Governor Peter Shumlin today announced that Vermont has received nearly $1.2 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). These grants will support 110 AmeriCorps members across the state to serve with over 75 organizations.
AmeriCorps members will tackle critical challenges in Vermont, including supporting veterans and military families, preserving the environment, assisting low-income Vermonters in securing and maintaining safe, affordable housing, increasing cultural competence and inclusion, and providing early childhood education.
“National service is an essential part of the solution to many of the challenges facing our state,” said Gov. Shumlin. “These AmeriCorps members will meet important local needs and strengthen communities as they develop civic and leadership skills to last a lifetime. I congratulate these outstanding organizations and thank all those who serve their communities through AmeriCorps.”
“AmeriCorps members make a powerful impact on the toughest challenges facing our nation,” said CNCS CEO Wendy Spencer. “Building on Vermont’s strong tradition of neighbor helping neighbor, AmeriCorps members will improve lives and strengthen communities across the state. As they serve others, AmeriCorps members will also expand opportunity for themselves -- gaining skills and experience to jumpstart their careers. As we mark the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps, we salute AmeriCorps members for their dedication, and thank our outstanding partners who make their service possible.”
Of the total funding amount, $600,000 will be granted to SerVermont, the Governor-appointed state service commission, which in turn will award grants to nonprofit organizations and public agencies across the state. The law creating AmeriCorps gave a key role to states in determining how national service resources are used and promoting service and volunteering to meet community needs.
The current year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, due to the strong demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources. The 2014 competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, veterans and military families, disaster services, and continued a new initiative for governors and mayors.
In addition to the grant funding, CNCS will make available $598,366 in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an award of $5,645 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.
AmeriCorps engages more than 75,000 members in intensive service annually to serve through nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations at 25,000 locations across the country. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.
2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the AmeriCorps program. Since 1994, more than 830,000 Americans have provided more than 1 billion hours of service addressing critical challenges from poverty and hunger to disasters and the dropout crisis.
Below is a listing of 2013 AmeriCorps grants in Vermont:
Washington County Youth Services Bureau/Boys and Girls Club
Vermont Youth Development Corps AmeriCorps State Program
o $325,000 dollars awarded for 26 AmeriCorps Member positions
o $146,770 made available in Education Awards
Burlington Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO)
We All Belong AmeriCorps State Program
o $251,809 dollars awarded for 24 AmeriCorps Member positions
o $112,896 made available in Education Awards
AmeriCorps State Formula Funding through SerVermont
o $600,000 will be awarded between programs for approximately 60 AmeriCorps Member positions
o $338,700 made available in Education Awards
SerVermont (formally the Vermont Commission on National and Community Service) was established by Executive Order 05-98 on November 30, 1993 by Gov. Howard Dean. The sitting Governor appoints up to 25 individuals to serve three year terms as members of SerVermont's Commission. SerVermont administers AmeriCorps in Vermont and promotes, supports, and recognizes volunteerism and community service throughout the state. For more information about SerVermont please visit www.servermont.vt.gov.
AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov .
Governor's office 5.7.2014