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In 1993, the Corporation for National and Community Service was established. The Corporation was created to connect Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to their communities and their nation. It merged the work and staffs of two predecessor agencies, ACTION and the Commission on National and Community Service.
At its inception, the Corporation was directed to manage three main programs:
- The newly created Senior Corps, which incorporated the longstanding Foster Grandparents, Retired and Senior Volunteer, and Senior Companion Programs;
- The newly created AmeriCorps, which incorporated the longstanding VISTA, the new National Civilian Community Corps programs, and the full-time demonstration program that had been established under the 1990 Act; and
- Learn and Serve America, formerly known as Serve America.
The Corporation is part of our nation's history of commitment to building a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility. View a more detailed history of the federal government efforts to support volunteering and community service.
Legislation
Building on a long tradition of service, the Corporation merged the work and staff of two predecessor agencies, ACTION and the Commission on National and Community Service. For the two decades, ACTION administered VISTA and the three programs which make up the Senior Corps—RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), Senior Companions, and Foster Grandparents—which engage nearly a half million older Americans in service to their communities. ACTION was authorized by the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 as amended.
1990: National and Community Service Act of 1990: A renewed focus on encouraging volunteering in America led to the passage of the National and Community Service Act of 1990. This legislation, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, created a new independent federal agency, the Commission on National and Community Service.
The Commission was charged with supporting four streams of service:
- Service-learning programs for school-aged youth;
- Higher education service programs;
- Youth corps; and
- National service demonstration models.
1992: National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC): A bipartisan group of Senators, working with the Bush Administration, drafted legislation to create NCCC as a demonstration program to explore the possibility of using post-Cold War military resources to help solve problems here at home. The NCCC, enacted as part of the 1993 Defense Authorization Act, is a residential service program modeled on the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps and the United States military.
1993: The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993: Both the NCCC and the Commission on National and Community Service would later be incorporated into the Clinton Administration’s National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. Introduced by a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress, President Bill Clinton signed it into law on September 21, 1993. The legislation created the Corporation for National and Community Service, and three Corporation administered programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America with the responsibility of mobilizing Americans into service.
2002: USA Freedom Corps: In his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush announced the creation of the USA Freedom Corps. Chaired by the President, USA Freedom Corps is a coordinating council that works to strengthen our culture of service and help find opportunities for every American to serve.
2008: Serve America Act: On September 12, 2008, Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced S. 3487, The Serve America Act. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
2007-2008: Reauthorization of the Corporation for National and Community Service
On June 27, 2007, the House Education and Labor Committee approved the Generations Invigorating Volunteering and Education (GIVE) Act, a bipartisan reauthorization bill for the Corporation for National and Community Service by a vote of 44-0, with two members voting present. The bill, with several amendments approved on a bipartisan basis, was brought to a floor vote on March 12, 2008, falling one vote short of passage on the “suspension calendar.” (The vote tally was 277 in favor, 140 against, with 2/3 required for passage.)
Regulations
Under 45 CFR Chapter XII (495K PDF)
Under 45 CFR Chapter XXV (1.4M PDF)
Service Process
Service Process of Legal Documents Upon the Corporation for National and Community Service (PDF)
2005-2006 AmeriCorps Provisions
2004 Learn and Serve America Provisions
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Forms
