Press release

Call for Applications for the RBC After-School Grants Project 

Deadline to apply is March 4, 2011

Toronto, January 24, 2011— RBC today announced its call for grant applications for the 2011-2012 school year as the RBC After-School Grants Project is offering more than $2 million in grants to fund first-time and renewed grant recipients.

The grants are awarded by regional community panels made up of experts in the fields of youth and education. Each organization should have a mandate to keep students in grades K-12 safe as well as positively engaged through an enriched curriculum after their classes end each day. RBC After-School grants of up to $40,000 are provided by the RBC Foundation to programs in at-risk or underserved communities. The deadline for funding applications is March 4, 2011, and grant recipients will be advised by June 2011.

"Research has shown that participation in after-school programs helps students enhance their academic performance, improve social skills and motivate them to excel in school," said Shari Austin, executive director, RBC Foundation. "We are looking to fund the best after school programs in the country that help bridge the gap between schoolwork and homework and offer students an opportunity to participate in a wide-range of other activities that help build self-esteem and confidence."

To qualify for a grant, after-school programs should offer structured, supervised activities five days a week and focus on offering a variety of activities, such as, computer instruction, sports, literacy tutoring, music and art lessons, nutrition guidance, and help with homework.

RBC has been funding after-school programs since 1999, with over $22 million through 750 grants to 212 different organizations that have helped more than 24,000 children. RBC After-School Grant applications can be downloaded from www.rbc.com/afterschool.

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Media contact, please contact:

Jackie Braden, RBC, (416) 974-1724, jackie.braden@rbc.com.

Charities wishing information about RBC's After-School Grants program may contact Frances Bedford-Jones at (416) 974-2176, frances.bedford-jones@rbc.com