LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) has opened applications for $73 million in Out-of-School Time (OST) grants for the 2025–26 school year. The program funds after-school, before-school, and summer programs that give K–12 students learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
“Every Michigan student deserves access to learning opportunities that extend beyond the traditional classroom,” said MiLEAP Director Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea. “This $73 million will have a big impact in communities across the state, helping students stay engaged, discover new interests, and build the skills they’ll carry through their lifelong learning journeys.”
The grants are open to nonprofits, tribal governments, public libraries, higher education institutions, local governments, and intermediate school districts. To qualify, programs must offer in-person services for at least 15 students daily for a minimum of 50 days during the school year or 24 days during the summer.
MiLEAP Deputy Director of Education Partnerships, Rawlan Lillard II, said this year’s grant is fully open and competitive, with no set-asides, meaning all eligible organizations can apply.
“I would just like to say — apply, apply, apply,” Lillard said. “You have the opportunity to serve our kids. This is the opportunity we want you to take. Our goal is to make sure that seventy-three million dollars gets distributed across Michigan to take care of our kids.”
Lillard added that the program funds a wide range of enrichment activities — from STEM and drone technology programs to culinary arts, plumbing, and carpentry training. He says these types of hands-on learning opportunities help students connect classroom lessons to real-world skills.
To make the process more accessible, MiLEAP is hosting technical assistance sessions through November to help organizations navigate eligibility and application steps.
Applications must be submitted through the Grant Electronic Monitoring System (GEMS) by noon on November 18, 2025.
Last year, MiLEAP awarded $55.8 million in OST funding to 169 organizations, serving more than 90,000 students at nearly 700 program sites statewide.
For full eligibility details and registration links for the upcoming sessions, visit the Out-of-School Time Grants page on Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.
