FAQs for Grant Applicants

Ballmer Group is making an investment in summer enrichment for students in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties.

We know from parents and community leaders that not enough summer enrichment programs exist for students in Southeast Michigan, and we know that barriers such as transportation and cost prevent parents from enrolling their children, even if spots are available. We also know that Michigan parents report that afterschool and summer programs help them keep their jobs, build connections to their children’s education, and keep their children safe and engaged in learning. However, parents also report that there are not enough programs to serve students.

DiscoverWorks is a regional effort designed for students and families in Southeastern Michigan, where many students need more access to learning and activity opportunities during the summer break. We believe in equitable access to safe, quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs that grow academic outcomes, offer enrichment activities that increase career exposure and interest, engage families, and deepen community support for afterschool and summer programs. We believe that ALL kids in Michigan deserve opportunities to succeed in school and to dream big about their futures.

Launched for the first time ahead of summer 2024, DiscoverWorks provided traditional public schools, charter schools, and select Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) with the opportunity to apply for funding to provide instruction and enrichment activities in the summer of 2024. In its first year, DiscoverWorks funded summer programming for ~16,500 students across the Tri-County area. Last year, DiscoverWorks reached nearly 30,000 students. Ballmer Group is pleased to continue to offer DiscoverWorks this summer.

Independent research group MGT evaluated the DiscoverWorks program to better understand its impact on students and families. Their research found that in both 2024 and 2025, students across site types and demographic groups saw growth in Math, ELA, and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. Further, they found that students, families, and educators were highly satisfied with DiscoverWorks – and students participating in the program felt more prepared for the next school year.

This year, we are pleased to share the following adjustments for DiscoverWorks 2026:

• Earlier application deadline: To allow sites to receive earlier notification and get a jump start on planning, the application has opened ~1.5 months earlier this year with three deadlines.
• Streamlined application: The application has been shortened this year to provide a more efficient process. Accepted applicants will receive individualized support from program officers to continue the planning process.
• Enrollment focus: The DiscoverWorks team will provide more support for grantees to accurately project and attain ambitious enrollment and attendance goals. The goal is to encourage sites to serve as many students as possible. 
• Emphasis on family engagement: Families have continued to ask for more updates from sites during their programming; the DiscoverWorks team will provide support to sites to help meet this request.
• Family support for enrollment: Families interested in sending their student/s to a DiscoverWorks site may submit their contact information through the website and receive updates about the program and, if desired, support for identifying a program at a convenient location. 
• Serving Rising 10th Graders: In addition to Rising 1st-Rising 9th graders, sites may serve Rising 10th graders this year as well. Please see below for more details!
  • Logistics
    • Rising 9th and Rising 10th graders may serve students for a full day (≥8 hours) or a half day (≥5 hours). This must include academics – but can be a mix of academics, enrichment or other programming.
    • Programs must last at least 20 days.  
    • Please see the “Grant Funding Details” section in this FAQ for information on the funding model for half day programming ($55/student per day, up to 25 days).
  • Instructional Guidelines
    • Rising 9th Grade: ≥3 hours of math AND ELA in-person instruction must be provided. Credit recovery is allowed, but must be provided in person.
    • Rising 10th Grade: ≥3 hours of math AND/OR ELA instruction in-person must be provided. Credit recovery is encouraged, but must be provided in person.
  • Enrichment/Other Programming
    • Rising 9th Grade: If providing a full day for 9th graders, in addition to the three hours of academics, sites should provide enrichment opportunities that appeal to your student needs and interests.
    • Rising 10th Grade: If providing a full day for 10th graders, in addition to the three hours of academics, sites should provide enrichment opportunities that appeal to your student needs and interests. For 10th grade, we strongly encourage sites to support students with work opportunities. 
      • This may look like:
        • Providing students with an opportunity to work as an on-site “camp counselor” if the site hosts younger DiscoverWorks kids 
        • Matching students with a paid internship
      • Other examples of offerings might include:
        • Financial literacy coursework
        • Career coaching (e.g. support with resumes, job interviews, etc)
        • Other enrichment activities

The funders of this initiative have engaged Building Impact Partners to serve as the national program manager and United Way for Southeastern Michigan to serve as the fiscal sponsor and local implementation partner

Applicants and grantees will be supported by both Building Impact Partners and United Way for Southeastern Michigan, with most regular contact occurring through an assigned Building Impact Partners program officer. Program officers are available to answer questions throughout the application process and will follow up with you if any additional information is needed to process your application. Throughout the grant period, support for accepted grantees will include meetings, workshops, email blasts with upcoming dates and announcements, and select site visits. Your program officer is also available as a resource throughout the summer and during the grant reporting process (See “Reporting & Data Collection” section of this FAQ). In partnership with Building Impact Partners, United Way for Southeastern Michigan will lead all grant agreements and financial monitoring.

While applicants will be required to apply for funds annually, Ballmer Group intends for this to be a multi-year program and is excited to continue DiscoverWorks into the coming years.

DiscoverWorks gives grantees the flexibility to design programs that meet the needs and cater to the interests of their students, teachers, and families. Schools can choose to use the Lavinia RISE curriculum or select their own curriculum, and may use grant funding to fund new programming or enhance existing programming.

The grant opportunity provides up to $2,000 per student for sites to design and implement high-quality summer learning programs for Rising 1st – Rising 10th graders (students completing grades K-9 in spring 2026). In line with the existing body of research on effective summer programming, all programs must:

• Provide DiscoverWorks Programming at no cost to families
• Serve Rising 1st – Rising 10th graders (students entering 1st through 10th grades) in Macomb, Wayne, and Oakland Counties
• Provide at least 20 days of summer instruction (excludes assessment-only or enrichment-only days)
• Provide an average of three hours of high-quality English Language Arts (ELA) AND math instruction over at least 20 days 
• Provide care for students for 8+ hours/day* (may include before- and/or after-care), including both academics and enrichment 
• Ensure a student-to-teacher ratio of no more than 18:1
• Hire teachers who are qualified to provide ELA and math academic instruction during the school year (For Community-Based Organizations, math and ELA educators should be current teachers, former teachers, or those pursuing a teaching license.) 
• Utilize family engagement strategies, including regular touchpoints with families throughout the summer
• Administer standardized pre- and post-assessments provided by DiscoverWorks, along with student pre- and post- surveys
• Conduct in-person instruction and enrichment
• Track and report on student enrollment and attendance
• Complete all reporting requirements (see the “Reporting & Data Collection” section in this FAQ)

* Rising 9th and 10th grade only: To allow for greater flexibility and to respond to needs we have heard, grantees may apply for a half-day program (5+ hours) for students entering 9th or 10th grade only. A minimum of three hours of instruction (math AND ELA for 9th grade, math AND/OR ELA for 10th grade) must be provided. This is OPTIONAL; you may apply for either full day or half day funding for your Rising 9th or Rising 10th graders. 

Any charter school, traditional public school, or Community-Based Organization that meets the following criteria is eligible for grant funding:

• Conduct in-person instruction and enrichment
• Serve a population in which at least 50% of students qualify for free lunch, as reported by MI School Data  
• Serve students who attend school in Wayne, Macomb, and/or Oakland County
• Serve students who are Rising 1st – Rising 10th graders (students entering 1st-10th grade)
• Show proof of appropriate licensure prior to the first day of summer programming, if applicable 

Note on CBO eligibility: If you are a Community-Based Organization and believe you have met the required eligibility criteria and are interested in applying as a lead applicant, please email discoverworksmi@buildingimpact.co.

In addition to the above criteria, CBOs must have access to a physical location and must have previously run a summer program. Grant funding may only be used for students who attend school in the Tri-County region.

Funding is not available for:

• Virtual programming: Funding is available for in-person instruction and enrichment only.
•  Students entering kindergarten and students in Rising 11th-12th grades: Funding is only available for Rising 1st – Rising 10th graders (students entering 1st-10th grade).

Traditional public schools or charter schools in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb Counties that meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the application materials.

• Individual traditional public school:
  • To ensure proper contracting and payment, district-level information, including an acknowledgement of partnership, will be required.
• Individual charter school:
  • To ensure proper contracting and payment, an individual charter school whose legal entity is a charter management organization (CMO), will be required to include CMO-level information, including an acknowledgement of partnership, in their application.
• Multisite public or charter schools:
  • Districts and charter management organizations (CMOs) may support the application and planning by identifying the essential services they will provide and providing other details. A school leader from each DiscoverWorks site within a district/CMO must participate in the application by submitting a program narrative and budget for their specific site.

Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): CBOs who meet the eligibility criteria should refer to the “Who is eligible?” question above for more details. 

Child Care licensing ensures that providers are in safe spaces and use quality, background-checked, and fingerprinted staff to provide care and programming. The State of Michigan requires providers who care for children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day unattended by a parent or legal guardian for more than two consecutive weeks to obtain a Child Care Center License. The State is requiring most out-of-school providers that fit the description for Child Care licensing to be in compliance with the rule. Grantees must show proof of appropriate licensure (or a letter stating exemption from licensing requirements) prior to the first day of summer programming.

Notes:

• Applicants may include costs associated with obtaining a license in their DiscoverWorks budget, which will be submitted at the time of application.
• Licenses are issued to a specific person or organization at a specific location. Partners/schools that operate multiple sites will need to be licensed at each location. 
• If you believe you are exempt from these licensing requirements, you will be required to submit an attestation stating as such. If you are unsure if your organization is exempt, please review this page for guidance on whom to contact.

Active licenses, their type, and student capacity can be found by using the Statewide Facility Search database. More details about resources can be found here. 

Yes! We encourage schools and CBOs to work together to provide enriching programming for students. 

The school (and its district) will consider the CBO a contractor. The school and the district are expected to manage the engagement with the CBO, including verifying that service deliverables are met and ensuring timely payment (but no sooner than when the district receives funding). They will be required to verify this information as part of the final report.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CBO and the school/district will be required by the time of enrollment check. CBO costs can be updated in the application budget at the time of enrollment check/MOU submission. Grant agreements will be sent once all required materials are received.

Yes. Individual schools should plan to have their Community-Based Organization (CBO) selected at the time of application submission if possible. If a school would like to apply for DiscoverWorks but is not able to solidify a CBO partner by the time of application, please submit an application with this note. You should estimate CBO costs in your budget. 

The final deadline by which to have a CBO partner selected and to submit a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is when you submit your final budget and enrollment check. 

CBO costs can be updated in the application budget at the time of enrollment check/MOU submission. Grant agreements will be sent once all required materials are received.

Yes! Funding is available for any number of students/grades within the targeted grade levels of Rising 1st – Rising 1oth graders (students entering 1st through 10th grades). For example, a program could limit participation to Rising 1st through Rising 6th grade students. Another program may only serve Rising 6th through Rising 8th grade students.

The DiscoverWorks grant provides $80 per student for each day of the program, up to $2,000/student. The table below calculates the per-student amount based on the length of the program:

*Any program longer than 25 days will receive the maximum student rate of $2,000.

This per-student amount is reliant upon meeting program dosage requirements:

• All programs must provide 8+ hours* of student care, which can include before- and after-care. This time must also include 3+ hours/day of ELA and math. 
• A school must provide summer instruction for 20+ days (excludes assessment-only or enrichment-only days).

As long as a school meets these requirements, there is flexibility to add days or make adjustments as needed. For more information about the funding model, click here. 

*Exception: Rising 9th and/or Rising 10th half-day programming is optional. See below. 

To allow for greater flexibility and to respond to needs we have heard, grantees may apply for a half-day program for students entering 9th or 10th grade only. A minimum of three hours of instruction (math and/or ELA) must be provided, and the length of the student day must be at least 5 hours. You will be asked for details in the application.

When completing your budget, you will be asked to project the number of students  participating in full-day programs and the number of students participating in half-day programs. For half-day programs, the DiscoverWorks grant provides $55 per student for each day of the program, up to 25 days.

*Any program longer than 25 days will receive the maximum student rate listed above.

As long as a grantee provides an average of 3+ hours of ELA and math instruction over at least 20 days and provides 8 hours of care (which may include before- and/or after-care), we encourage flexibility with scheduling. There may be days dedicated solely to assessments and/or trips or enrichment, and while these days do not count toward the required 20 days of instruction, you may still receive funding for these days. For example, if a school takes students on field trips on Fridays, you may still receive funding for those days even though no instruction was given. As long as the 20 days of instruction is met, grantees are still eligible to receive funding for enrichment or field trip days (up to 25 days).

For more information about the funding model, click here.

Your application requires an estimated student enrollment, which allows you to calculate the predicted funding amount. 

The estimated number of students in the application often does not match real-time enrollment numbers in the summer. For this reason, each grantee will have an “enrollment check” to most accurately predict the number of students who will attend and to see if the grant total needs to be adjusted. The goal is for your adjusted enrollment to be as close to your actual enrollment as possible. This opportunity to adjust enrollment predictions will take place closer to the start of your summer program.

NOTE: During the enrollment check, if your updated enrollment projections are less than your original estimated student enrollment, the grant amount in your grant agreement will be adjusted to reflect the updated number of students you predict will attend the program, and you’ll be asked to submit a revised budget.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

Because attendance is essential for student success, sites will be required to track and report attendance. Leading up to and throughout your program, your program officer will ask for enrollment and attendance updates, and will be available to support you with strategies if needed.

Grantees will receive 70% of their actual grant total upon signing their grant agreement. Two attendance-related criteria must be met to ensure the final 30% of the grant is received following the program: 

• Maximize access: Actual enrollment is at least 70% of the adjusted enrollment (the number of students in your grant agreement). 
• Maximize student impact: Average student attendance meets or exceeds 70% of your actual enrollment.

You will be asked to report on enrollment and attendance throughout and at the end of your program. The number of students you serve and these students’ attendance percentages will influence your total funding amount. To receive your full funding, your actual enrollment must be at least 70% the number of students in your grant agreement, and average student attendance must average 70% or better for the duration of the program. 

In addition to the attendance requirements outlined above, the final 30% payment is contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements, meeting all grant terms and deliverables, and reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, including supporting documentation and final spend amounts.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

Yes. In addition to the attendance requirements outlined above, the final 30% payment is contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements, meeting all grant terms and deliverables, and reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, including supporting documentation and final spend amounts. Unspent funds must be returned to the funder.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

Grant agreements will be with the legal entity for the individual school (e.g., district, CMO, stand-alone charter school, or CBO). Funds will be distributed to the grant agreement holder.

You may use grant funding to fund new programming or enhance existing programming. Funds can be used to support many aspects of your summer program. This may include staffing salaries and teacher bonuses, curriculum, supplies and materials, enrichment activities, facility costs, transportation, meals, technology, and any other expenses you incur explicitly related to summer learning.

We would expect the following items to be prioritized in budgets:

• Paying teachers and other staff at a competitive rate
• Robust enrichment activities, which teachers and/or community partners may offer
• Transportation costs (travel to/from the program, travel to an enrichment partner, travel for field trips)
• Attendance incentives (e.g., weekly celebrations or activities to specifically encourage attendance)
• Food for students
• Before/after care to meet the needs of working families (optional)

Assuming all necessary requirements are met, you will receive a payment of 70% of the grant total from our fiscal sponsor, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, ~10 business days after your grant agreement is fully executed.

We will ask you to provide an updated anticipated summer enrollment number near the end of your 2025-26 academic year. Your grant amount will be updated to reflect the adjusted enrollment number.

First payments, totaling 70% of the adjusted grant amount, will be disbursed once all required documents, including a fully executed grant agreement, are received. Payments will be made approximately 10 days after submission of the final, fully executed grant agreement. Delay in submitting all required documentation will result in delay in payment. Based on your financial institution’s guidelines, please allow 2-3 days for the funds to post in your account. 

The balance of your grant, if applicable, will be paid on or around 10/9/26. Note: final payment is contingent upon meeting attendance-related criteria, reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, reporting the final spend, meeting all grant reporting requirements, and meeting all of the grant criteria. 

For more information about the funding model, click here.

Click here to view recordings from select past webinars.

Because attendance is essential for student success, sites will be required to track and report attendance. At the end of your program, sites will be asked to report on your student attendance. 

Each grantee will participate in an enrollment check close to the end of the school year to get the most accurate prediction of students who will attend and to see if the grant total needs to be adjusted. 

Grantees will receive 70% of their actual grant total upon signing their grant agreement. Two attendance-related criteria must be met to ensure the final 30% of the grant is received following the program: 

• Maximize access: Actual enrollment is at least 70% of the adjusted enrollment (the number of students in your grant agreement). 
• Maximize student impact: Average student attendance meets or exceeds 70% of your actual enrollment.

You will be asked to report on enrollment and attendance throughout and at the end of your program. The number of students you serve and these students’ attendance percentages will influence your total funding amount. To receive your full funding, your actual enrollment must be at least 70% the number of students in your grant agreement, and average student attendance must average 70% or better for the duration of the program. 

In addition to the attendance requirements outlined above, the final 30% payment is contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements, meeting all grant terms and deliverables, and reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, including supporting documentation and final spend amounts.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

We know that a focus on attendance during the summer is critical and that the largest threat to quality of programs is maintaining attendance. In your application, you will be asked to detail plans for encouraging and maintaining student attendance. We have seen that strong attendance is encouraged by actions such as:

• Early and consistent outreach to families (e.g. social media, emails, flyers, personalized invitation postcards)
• Initial meetings, open houses or presentations to families to set expectations – sites may consider a fun and celebratory registration event to bring families together 
• Strong transportation planning
• A daily attendance monitoring system, incorporating outreach for absent students
• Daily, weekly, and/or culminating attendance incentives (e.g., lunch with the teacher, pick an item from the school store/prize box, pizza party/ice cream party/game day, theme weeks or special events)
• Creating a unique summer culture different from traditional school in the form of a compelling program that includes engaging enrichment offerings… and fun!

Historically, we know that attendance tends to drop during the last week of summer programming, so we encourage sites to think creatively about how you will encourage attendance during the final days of the summer experience. 

We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible in case any follow-up is needed. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, with earlier applications eligible to receive award decisions earlier.

• Apply by November 7 to receive an award decision by December 19
• Apply by December 12 to receive an award decision by January 30
• Apply by January 30 to receive an award decision by February 27

We aim to notify all applicants of grant decisions by 2/27/26, but early decision applicants will be notified before this deadline. The grant notifications will likely be delayed if materials are missing or follow-up is required. We encourage you to apply as soon as you can submit a strong application.

Yes. We have provided a budget worksheet for your planning purposes, which you can make a copy of by clicking here. You will be asked to provide a budget and a budget narrative in your application. Funds may be used for new programs or to enhance existing programming.

Please reference this document for guidance on budget line items. Once budgets are approved, all line item overages of 10% or more must be reviewed with your program officer. Indirect costs may not be added after the initial budget is submitted unless approved by your program officer.  

We would expect the following items to be prioritized in budgets:

• Paying teachers and other staff at a competitive rate
• Robust enrichment activities, which may be offered by teachers and/or community partners
• Transportation costs (travel to/from the program, travel to an enrichment partner, travel for field trips)
• Attendance incentives (e.g., weekly celebrations or activities to specifically encourage attendance)
• Food for students
• Before/after care to meet the needs of working families (optional)
• Lavinia RISE Costs (including materials, printing, and costs for teacher/leader professional development)

Yes! Please click here. Many applicants have found it helpful to enter and edit their answers in this document before transferring to the application form.

For grantees selecting their own curriculum outside of the Lavinia RISE curriculum, you can set all program dates. The program must include at least 20 instructional days, with an average of three hours of high-quality English language arts (ELA) and math instruction over at least 20 days (excludes assessment-only or enrichment-only days).

Beyond these guidelines, grantees are welcome to create a schedule that meets the needs of students and families and are encouraged to be as innovative as you would like (e.g., Mon-Thurs academics and Fridays enrichment or travel).

For grantees selecting the Lavinia RISE Curriculum, leader and teacher training dates are set. However, you have the flexibility to start and end your summer program at times that work best for your site.

The Lavinia RISE Curriculum includes 20 days of lesson plans featuring three hours of high-quality English Language Arts (ELA) and math instruction each day. Beyond these guidelines, grantees are welcome to create a schedule that meets the needs of students and families and are encouraged to be as innovative as they would like (for example, Mon-Thurs academics and Fridays enrichment or travel).

To best meet the needs of working families, the grant opportunity requires full-day programming (8+ hours) that includes both academics and enrichment (and may include before/after care).

Here are some sample schedules of what the schedule could look like.

Because we know that high-quality instruction is correlated with improved student outcomes, we ask about your plans for recruiting the most experienced and high-performing teachers in your application.

For schools: teachers providing ELA and math academic instruction must be qualified to provide academic instruction during the school year. We know that some schools have flexibility related to licensure/certification, so we do not have a blanket requirement. However, we do require that you use the same bar you would use during the school year to determine whether someone is qualified to teach a specific grade and subject area. 

For CBOs: teachers providing the ELA and math academic instruction must be current teachers, former teachers, or those pursuing a teaching license.

All sites are responsible for screening personnel who will be working with students this summer. Any costs related to screening personnel may be included in your budget.

During DiscoverWorks 2024, the average DiscoverWorks teacher was paid $58/hour. 

The majority of sites reported they offered more compensation per hour than they typically offer during the school year.  As such, the funding model continues to allow generous compensation for teachers, and sites are encouraged to think about what would be a significant rate of pay for teachers in order to attract the best talent. 

PLEASE NOTE: If your school elects to use the Lavinia RISE curriculum, teachers are expected to attend 3 days of pre-program training and are encouraged to attend ~60-minute weekly development meetings. Consider these professional development time commitments when constructing your teacher compensation plans.

On-site coaching from the Lavinia Group is recommended for sites seeking to strengthen program implementation and outcomes. Coaching is available whether you are using Lavinia RISE or your own curriculum. The cost is $5,700 for three visits from a dedicated Lavinia coach, which may be built into your grant budget. Coaches provide hands-on support with program design, model lessons, observe and coach educators, and offer clear next steps for improvement. Results from 2025 showed that programs with Lavinia coaching achieved significantly higher growth in both math and ELA. While it does represent an additional investment, many sites have found the support and improved outcomes to be well worth the cost.

Yes. Grantees are responsible for designing transportation plans that will meet their students’ needs, and the per-student funding amount has been designed to factor in these costs. This includes transportation to/from the program, enrichment activities, and field trips. In your application, we will ask you to provide details of your transportation plans.

Yes. Providing enrichment opportunities outside of traditional instruction is a requirement of the grant. We believe that offering unique enrichment opportunities and programming different from the typical school year encourages students to enroll in and attend summer programming. We want students to receive academic instruction over the summer and also to have a lot of fun! The per-student amount has been designed to factor in enrichment costs.

As long as you provide a full-day program (8+ hours) with academics and enrichment, schools can design high-quality and engaging enrichment programs focused on your student interests and aspirations! The ELA and math academic component needs to be an average of 3+ hours per day over at least 20 days. Beyond that, schools have flexibility to determine the types of enrichment programming provided.

Schools are encouraged to partner with CBOs or enrichment providers and have flexibility in the number and type of partners. Schools may also engage your own staff members in providing enrichment opportunities. As long as all students have access to high-quality enrichment programs, schools have flexibility in the program design.

Enrichment opportunities can look like high-quality “specials” or “electives” consistent with the school year, but grantees are also encouraged to use the grant funding for innovative additional opportunities. Some examples may include: 

• Including opportunities like field trips, community-based activities/volunteering, and/or career exploration
• Creating a rotating schedule or including an element of choice for students to maximize exposure and empower students to select programming of interest to them 
• Moving programming out of schools where possible to give students an experience outside of the traditional classroom
• Pursuing a partnership in which a school and CBO work together to build a full-day program that offers both academics and enrichment
• Incorporating STEAM and/or digital literacy whenever possible

Schools are responsible for ensuring that all enrichment activities provided are engaging, high-quality, and structured activities for their students. Schools should be confident that programs offer an opportunity for active, engaged participation by students in a safe and supported climate.

In your application, we’ll ask about your plans for engaging families as you recruit for the program and throughout the summer. What this looks like is up to you, but some ideas for family engagement include: 

Regular touchpoints with families throughout the summer including a bi/weekly newsletter

• Family surveys to understand satisfaction to inform future planning
• Individual student progress reports
• Flyers to advertise school-wide events or opportunities for families to engage
• Opportunities for families to chaperone or join enrichment activities, or trips

Additional, optional family-facing template resources are available to give you materials to keep families engaged and updated throughout the summer. Please see the marketing toolkit resources here. 

Yes. ALL participating organizations will be required to take the pre-and post-assessments to measure student growth this summer (provided at no cost to sites). This also applies to sites that are not using the Lavinia RISE curriculum.

The DiscoverWorks program administers pre- and post-assessments to help educators inform instruction over the summer and to help program leads evaluate and reflect on the impact of summer programming on student learning outcomes. 

Since DiscoverWorks is a 20-day program, these assessments focus on a subset of priority standards. This focus on critical standards allows teachers to go deep instead of wide. Students can practice, receive feedback, and meaningfully grow on a handful of skills throughout the summer. 

You can see the standards on which students are assessed here: Literacy Standards & Mathematics Standards. Please note that although the Lavinia Group curriculum is explicitly aligned to these standards, all participating sites in the DiscoverWorks program are assessed on them. 

The assessments are a combination of multiple-choice and open-response questions. All students will take these assessments on the assessment platform at the beginning and end of the summer program. If you prefer to administer paper assessments, you may do so, but you must grade and scan the assessments within 48 hours of administration. The assessment platform will be provided to all sites, and training on administering and scoring the assessment will be provided. 

The assessments are untimed, but we estimate about 40-60 minutes for ELA and 40-60 minutes for math (a total of up to two hours for the pre-assessments and up to two hours for the post-assessments).

We recommend that sites administer the math and ELA pre-assessments during the first 1-2 days of the program to establish a baseline for student performance. If preferred, these assessments can be completed in a single day or spread over two days (one for ELA and one for math).

To capture the most growth, we suggest administering the post-assessment during the program’s final week. This allows enough time for teachers to score and review the assessments before the program ends.

Since attendance often drops off toward the end of the program, site leaders should develop a strategic communication and testing plan to ensure all students complete the post-assessments. This could include:

• Proactively informing caregivers and students about the importance of the assessments
• Communicating with caregivers about student exit dates to ensure assessments are completed before students leave the program
• Incentivizing attendance on assessment days, such as scheduling celebrations or field trips afterward

All grantees will receive training materials (including videos and resources) on assessment implementation and scoring as part of the DiscoverWorks onboarding process. Program leaders are required to attend an assessment onboarding meeting, and teachers are encouraged to participate in a live assessment training. The assessment platform will offer accessible, responsive customer service for any technical questions before, during, or after the assessments.

The pre- and post-assessments, developed by the Lavinia Group, are required for all participants, regardless of whether you use the Lavinia RISE curriculum or select your own curriculum. While you cannot use your own assessments instead of the Lavinia Group assessments, you may administer additional assessments at your discretion.

Ballmer Group is collaborating with an independent researcher to help understand the impact of DiscoverWorks on students and to provide evidence of your best practices for OST. Therefore, we will request additional documentation from program sites, including signing a data-sharing agreement. Data points requested may include individual-level student data such as Student ID #s; student names; demographic information (e.g. FRL status, campus, etc.); summer and school-year attendance data; student, family, and educator survey and/or focus group data; and standardized assessment performance (state, NWEA/i-Ready, and/or other normed assessments). All DiscoverWorks grantees are expected to participate in order to maximize the impact of the program.

If your organization is approved for the grant, additional documentation/actions will be required, which may include:  

• Financial Report and supporting documentation as requested
• Site Characteristics Survey
• DiscoverWorks Attendance Tracker
• Administration of pre- and post-assessments
• Administration of student/staff/family surveys
• Participating in and/or helping to organize family and student focus groups

For information about the optional Lavinia RISE program, click here.

We know from school administrators and families that there are not enough summer enrichment programs for students, and that cost is a barrier to enrolling children when spots are available. DiscoverWorks helps mitigate barriers to access.

DiscoverWorks is modeled after successful programs such as Summer Boost, launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Indy Summer Learning Labs, which have been running across the U.S. for several years and have increased English language arts and math scores among participating students. DiscoverWorks’ first two summers in Southeastern Michigan showed similar growth in academic proficiency and received positive feedback from families and kids.

In Washington, DiscoverWorks is a summer program for grades 1-9 at participating public, charter and tribal schools in the Yakima and Puget Sound regions. In Southeastern Michigan, DiscoverWorks is available to grades K-10 at participating schools and community sites. It offers opportunities to build academic skills in language arts and math, as well as enrichment activities such as recreation, art, STEM, and more. Student growth will be measured using pre- and post-tests in both English Language Arts and math, aligned with the priority standards.

The program offers at least 20 days of instruction, with each day devoted to both academic skills and enrichment activities. Schools can use the Lavinia RISE curriculum or their own, allowing programs the flexibility to use what works best for their students.

DiscoverWorks is designed to be a fun learning program. Children in the program will celebrate their learning in language arts and math, while exploring activities that introduce them to new experiences in art, science, recreation, and more. In Southeastern Michigan, students in the program’s first year often told their friends to sign up the following summer because they enjoyed it so much!

We anticipate enrolling more than 80,000 students in 2026.

In short, the kids! They enjoyed the program so much that they encouraged their friends to sign up. Ninety percent of families plan to return next summer. The program continues to grow each summer as more kids and families learn about the opportunity and impact.

Here are some of the data points:

• 3x increase in students demonstrating proficiency in English language arts from pre- to post-program assessments.
• 2x increase in students demonstrating proficiency in math from pre- to post-program assessments.
• 84% of families felt the program enhanced their child’s personal development.
• 60% of families said their child would have stayed at home if the program had not been an option.
• 90% of families said they would enroll their children again next year.

Now that the program is in its third year and we’re expanding into Washington state, Ballmer Group wanted to solidify our commitment to this initiative through a thoughtful naming process. We chose DiscoverWorks because the students discover so much throughout the program — and because it works!

In the program’s first year in Southeastern Michigan, we served nearly 17,000 kids. In 2025, we served almost 30,000. We’re on track to have our biggest summer yet in 2026, serving more than 50,000 students!