FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jun 09, 2017

Funding supports nearly 60,000 AmeriCorps members; Provides $174 million in scholarships to those who serve; Programs begin recruiting this summer

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) today announced $532 million in AmeriCorps funding to help national and local organizations, faith-based groups, and educational institutions respond to the most critical issues facing communities in the U.S. This funding will engage Americans in service across all 50 states, including the District of Columbia.

The federal investment includes AmeriCorps competitive grants totaling $230 million, providing more than 44,700 Americans the opportunity to step up and serve their communities through AmeriCorps. This class of AmeriCorps members will prepare students for college, reduce crime and revive cities, connect veterans to jobs, rebuild communities following disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more.  A complete list of awards can be found here.

CNCS is making available up to $174 million in education scholarships for AmeriCorps members serving under these grants. After completing a full term of service, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,815 to pay for college or to pay back student loans.

AmeriCorps is a public-private partnership, and every AmeriCorps grantee leverages significant outside resources to operate their program. The $404 million in federal funding will leverage an additional investment of $642 million from the private sector, foundations, and other sources, strengthening community impact and increasing the return on taxpayer dollars.

In addition to the $404 million in AmeriCorps funding, CNCS will also award up to $128 million in formula funding to governor-appointed State Service Commissions, which oversee AmeriCorps programs and volunteering for the state. State Commissions will award funds to organizations in their states to support more than 15,000 AmeriCorps members to increase community impact.

The 2017 AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, with a continuing level of strong demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources. The competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, governor and mayor initiatives, veterans and military families, disaster services, and initiatives to build safer communities. Organizations receiving grants include Habitat for Humanity, AARP Foundation, Teach For America, YouthBuild, City Year, and hundreds of other nonprofits, community and faith-based groups, universities, school districts, and local agencies.

The AmeriCorps grants include funding for some of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations for work that will improve the communities in the following areas:

  • Veterans and Military Families:Through the Veterans Conservation Corps, 20 veterans serving as AmeriCorps members will gain skills and complete certifications that bridge to new careers and opportunities, while providing energy efficient home repairs and updates for homeowners in Charleston, South Carolina. Under Catholic Charities USA, 20 veterans will serve as AmeriCorps Peer Navigators, assisting veterans and military families with accessing benefits and meeting health, mental health, educational, and social service needs in Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.
     
  • Education: Through the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, 20 AmeriCorps members will provide nonviolence training to K-12 students in Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls, Rhode Island. More than 30 After-School All-Stars Tampa Bay AmeriCorps members will provide in-school and out-of-school tutoring and mentoring services at six Pinellas County public schools in Florida.
     
  • Disaster Services: More than 25 AmeriCorps members will serve through the American Red Cross in the Chicago area, helping 10 Illinois communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, as well as leverage additional volunteers to engage in youth safety presentations and fire prevention activities. Through Points of Light Foundation’s Disaster Services Project, AmeriCorps members will conduct disaster preparedness education and engage residents in disaster exercises in Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, California, and Washington.
     
  • Economic Opportunity: The Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence will support 20 AmeriCorps members who will provide financial education and counseling services for domestic violence survivors across the state.  Under the NorthEast Washington Educational Service District 101, more than 50 AmeriCorps members will build or repair low-income housing and help transition individuals into safe, healthy, and affordable housing in Spokane County. While serving, these AmeriCorps members will gain skills and experiences to improve their own economic opportunities, leading to new careers and employment.
     
  • Health: Through the Area Agency on Aging, 50 AmeriCorps Encore members will serve seniors in Arizona’s Maricopa County through home visits, telephone reassurance, and build neighborhood awareness and volunteer support for older adults so they remain safe and healthy in their own homes. More than 70 AmeriCorps members serving through Impact America will provide free vision screenings and follow ups to children in day care centers across Alabama, Tennessee, North Florida, and South Carolina.
     
  • Environmental Stewardship: More than 20 AmeriCorps members serving through Conservation Corps Iowa will restore habitat, create and improve trails and waterways, respond to disasters, and manage volunteers in river clean-ups and rain garden installations in Polk and Pottawattamie counties. American Conservation Experience will support more than 80 AmeriCorps who will reconstruct, revegetate, and restore trails, waterways, and areas that filter and carry fresh water throughout California.

Organizations are currently recruiting for AmeriCorps members to begin service this fall. AmeriCorps members typically receive a modest living stipend and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, or scholarship, upon completion of their service. The award can be used to pay for future education costs or to pay back student loans. Those interested in serving can learn more by visiting americorps.gov/join.

Last fall, AmeriCorps celebrated a major milestone when the program surpassed one million members pledging to “Get Things Done” for America. AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 members in intensive service annually to serve at 21,600 locations across the country. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.

Since 1994, more than 1 million men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.4 billion hours of service and earning more than $3.3 billion in scholarships, more than $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student loan debt.

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.