Boys and Girls Clubs – Much More Than Just Fun and Games!

Boys & Girls Clubs: is it just glorified babysitting? Is it a fun place for kids to go after school and during the summer until their parents can pick them up? Sure, it might have some elements of both of these, but the fact is: Boys & Girls Clubs are vital programs that do so much more than just providing supervision after school and during the summer months. GrantWatch reveals why Boys & Girls Clubs are a tremendous asset to communities and a beacon of hope for many underprivileged children.

A Cause Is Born

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America began in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut, when a group of women organized the first Club. They wanted to provide a positive alternative to the streets for boys who roamed around unsupervised. The idea quickly spread, and in 1906, 53 independent Boys Clubs came together to form the Federated Boys Clubs in Boston, which marked the start of a national movement. This organization was later renamed Boys Clubs of America and eventually became Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 1990 to reflect its inclusive mission of serving both boys and girls.

Boys & Girls Clubs are community-based and typically cater to any child, although there is always a focus on underprivileged youths. They provide kids of various ages with an engaging and safe, learning environment. It also acts as a safe place when they are not at home or school. Programs and services are designed to improve academic achievement, build character, and strengthen life skills. The goal is simple. Every young person who comes to the BGC will “graduate from high school with a plan for their future, demonstrate good character and leadership, and live a healthy lifestyle.” (BEGCP)

Who’s Who?

There are many famous celebrities who got their start with Clubs. Many of them even say they would not have achieved all that they accomplished if it weren’t for the presence of Clubs that helped give them a foundation of trust and camaraderie and helped turn a difficult (family or social) situation into a positive (growth) experience. The list of Alumni Hall of Fame inductees is long. From pro-athletes to accomplished business leaders, Olympians to award-winning actors, each of these outstanding inductees first got their start at their hometown Clubs: Chief Justice Harry Lee Anstead, Candace Bird, Ph. D., Ciara, Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), Skylar Diggins-Smith, Tony Gonzalez, Cuba Gooding Jr., Hulk Hogan, and Michael Jordan, to name a few – and that’s just a sampling of people up to the letter “J!”

Kids in Clubs Have Positive Outcomes, With Healthier Lifestyles and Less Risky Behavior

• For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs have changed and saved young lives during out-of-school time.
• We want every child in America to be in a safe, constructive environment when they are not at home or in school.
• Also, we reach underserved communities – we have 275 Clubs in public housing, 227 on Native lands, 470 BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide, and 2,125 Clubs in schools.
• We provide a safe haven for nearly 3.6 million youth every year, but there are millions more who need it.
• Clubs play an important role in providing a safe space to exercise, compete in team sports and establish lifelong friendships.
• Teens who stay involved in Clubs are more likely than their peers to have healthy habits, including being physically active and abstaining from risky behaviors like drinking and drug use. (bgca.org, “The Benefits of Club Membership“)

Clubs Help Teens Graduate from High School, Fostering Good Character and Citizenship

• Ensuring that every member of Clubs graduates from high school on time with a solid plan for their future is of the highest priority.
• Clubs offer homework help, tutoring, educational enrichment and college preparation programs designed to support young people’s academic achievement.
• Throughout more than a century of existence, Clubs have worked to foster young people’s integrity and good character, ability to make positive life choices, belief that they can bring about positive change in their communities, and compassion and willingness to serve others.
• 1 in 5 teens with Clubs volunteer once a month in their school, neighborhood or community. 1 in 4 help out at their Clubs once a week or more, and 85% of kids and teens with Clubs have done things to help people in their community. (bgca.org, “The Benefits of Club Membership“)

To Conclude

Boys & Girls Clubs empower young people to reach their full potential in safe and nurturing environments. By providing essential programs and support, they help shape the future leaders of our communities. GrantWatch wants to recognize the incredible impact Clubs have had in the lives of so many American families. The database offers a list of over 1,500 grants in its Youth and At-Risk Youth grants listing category.

Grants and In-kind Donations for Youth and At-Risk Youth

1. Grants to nonprofits for initiatives directly benefitting children/youth. Funding will contribute to the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual welfare of young people. Grants will also support research, programs, and activities to benefit children. Grants must have the potential to help children nationally or at least in large geographic areas.
2. There are grants to nonprofits partnering with workforce development boards, employer partners, and state and local education agencies for rural-youth workforce-readiness programs. Required registrations will take several weeks to complete. The purpose of this program is to increase alignment between the workforce development system, schools, and Out-of-School Time (OST) programs. The goal is to leverage the roles, responsibilities, resources, and expertise of these three entities to expand work-based learning opportunities, job training, and career pathways for rural youth living. The applicant’s program must serve at least two non-contiguous rural areas.
3. In addition, grants to state governments for activities to improve the juvenile justice system. Required registrations will take several weeks to complete. Funding supports programs and projects that prevent juvenile delinquency and develop more effective education, training, research, prevention, diversion, treatment, and rehabilitation programs.
4. In-kind donations of sports equipment to schools and organizations to support youth sports programs. Program priority is to serve economically disadvantaged and diverse communities. The program’s purpose is to provide local organizations with free lacrosse equipment and support so they can provide affordable and accessible youth lacrosse activities to their participants.
5. There are grants of up to $1,000 to schools, volunteers, and educators for activities to improve physical fitness and education for students. Funding is for trips to eligible roller-skating rinks for physical education classes, educational STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) K-12 field trips, or as part of a school’s reward program. Programming must be at Roller Skating Association-affiliated roller rinks.

Additional Grants for Youth and At-Risk Youth

1. Also, grants to environmental educators for youth research projects in the environmental sciences. Funding supports projects involving K-12 students in both formal and informal education settings, such as parks and nature centers. Moreover, funds are for equipment, supplies, scientific instruments, and tools to facilitate environmental research and data collection by youth.
2. Grants of up to $1,000 to nonprofits, running clubs, and elementary and middle schools to implement structured youth athletic programs. In fact, funding is for new or existing programs that encourage kids to run regularly. Proposals will be for running programs incorporating educational topics and running activities, utilizing the Kids Run the Nation curriculum from the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA).
3. There are grants to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) for programs serving underserved/low income high-school students. Funding is for summer humanities programs to take place on college campuses. The program’s purpose is to provide high school seniors with the opportunity to study humanity’s deepest questions about leading lives of purpose and civic responsibility.
4. In addition, grants to nonprofits for research to improve the lives of children and youth up to age 25 by addressing youth inequalities. Funding supports exploring policies and activities addressing inequality for young people. As a result, priority is for studies about reducing inequalities. This includes inequalities on the basis of race, ethnicity, economic standing, language, minority status, or immigrant origins.
5. Lastly, grants to nonprofits for research benefitting youth. This program funding will investigate how and what type of research is used by policymakers and others. The goal is to determine how best to develop policies and programs affecting young people ages 5-25. The Foundation’s goal is to determine whether improving the use of research leads to improved youth outcomes. Two types of grants are available: Major Grants and (smaller) Officers’ Research Grants.

About GrantWatch

With close to 8,000 grants currently available, GrantWatch.com is the leading grant listing directory. Upgrade to a MemberPlus+ subscription to view the full grant details, including eligibility criteria and application information. For more information, you can also visit the GrantWatch FAQ page. To see the great value of all 20 of the top GrantWatch features, click here. To conclude, see the latest episode of GrantTalk, powered by GrantWatch, with host Libby Hikind. You don’t want to miss this. Visit us on YouTube weekly. Don’t forget to get your copy of The Queen of Grants: From Teacher to Grant Writer to CEO, by Libby Hikind.

Please Note: There is no guarantee by GrantWatch nor the author of grant awards as a result of this information.