FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb 26, 2009

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier today President Obama released his budget request for Fiscal Year 2010. I am pleased to report that the budget proposes $1.13 billion for the Corporation and its programs, an increase of $241 million from the 2009 likely enacted level. This request demonstrates the President’s strong commitment to national service and his belief in the critical importance of engaging citizens in tackling the tough challenges facing our nation. The budget request would:

  • Expand AmeriCorps and set it on the path to expand from its current level of 75,000 positions to 250,000, and increase the amount of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.
        
  • Create a new Social Innovation Fund to test promising new approaches to major challenges, leverage private and foundation capital, and scale up research-proven programs.
        
  • Expand and improve Senior Corps to engage more Baby Boomers and retiring Americans in service to help meet needs in their communities.
        
  • Increase support for Learn and Serve America to expand service-learning in the nation’s schools and college campuses.
        
  • Strengthen the capacity of the Corporation to manage its programs, measure performance, and conduct rigorous evaluations to support growth and excellence in service.

You can read the text of the President’s budget relating to the Corporation and its programs by visiting the Corporation’s budget page. As is customary when a new President takes office, and similar to all agencies across the government, today’s release is only a top line summary. The full budget, including the Congressional Budget Justification with in-depth descriptions of all our programs and initiatives, will be released later this spring.

We will continue to provide you with updates as the budget moves through Congress. You can get the latest developments on the budget page on our website at http://www.nationalservice.gov.

In Service,

Nicola Goren
Acting CEO
Corporation for National and Community Service

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.