The Illinois After-school Alliance is a statewide coalition of over 120 programs and individuals including advocates, educators, parents, after-school and social service program providers, and other groups and individuals interested in out-of-school time issues.

The mission of the Alliance is to raise awareness and public support for out-of-school time programs among policymakers, the media, educators, community groups, businesses, and families. Our goal is to work for policies and increased funding that improve the quality and availability of out-of-school time programming to enrich the lives of children and youth across Illinois.

The Alliance is leading the effort to collaborate with other statewide non-profits, private business, and agencies to plan on expanding state efforts so that all young people in Illinois have access to programs that they deserve. We promote the value of these programs through our local networks and with officials at the local, state, and federal levels.

Our work includes:

• Advocacy: Advocating for greater funding and program improvements that support expanding after-school programs across the state and help programs offer high-quality services.
• Generating Public Support: Building public support for efforts to make after-school programs available to all interested children and families in the state.
• Networking: Promoting information sharing, collaboration, and policy action among after-school programs, advocates, educators, and families.