Today, President Obama sent Congress his budget request for FY17. The President’s budget includes a series of proposals that represent the Administration’s priorities for the coming fiscal year.
The President’s FY17 budget recommends $1.1 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other national service initiatives. This is essentially level funding from the FY16 enacted budget for the federal agency.
If approved, this funding level would support approximately 87,000 AmeriCorps members, including up to 8,000 summer positions for disconnected youth, as well as positions focused specifically on disaster preparedness. The President’s budget request also outlines plans to invest in evidence-based approaches to improve the lives of low-income individuals through the Social Innovation Fund, to focus on competition-based funding of Senior Corps programs, and to continue efforts to develop and disseminate evidence of the national service impact.
Between FY10 and FY13, Congress reduced the CNCS budget by 13 percent or $154 million. In recent years, less than two-thirds (65 percent) of those cuts have been restored. By flat-funding CNCS, the President’s budget does not propose to reinvest in programs still trying to recover from previous cuts. The President’s budget falls far short of fulfilling the promise of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Corporation for National and Community Service Budget Summary
| Program ($000,000) | FY10 enacted |
FY13 enacted post sequester |
% change FY10-13 |
FY16 enacted |
President FY17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmeriCorps State and National | 372.5 | 326.2 | -12.4% | 386 | 386 |
| AmeriCorps NCCC | 29 | 30.2 | 4.1% | 30 | 30 |
| AmeriCorps VISTA | 99.1 | 89.8 | -9.4% | 92.4 | 95.9 |
| National Service Trust | 197 | 200.6 | 1.8% | 220 | 206.8 |
| Retired Senior Volunteer Program | 63 | 47.5 | -24.6% | 48.9 | 48.9 |
| Foster Grandparent Program | 111 | 104.7 | -5.7% | 107.7 | 107.7 |
| Senior Companion Program | 46.9 | 44.2 | -5.8% | 45.5 | 45.5 |
| Social Innovation Fund | 50 | 42.4 | -15.2% | 50 | 50 |
| Volunteer Generation Fund | 4 | 3.7 | -7.5% | 3.8 | 4 |
| State Commission Admin Grants | 17 | 12.7 | -25.3% | 16 | 17 |
| Inspector General | 7.7 | 3.8 | -50.6% | 5.3 | 6.1 |
| Salaries and Expenses | 88 | 78.5 | -10.8% | 81.7 | 89.3 |
| Total CNCS | 1,149.70 | 993.4 | -13.6% | 1,094.92 | 1,096.88 |
In the coming months, Congress will consider the President’s budget request as members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees develop spending proposals for FY17.
In response to the President’s FY17 budget request, Voices for National Service released this statement.
Voices for National Service is seeking $1.47 billion for CNCS in FY17. This investment would engage millions in service, bolster civic and faith-based organizations, support evidence-based solutions, and create pathways to employment and a pipeline of citizen leaders.
Download this one pager that you can use when speaking with congressional leaders about the need to step up the federal investment in CNCS programs.