National Service Agency Announces AmeriCorps Funding Opportunities

Priority areas include disaster services, economic opportunity, education, and veterans; Governors, mayors get new option to form public-private partnerships

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The nation's leading federal agency for service says national, state, and local organizations now have the opportunity to apply for funding that would put AmeriCorps members on the ground to help them tackle challenges facing communities across the country.

The Corporation for National and Community Service today released the notification of possible funding. The grant competition is designed to help national service programs achieve greater impact by targeting resources on a core set of challenges: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families.

“AmeriCorps members are an indispensable resource for nonprofits, communities, and the individuals they serve,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. “This opportunity is for groups that want to help communities address economic challenges, prepare and recover from disasters, improve schools, or assist veterans in adjusting to life after the military. They have the opportunity to make a measurable impact through service and thus transform the lives of people in need and the communities in which they live.”

The 2013 competition also provides a new opportunity for state and local officials to work together on public-private partnerships. Specifically, a governor and a mayor may identify a pressing challenge and partner with local nonprofits to apply for grant funding to address it.

The AmeriCorps State and National performance measures reflect a broader set of agency-wide Priority Measures that will be central to the way CNCS assesses its performances and impact going forward.

“The AmeriCorps members work in partnership with state and local partners and community based organizations to transform lives,” said Bill Basl, Director of AmeriCorps “This work brings the country together by uniting individuals behind common goals in a way that's both effective and measurable.”

The AmeriCorps program engages more than 70,000 members in intensive service annually to serve through 15,000 national and local organizations. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.

Though the actual level of funding is subject to the availability of annual appropriations, CNCS anticipates it will award new, recompeting, and continuation AmeriCorps grants for fiscal year 2013. CNCS expects the 2013 competition to be highly competitive.

Applications are due on January 23, 2013. Successful applicants will be notified by no later than June 14, 2013. Potential applicants are encouraged to utilize the technical assistance made available by CNCS, including FAQ, webinars and a schedule of the agency's upcoming assistance calls. More information on technical assistance, as well as contact information for specific questions, can be found at http://go.usa.gov/YPR4.