Washington, D.C. - The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced $4.9 million in grant awards to 16 organizations that are implementing new service strategies with the potential to become national in scope. The agency’s “Next Generation” grants foster the expansion of national services by providing seed money to help organizations plan and implement new service programs.

More than 1,150 organizations applied for the two-year program, a record number of applications for any Corporation grant competition. The applicants requested a total of approximately $280 million in funds.

“This unique grant round is like venture capital; it allows us to support some amazing social entrepreneurs and to test new ideas about providing service in new areas,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “We’re going to learn a lot from these programs and, as we do, a lot of communities are going to benefit immeasurably from their work.”

The projects proposed by the 16 finalists address a variety of community problems, including disadvantaged youth, prisoner re-entry, homelessness, capacity building, youth service to inner city and rural areas, education reform, civic engagement, and literacy. Each project focuses on at least one of three services areas: programs that engage individuals in an intensive commitment to service in communities (approximately 40 hours per week); volunteer programs for those 55 years of age and older; and programs that connect service with education. The grantees represent a strong mix between urban and rural programs, and many are faith-based organizations.

A complete list of grantees is attached. The grantees include:

• Eimago, Inc., formerly the Union Rescue Mission Foundation, of Los Angeles, Calif., received a $424,032 grant to fund Dignity through Service, a program that will provide intensive service opportunities to individuals in recovery from drug abuse and homelessness. Members of the program will be recruited from homelessness and drug abuse recovery programs and will initially enroll in a month-long civic education and vocational training academy. Each member will then receive skill-specific training from local organizations and community volunteers and will be placed in short- and long-term service projects for a year. The program is designed to reintroduce members into the community through healthy pro-social networks, provide needed services to the community and local organizations, and reduce the stigma of the homeless and those in recovery.
• Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church received a $328,198 grant for its Children Youth and Family Collaboration (CYFC), which focuses on preventing homelessness, unemployment and other negative outcomes for youth leaving the foster care system in Los Angeles County. Primarily using volunteers, CYFC provides mentoring, tutoring, employment preparedness, and college support to at-risk youth ages 13 to 21. CYFC will use it grant to create collaboration between faith-based organizations, school district in economically disadvantaged areas, the foster care system, and university service-learning programs to raise the academic achievement of foster and other at-risk youth.
• Through its local affiliates, the National Alliance of Vietnamese American Services Agencies promotes economic self-sufficiency and active citizenship for Vietnamese-Americans through full participation in the political system. With its $415,400 grant, NAVASA will develop a year-long national fellowship program that will recruit college graduates and community volunteers to serve local communities, developing the next generation of nonprofit volunteer managers to meet the needs of local community organizations working in Vietnamese-American and other immigrant communities.
• The New Urban High School in Milwaukei, Ore., an umbrella organization for three public charter schools, will use its $245,882 grant to establish Youth Take Action. Charter school students and students from Clackamas Web Academy, an online outrach program for home-schooled students, will be required to take a service-learning course through the program. Other students across the state will be able to participate as well. The service-learning curriculum will include civic education as well as career preparation and character education. Students will have the opportunity to define their service-learning experience and will participate in all phases of the planning process.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.org.

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