Baltimore, MD – November 15, 2024 – A study from Boys & Girls Clubs of America finds that Clubs are a sound investment, providing nearly $8 in Maryland, and over $10 nationally in benefits to the community for every dollar invested.
The study, commissioned by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and conducted by Ecotone Analytics, found that every dollar invested in Boys & Girls Clubs has a return of $7.64 in Maryland and $10.32 nationally in economic and social benefits for youth, families and their communities.
The study indicates that Boys & Girls Club services and programs increase future earnings and reduce costs through several benefits:
Increased Academic Success: Clubs support young people in graduating from high school on time, resulting in increased lifetime earnings and reduced costs from grade repetition.
Improved Health and Well-being: Clubs promote healthy behaviors and reduce risky behaviors, resulting in improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare expenditures for youth, families, taxpayers and healthcare providers.
Increased Caregiver Income: Parents and caregivers see increased earnings due to the ability to work more hours while their kids and teens are at the Club, supporting greater job retention.
Essential Skills Development: Clubs support young people in developing essential skills, such as conflict resolution, therefore reducing justice system involvement and improving mental health for young people.
Collectively, Boys & Girls Clubs across the nation spend $2.2 billion annually on operating costs, resulting in $22.4 billion in benefits to youth, families and society.
Researchers made use of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national youth survey of over 140,000 Club members to measure their outcomes. These outcomes were compared to those of similar youth in two national, validated surveys: the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System and the National Survey of Children's Health.
“We were thrilled, but not surprised, to receive the results of this study. We have long known how valuable Clubs are to our community, but it’s great to have independent confirmation of the benefits Clubs provide, not only to young people, but to their parents and the community as well,” said Jesse Schaefer, Vice President, Development & Communications.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore has been serving youth for 17 years. By providing programs that focus on Health and Well-being, Character and Leadership, Academic Success, and Life and Workforce Readiness, Clubs have helped generations of young people achieve the great futures they deserve. Based on the study’s findings, BGCMB’s annual operating expenses of $5 Million generate an estimated $38 Million in social and economic benefits for the youth, families and communities served.
The study is the second-ever national return on investment estimate for Boys & Girls Clubs, with the first conducted in 2015.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore:
We never take a single approach to help kids succeed. It takes caring mentors, such as trained Club staff. It takes a safe place, like our eleven Clubs that are consistently there for the over 1,200 members we serve and families we support. And it takes innovative, quality programs designed to empower youth to excel in school and lead healthy, productive lives. We do whatever it takes to ensure all kids have a great future. www.BGCMetroBaltimore.org
BGC Metro Baltimore is proud to operate eleven Club locations across five counties in Maryland.