Two-Year Opportunity Grants
Nebraska Lottery Funded Grants
The Expanded Learning Opportunity Grant Program Act was created by the Nebraska Legislature to promote academic achievement in high-need schools during out-of-school time afterschool and during summer break. Beginning July 1, 2016, one percent of the education proceeds from the Nebraska Lottery are transferred to this fund. These grants require a partnership contributing a 1:1 match of the grant award. Partnerships must include a school district and at least one community-based organization, agency or business. Eligible afterschool sites must have been in operation at least five years and receiving funding from a 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) Continuation Grant. To date there have been three competitions for Two-Year Opportunity Grants and one competition for One-Year Opportunity Grants.
The first competition was conducted in 2017. Thirteen grants were awarded to provide enrichment programming at 45 sites during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years. This cohort is identified as the 2019 Cohort and had a grant period of June 7, 2017 – August 31, 2019.
The 2021 Cohorts included two competitions. Thirteen Two-Year grants were awarded to provide enrichment at 48 sites during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years and had a grant period of June 7, 2019 – June 30, 2021. Nine One-Year grants were awarded to provide enrichment at 30 sites during the 2020-21 school year and had a grant period of June 5, 2020 – June 30, 2021. Both cohorts were severely impacted by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring, 2020. They continued to be challenged during the summer of 2020 and the 2020-21 school year due to various pandemic protocols, such as remote schooling, restrictions on outside community partner participation and loss of field trip opportunities.
The 2024 competition resulted in sixteen grants to provide enrichment programming at over 100 sites during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. This cohort is identified as the 2024 Cohort and has a grant period of April 8, 2022 – June 30, 2024.
