Two of Fort Worth’s biggest youth organizations are about to share the same jersey. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County and Clayton Youth Enrichment have announced an imminent merger after both boards voted unanimously to approve the plan.
Under the deal, Clayton’s after-school and early-childhood programs will fold into the larger countywide operation. The Clayton name will stay on several sites through the next school year, and leaders say the move is designed to expand capacity and cut overhead without immediately shaking up families’ day-to-day routines.
As reported by the Fort Worth Report, CEOs Jason Ray of Clayton and Daphne Barlow of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County started talking about a possible partnership in October 2025, then shifted into formal board discussions in January 2026. The combined nonprofit will operate under the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County name, and both boards signed off on the integration unanimously.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County reports it served more than 66,000 youth in 2023, and a profile on North Texas Giving Day puts its 2024 reach at roughly 76,000. Clayton, founded in 1975 and described as an over-50-year-old nonprofit, serves about 7,000 children each year according to a release from the Fort Worth Business Press. Put together, that gives the merged operation a footprint topping 90,000 young people across Tarrant and neighboring counties.
What leaders say
Leaders told the Fort Worth Report they expect the merger to streamline behind-the-scenes work by accountants, human resources staff and other administrative teams, with the goal of putting more money and time into direct services for kids. Barlow also laid out a bold target, saying the combined group wants to scale up to serve as many as 150,000 children annually before 2030.
What families can expect
For now, several Clayton locations will keep their Clayton branding into the next school year while enrollment systems and operations shift under the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County structure. Families looking for specifics about sites or sign-ups can use phone numbers and enrollment links listed by Clayton Youth Enrichment.
Part of a local consolidation trend
This move is the latest in a string of mergers and expansions among youth providers in the region. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County merged with the Boys & Girls Club of Hill County earlier this year, coverage that appeared in the Fort Worth Business Press. Community outlet the Cross Timbers Gazette has followed the organization’s recent growth and site work around the region, including new facilities and mobile programs aimed at broadening its reach.
Representatives for the organizations say there are still legal and operational steps to finish before the merger is fully complete, and that families will receive direct communication before any changes hit their specific sites. For the latest updates and program details, families can check in with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County and Clayton Youth Enrichment online.
