CS Mott Foundation Awards Grant to the National AfterSchool Association

The National AfterSchool Association has been awarded a grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to support the development of a system that will help afterschool practitioners identify and select high quality trainers.

The three-year grant is part of the Mott Foundation's commitment to professional development in the afterschool field. The grant will support NAA - and a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from national afterschool organizations involved in training - to develop a system for trainers to demonstrate and be recognized for their expertise, effectiveness and quality. The goal of the grant is to improve the quality of training that is delivered to front line staff and to increase the capacity of trainers in the field. NAA will devote the first year of the grant to research and development efforts including reviewing similar systems in other fields, collecting data from the trainers and consumers of training, and building key partnerships. "This generous support from the Mott Foundation allows NAA to make an important contribution to the development of a comprehensive system for training and professional development in the afterschool field," stated Judy Nee, NAA President/CEO. "The project places the nation's only afterschool professional membership association in a position to impact the quality of training provided to our members and the field - and that is an exciting opportunity for our organization," according to Nee.