National Service Programs Get Boost in Year-End Appropriations Agreement
Cost-Effective Services for Students, Veterans, Military Families and Communities Recovering from Natural Disasters Preserved
Washington, DC (December 17, 2019) – Yesterday’s agreement between the House and Senate on a final Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations package includes $1.1 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) as part of the Labor, Health and Human Services bill – a $20 million increase over fiscal year 2019 levels (see bill details here).
AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service, issued the following statement in response to the agreement:
“The bipartisan deal is crucial for the countless large and small communities across the country that rely on AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members to tackle some of our nation’s biggest challenges through service focused on education, opioid addiction, disaster relief and recovery, veterans and military families. It allows citizens to play a pivotal role in their communities by serving with thousands of nonprofit faith-based and community-based organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, City Year and Teach For America.
“This fall marked the 25th anniversary of AmeriCorps. For more than two decades, dedicated Americans have pledged to get things done. Since 1994, more than 1.1 million AmeriCorps members have served, giving more than 1.6 billion hours of service and earning more than $3.6 billion in education awards, or scholarships, $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student debt.
“We’re thankful that year after year, Congress continues to recognize the cost-effective transformative work of national service programs and has consistently demonstrated a strong, bipartisan commitment to funding for AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. And we’re particularly grateful to our bipartisan champions in Congress – including Labor-HHS Subcommittee Chairs Roy Blunt and Rosa DeLauro and Ranking Members Patty Murray and Tom Cole – who have prioritized increased funding for AmeriCorps and Senior Corps because they recognize that it’s a win-win for Americans and for communities.
“This is an important step forward, and we will continue to work toward strengthening and expanding national service so that all Americans are called upon and have the opportunity to serve.”
CNCS is the federal agency that administers national service programs including AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. The increased CNCS funding includes:
- $428.5 million for AmeriCorps State and National, an increase of $3.5 million
- $32.5 million for NCCC, an increase of $500,000
- $93.3 million for VISTA, an increase of $1 million
- $208 million for the National Service Trust Fund, an increase $1.5 million
- $6.4 million for the Volunteer Generation Fund, an increase of $1 million
- $118.8 million for the Foster Grandparent Program, an increase of $7.9 million
- $50.8 million for the Senior Companion Program, an increase of $4 million
- $51.35 million for RSVP, an increase of $1 million
- $3.2 million for the Days of Service, an increase of $1 million for 9/11 Day
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Voices for National Service is a diverse coalition of national service programs, state service commissions and individual champions, who work to ensure Americans of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to serve and volunteer in their community. Founded in 2003, Voices for National Service has built strong bipartisan support among our nation’s leaders and helped to elevate national service as a powerful strategy for tackling unmet needs, preparing young people for work, uniting our country and developing civic character.