Investments Support Disaster Response and Help Children and Families

Washington, D.C. – The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced results of its final 2008 grants competition, with more than $2.2 million being awarded to eight organizations funding 230 new AmeriCorps members to help communities provide healthy and educational environments for children, as well as support Midwest disaster response and recovery.

The grants are the last to be announced this fiscal year, with previous competitive awards totaling $47 million announced during AmeriCorps Week in May, and more than $151 million in continuation grants announced in March. Together these new awards and those previously announced represent $275 million in total funding, adding more than 53,000 AmeriCorps members and more than $154.5 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to help pay for college or to pay back student loans.

“AmeriCorps members are a powerful catalyst for community volunteering and strengthening the organizations where they serve,” said David Eisner, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, which administers the AmeriCorps program. “We’re multiplying the impact that these organizations have in preventing child abuse and domestic violence, mentoring youth, teaching reading, providing safe and healthy homes and reclaiming areas devastated by floods.

“Completing this competition moves us one step closer to meeting our target of 75,000 and maximizing our total budget of $275 million this year,” he added.

Two multi-state programs were awarded funding – CLEAR Corps/USA, which promotes healthy lead-free environments for children through mobile lead testing vans, advocacy and educational programs, received $443,340, and the Minnesota Conservation Corps, which works on natural resource protection and disaster response in Minnesota and Iowa, received $365,400. The Minnesota Conservation Corps will send its members to Cedar Rapids and other flooded Iowa communities to assist in clean up and rebuilding.

Six local projects also received funding: Birmingham (Ala.) READS AmeriCorps ($251,879); Project Laulima of the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii ($321,300); Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program through the City of Dubuque, Iowa ($205,378); Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps Maryland ($275,569); Project TLC (To Love a Child) in Memphis, Tenn., sponsored by the Exchange Club Family Center of the Mid-South ($223,650); and Building a Community of Champions sponsored by the Monroe County, W.Va., Schools ($137,651).

These awards keep AmeriCorps on track to support 74,087 members in 2008 through AmeriCorps grant programs, AmeriCorps VISTA and AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps and reach the target set by President Bush in his 2002 State of the Union message. Since its inception in 1993, more than 540,000 men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing 705 million hours of service.

AmeriCorps members serve with more than 4,100 groups each year, helping organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Clubs, the American Red Cross, and numerous other nonprofit and faith-based groups expand their reach and better fulfill their mission. AmeriCorps members recruit volunteers, expand services, build capacity, develop new partnerships, and create innovative and sustainable programs. Last year AmeriCorps members mobilized or managed 1.7 million volunteers for the organizations they serve.

Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities through these new awards or other organizations and submit an online application by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.

In a separate process, roughly three-quarters of all AmeriCorps grant funding goes to governor-appointed state service commissions, which award subgrants to organizations in their states. The Corporation distributes most of the remainder of the grant funding directly to organizations operating in more than one state. In June, the Corporation announced availability of nearly $70 million in grant funding for the 2009-2010 program year, with the application deadline for state commission competitive, territories, states and territories without commissions, state and national education award programs, national direct grantees, and Indian tribes set for 5 p.m. E.S.T. on January 13, 2009. For national direct planning grants and Indian tribe planning grants, the deadline is 5 p.m. E.S.T on November 5, 2008. Additional information on these grants can be found at http://americorps.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=59.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year the Corporation engages more than four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet local needs through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs. For more information visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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