Americorps Grants $14 Million To Community Organizations
The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced nearly $14 million in new grants to 43 organizations across the country. The grants will support a total of 9,552 AmeriCorps members for the 2005-2006 program year.
In addition, if all members complete their terms of service, they collectively will be eligible to receive $19.4 million in AmeriCorps Education Awards to pay for college or to pay back student loans.
New AmeriCorps grants typically are awarded for a period of three years, renewable annually contingent on grantee performance, compliance, and availability of funds.
Over the full term of the grants, approximately $42 million is expected to be awarded to programs that meet their requirements. What’s more, the nearly 30,000 members expected to be supported during that time will be eligible to receive nearly $60 million in AmeriCorps Education Awards.
Today’s grant announcements represent the cumulative results of six separate competitions. All of the groups announced today are beginning a new three-year grant cycle with AmeriCorps. The 43 organizations were selected from more than 150 applicants in a highly competitive process.
Among many other activities, AmeriCorps members teach disadvantaged students, build homes, assist people with disabilities, help communities respond to disasters, restore parks and trails, and mobilize volunteers to meet vital community needs.
AmeriCorps grants are made in two general categories: “state grants” made either to Governor-appointed state service commissions or to organizations nominated by those commissions; and “direct grants” made directly by the Corporation to organizations operating in multiple states, institutions of higher education, and American Indian tribes.
The grant announcements fall under the following categories:
–AmeriCorps State Competitive: These grants are awarded to organizations nominated to participate in a nationwide competition by Governor-appointed state service commissions. The 19 organizations selected in this category will receive grants totaling $6.28 million to support 1,136 AmeriCorps positions.
–AmeriCorps State Education Award Program: Under this program, organizations operating in a single state receive only a small administrative grant, approximately $400 for each full-time member, and most use their own or other resources to cover AmeriCorps members’ living allowance and other program costs. The five grantees in this category will receive $71,800 to support 562 members.
–AmeriCorps National: These grants are awarded to organizations that operate in more than one state. The nine grantees in this category will receive a total of $6.06 million to support 1,281 AmeriCorps members.
–AmeriCorps National Education Award Program: Under this program, organizations operating in more than one state, or institutions of higher education, receive only a small administrative grant, approximately $400 for each full-time member, and most use their own or other resources to cover AmeriCorps members’ living allowance and other program costs. The five grantees in this category will receive $1.14 million to support 6,549 members.
–AmeriCorps Planning Grants: Grants are awarded to organizations to assist with their setting up of an AmeriCorps project. This is a one-year grant, and no members will be supported with this grant. The four grantees in this category will receive a total of $177,270.
–AmeriCorps Indian Tribes: The sole grantee in this category will receive $235,600 to support 24 AmeriCorps members.
