Las Vegas nonprofits scramble as federal education funding freeze hits local programs
Several nonprofits serving Las Vegas valley youth are facing significant budget shortfalls after the Trump Administration froze billions in federal education funding, forcing organizations to launch emergency fundraising efforts to keep critical programs running.
Statewide impact reaches $61 million
Nevada has joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 states suing the Trump administration over the funding freeze, which affects more than $61 million in federal education dollars expected by the Silver State. The funds, which typically flow to states by July 1, support after-school programs, English language learning, teacher professional development, and services for migrant students.
The hold is part of a roughly $7 billion nationwide freeze on funds that Congress and President Donald Trump initially approved in March. The Trump administration says the freeze is necessary to review whether the money would be spent in ways that align with the president’s policy objectives.
“Just weeks after Nevada’s governor and Legislature approved a mere $2 increase in per-pupil funding, forcing districts to confront immediate budget shortfalls, this federal freeze creates yet another burden,” said Dawn Etcheverry, president of the Nevada State Education Association.
Boys & Girls Club faces million-dollar gap
The Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, which operates 13 locations across the Las Vegas valley serving children ages 5 to 18, has been particularly hard hit by the funding uncertainty. The organization provides critical before-and-after-school programming for thousands of local youth.
“We believe that we need to give youth exposure to items, you never what’s going to spark their interest,” said Yolanda Mationg, the organization’s chief development officer. Despite the funding challenges, she emphasized that “at this time we are not turning any members away.”
To bridge the financial gap, the Boys & Girls Club is intensifying fundraising efforts, including their 12th Annual Sneaker Ball scheduled for September 18 at the Donald W. Reynolds Clubhouse in Henderson. The event features a “Cowboys and Kicks Hoedown” theme where guests can “experience the day in the life of a Club kid” while wearing “snazziest sneakers and country chic attire”.
Mationg revealed the organization needs to raise $1 million to make up for the federal funding shortfall.
After-School All-Stars sees partial relief
After-School All-Stars Greater Las Vegas, which operates programs at 13 Clark County School District schools, initially faced the loss of $1.5 million in federal funding. However, the organization received some good news when the Trump Administration unfroze $1.3 billion nationwide for after-school programs over the weekend.
U.S. Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nevada, who founded After-School All-Stars and held a press conference at the organization, criticized the uncertainty caused by the funding freeze. “This type of uncertainty. Are the funds there? Are they not there? It’s incredibly disruptive. It’s not a way to run our country and it’s certainly not a way to run an organization,” Lee said.
The Nevada Department of Education confirmed that federal funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers – the grant program After-School All-Stars relies on – would be released, providing some relief to the organization.
City programs suspended
The uncertainty has already forced program cuts across the valley. According to the City of Las Vegas, it has suspended free after-school programming through its ReInvent program at seven Clark County School District elementary schools “as long as the grant that funded it is frozen.”
This represents a direct impact on Las Vegas families who depend on these programs for safe, supervised care for their children during after-school hours.
Legal and political response
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said the freeze was “not only unconstitutional, but it’s a direct attack on Nevada’s students and families” when announcing the state’s participation in the multi-state lawsuit.
The legal challenge argues that the Trump administration violated the Constitution by overruling Congress’s spending power and broke federal laws governing funding processes, including the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon defended the review at a congressional hearing, stating: “We have spent $3 trillion since 1980 on education in our country when this department was set up and our scores have continued to go down. We are not doing something right.”
Looking ahead
The situation remains fluid as legal challenges proceed and the Trump administration continues its review of education programs. For Las Vegas valley nonprofits, the freeze represents both an immediate financial challenge and a test of their ability to maintain services for vulnerable youth through alternative funding sources.
Organizations like the Boys & Girls Club are demonstrating resilience by ramping up community fundraising, but the long-term impact will depend on how quickly federal funding is restored and whether local donors can fill the gap in the meantime.
The Nevada Department of Education has committed to providing updates to grant recipients as more information becomes available, but for now, Las Vegas valley nonprofits are operating in a climate of uncertainty while working to ensure no children lose access to vital educational and support services.
Image Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/federal-education-funding-freeze-impacts-005302206.html
Category: Education
Subcategory: Policy & Funding
Date: 07/22/2025
