Our History
In the spring of 2001, twelve Boston civic and business leaders came together to form Boston’s After-School for All Partnership, a funding collaborative that would support after-school programming in the City of Boston. Formed to support one of Mayor Thomas M. Menino's top priorities, the Partnership committed significant resources over a five year period. The Partnership, which eventually grew to a group of 15, invested in programs, research and special initiatives that had a significant impact on the field and on the community.
In the spring of 2003, Boston’s After-School for All Partnership launched a year-long planning process, funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to solicit input from more than 85 stakeholders and develop a plan for strengthening Boston’s system of out-of-school time programs.
Boston After School & Beyond (Boston Beyond) is a direct result of this process and in 2004 was formed as the successor to two flagship organizations - Boston's After-School for All Partnership and the Mayor's Boston 2:00-to-6:00 After-School Initiative. Both of these organizations expanded after-school options in Boston, by opening up schoolhouse doors after hours, and by significantly expanding the supply of after-school programs in the city, and young people’s participation in them.
Boston Beyond is a public/private partnership taking lessons learned from the legacy of these predecessors and developing the next generation of system-building initiatives designed to ensure high-quality out-of-school time opportunities for all of Boston’s children and youth.