Dear Colleagues,

On Saturday, March 13, we will be undertaking production system upgrades between the hours of 3.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. The scheduled hardware and software upgrades will improve the overall availability of the application environment in the future. In particular, we are installing a hardware load balancer which will automatically allocate workstation based user requests to an active front end application server. This upgrade will result in better handling of user activity/connectivity should one of the application servers fail at any time.

Rocker, Philanthropist Is First to Take President's Call to Service to Concert Venues Across the Country

Washington, DC – Jon Bon Jovi, in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service, will be the first artist to take President Obama's United We Serve initiative to a mass audience by bringing the message of service out on the road and engaging millions of fans on the band's “The Circle World Tour.”

Dear Colleagues,

February was a short but busy month as we moved forward on several key implementation steps for the Serve America Act. Here are the highlights:

Seeking Input on Proposed Rule

Washington, DC—Six colleges and universities have been named as Presidential Awardees in the 2009 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.

Corvington Releases Video Message to Service Community Marking Historic Moment

Washington, DC—In his first days as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Patrick Corvington set a tone of strong leadership and management in meetings with top agency officials and the Inspector General.

By Stephen Goldsmith

America is facing some of the greatest challenges in a generation. At the same time, promising nonprofit organizations across the country are making heroic efforts to meet overwhelming need and, implement effective and innovative ways to meet these challenges. But their impact is often hampered by a lack of resources and support to evaluate and improve their programs, and expand them so they can serve more communities of need.

The Agency Announces $50 Million Available for Organizations to Invest in Effective Nonprofits Working in Low-Income Communities

Washington, DC—The Corporation for National and Community Service today released a Notice of Federal Funds Availability (NOFA) for the newly-created Social Innovation Fund (SIF). Applications are due by April 8, 2010, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier today President Obama today formally appointed Patrick Corvington as the Corporation’s new CEO. This is the final step in the confirmation process, other than the Oath of Office, which Patrick will take next week.

Dear Colleagues:

As Washington begins to get buried under a blanket of snow, we wanted to update you on some of our key Serve America Act implementation steps taken last month.

Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Request