Voices for National Service
Our Mission
To support the growth and development of AmeriCorps and
national service by mobilizing the field to educate our
nation’s leaders and the American public about the
power and impact of national service.
Our History
Voices for National Service is a coalition of national
service programs and state commissions committed to expanding
opportunities for Americans to serve. Founded in 2003 in
response to major cuts in federal funding that threatened
hundreds of AmeriCorps programs, Voices for National Service
mobilized supporters to spread a critical message: America
needs AmeriCorps.
Voices for National Service’s coordinated response
mobilized AmeriCorps champions from all walks of life – including
44 governors, 148 mayors, 80 senators, and 233 congressmen – to
build support that resulted in a record appropriation of
$441 million for AmeriCorps in fiscal year 2004 – an
increase of 62% over the year before. Since then, the coalition
has expanded its work to incorporate Learn and Serve America,
Senior Corps, and other national service programs, becoming
the leading “voice” for national service on
Capitol Hill.
Annual events organized by the coalition have drawn in
new champions and strengthened support for service from
federal, state, and local leaders. These events include
the Friends of National Service Awards Reception, honoring
public and private leaders who have shown extraordinary
support for national service and the National Service Capitol
Hill Day, educating our nation’s public leaders in
Washington, DC. Voices for National Service also organizes
annual policy forums, which bring together policy makers,
thought-leaders, and the national service field.
Voices for National Service created www.voicesforservice.org – the “go
to” site for the latest information and mobilization
opportunities – and supported the development of
a bipartisan National Service Congressional Caucus in the
U.S. House of Representatives. Voices for National Service
plays a critical role in disseminating information to the
field and in sharing research on the impact of national
service with our nation’s leaders. Through a united
effort, the coalition has proven to be a powerful force
for ensuring the future of national service.
Our Goals
- Policy: Expand and
deepen bipartisan support for national service; monitor
policy developments and offer coordinated responses to
legislative activity; educate the national service field
about the impact of these developments on their programs;
and advance new ideas for expanding and strengthening
national service.
- Mobilization: Engage
the national service field in making the case for expanded
service opportunities by sponsoring events, recognizing
key champions, and supporting the work of national service
programs and members.
- Capacity & Communications:
Collect data, research, and stories of impact, and develop
communication strategies that effectively share this
information with the media and other interested parties.
- Partnerships: Support
all streams of service and their coalitions; involve
alumni in Voices for National Service activities; and
engage new national service champions.
Our Members
Membership is open to service organizations and commissions
seeking to expand opportunities for all Americans to serve. Membership
dues are calculated based on the size of the organization’s
annual operating budget.
- Click
here to learn more about our members and how to
be a “voice” for national service.
2009 Members of Voices for National Service
Friends of National Service
While membership is open to service organizations and
state commissions only, corporations, foundations, and
individuals wishing to contribute to the work of Voices
for National Service are invited to join the Friends of
National Service sponsorship circle.
- Click
here to learn more about becoming a Friend of National
Service.
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