Dear Friends,

Across the nation, Americans are asking what they can do to make an impact and create a better future. National service is part of that answer. Now more than ever, it is critical that the American public knows how they can get involved and serve their communities and the nation. To do this, we need to start by making more Americans aware of their opportunities to serve.

We are continuing to make progress on our branding project and today we are ready to share some updates with you. As you may know, we kicked off this initiative with in-depth research by a third-party last year; the results showed that we have a great story to tell but need to do a better job at how we tell it. Based on these findings, we engaged a branding firm, Brandpie, to help us develop the tools we need to better communicate national service opportunities.

To all of you who have participated in the research and weighed in so far, thank you. We have heard from thousands of grantees, sponsors, members, volunteers, alumni, and staff. The branding firm included this information, along with in-depth interviews with stakeholders, a peer audit, and additional research into their branding recommendations.

After considering feedback from stakeholders and staff, and weighing the recommendations from the branding firm, we intend to use two brands – AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors – to talk about our programs collectively and to move forward with AmeriCorps as the name for our agency.

With this decision in mind, it is important to note that our programs, their names, and their funding streams aren’t changing. Rather, we are focusing and unifying our efforts to elevate awareness of the opportunities for all Americans. We will use these two brands to promote all of our programs, including Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, RSVP, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, and AmeriCorps NCCC.

By moving in this direction, we will be able to focus resources on promoting fewer brands to support all of our programs and build on AmeriCorps’ brand equity. This decision was also informed by the following:

• As you saw in the research, AmeriCorps is by far the best known of our brands. It would take years and considerable investment to build comparable recognition for a new name.
• When we promote our programs in different ways using different names, we end up spending more resources without creating a clear picture. This approach will concentrate our limited resources and focus on what national service programs have in common, so that more people will understand what service opportunities exist.

Over the coming months, CNCS will continue work to bring this direction to life, with a brand launch taking place later this summer. At the launch, we will:

• Start to employ the new brand names, logos, messaging, and other brand elements.
• Share new brand guidelines and requirements for co-branding.

While we are sharing this decision with you today, we are not asking you to make any changes now. Currently, we envision a three-year period to allow organizations to transition their co-branding to new AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors brand identities. Additional FAQs linked below provide more information about our implementation plans.

FAQs

There is still more work to be done, but sharing this path forward with you now allows us to continue engaging you in the next stages. We want to be sure we carry out the brand architecture in a way that supports both our mission and your organization’s needs. Please share your insights with us at transform@cns.gov.

It is our hope that our branding will reflect the power of our programs as we strive to make service a cornerstone of our national culture and an indispensable part of the American experience.

I look forward to continuing this conversation with you and hearing your input.

Warmest regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

As our CEO Barbara Stewart states in this video, thank you to everyone that participated in the Branding Project’s ThinkTank sessions. We will offer more updates and feedback opportunities as we continue this project. Remember to explore the project timeline online and email transform@cns.gov with any questions. 

Dear Friends,

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

January is a time to reflect on all we accomplished in 2019 and to look to the year ahead. In 2019, you helped us deploy AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers to serve in communities impacted by wild fires, hurricanes, and floods; tutor children; support veterans’ transition to civilian life; keep seniors living independently; and so many other life-changing activities. Your leadership made this possible.

As I mentioned in December, this year we are kicking off an exciting effort to raise awareness of national service programs and the important work you are doing.

Last May, many of you participated in a research study conducted by an independent and nationally-recognized research firm, Axis, to better understand public perception of national service programs. The study included a nationwide survey and focus groups, as well as in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and a survey of close to 4,000 members, volunteers, grantees, and others. Today, we are sharing the high-level findings of that study. The research shows what many of you have been telling us: we have a great story to tell but we need to do a better job at telling it.

Based on these findings, CNCS has engaged the firm Brandpie to help us develop the tools we need to better communicate national service opportunities to volunteers, members, and potential partners. Brandpie is an expert in their field, working with organizations such as Carnegie Hall, Ernst and Young, and Monumental Sports. They also recognize the importance of national service, which is why they agreed to match CNCS’s investment with funds from their own charitable foundation.

Our engagement with Brandpie will span the next six months, as outlined in this detailed timeline. Throughout this process, your continued involvement and valuable insights will be crucial. Brandpie will kick off their work by engaging with you, CNCS staff, and national service participants and alumni in virtual focus groups, called ThinkTanks. Program directors will send out more information about these focus groups and how to sign up next week.

At the end of this process, it is my hope that many more Americans will know about national service and opportunities to serve. With your support, this project will be the first step in making this vision a reality. Please reach out to transform@cns.gov with any questions.

Additionally, I am looking forward to seeing your projects as we celebrate the upcoming MLK Day of Service this month. Please remember to register your volunteer projects online, send information about them to Engagement@cns.gov, and utilize our MLK Day resources online.

As always, thank you for being our partner in service.

Warmest regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Friends,

Since my last message, we have celebrated AmeriCorps Opening Day events across the country, where thousands of AmeriCorps members took the pledge to “get things done” for America. Continuing our commitment to combat elder abuse, Senior Corps Director Deborah Cox-Roush spoke at the winter gathering of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council, on which she serves on behalf of CNCS. In addition, CNCS’s new organizational structure has begun to take shape as we conducted grand openings for our first three regional offices. 

As you may recall,  I joined the Mountain Region and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis for their grand opening in Denver in October. This past November, Senior Corps Director Deborah Cox-Roush and I attended the Northeast Region grand opening in Concord, N.H., alongside New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. I also had the pleasure of joining our North Central Region for their grand opening in Kansas City, Mo., which included a video message of support from U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt. 

During my time at each regional office grand opening, I was honored to spend time with our regional staff, and grantees and sponsors from across the regions who attended the event. Your show of support and enthusiasm was inspiring, and the passion of our national service partners and staff reinvigorated me. 

I am confident our three new regional offices are well-positioned to support you as our partners in service, in addition to our members and volunteers across the nation. Your support and engagement during this transition is appreciated. I welcome your continued feedback as we stand up our new regions.

Promoting National Service 

While CNCS continues to position our agency to better support our partners, we also need to better promote our programs and the important work all of you are doing. 

Earlier this year, many of you participated in a study of public perception of national service programs. This included a nationwide survey and focus groups, as well as in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and a survey of close to 4,000 members, volunteers, grantees, and others. The research showed what many of you have been telling us: we have a great story to tell but we need to do a better job at telling it. 

Based on your feedback, we are developing plans to raise awareness for our programs. We have engaged Brandpie, a creative firm with an impressive record, to help us develop the tools we need to tell our national service story in more impactful ways. In the coming months, you will be invited to participate in this process. We will have more to share soon, but for now I am very excited to get started.

Giving Back Through Volunteerism

During this season of giving, we encourage our fellow citizens to think about how they can give back through service. January 20, 2020, marks our 25th year leading the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service – a day for Americans to serve in their local communities and honor the legacy of Dr. King. 

We have updated resources on MLKDay.gov, including new graphics, a social media toolkit, and other resources to help you hold and promote events. Please be sure to register your volunteer projects online and send information about your projects to Engagement@cns.gov. Additionally, AmeriCorps funding opportunities are open for applications through December and early January.

Thank you for your steadfast commitment to improving lives during the past year and the important work you will continue to do in the year ahead. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and I look forward to sharing additional updates in the new year.

Warmest Regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Friends,

It has been a busy and fulfilling start to the fall season. In recognition of September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance, Americans across the country participated in events to honor our veterans, pack meals for the hungry, volunteer at schools, and so much more. Thank you for your contributions to help commemorate this day. It is a good reminder that when we come together in service, we can accomplish great things.

On September 12, I had the pleasure of swearing in 150 new AmeriCorps members in New York City -- 25 years to the day from when the first AmeriCorps members were sworn-in. The members were impressive as ever, and I left in awe thinking about all that has been accomplished over the past 25 years.

The next week brought more opportunities to reflect on what this anniversary means for national service as I joined some of you at the AmeriCorps Symposium, CNCS Research Summit, and CNCS’s 25th Anniversary Celebration. These gatherings provided the opportunity to learn, exchange ideas, reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and energize ourselves for the important work that makes national service possible.

A highlight of the week, as always, was the 2019 Excellence in AmeriCorps Awards celebration. These awards recognized the outstanding and innovative AmeriCorps programs, members, and alumni tackling our nation’s most-pressing challenges. The stories that come out of these awards are truly inspiring and show just how much our work can change lives. If you haven’t already, I suggest you read these stories on our National Service Blog.

As we turn to the month of October, national service will continue to improve lives as part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 26. We encourage grantees to get involved in this semi-annual event and help get the word out by using the resources available in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s digital partnership toolbox. If you are planning or participating in an event, please help us amplify engagement by letting us know through our National Service event submission form.

Looking Towards the Future

Over the past month, we had several opportunities to honor our legacy and think about how we can continue to build on the impressive triumphs of national service. It is our duty to make sure our communities, from large cities to rural areas, are supported in the best way possible. As you know, we are marking new milestones to better serve these areas, our grantees, and sponsors. CNCS’s first three regional offices opened their doors last week – the Northeast office in Concord, N.H., North Central in Kansas City, Mo., and Mountain in Denver, Co. I was able to join our newly-established Mountain Region last week, and their passion for our mission showed.

I’m looking forward to spending more time with staff from across our first three regional offices when they come to Washington, D.C. for additional training later this month. As a reminder, we will introduce grantees and sponsors located in our Mountain, North Central, and Northeast regions to their newly-assigned Portfolio Managers over the course of this month, starting with Senior Corps grantees this week.

I cannot thank you enough for your patience and your commitment while we position our agency to better support you and the communities we serve. Please continue to explore more about our Transformation Plan online and send your ideas and feedback to us at transform@cns.gov.

As always, thank you for the important work you do every day. I am so grateful to be a part of this community and serve alongside you.

Warmest regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the home stretch of summer. As I’m sure is the case at your organization and in your community, the weeks after Labor Day are a particularly busy time of year at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). I want to share an update on some of the things happening at our agency.

September 11th is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On this day, Americans across the country are called to volunteer in their local communities in tribute to the individuals lost and injured in the attacks, first responders, and the many who have risen in service to defend freedom. We invite all Americans to serve on this day and throughout the year. Search for a volunteer opportunity here.

Later this month, we’ll welcome grantees to Washington D.C. for the annual AmeriCorps State and National Symposium. In addition to the many training sessions at the event, the Symposium is a special opportunity to spotlight extraordinary programs and inspiring AmeriCorps members serving communities across our country.

Prior to the Symposium, CNCS’s Office of Research and Evaluation is hosting a research summit, Bridging Divides, Building Communities. The two-day event will bring together scholars, practitioners, and citizens to share their knowledge about national service and volunteering strategies that improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement.

We are celebrating AmeriCorps’ 25th anniversary and Senior Corps’ continued legacy of service. Twenty-five years ago, Senior Corps and AmeriCorps came together under one umbrella agency, CNCS, to strengthen national service and volunteering in communities across our country. Please join us in this celebration.

We also continue to advance the goals in CNCS’s Transformation and Sustainability Plan to ensure that CNCS is efficient, effective, and accountable in serving our customers and meeting the needs of the nation. Over the next two months, we’ll reach an important milestone in CNCS’s transition as our newly-assigned Portfolio Managers become the day-to-day contact for grantees and sponsors located in the first three of our new regions – Mountain, North Central, and Northeast.

This transition to Portfolio Managers is an important change that will position CNCS to continue improving how we serve you. For grantees and sponsors, I hope you have seen the recent messages from our Directors of Senior Corps, AmeriCorps State and National, and AmeriCorps VISTA that provide detail on the transition dates and how we’ll communicate with you in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you in advance for your patience with us as we implement these changes.

At every opportunity, I continue to spotlight the important role that national service members and volunteers play in helping organizations like yours address local challenges. Just this past week, I accompanied national service caucus co-chairman Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK) to see first-hand the impact that national service is having in their communities. Similarly, in the coming days I will host Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) to showcase the amazing impact our members and volunteers are making in their states. The incredible work of our AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers shines during these visits and every day across our country.

Thank you for all that you do to support our communities. Your work is appreciated, and I look forward to seeing the amazing service projects you partake in on the National Day of Service and Remembrance this September 11th.

Warmest regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Friends,

I have enjoyed the opportunity to see and visit with many of you over the past month, whether it was at Senior Corps’ first of three summer conferences “Supporting Our Seniors: Elder Justice and Independent Living,” the regional trainings for AmeriCorps grantees hosted by America’s Service Commissions, or the Northeast National Service Conference. Later this summer, I will see many more of you at the first-ever VISTA Sponsor Convening – a three-day training event in Orlando, Florida. 

Each of these events provided me the opportunity to hear about the great work you are doing to support communities across the country through national service. They also provided a chance to share the progress CNCS is making on many of the long-overdue improvements outlined in our agency’s Transformation and Sustainability Plan. These changes are intended to strengthen how we serve you and ensure long-term sustainability for CNCS so we can continue to carry out our mission to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

Implementation of the Transformation and Sustainability Plan will create a streamlined experience for grantees and sponsors by: establishing one primary contact at CNCS for both the programmatic and financial aspects of their grant; better positioning staff to speak to all streams of national service as they help you address your community’s challenge(s); and ensuring a more consistent service experience because of our agency’s more elastic and balanced regional staffing model. While I am excited about how our near-term changes will benefit you, I am equally excited about the “collateral benefits” that our agency’s Transformation initiatives are spurring.

For example, we’ve heard from you that the training and technical assistance materials that CNCS makes available to you (particularly new program directors) are not as accessible as they could be. We are working to ensure those resources are better organized for you to access; we also know that some materials need a refresh. Meanwhile, our Business Process working group has been reviewing, recommending improvements, and documenting our agency’s grant making procedures to ensure our staff are equipped with what they need to do their job and, in turn, support you.

As we prepare for the changes ahead, including the wind-down of CNCS’s physical state office spaces, I want to remind those who interact with these offices that our state staff will continue to support you – including through training and technical assistance – via full-time telework and site visits, as needed. To date, staff in 31 of our state offices have transitioned to full-time telework while staff in another 10 offices are preparing to make this transition by July 1. As we did with our previous office transitions, State Program Directors will reach out to provide more details, including any changes to staff contact information, approximately four weeks before their office’s transition occurs.

You can learn more about CNCS’s Transformation and Sustainability Plan on our website. If you have additional ideas or feedback, please continue to send them to us at transform@cns.gov.

Warmest regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

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Dear Friends,

As we move into May, it continues to be a busy time at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). I want to take an opportunity to update you on CNCS’s grantmaking and oversight activities, as well as our continued implementation of the Transformation and Sustainability Plan that will improve how we serve you and ensure long-term sustainability for our agency.

• Supporting Communities through Grants for AmeriCorps Members and Senior Corps Volunteers. This past week, CNCS announced approximately $560 million dollars, including Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, in AmeriCorps State and National funding for communities across the country. The portion of AmeriCorps State and National’s grant dollars supported by strong or moderate levels of evidence grew to 41 percent, up from 27 percent in just two years. In March, we announced more than $13.6 million in funding to support Senior Corps RSVP programs in more than 150 communities across the country. These grants will leverage the experience and skills of more than 50,000 Senior Corps volunteers.
   
• Strengthening Our Agency’s Core Operations. CNCS is making significant progress addressing the material weaknesses that were identified in its previous two annual financial management audits. While these issues do not directly impact our grantees and sponsors, they represent a threat to our agency’s operations and long-term sustainability. These problems built over time and they will take additional time – very likely beyond the completion of our upcoming FY 19 audit – to completely resolve. Addressing these issues and putting them behind us remains a top priority for CNCS.
   
• Continuing to Serve You During the Transition of Our Physical Office Space. As part of the agency’s transition to new portfolio manager roles and a regional structure, CNCS has closed or is closing its remaining physical state office spaces in three waves. Our first set of offices closed on May 1, the subsequent closures will take place on June 1 and July 1. During this time, CNCS staff in state offices will continue to support you – including through training and technical assistance– via full-time telework and site visits as needed. State Program Directors will provide more details on this transition, including any changes to staff contact information, approximately four weeks before each state office’s transition occurs. As a reminder, our new structure will enable every grantee and sponsor to work with one person at CNCS for both the programmatic and financial aspects of their grant, providing a more streamlined experience.
  
  For more on how CNCS is supporting our colleagues through this transition and how Portfolio Managers will be assigned in the new regional structure, please see my update from last month.
   
• Hearing From You About What is Working and What Can Be Improved. CNCS continues to lay the groundwork for success in our new organizational structure through listening to your feedback about what is working and what can be improved. Last month, our Business Process and Training and Development Working Groups heard directly from representatives of the Association of State Commissions, the National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors, the National Association of RSVP Directors, and the National Senior Corps Association during focused discussions about what is working and how CNCS can improve its training and technical assistance for grantees.
  
  Our colleagues received thoughtful and candid input that expands on the ideas and feedback we received during last summer’s public listening sessions, as well as the regular monthly calls and interactions with grantee and sponsor leadership. Across these input points, we continue to hear that CNCS needs to make improvements to how we train our staff and how we support training and technical assistance for our grantees and sponsors. Your feedback is helping us as we develop new plans to orient, onboard, and train staff for their positions at CNCS. We value this two-way dialogue immensely. If you have additional ideas or feedback, please continue to send them to us at transform@cns.gov.

I am extremely grateful for the hard work each of you do for our communities each day. Likewise, we have a lot of hard work still ahead of us at CNCS, but when we are done we will be a stronger agency and better partners with you.

Warmest Regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Grantees, State Commissions, and Sponsors,

As we kick off National Volunteer Month in April, I want to thank you for your dedication to service. Because of your hard work, millions of Americans make volunteering a part of their lives each year. The work of the Corporation for National and Community Service is vital to our nation’s communities and that’s why I believe in our Transformation and Sustainability Plan – to ensure the agency’s future for our next 25 years and beyond. This plan comprises long overdue improvements to how we serve you and support your organization’s focus on impact, and we’ve made tremendous progress thus far. Here are a few updates:

• Reducing Grantee Burden and Supporting Compliance with Criminal History Checks. Last fall, CNCS launched new tools and policies to eliminate barriers to compliance with the National Service Criminal History Check (NSCHC) and reduce noncompliance. We have seen strong use of the new Truescreen system and, last week, announced we are extending the Exemption Period to June 30, 2019 to ensure all grantees, and subgrantees as applicable, take advantage of the opportunity to complete CHC rechecks through CNCS-contracted vendors. If you have not already taken advantage of this Exemption Period, we strongly encourage you to do so.
   
• Modernizing CNCS’s Grants, Projects, and Member Management System. While there remains much work to do, CNCS is advancing the development of a new grants, projects, and member management system. Over the past several weeks, we engaged grantee and sponsor representatives from all of CNCS’s programs that currently use e-Grants in user experience interviews to uncover user needs, identify unspoken challenges in the current system, and discover opportunities for improvements in a future system.
   
• Improving How CNCS Serves You. There is a lot of activity underway at CNCS to implement our new portfolio manager roles and regional structure, and it’s important to me that you are kept apprised of what’s happening. With these changes, you will be able to work with one person at CNCS for both the programmatic and financial aspects of your grant, providing a more streamlined experience. Additionally, with the flexibility of a regional office structure, CNCS will be better positioned to provide consistent levels of technical assistance and training across the country.

   

  • Supporting Our Employees Through the Transition. CNCS’s transition to new grant management roles and a regional structure creates new opportunities, however we also recognize the impact it will have on our employees. We are taking several steps to retain our talent and support employees who are impacted by these changes. This includes providing priority hiring to internal staff for 97 percent of the new positions, as well as accelerating the hiring timelines to give employees certainty as soon as possible. In fact, we began the internal hiring process this month, even for regions that won’t stand up until February 2020 or June 2020. We are also offering impacted staff career transition and outplacement services. Many of our employees have dedicated their careers to CNCS, and we want to do all we can to encourage them to stay with us and also support them through this change.
    
     
  • Transitioning the Physical Office Space. As part of the transition to our regional structure, CNCS will begin closing its physical state office spaces between May 1 and July 1. During this time, CNCS staff in state offices will transition to full-time telework and continue to support you. Your State Program Director will provide more detail on this transition, including changes to their contact information, approximately four weeks before each state office’s transition occurs.
     
  • Improving Training and Business Processes. CNCS staff continue to lay the groundwork for success in our new structure. Our new Business Process Working Group is reviewing our agency’s processes, procedures, and guidance for each phase of the grant and project life cycle, to ensure we have standardized, easy-to-use resources to support employees in doing their jobs and providing service to you. Meanwhile, the Training and Development Working Group is reviewing and developing new plans for how we orient staff to CNCS, onboard and train staff for the positions that play key roles in the grant and project life cycle, and continue to develop employees’ skills and experiences over the course of their careers at CNCS. These efforts will parlay into the support, training, and technical assistance we provide you.
     
  • Articulating How We’ll Support You in the Regional Structure. We know that national service is made stronger with personal contact. In the new regional structure, every grantee or sponsor – including State Commissions – will have a Portfolio Manager assigned as their day-to-day contact for all aspects of grant management. Senior Portfolio Managers will be assigned as “leads” for each state and will supervise the Portfolio Managers who carry grants/projects for those states. The Senior Portfolio Managers will also lead on new program/project development for their assigned states, supported by their respective team of Portfolio Managers. Like today, we will travel as needed to meet in person with grantees, sponsors, and prospective partners, to provide trainings and technical assistance, or to see projects.

As we work to build a more sustainable agency, CNCS remains focused on administering and providing oversight to our national service programs. As I’ve communicated previously, the changes in the Transformation and Sustainability Plan do not impact the funds and national service members going to states and communities. I am very excited about this year’s CNCS investments.

• Last month, we announced more than $13.6 million in funding to support Senior Corps RSVP programs in more than 150 communities across the country. These grants will leverage the experience and skills of more than 50,000 Senior Corps volunteers.
   
• This month, CNCS will announce the 2019 AmeriCorps State and National grant awards including both competitive and formula awards. Last year, we awarded $572 million in AmeriCorps funding to help national and local organizations, faith-based groups, and educational institutions respond to the most critical issues facing communities in the U.S.

Lastly, I want to thank you for your continued input and ideas on the implementation of CNCS’s Transformation and Sustainability Plan. Input from stakeholders – including Congress, CNCS’s Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, grantees, sponsors, and staff – comprises the foundation of the plan and your additional input continues to shape our decision making and implementation. Please continue to send me your thoughts, ideas, and recommendations for strengthening national service – you can email me at transform@cns.gov.

Kind Regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Friends,

As I enter my second year as CEO, I want to thank you for being our partners and update you on the progress we are making to build a sustainable future for national service.

Since starting this journey one year ago, I have seen Senior Corps volunteers and AmeriCorps members addressing some of America’s toughest challenges: helping students succeed in school, rebuilding communities after disasters, combatting the opioid crisis, supporting veterans and their families, and expanding opportunity for countless citizens.

I am grateful to the 300,000 national service members who step forward to serve each year, and the dedicated professionals at CNCS, State Commissions, and our thousands of project partners around the country who make their service possible. National service is propelled by extraordinary people who are passionate about making a difference, and I’m honored to work with you and excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.

Earlier this month, a large number of national service partners were in Washington, D.C. for a series of meetings and events. Over the course of the week, I met with more than 150 service leaders, including board members of the three Senior Corps Associations, State Commission executive directors and board chairs, leaders of conservation corps and AmeriCorps national programs, and others.

This was an excellent opportunity to engage in dialogue on CNCS’s Transformation and Sustainability Plan, and how it makes needed improvements to better support and grow national service. I appreciated hearing from our partners about the plan, which was developed based on years of input and ideas from staff, grantees, participants, Congress, and evaluations and reports highlighting the need for CNCS to make significant changes.

Since announcing the plan last June, we have continued to hear from hundreds of stakeholders through listening sessions, letters, meetings, and calls. My team and I have also met with more than 60 Members of Congress or their staff about the plan. This process has enabled me to hear a wide variety of perspectives, and also allowed us to further elaborate on our agency’s many challenges and opportunities

Overall, the input has reaffirmed my belief that this plan puts CNCS on the right path for long-term sustainability and growth. It has also underscored the importance of making changes in smart ways that strengthen the amazing work being done by our members, volunteers, and projects. In that regard, we will continue to seek input as the plan moves forward. National service is a partnership, and we value the experience of our staff and partners.

Continuing To Serve You

One question we’ve been hearing is how the changes to our grant making roles and our new regional structure will affect grantees and sponsors. These changes and the other priorities we’re working on – things like modernizing our grants technology system – are essential to improving how we serve you and supporting your focus on impact.

• By moving to regional offices, we will be able to keep more staff in the field supporting you.
• Organizations will have a single point of contact at CNCS, reducing inconsistent information and duplication of effort.
• More balanced workloads for our staff will lead to higher and more consistent levels of technical assistance and training.
• The plan will lead to stronger community impact by providing more flexibility to meet emerging needs and ensuring investment goes where it’s needed.

I want to reiterate that this plan will not change our mission or the funds that flow into states and communities. As we make the transition to regional offices, there won’t be any gaps in service or oversight. You will continue to receive technical assistance and support as you do today. Each state and every grantee or project sponsor will have dedicated staff so you know who to contact. CNCS staff will continue to travel as needed to meet in person with grantees or sponsors, attend state meetings, provide trainings, or see projects.

As this process moves forward, it is important for us to retain as many staff as possible. CNCS has an extraordinary team of professionals, and we need their talent and experience. We are taking several steps including priority hiring for new positions, accelerating the hiring timeline to provide certainty as soon as possible, and offering career support services.

We have a lot of work ahead of us but when we are done, we will be a stronger agency and better partners with you. We have put additional information about our Transformation and Sustainability Plan on our website, and we will continue to share updates moving forward.  Please feel free to contact me through transform@cns.gov.

Respectfully,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Friends,

As we mark the 25th anniversary of CNCS this year, we are making long overdue improvements to better support you and position national service for greater impact and growth for the next 25 years and beyond.

Many of you have asked what our Transformation and Sustainability Plan means for you.  The changes we are making will ultimately result in easier-to-use technology, simplified processes, greater consistency and organizational depth, more staff support in the field, and a higher-functioning agency as your partner.

We recognize that we are making changes from the way things have been done in the past. The communities around us are changing, and to serve them best, we must change too. The plan is designed to better serve you, support members and volunteers, and increase community impact. For example, our new Portfolio Managers in the regional offices will provide you a single point of contact for both the programmatic and financial components of your grant or project. But here’s what won’t change:

• You will continue to receive technical assistance and support as you do today, which is predominantly by phone, email, and webinar.
• Like today, each state and every grantee/sponsor relationship will have dedicated staff, so you know where to go and who to call.
• Like we do today, we will travel as needed to meet in person with grantees, sponsors, and prospective partners, to provide trainings and technical assistance, or to see projects.
• We will continue to partner with each state’s Governor-appointed State Service Commission.
• Our mission and funding streams remain unchanged.

For now, you should continue to work with your existing program officer(s) and grant officer(s).  The transition to your new Portfolio Manager will happen between September 2019 and June 2020, with the specific timing based on your area of the country. I am committed to keeping you updated about these changes and ensuring a smooth transition. You will receive additional communications in the months ahead with the timing and changes, if any, to your point of contact.

We know that some of you have long-standing relationships with your program or grant officers. We are working to retain as many staff as possible by providing priority hiring for new positions, accelerating the hiring timeline to provide certainty as soon as possible, and offering career support services. CNCS has an extraordinary team of mission-driven professionals, and we need their talent, skills, and experience as we move forward.

I encourage you to learn more about what our Transformation and Sustainability Plan means for you and for the future of our agency. At any point, please do not hesitate to contact me through transform@cns.gov. I am committed to regularly updating you and engaging with you as this plan moves forward.

Respectfully,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Grantees, Sponsors, and State Service Commissions,

Two weeks ago, we shared details about upcoming improvements to CNCS's organizational structure. These improvements include establishing an eight-region field structure with offices located in Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; Kansas City, MO; Austin, TX; Columbus, OH; Atlanta, GA; Philadelphia, PA; and Manchester, NH. These eight regions will support national service in all 50 states and territories. In addition, we will establish the new role of Grant and Project Portfolio Managers in each region. The managers in this role will be responsible for combined program and financial management of all CNCS grants and programs.

Why this matters for CNCS grantees and sponsors:

• CNCS’s new regional structure and realigned grant making and monitoring roles will make it easier for grantees and sponsors to interface with our agency. With these changes, organizations will be able to access CNCS programs through a single point of contact who will help current and prospective grantees navigate the full menu of national service programs. 
   
• The realigned roles and regional office structure will position CNCS to improve and enhance consistency in our customer service. Portfolio Managers will have more balanced workloads that will enable them to facilitate even more robust training and technical assistance for grantees and sponsors.  
   
• The regional structure brings CNCS into closer alignment with many other federal agencies, and positions CNCS to be even more responsive to areas of need. Our agency will also create specialty portfolio manager positions to support unique relationships that may require specialized skillsets, such as supporting our tribal grantees and sponsors.
   
• These changes help ensure CNCS and our programs are best positioned to support the growth of national service and long-term sustainability of our agency. 

Please be assured that:

• This plan does not impact the funds going to states and communities or national service participants serving in states and communities. 
   
• This plan does not impact our financial support for Governor-appointed State Service Commissions that administer and distribute CNCS grant funds. 
   
• This plan does not change CNCS’s important mission and commitment to getting things done in communities across the country. 

The process to implement our new structure will start this summer, as we close existing CNCS state office spaces and stand up our new regional offices. The first regional offices will be operational by Fall 2019. During this transition time, your point of contact will not change, and you will continue to receive the same support and guidance for your grants and projects. 

For questions about your project or who to contact: 

• AmeriCorps State and National partners should email ASNInformation@cns.gov.
   
• Senior Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA partners can go to www.nationalservice.gov/stateoffices.

While these changes over the next two years will require a period of adjustment, they position both national service and CNCS for a more sustainable future.

I realize you will have questions about these changes, and we will continue to keep you informed as the Transformation and Sustainability Plan moves forward. You can direct questions about these changes to our Transformation and Sustainability Team at transform@cns.gov and find more information at www.nationalservice.gov/transformation.

Respectfully,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

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Dear Friends,

It has been six months since I shared with you the Corporation for National and Community Service’s (CNCS) Transformation and Sustainability Plan, a set of goals designed to strengthen national service and volunteering and make CNCS more efficient, effective, and accountable to better serve our customers, meet the needs of the Nation, and be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Our plan includes six goals that address critical issues for sustaining a strong, high-performing agency equipped to support our large and decentralized system of national service. While this plan entails change, I want to continue to emphasize three things that are important to our state and community stakeholders:

• This plan will not change CNCS’s important mission to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. It will, however, strengthen our ability to execute our mission.
• This plan will not impact the funds going to states and communities.
• CNCS turns 25 years old this year. The Transformation and Sustainability Plan is critical to ensuring the agency and our programs are best positioned to support national service in the future.

Today, I want to share an update on the progress CNCS is making on these goals. In addition to our ongoing efforts to seek input from stakeholders, we have worked at an accelerated pace to strengthen our core business functions and conduct thoughtful, staff-led analysis of our organization’s operating structure and roles. Our progress includes:

Launching new tools and policies to support grantee compliance with National Service Criminal History Checks (NSCHC). Earlier this month, CNCS announced the launch of the approved NSCHC vendor, Truescreen. This launch was a direct response to grantee feedback on the difficulty and burden associated with NSCHC compliance, an issue of concern which has consistently been raised by some members of Congress and the Office of the Inspector General. I am confident that the new vendor will not only improve compliance for grantees, but ultimately reduce grantees’ burden in complying with the NSCHC process, allowing them to focus on their main priority: serving communities in need.

Continuing to make progress on strengthening CNCS’s core business functions, including modernizing our financial management and information technology. New leaders in the Department of the Chief Financial Officer are strengthening financial operations and management through process improvement. Additionally, we directed an external review of National Service Trust accounting and coordinated with the Department of the Treasury, OMB, and the Office of Inspector General on enhancements to Trust transactions and reporting that will be fully implemented later this year. More recently, we awarded a new IT contract to accelerate the modernization of our grants and member management system.

Announcing a path forward on regional structure and grants management and monitoring. As previously announced, CNCS will transition to a regional field structure to improve consistency in how our agency delivers its services, strengthen continuity in our operations, and create more robust career ladders for staff. After thorough analysis, today I have announced a new eight-region field structure for CNCS. The agency’s new regional offices will be located in Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; Kansas City, MO; Austin, TX; Columbus, OH; Atlanta, GA; Philadelphia, PA; and Manchester, NH, which is part of the Greater Boston region. This regional structure will bring CNCS into closer alignment with many other federal agencies and position CNCS to be even more responsive to areas of need. We will continue to serve and strengthen our partnership with Governor-appointed State Service Commissions that continue to carry out their mission of service in every state.

Additionally, CNCS will establish a new role of Grant and Project Portfolio Managers in each region. This role will be responsible for combined programmatic and financial management of grants and programs, enabling grantees and sponsors to have a single point of contact within the agency, and enabling CNCS staff to have an all-encompassing view of their grants and projects. To complement this more streamlined approach, Portfolio Managers will service the full menu of CNCS national service programs – including AmeriCorps State and National, Senior Corps, and AmeriCorps VISTA, as well as supporting AmeriCorps NCCC project development – from our regional field structure. This change positions CNCS staff to engage more comprehensively with current or prospective grantees/sponsors, members, and volunteers to identify the national service programs that are the best fit for them.

Oversight of our grantees/sponsors remains a critical responsibility of our agency, and an area in which CNCS must continue to strengthen its practices to be more responsive to areas of risk. To support our goal of improved oversight, CNCS will establish a centralized compliance monitoring unit at headquarters to oversee grantee, sponsor, member, and volunteer compliance with federal requirements, as well as other areas of compliance.

While change is never easy, I believe these changes are necessary to position our agency to be more effective and responsive in carrying out our mission. More information on these changes and their timing can be found here.

As I have mentioned before, progress on each of our Transformation and Sustainability Plan goals will move at different paces. I remain committed to leveraging the incredible passion, expertise, and insight of our stakeholders, staff, and communities in the further design and implementation of the plan. Our responsibility is too great and our mission is too important not to make the improvements necessary to strengthen CNCS’s foundation. This will position us to create more opportunities for Americans to serve their communities and our Nation.

I look forward to keeping you updated and engaged on our progress, and working alongside you over the months ahead.

Warmest Regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

Dear Grantees,

I am pleased to announce the launch of the recently approved National Service Criminal History Check (NSCHC) vendor, Truescreen. As of today, this vendor is available to provide State and National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) checks to CNCS grantees. Truescreen’s sister company, Fieldprint, will continue to provide CNCS grantees with FBI checks.

This launch is a direct response to grantee feedback on the difficulty and burden associated with NSCHC compliance. After a year of vendor research, thorough internal testing, and a successful grantee soft launch, I’m confident in the level of service and opportunity for improved compliance that this new vendor will provide. Today’s launch is a significant advancement in our commitment to beneficiary safety and grantee compliance.

Moving forward, I have authorized a number of directives to support grantee use of Truescreen and Fieldprint, namely:

Additional funding for AmeriCorps State and National and Senior Corps grantees to use Truescreen and/or Fieldprint to obtain compliant checks on individuals serving or working in covered positions.

An exemption period during which CNCS will not take administrative enforcement action for noncompliance for grantees that conduct rechecks of covered positions, using Truescreen and/or Fieldprint.
Additionally, to emphasize our priority to utilize CNCS-approved vendors and desire for a more streamlined NSCHC process, CNCS will implement the following changes over the coming months:

Phase out most of the currently approved Alternative Search Procedures (ASPs) at the end of calendar year 2019.

Implement a process where a manual hold may be placed on grant funds for grantees who are found to be noncompliant with the NSCHC requirement until grantees are able to obtain compliance using the agency’s approved vendors.

Implement a new cost-based disallowance policy to replace the current NSCHC Disallowance Matrix.
You will receive a separate message today from AmeriCorps State and National, Senior Corps, and AmeriCorps VISTA program directors with additional information on these changes and instructions on how to leverage the newly available resources.

I’m confident that utilizing these vendors will not only increase compliance, but ultimately reduce grantee burden as we streamline the NSCHC process -- this will allow you to focus on your main priority: serving communities in need.

I look forward to seeing shared success and improved compliance across all our programs as we work to improve lives and strengthen communities through national service.

Best,

Barbara Stewart

Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

It has been three months since I shared with you the Corporation for National and Community Service’s (CNCS) Transformation and Sustainability Plan, a set of goals designed to make CNCS more efficient, effective, and accountable to better serve our customers, meet the needs of the Nation, and be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Our plan includes six goals that resulted from months of intensive review of our operations and programs. That process took into account a wide range of ideas and recommendations from staff, grantees, national service members, the Office of Management and Budget, Congress, the Office of the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, as well as many years of CNCS evaluations and reports. 

As CEO, implementing our plan remains my top priority. The goals address critical issues for sustaining a strong, high-performing agency equipped to support our large and decentralized system of national service. While this plan entails change, I want to stress three things that are important to our state and community stakeholders:

• This plan will not change our mission to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.
• This plan will not impact the funds going to states and communities.
• Since CNCS’s inception, the agency has been repeatedly recommended for elimination or significant reduction in budget proposals. We cannot ignore the concerns that have been raised about our agency. CNCS turns 25 years old this year, and we want it positioned to support the growth of national service for another 25 years and beyond.

Since the announcement of the plan, I have spent time listening to you, our grantees, sponsors, and stakeholders, as well as the Administration and members of Congress, seeking feedback and requesting your best ideas for accomplishing the goals outlined in the plan. CNCS hosted seven in-person and teleconference listening sessions attended by more than 500 individuals, met with many national and community service stakeholders, and received official comments from more than 260 individuals and organizations. My team and I have also met with a number of key Congressional stakeholders to further discuss our plan and its impact on national service. This listening period enabled me to hear what is on your minds, including what aspects of the plan you support, what aspects you have concerns about, and most valuably, how to best move forward.

Across the verbal and written comments, many themes emerged including:

Goal #1: Strengthening core business functions. Your comments focused overwhelmingly on the need to (a) modernize our grants and member management system and (b) make it easier to complete the criminal history check, which today creates a significant burden and yields an unacceptable level of improperly-performed or late checks. On systems, we heard how important it is to develop a modern, reliable IT system and that CNCS should ensure stakeholders are at the table to help us design a customer-friendly product. On criminal history checks, we heard clearly about the need for a national channeler to handle the complex criminal history check process so you can focus on your core mission. On this front, I am pleased to announce CNCS has engaged a national vendor that will offer a new option starting this fall. You will be hearing more detail on this soon.

Goal #2: Improving efficiencies and effectiveness in our grants management and monitoring. We heard about many cases of uneven delivery of CNCS services across both programs and states, and about the importance of program and monitoring staff being knowledgeable about grants and program topics. Many comments focused on the importance of adequate training for agency staff, as well as strengthening collaboration between CNCS state offices and state service commissions. As we move forward, we will stay focused on ensuring any changes in roles or structure will (a) make it easier for you to interact with our agency; and (b) respond to the concerns of the Government Accountability Office, Office of the Inspector General, and others about problems that could arise when those who are responsible for providing technical assistance also oversee compliance.

Goal #3: Prioritizing evidence-based interventions. Many of you agreed with this goal; however, concerns were raised about implementing it in practice. Some cited inadequate resources to test programs for impact, as well as service activities that have not yet developed evidence-based models. I want to emphasize this remains a directional goal, and CNCS will continue to identify and invest in innovative approaches to address local needs. Nevertheless, continuing to ramp up our investment in evidence-based interventions is essential to maximizing the impact of our limited national service resources.

Goal #4: Simplifying and streamlining the application process. While this goal focuses on simplifying the existing application and working toward the deployment of a more common application across all programs, many comments emphasized the equally great opportunity to simplify grants management requirements and procedures. I believe we all share the goal of wanting to streamline the process across the entire award and member lifecycle.

Goal #5: Simplifying the CNCS brand. We heard broad recognition that the agency and its programs need a more consistent and recognizable brand identity. While we heard many perspectives on what this could and should look like, there is agreement about making sure more Americans easily understand the service we perform through our programs and initiatives. Our ultimate goal is to create a brand that explains national service in a concise and clear fashion, and aligns with the great work we are supporting in communities throughout the country.

Goal #6: Aligning our workforces and workplaces to a consistent, regionalized structure. We received many comments about the differences between CNCS programs, the importance of on-the-ground knowledge, and how much you value your program and grants officers, whether located in a state office, one of our multi-state offices, or at agency headquarters. We also heard concerns questioning if this goal would impact the level of technical assistance you value today from CNCS staff. While I recognize change can be unsettling, our intent is to strengthen the level of service provided by our agency. To accomplish this, we must (a) provide more consistent program delivery to current and prospective grantees, sponsors, members, and volunteers; (b) create organizational depth to ensure continuity in operations; and (c) expand career opportunities for our high-quality staff.

In addition to these common themes, you offered many other helpful suggestions for how CNCS can work with grantees, sponsors, members, volunteers, and other stakeholders to strengthen the delivery of national service programs.

I want to thank those who took the opportunity to provide input at this stage of our planning. Your comments spanned a wide spectrum respective to each goal and provided many helpful reminders of the potential impacts of change that we will need to navigate. They also reaffirmed my belief that this plan is on the right path. It is important to stress this plan does not contemplate change to the program funds that flow into our states and communities – several streams of which are statutorily and formulaically prescribed. Rather, it intends to strengthen the foundation of our decentralized service delivery model to ensure CNCS can support the growth of national service.

Progress on each of these goals will move at different paces. I am committed to leveraging the incredible passion, expertise, and insight of our customers, staff, and stakeholders in the further design and implementation of the plan. Our responsibility is too great and our mission is too important not to make the improvements necessary to strengthen CNCS’s foundation. This will position us to create more opportunities for Americans to serve their communities and our Nation.

I look forward to keeping you updated and engaged on our progress, and working alongside you over the months ahead.

Warmest Regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service

For nearly a quarter century, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has leveraged our Nation’s greatest resource—the American people—to get things done. Working hand in hand with thousands of local partners, CNCS funds programs that improve lives, expand opportunity, encourage personal responsibility, and strengthen civil society.

Through the AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs, more than 300,000 trained and dedicated citizens provide their service at roughly 45,000 sites across the country. They take on tough problems, assume leadership roles, and deliver powerful results, recruiting millions of additional volunteers to increase their impact.

CEO Barbara Stewart supporting an AmeriCorps team at a Habitat for Humanity Buildathon in 2018.

Our members and volunteers help millions of Americans succeed in school, prepare for 21st century jobs, live with independence and dignity, increase self-sufficiency, and rebuild their lives after addiction, homelessness, job loss, or natural disasters. We are advancing multiple priorities of President Trump’s Administration to promote economic mobility, develop workforce skills, revitalize cities, combat the opioid crisis, prevent elder abuse, support veterans and military families, and grow the economy.

Supporting this large and decentralized system of national service requires a strong, high-performing agency. Our Transformation and Sustainability Plan will make CNCS more efficient, effective, and accountable to better serve our customers, meet the needs of the Nation, and be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.

The plan outlines specific steps the agency will take to:

• Ensure our core business functions are accountable and effective
• Make it easier for organizations and individuals to participate in our programs
• Strengthen our impact in communities by prioritizing evidence-based models
• Align our workforce and workplaces to better serve our customers, meet evolving needs, and ensure efficient use of public funds

This plan outlines the work we need to do to achieve our mission, increase our impact, and build long-term sustainability. It is the culmination of months of intensive review of our operations and programs. We considered a wide range of recommendations from the Office of Management and Budget, Congress, the Office of Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, and other CNCS evaluations and reports.

We also considered years of input and ideas from staff, grantees, national service members, and other stakeholders.

The plan responds to the requirement for all Federal agencies to develop recommendations to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability. It also aligns with the President’s Management Agenda for modernizing the Federal Government to better deliver on mission outcomes, provide excellent customer service, and effectively manage taxpayer dollars. We look forward to sharing this plan with our stakeholders and seeking their input on implementation.

As CEO, my top priority is implementing this plan to ensure the sustainability of national service. My experience in the private sector has taught me that every organization can and must look for opportunities for improvement. CNCS is no exception.

Making these improvements will take an all-hands-on-deck effort. Knowing the level of dedication and professionalism of our staff, grantees, and members, I am confident we will rise to this challenge. Our responsibility is too great and our mission is too important not to make the improvements necessary to produce the lasting change we all desire. And when we have made these changes, we will be in a much stronger position to increase our positive impact in communities across the Nation.

America's greatness comes from the extraordinary acts of ordinary citizens. For nearly 25 years, CNCS has tapped the ingenuity and can-do spirit of the American people to solve local problems. We look forward to strengthening this foundation and creating more opportunities for Americans to serve their communities and strengthen our Nation.

Warmest Regards,

Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service