In early 2001, PFC was asked by a group of key stakeholders to convene the Greater Kansas City community around the issues of before and after school care and out-of-school-time activities for older youth. Critical issues existed around underage youth gathering in Westport during the summer, gangs in the Northeast part of Kansas City, and the lack of quality programs for youth in the urban core of Kansas City.

PFC was identified in the U. S. Department of Education appropriations act for 2004 as the recipient of a one-year $1 million earmarked grant for afterschool educational programs, with the support of Missouri U.S. Senator Kit Bond. The special appropriations funding is being used to advance implementation of the Network of Opportunity Afterschool Program, which will provide financial resources, and technical assistance to improve the quality and build the capacity of afterschool programs serving middle school students in Clay, Jackson and Platte counties. AmeriCorps members are placed in these and selected afterschool sites in Wyandotte and Johnson counties to provide staff support and build public awareness through a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Funding for the Network of Opportunity is also provided by matching funds from CIBC World Markets Corp.