Catalyst Funding Opportunity 2025-26
Beyond School Bells (BSB), Nebraska’s Statewide afterschool and summer learning network, and a program of Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NCFF), is proud to reaffirm its mission to expand high-quality, sustainable, school-based and community-powered K-12 afterschool and summer learning programs—what we call Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOs)—with our Catalyst Funding Opportunity.
Our Catalyst Funding builds on the legacy of our Partner and Leverage Grants, offering flexible support for established ELO programs that are committed to innovation, sustainability, and youth-centered learning. In addition to operational funding, Catalyst grantees join a statewide learning community with access to:
- Coaching and technical assistance
- Virtual and in-person gatherings
- Opportunities to share best practices
- Resources to support long-term sustainability and alignment with statewide priorities such as workforce development, literacy, and attendance
Dates & Deadlines
- Application opens Friday, June 20
- Applications due Friday, August 15
- Notification of selections by Friday, August 29
- Funding will run October 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026 (11 months)
Eligibility
To apply, you MUST be:
- An afterschool, before-school, and/or summer program serving elementary, middle, and/or high school students in Nebraska
- School-based or community organization-based
- Outside of the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas
- An established program working to provide high-quality, locally sustainable learning experiences
Funding Opportunity Goal Areas
Goal 1 Quality: Facilitate continuous improvement processes to support high quality Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOs) that engage relevant stakeholders.
Goal 2 Sustainability: Increase and enhance efforts that promote local sustainability of partner ELOs.
Goal 3 Local Advocacy and Policy: Enhance practices that build local stakeholder knowledge of ELO impact and contribute to supportive policy structures.
Goal 4 Innovative Programming: Facilitate and enhance use of high-quality programming that reflects youth interests and builds life skills.
Funding levels are responsive to each program’s needs, strengths, and capacity for innovation. Programs should showcase their strengths to bring their most impactful ideas into reality. Strong applications will align with Catalyst Funding goals; examples include applications that:
- Demonstrate use of continuous quality improvement tools and practices (e.g., NAQCIS; Whole Child, Whole Life).
- Show commitment to long-term sustainability through local partnerships and funding strategies.
- Engage in advocacy and awareness efforts that elevate ELO impact and build community support.
- Deliver youth-driven, hands-on programming that builds future-ready skills.
- Demonstrate willingness to actively participate in BSB’s statewide learning community to share and adopt best practices.
- Commit to ongoing, open, and timely communication with the BSB team to support a strong and responsive partnership
Funding Requirements
Those who are awarded funding will be expected to:
- Attend virtual quarterly network meetings
- Agree to timely and clear communication with BSB team
- Host a Lights on Afterschool event
- Attend Advocacy Day in Lincoln hosted by BSB (spring 2026)
- Submit 5-month and 11-month expenditure reports submitted via WebGrants
- Submit 5-month and 11-month progress reports submitted via Qualtrics
- Depending on the goal area applied for, additional requirements may be included, such as:
- Additional one-on-one coaching
- Development of a professional development, sustainability, and/or advocacy plan
- Hosting a youth brainstorming session
Application
Applications are due by Friday, August 15. Please submit via email to Stephanie Vadnais (svadnais@nebraskachildren.org) and Lauren Clark (lclark@nebraskachildren.org). For questions, contact any member of the BSB team.
