On Wednesday, March 10th, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan, sending the $1.9 trillion budget reconciliation bill to President Biden to sign into law. The COVID-19 package, which provides critical pandemic relief and economic support to the American people, includes $1 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) through FY24.
Congress approved $1 billion for CNCS to both stabilize and expand the national service programs that have been responding to communities hard hit by COVID-19, helping schools safely reopen, tackling the growing hunger crisis and much more. The CNCS funding is to be distributed as follows:
- $620M for AmeriCorps State and National for the purpose of increasing the member living allowances, to provide funding adjustments to existing grants awards and to fund new and additional grant awards with priority given to entities serving communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, utilizing culturally competent strategies to provide services, and considering the diversity of such entities and participants including racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, or geographic diversity;
- $80M for AmeriCorps VISTA to be used to expand the number of VISTA positions and to increase the members’ living allowances;
- $148M for the National Service Trust Fund to be available until expended;
- $30M for AmeriCorps Seniors;
- $20M for State Service Commissions to adjust existing grants or fund new and additional awards;
- $20M for the Volunteer Generation Fund;
- $73M for CNCS Salaries and Expenses; and
- $9M for the Inspector General
The H.R. 1319 bill text can be found here.
Click here to read the statement from Voices for National Service on the $1 billion increase for national service in the American Rescue Plan.