(Washington, D.C.) - The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced more than $43 million in Learn and Serve America grants for the 2005-06 school year. The grants will engage more than 1.1 million students across the nation in service-learning projects that promote community service while enhancing students’ academic and civic skills.

"Learn and Serve America is an ‘on ramp’ to a lifetime of civic engagement for more than one million young Americans each year," said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation, which oversees Learn and Serve America, Senior Corps and AmeriCorps. "And every year the case grows stronger that students engaged in service-learning improve their academic achievement and strengthen their skills by practicing them on behalf of their communities.”

The 141 grants will support service-learning initiatives of education agencies, schools, institutions of higher education and faith-based and community groups. Service-learning is an approach to education that links community service to academic achievement while also teaching students about our country’s civic institutions and traditions. According to Department of Education statistics, about one-third of all K-12 schools in the United States participate in service-learning programs. For a complete list of grants, visit www.learnandserve.org/grants/05_continuation.html.

"These grants develop lasting programs that engage young people in meaningful service with others in their community. The students truly experience active, engaged citizenship through service-learning," said Amy Cohen, the director of Learn and Serve America. Cohen noted that Learn and Serve grants usually are not announced until the summer. "By announcing the grants in the spring, recipients will have time to plan and prepare all their activities, so that the projects will be set to go when school starts in the fall."

The Learn and Serve America grants, which are for the second year or third year in the three-year grant cycle, were announced in the following categories:

Formula grants to state education agencies. Nearly $20 million in grants will be distributed to 49 states and the District of Columbia. States use the funds to make service-learning part of the academic curriculum and to support training of teachers and service-learning coordinators, who incorporate service into academic settings.

Higher education grants. Approximately $10.5 million will be awarded to 46 individual colleges or statewide or national consortia, supporting about 350 local projects. These grants help colleges fulfill their civic mission by supporting the development of
courses, extracurricular programs, and faculty research designed to meet community needs and carry out partnerships with their surrounding communities. In addition, many projects enable universities to employ Federal Work-Study students in community-serving roles.

School-based competitive programs. Almost $8 million in grants will go to school-based programs to support the integration of service into the K-12 academic curriculum in a manner that enhances achievement of academic standards while fostering civic responsibility and knowledge. The grants will support three model programs: Linking History, Civics, and Service, in which schools partner with local civic and historical groups to provide community service that also builds students’ civic and historical knowledge; and Community, Higher Education, School Partnerships (CHESP), which brings three key local institutions together-community-based organizations, higher education, and schools-to develop sustainable partnerships that will meet community needs over the long haul. The grants will also support Homeland Security efforts at 10 locations, which will connect students with their communities while increasing their knowledge and application of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery skills.

Community-based programs. The Corporation announced 16 grants worth nearly $5 million to support approximately 200 local programs. Funds are awarded to national, statewide, or regional nonprofits, which support local youth service and service-learning programs, primarily during after-school, weekend, and summer hours.

Indian Tribes and U.S. territories. More than $700,000 will be awarded to seven Indian Tribe programs to provide school-based service-learning programs.

Learn and Serve America is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees Senior Corps and AmeriCorps. In addition to making grants, Learn and Serve America serves as a national resource on service-learning to nonprofit groups, educational institutions, teachers, faculty members, schools, and community groups. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility. For further information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

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