Neutral Zone

Afterschool

During non-school time, there is a tremendous opportunity to expose kids to activities that not only complement what’s learned in school, but also prepare them for meaningful work in the future and spark a journey towards becoming curious, fulfilled and well-rounded adults.

While the Foundation continues to invest in the capacity and quality of afterschool programs – including cohort-based learning for STEM and mentorship programs – we have now reached an evolution in our work with the launch of a teen-driven grantmaking initiative called “Generator Z,” birthed from the Teen Opinions Count effort we embarked on in 2019. In this effort, we have engaged 1,000 teens across Southeast Michigan and Western New York to share their personal stories and ideas on afterschool. The initiative flips the script on traditional grantmaking by inviting “Gen Z” to lead the conversation on afterschool and inviting afterschool providers to turn ideas into action.

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