NRPA's Online Grant Opportunities Portal

Current NRPA Grant Opportunites

2024 Out-of-School Time (OST) Youth Mentoring Program

With support from the U.S. DOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, NRPA is excited to announce the 2024 Out-of-School Time (OST) Youth Mentoring Program grant opportunity, designed to expand access to high-quality and community-based youth mentoring programs in parks and recreation. In addition to training and peer networking opportunities, this grant will award up to 20 agencies with $60,000 each to implement projects that advance equitable access to youth mentoring in parks and recreation. Applications are due February 28, 2025.

The Out-of-School Time (OST) Youth Mentoring Program will provide funding, training, and peer networking opportunities to support park and recreation agencies as they develop and implement evidence-based mentoring practices into parks and recreation. Leveraging existing youth programs and using NRPA’s Youth Mentoring Framework as a guide, grantees will establish or expand one-on-one and group mentoring programs within their communities. This opportunity will also support agencies to implement additional activities focused on improving social, emotional, academic, and behavioral outcomes, including family engagement and bullying prevention. The goal of this opportunity is to increase positive behaviors in youth, specifically academic performance and social-emotional well-being. 

Agencies are encouraged to submit proposals that integrate more intentional one-on-one and group mentoring services and activities into their existing youth/out-of-school time offerings (afterschool care, STEAM, youth sports, environmental education, outdoor recreation, arts, cultural activities, etc.). Programs should prioritize youth who have historically faced barriers to high-quality youth development and mentoring programs.