Buffalo Mayor Unveils $12 Million Plan to Expand After-School Programs Citywide

Mayor Christopher Scanlon announced Thursday that the city will commit $12 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to create 22 new after-school program sites across Buffalo over the next two years. The initiative, called Buffalo RISE (Resiliency In Student Enrichment), is projected to serve an additional 1,800 children aged 6 to 14 by fall 2027, according to a mayoral press release.

The policy comes as Buffalo Public Schools continue to report that roughly 4,200 students-about 15 percent of the district's enrollment-are chronically absent, based on the latest state Education Department data from March 2026. City Hall officials said the expanded programs aim to provide academic tutoring, recreation and meals in what they call 'high-need' neighborhoods where existing after-school capacity covers only 60 percent of demand.

What Changes for Local Families

Under the plan, the Buffalo City Mission will operate two new sites in the Ellicott District, while the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo will add three locations in the Masten District. The YMCA of Buffalo Niagara will run four new programs in North Buffalo and Lovejoy-neighborhoods that currently have no publicly funded after-school options, the mayor's office said. Each site will be open weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., except on school holidays and during August.

Local advocates at the Buffalo Parent-Teacher Council have noted that the 1,800 slots will not erase the estimated 3,900-student waitlist for subsidized after-school care across Erie County. The mayor acknowledged the gap in his Thursday statement: 'This is a first phase, not a final solution,' he said, calling on the county and state to match the city's investment in next year's budget.

The Budget Picture and Next Steps

The $12 million represents 4.2 percent of the city's remaining $285 million in ARPA funds, which must be obligated by December 31, 2026, under federal rules. A 2025 city audit found that Buffalo has spent or allocated 78 percent of its total ARPA allocation so far. The new after-school funding will cover salaries for 44 part-time youth workers, program materials and transportation vouchers for families living more than 1.5 miles from a site.

City Council members are scheduled to vote on the grant contracts on July 21. If approved, the first 10 sites are expected to open by November 1, 2026. The mayor's office says enrollment will be prioritized for households earning at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty line-roughly $75,000 for a family of four.

After the Council vote, the city must file quarterly performance reports with the U.S. Treasury, including attendance figures and academic outcomes. The mayor's office said a public dashboard will be available on the city website starting September 2026.