Washington, DC, May 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, awarded State Service Commissions and more than 300 nonprofit, faith and community-based organizations more than $370 million in AmeriCorps State and National federal funding.
Grants will support nearly 35,000 AmeriCorps members. In addition, more than $177.4 million in funding is being awarded to governor-appointed service commissions, which will support additional AmeriCorps member positions as determined by state priorities.
These grants will help organizations address challenges with educational opportunity and economic mobility in communities facing persistent unemployment; social cohesion and civic engagement; quality of life services for veterans and military families; environmental stewardship and climate change, and services for rural communities. View a complete list of awards, including organizations and funding totals.
“This year’s AmeriCorps State and National grants demonstrate our steadfast commitment to helping communities tackle the most urgent challenges head on,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps. “By investing significant resources into a diverse ecosystem of results-driven non-profit, faith-based, and community organizations, we’re reinforcing our decades-long focus on grassroots solutions and also amplifying how national service is creating local impact.”
AmeriCorps remains committed to investing in member well-being. The fiscal year 2025 budget will support a minimum living allowance of $13 per hour for all AmeriCorps members—an increase of approximately $2 per hour from FY 2024. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration, the living allowance for AmeriCorps State and National has increased by more than 14 percent.
“While there is a rich diversity of program focus and locations served, what all of these grantees have in common is their relentless focus on evidence-based approaches, creating pathways from service to career and prioritizing member development and safety nets, such as higher living allowances and wraparound supports,” said Smith.
In addition to the grant funding, AmeriCorps is making available up to $157.7 million in education awards for AmeriCorps members. After successfully completing a full-service term, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award equal to the Pell Grant toward tuition at eligible schools and at specific GI Bill-approved educational programs for veterans or student loan repayment.
The positions funded by these grants will allow AmeriCorps members to help prepare students for college, revitalize cities, connect veterans to jobs, fight the opioid epidemic, rebuild communities following disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more. These members will join the more than 1.3 million AmeriCorps alumni who have served since the program’s inception in 1994 and earned more than $4.8 billion in education awards.
AmeriCorps regularly grants federal funding to local communities and organizations across the country. Additional funds will be awarded throughout the year, including funds for federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes or tribal organizations.
Learn more about these AmeriCorps State and National at AmeriCorps.Gov/ASN.
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AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.
AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to be a part of the national service community, grow personally and professionally, and receive benefits for their service. Learn how to get involved at AmeriCorps.gov/Serve.