Trump administration freezes funding for after-school, childcare programs
By Michael Cuglietta and Steven Walker
A Trump administration budget freeze means a $2.4 million loss for the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida, a “no warning” cut the club fears will leave it scrambling to keep its summertime program for low-income children running.
Orange County Public Schools fears it will lose $14 million from the same federal freeze, which was made public this week.
Nationwide, the Trump administration is withholding more than $6 billion in federal grants for after-school and summer programs, English language instruction, adult literacy and more as part of a review to ensure grants align with President Donald Trump’s priorities.
The funding pause impacts schools, daycares, summer camps and other programs that provide services to low-income families.
The move leaves states and schools in limbo as they budget for programs this summer and in the upcoming school year, introducing new uncertainty about when — or if — they will receive the money. It also sets the stage for a clash with Democrats, who say the administration is flouting the law by holding back money Congress appropriated.
“To have this funding hold with no warning is really detrimental to operations in the summertime, when we have the kids all day long,” said Jamie Merrill, the Central Florida club’s CEO.
If funding isn’t restored soon, some programming may end mid-season, said Jim Clark, president of the Boys & Girls Club of America, who said more than 900 clubs nationwide could close, affecting more than 220,000 kids.
The Boys & Girls Club has 39 locations in Central Florida that provide after school and summer programming to about 13,000 children at little to no cost to parents. The now-frozen federal funding pays for programs that serve 1,200 children at five clubs.
The local club has relied on the federal dollars for more than 20 years. This month, it anticipated being reimbursed for about $250,000 for expenses it already paid, but in a Tuesday email it learned those funds would not be coming.
If the nonprofit cannot make up for the loss, which accounts for more than 10% of its annual $20 million budget, Merrill said she will be forced to make some difficult cuts.
“While some clubs may not shut down, we’re talking about staff loss, we’re talking about mentor loss, we’re talking about program loss that these kids have come to depend on,” Merrill said.
In June, the Orange County School Board approved a resolution publicly sharing its concern about a potential federal funding freeze. The board estimated it could lose about $14 million in funds that help pay for after-school programs at schools that serve low-income communities.
In a statement, OCPS spokesperson Michael Ollendorff said the district was “closely monitoring” the changes, which could “significantly impact funding for critical student services.”
School districts across Florida are worried about the loss of funding, Bill Montford, chief executive of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, said in a interview with the Tampa Bay Times.
“They’re very worried, especially if they have to dip into reserves,” Montford said. “This is a serious issue, but not one that superintendents can rush into.”
Boys & Girls Clubs provide free childcare so parents can work and have used federal funds to help pay for those programs.
“It allows families to put more money back into the economy, because we’re allowing the families to work and earn income because the kids have a safe place,” Merrill said.
The club provides kids with hot meals, academic support, athletics programming and mentoring.
“We knew that there was conversations about cuts happening, but we really thought we were going to have a little bit longer to offset it,” Merrill said.
The email Merrill received from the federal government said the financial support was being paused, “even though funds were mandated by congress as a part of the spending bill.”
It stated that the funding was now under review but there was also “no timeline” for when the review might be completed.
The U.S. Department of Education, in a notice obtained by The Associated Press, explained the pause was to make sure federal money aligned with the administration’s goals. “The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” it said.
The department referred questions to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not respond to the AP’s request for comment.
Merrill hopes Central Florida residents will write to their congressional representatives and urge them to push for the funding to be released. The club will also look for private donations to fill the gaps.
“If I can’t replace some of the funding, it may cap me to where I can’t serve more kids. And that’s the opposite of our mission. Our mission is always to be able to serve more kids, to do more,” Merrill said.