Boost Grant

LIFT Youth Center Inc is honored to have completed our second funding year from the competitive Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Grants Program that was approved by the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network.

LIFT Youth Center Inc is honored to be one of 104 organizations (4 statewide organizations with statewide reach and 100 community-based organizations) awarded a BOOST grant, funded with American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.

“The BOOST grants are a crucial part of our strategy to address learning loss as a result of the pandemic,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “These 104 organizations will provide opportunities for students that support both academic learning and the needs of the whole child. I appreciate the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network lending their expertise to this initiative.”

The BOOST grant allows LIFT to greater serve Catoosa County 6th-12th grade students with robust programming at no cost to LIFT students and families. Having no fees for these services further gives access to what has become high quality programming, family support, and student services. All of LIFT’s programming falls under one of the five categories of our R.E.A.C.H.

About BOOST:

The BOOST grants program provides three-year grants, renewed annually, to community-based organizations that operate comprehensive out-of-school time (OST) programming year-round, over the summer months, or after school during the academic year. The goal is to provide evidence-based afterschool and summer enrichment programs that target learning acceleration and provide whole child supports, thus removing nonacademic barriers to learning for students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants will support students’ learning, connectedness and well-being, all while addressing the learning loss experienced across the state in recent years. The purpose of these grants is to:

1. Expand access to serve more youth, with an emphasis on students and communities most impacted by the pandemic,

2. Reduce barriers, such as transportation and enrollment costs, to ensure access for all, and/or

3. Increase programmatic quality and expand or enhance supports and services offered.