FY25 Budget Action Alert

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Dear [Decision Maker],

Currently in Illinois, for every child in an afterschool program, four are waiting to be enrolled. Afterschool programs and community schools are critical to young people's learning and socialization as they provide safe spaces, academic enrichment, meals, and wraparound services.

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We applaud the inclusion of substantial funding increases for early childhood education, and K-12 education, including evidence-based funding for school districts, child care, and health and human services in Governor JB Protzker's budget proposal. However, afterschool funding remains level. Level funding for afterschool means that programs will not be able to expand their services and reach more kids. Further, the Governor did not include funding for community learning centers and community schools.

To ensure youth in Illinois have access to high-quality afterschool programs and youth development opportunities, we encourage the Illinois General Assembly to:

- Create a new $50 million annual appropriation to fund community learning centers, and support afterschool programs and community schools. SB 2943 has been proposed by State Senator Villivalam. This ensures that 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs losing funding at the end of this school year can apply for a new grant. The proposed legislation would create a competitive grant program for community learning centers with five-year grant cycles subject to renewals, stabilizing the field. A state investment would ensure the sustainability of afterschool programs in Illinois.

-Increase Teen REACH funding to $27.3 million. Teen REACH programs have not received rate increases to address the increased costs associated with inflation, materials, and the number of youth they serve. ACT Now encourages the state to support Teen REACH providers by increasing their rate by six percent over the total amount the grant program is currently funded at $21.4 million.

-Fund the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) at $3.41 billion, with $70 million designated to cover an expected increase in CCAP participation.

-Maintain funding at $5 million for After School Matters. This funding line will enable After School Matters to continue supporting teens across Chicago with paid opportunities to develop critical skills for work, college, and beyond.

-Allocate $26 million to the Illinois State Board of Education's After School Programs line.

-Appropriate $202 million for ICJIA's Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program.

-Fund DHS's Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) grant program at $148.24 million. This grant program totals $250 million over several years. This funding is reappropriated from FY24. There was an additional $30 million proposed for the RPSA grant with $10 million from new general revenue funds. The Governor highlighted the possibility of leveraging $20 million from cannabis tax revenues to support this grant. This total funding appears to be sufficient to support current grantees.

Thank you for your ongoing advocacy for youth, families, and program providers. We look forward to collaborating with you and the rest of the Illinois General Assembly in developing a spending plan that ensures high-quality, engaging, and affordable afterschool opportunities for the youth of Illinois.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your Email]