OST Coalition
Fighting For Colorado's Afterschool Future
In 2023, CAP partnered with a small team to create and advocate for the Quality Comprehensive OST Funding bill that passed for $3.5 million, for 3 years, which became the Nonprofit Out of School Time (NPOST) grant at the Colorado Department of Education. This bill is the only dedicated state funding in Colorado for afterschool programs. The passing of this bill added Colorado to a list of 28 (as of 2026) states that have dedicated funding for afterschool.
This grant, as well as the Colorado Academic Accelerator Program (COAAP) for afterschool programs and schools, are both due to sunset on June 30th, 2027. CAP has launched the state-wide OST Coalition comprised of NPOST and COAAP grantees and community stakeholders to advocate for the continuation of the grants, and raise awareness of the need for and benefits of afterschool as a whole.