Frozen federal funds force Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club to suspend after-school program

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net) 3,697 views 

The Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club (FSBGC) has suspended a planned after-school program following the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) decision to freeze funds approved by Congress. U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, disagrees with the DOE action.

The DOE recently notified states that it is not distributing $1.329 billion in 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funding. The money, approved by Congress as part of the fiscal year 2025 budget, supports 10,000 after-school programs nationwide that are estimated to provide education, workforce training, and other services to 1.4 million students, according to the Afterschool Alliance. Programs in Arkansas that receive the funding support more than 9,400 students.

The FSBGC announced in May it received a $700,000 21st Century grant in a partnership with the Future School of Fort Smith to open a teen center designed to provide after-school and summer programs to up to 100 teens a day. The center at the Future School was set to open in the fall of 2025. The grant was supposed to be paid out over four years, with $200,000 provided in the first year, according to FSBGC CEO Beth Presley.

“Due to the changes in federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs must temporarily pause the launch of our Teen Center at the Future School that was scheduled to be open on Aug. 13,” noted a statement sent Tuesday (July 8) by Presley. “While this decision was not made lightly, the 21st CCLC grant is a critical funding source that supports staffing, programming, and essential resources for the safe and impactful operation of our Teen Center in partnership with the Future School of Fort Smith. We remain fully committed to serving our teens and their families and are actively working with state and federal partners to advocate for the release of these funds. Our goal is to resume the opening of the Teen Center as soon as funding is secured.”

The Alma-based Boys & Girls Clubs of the Diamond Hills has four club sites in Crawford and Logan counties — Alma, Mountainburg, Mulberry, and Paris — that face elimination of after-school programs if the funding is not made available.

“Without this funding, these youth won’t just lose a program — they’ll lose a pathway to a brighter future,” noted a statement from the Diamond Hills club. “The 21CCLC grant goes beyond funding after-school care — it provides hope, safety, and opportunity for the next generation.”

In a brief interview with Talk Business & Politics, Womack said Congress has “Article 1 power” and funds appropriated by Congress should be allocated. Article 1 in the U.S. Constitution outlines the power Congress has within the three branches of government.

Womack, who is a member of the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee, said congressional funding “commitments should be honored,” especially with groups that have made budget and investment decisions based on previously promised funding.

“We have too many people that are recipients of those dollars, that have planned on those dollars, and it would be terribly unfair for us to leave them hanging by saying, ‘Oh, that was then, this is now,’” Womack said.

When asked if he’s talked to DOE officials about the funding, Womack responded with some frustration that he’s had several conversations about the issue.

“Look, I’ve shared it (21st Century funding freeze concern) with everybody in the (Trump) administration that is willing to listen,” he said.

preload imagepreload image