CSC Leon has officially released a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for Year-Round Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs, expanding high-quality supports for children and youth in grades K-8 across Leon County. Building on the progress of previous years, this investment raises the bar for program quality, experience, and outcomes, reflecting our continued commitment to making a meaningful impact in the lives of children and youth. Click here to go straight to the application portal.
What we’re looking for
Qualified providers are invited to submit proposals that deliver enriching, safe and developmentally appropriate OST programming, addressing both school‐year and summer environments. Key expectations include:
- Delivering consistent dosage and duration of services aligned to age-appropriate standards.
- Maintaining low staff-to-youth ratios, rigorous training protocols, and staff with the capacity to engage children in meaningful learning and enrichment.
- Integrating unique and engaging enrichment opportunities tailored to different age groups (K-8), beyond the traditional “school-based learning” format.
- Demonstrating organizational readiness to implement, manage and sustain the program investment with accountability, data-reporting and continuous quality improvement embedded.
- Ensuring inclusivity, equity and access so that children across Leon County, especially those facing barriers, benefit from the opportunity.
Why year‐round matters
While our past efforts concentrated heavily on summer programming, it is our goal to continue to transition toward year-round supports that link after-school and summer, expanding reach and consistency. By doing so, we believe we can better:
- Foster positive youth development and stronger academic achievement.
- Provide safe, structured environments before and after school and through summer months.
- Support reduction of juvenile crime by offering engaging alternatives for youth.
- Address “summer slide” and other learning-loss risks by sustaining connections with learners all year.
Important dates & next steps
- In-person informational session scheduled for Monday, October 27, 2:00-3:00 p.m., at the CSC Leon Administrative Offices. Registration not required.
- Portal tutorial (virtual) set for Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- In-person Program Design Workshops
- Year-Round Vendors: Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 1:00-3:00 p.m., CSC Leon Administrative Offices
- Summer Only Vendors: Friday, November 14, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., CSC Leon Administrative Offices
- In-person Budget Planning Design Workshops
- Year-Round Vendors: Thursday, November 6, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., CSC Leon Administrative Offices
- Summer Only Vendors: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., CSC Leon Administrative Offices
- Technical assistance sessions will be available between January 6-7, 2026.
- Proposal submission deadline: January 9, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
Why this matters for our community
Every child in Leon County deserves access to high-quality programs that support their growth academically, socially and emotionally. By investing in OST across the school year and summer, we aim to create stronger pathways for success — not just “keeping kids busy,” but truly helping them thrive and reach their potential. This is consistent with our mission of equipping children, youth and families in Leon County for success in school and life.
How to prepare
We strongly encourage interested organizations to:
- Download and carefully review the full Funding Announcement and Statement of Work attachments.
- Attend the informational sessions and trainings to deepen your understanding of our expectations and evaluation criteria.
- Plan your program design with intention: consider curriculum, youth engagement strategies, inclusive practices, measurement of outcomes and operational readiness.
- Assemble your team, staff training plan, schedule, budget and data-reporting systems ahead of submission.
- Reach out early with any technical questions via procurement@cscleon.org (phone calls/texts will not be accepted).
Thank you for your commitment to children and youth in Leon County. We look forward to partnering with community-minded organizations who share our vision of raising the bar in out-of-school time programming.
Download Full Funding Announcement
Please note that proposals require separate documentation be included and uploaded into the portal. No items should be emailed to CSC Leon staff or Council Members. If you encounter difficulties, contact procurement@cscleon.org. Phone calls and text messages requesting support will NOT be accepted.
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