In 2017, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a transformative act into law creating the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST) Office, and giving it oversight of the Learn24 network to ensure that all D.C. youth have equal access to quality programming outside of school hours. Since then, the OST Office has facilitated programming for over 82,500 students and directed more than $113 million to local nonprofits. 

To manage the scale and complexity of the initiative, Learn24 partnered with Cityspan in 2018 to implement a custom data management platform—one designed to drive efficiency, support strategic decisions, and ultimately help strengthen youth outcomes across the District.

CHALLENGE: Managing millions in funding and serving tens of thousands of students

With over 100 nonprofits applying and 80 receiving funding each year, Learn24 needed a system that could both handle the full lifecycle of its grantmaking process and facilitate collaboration among institutional partners, nonprofit providers, and school districts. The system would have to be flexible enough to support a broad range of programming and adapt to new policies, and detailed enough to ensure accountability and compliance across the board.

SOLUTION: One unified system for grantmaking, tracking, and outcomes reporting

Cityspan worked with Learn24 to build a tailored platform that streamlines complex workflows and supports data-informed decision-making to maximize impact. The system encompasses every stage of the grant lifecycle, enabling grantees to onboard easily, track services accurately, and report data so that it aligns with District policies.

The system includes key features that streamline each part of the grantmaking process:

  • Request for Proposal processes: Agencies self-register and submit detailed proposals within the platform. Since Learn24 funds a diverse array of programming, unique applications for a range of funding categories are available. Once a proposal is submitted, the platform assigns it to an external reader who scores it according to predefined criteria. Scores are then summarized into reports that allow Learn24 to make informed award decisions.
  • Grant agreement processes:  Data from approved proposals—including important details like scope of work, budget, schedule, and expectations—flows seamlessly into agreements. The contracts are then automatically routed for approvals and signatures from all necessary parties. 
  • Program documentation: Grantees use the platform to register participants, create schedules, take attendance, and more. Through integrations with the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), grantees can easily obtain and share information on the students they serve.
  • Quarterly progress reports: Each quarter, the system pulls data from grantees’ ongoing documentation to help them create and submit narrative form progress reports that show their impact to Learn24. The progress reports allow Learn24 to accurately track and measure the outcome from public funds.
  • Additional compliance support: The system requires documentation of important compliance information such as staff background checks and site visit evaluations, creating added assurance of  program quality and safety.

RESULTS: A smarter, more connected youth programming ecosystem

Learn24’s platform now allows the entity to seamlessly manage more than 100 funded agencies through a fully digital, end-to-end grantmaking process—accelerating contracting, improving data accuracy, and enabling better insights into youth outcomes.

Benefits at a glance:

  • Comprehensive management at scale: By collecting all data into one centralized, secure hub and managing all workflows, the Cityspan platform supports the efficient and accountable allocation of $25 million in public funding annually.
  • Flexibility: The platform allows rules to easily change, reflecting new and revised policies from Learn24, and automatically adjusting data collection and reporting requirements.
  • Streamlined workflows: From RFPs to quarterly progress reports, grantees and city staff use one platform to submit, review, approve, and manage all aspects of funding and compliance—reducing delays and administrative overhead.
  • Cross-agency collaboration: Seamless integrations with DC Public Schools and OSSE enable shared data, reducing administrative strain and allowing the District to more effectively target programs to students most likely to benefit from them.
  • Built-in accountability: Embedded tools for staff verification, budget compliance, and site evaluations ensure programs meet safety, quality, and equity standards across the board.
  • Optimized program impacts: Real-time tracking and integrated reporting tools give Learn24 the ability to accurately assess program performance, monitor reach, and adjust funding strategies based on measurable outcomes.

Want to see how a single platform can simplify your grantmaking process and improve program outcomes? Let’s connect.