Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time

What Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time does

Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time (AFCOST) is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based nonprofit intermediary organization founded in 2000 that coordinates the city's out-of-school time (OST) ecosystem for K-8 youth. The organization connects Cambridge Public Schools, the City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP), and more than 70 OST provider organizations, serving over 3,000 children and youth annually and delivering professional development to 330-450+ OST professionals across 63-70 programs each year. Its core offerings include the OST Coalition, OST Learning Institute, Elementary and Middle School OST Networks, a Quality Improvement System aligned to National After School Association standards, annual multilingual resource guides (Summer and After School Opportunities), and the newly launched Registered Apprenticeship Program for OST Educators (July 2026-December 2027, 25 apprentices).

AFCOST's products are networks, training curricula, and resource publications rather than proprietary software; no technology platform or AI capabilities were identified in source materials. The organization operates from two Cambridge offices (51 Inman Street and 135 Berkshire Street) under co-directors Susan Richards and Khari Milner, with a small core team of quality coaches, learning institute coordinators, and community coordination associates. Services are provided at no direct cost to participating programs and families.

Revenue is generated through government grants (City of Cambridge, Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, federal workforce development funds) and foundation support (Cambridge Community Foundation and other institutional funders). The most significant disclosed capital event is a $100,000 GROW grant from MA EOLWD in December 2025 to pilot the apprenticeship program. AFCOST has no parent company, no venture backing, and no acquisition activity, operating as an independent nonprofit community intermediary.

Name

Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time

Legal name

Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time

Website

https://agendaforchildrenost.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time (AFCOST) is a Cambridge, MA nonprofit intermediary, founded in 2000, that coordinates Cambridge Public Schools, the City of Cambridge DHSP, and 70+ OST providers to deliver professional development, quality improvement, and equitable program access serving over 3,000 K-8 youth annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Communications, Parent/Guardian Engagement & Notification Systems (EDAJAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

School-Age Wraparound Childcare Centers (Holiday/Break Care) (EDACAAAL)

Keywords

• Out-of-school time programs
• Youth development services
• Professional development training
• Community network coordination
• OST program quality improvement

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from City of Cambridge, Massachusetts state grants, and federal workforce development funds. Received $100,000 grant from Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development for registered apprenticeship program.
2. Foundation and Funder Support: Funding from Cambridge Community Foundation and other institutional funders supporting OST expansion and scholarship programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time (AFCOST) is a city-wide nonprofit intermediary organization that connects Cambridge Public Schools, the City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs, and community out-of-school time (OST) providers. It delivers professional development, quality improvement coaching, peer learning networks, and resource guides to more than 450 staff across 70+ OST programs serving over 3,000 Cambridge children and youth annually.

Product overview

Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time (AFCOST) operates as a city-wide intermediary organization—not a traditional software product, but a network of interconnected programs, services, and resources supporting Cambridge's out-of-school time ecosystem. The core offerings include: professional development networks (OST Learning Institute, Elementary School OST Network, Middle School Network, Quality Improvement System) that provide training and coaching to OST educators; resource guides (Summer Opportunities Guide, After School Opportunities Guide) that help families find programs; workforce development initiatives like the Registered Apprenticeship Program; and content series including Stories of Family Partnership and a blog for professional learning. The Cambridge OST Coalition serves as the umbrella network connecting all these services, which collectively serve over 450 staff from 70 programs and more than 3,000 children and youth annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cambridge OST Coalition A city-wide coalition connecting Cambridge out-of-school time providers to facilitate collaboration, resource sharing, and collective action across the OST ecosystem.
• OST Learning Institute Professional development program offering training, workshops, and learning opportunities for OST educators and staff to build skills and advance careers in the out-of-school time field.
• Elementary School OST Network A peer network supporting elementary school OST programs with quality improvement, professional development, and collaborative learning opportunities.
• Middle School Network A peer network supporting middle school OST programs, fostering quality improvement and professional development for educators serving adolescents.
• Quality Improvement System A structured quality improvement framework providing coaching, assessment tools, and best practices aligned with National AfterSchool Association Core Knowledge and NIOST quality indicators to help OST programs enhance program quality and outcomes.
• 2026 Cambridge Summer Opportunities Guide Annual resource guide compiled in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Amharic, Arabic) listing summer programs for K-8 students across Cambridge schools, community centers, and local businesses.
• 2025-26 Cambridge After School Opportunities Guide Comprehensive school-year guide listing after school programs for elementary (K-5) and middle schoolers (6-8) at Cambridge school campuses, youth centers, and community centers. Available in nine languages.
• OST Expansion Project Multi-phase initiative to expand equitable access to OST programs for Cambridge families, including research, recommendations, and implementation planning to provide OST opportunities for all Cambridge youth.
• Registered Apprenticeship Program for OST Educators An 18-month (July 2026 - December 2027) full-time apprenticeship creating a paid, supported pathway for 25 frontline OST staff with 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 150 hours of technical instruction, in partnership with employer sites and the Institute for Education and Professional Development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 children and youth served annually across Cambridge OST programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025DHSP is a key employer partner for the Registered Apprenticeship Program for OST Educators. The City of Cambridge provides funding and programmatic support for OST ecosystem development, with City Manager Yi-An Huang expressing strong support for the apprenticeship initiative.
• East End HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025East End House is an employer partner in the Registered Apprenticeship Program, providing placement for apprentices to complete on-the-job training in OST programming.
• Community Art CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025Community Art Center serves as an employer partner for the Registered Apprenticeship Program, providing apprenticeship placement opportunities.
• Cambridge Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025Cambridge Community Center participates as an employer partner in the Registered Apprenticeship Program for OST Educators.
• Maria L. Baldwin Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025Maria L. Baldwin Community Center is an employer partner in the Registered Apprenticeship Program, providing apprenticeship placement for OST staff development.
• Institute for Education and Professional Development (IEPD)coreTechnology or Integration · 12 December 2025IEPD serves as the training partner for the Registered Apprenticeship Program, delivering asynchronous coursework and facilitating Community of Practice sessions for apprentices.
• Cambridge Public Schools (CPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership connecting schools and OST programs. CPS Family Engagement Team and Family Liaisons collaborate on school-community partnership events and support families in accessing OST opportunities.
• Inclusion InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in providing inclusive OST programming and supporting programs in creating safe spaces for all youth including transgender and gender nonconforming youth.
• Cambridge STEAM InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics programming across OST programs in Cambridge.
• Cambridge Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing library resources, summer reading programs, and librarian support for OST programs and youth workers.
• Reaching All Youth (RAY) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHSP network that co-hosts annual School-Community Partnerships Gathering with AFCOST's Elementary and Middle School OST Networks, working together to strengthen Cambridge's OST ecosystem.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Every Hour Counts: National network of citywide intermediaries (including AFCOST's peer intermediaries) working to expand quality learning time — relevant as a meta-organization connecting the same category of peer entities.
• National AfterSchool Association (NAA): National professional association for the afterschool field that sets core knowledge standards — AFCOST explicitly aligns its PD to NAA standards, making it a key standards-setting peer.
• Afterschool Alliance: National advocacy organization promoting afterschool programs — comparable as a sector-level OST champion that influences federal funding policy relevant to AFCOST's operating environment.

Direct peers

• ExpandED Schools: New York City-based intermediary (formerly TASC) that partners with schools and community organizations to design and sustain expanded learning time — closely mirrors AFCOST's city intermediary model.
• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing comprehensive after-school programming to youth in underserved communities, with local affiliates operating in multiple cities — comparable in mission and OST delivery model.
• Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership: Statewide afterschool network providing advocacy, professional development, and quality supports across Massachusetts — a natural umbrella peer for AFCOST given its statewide scope and OST intermediary functions.
• Partnership for After School Education (PASE): NYC-based intermediary convening, training, and advocating for the afterschool workforce — a comparable citywide OST network intermediary with similar PD and coalition functions.
• Boston After School & Beyond: City-wide intermediary in Boston that convenes schools, providers, and funders to expand high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities — directly analogous to AFCOST's role in Cambridge. Operates similar professional development, quality improvement, and network-coordination functions in a comparable Massachusetts urban market.

Regional players

• Boston Public Schools Afterschool & Expanded Learning: Boston Public Schools' expanded learning office functions in a comparable Massachusetts urban district to coordinate afterschool programming — relevant as a sibling district-level OST coordinator.

Others

• The Wallace Foundation: Major national philanthropy that has historically funded citywide OST intermediaries and quality improvement initiatives — relevant as a funder peer influencing the operating environment for AFCOST and its direct peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridge-agenda-for-children-out-of-school-time

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time