reviewer data to the committee after the meeting.
No vote or appropriation was taken at the session.
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