Sign-on Letter in Support of AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and CNCS

Congress is working hard to reach a budget deal and negotiate the differences between their FY20 spending bills.

Voices for National Service is spearheading a sign-on letter encouraging the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies to support the House-passed funding level of $1.14 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The letter also calls for an increase of $1 million for the September 11th National Day of Service. This supplemental funding for 9/11 Day projects was included in the Senate’s draft Labor-HHS bill.

If your organization is interested in joining this letter, please fill out the form below. Read the letter here (signatures updated 11-14-2019).

As we have reported before, the House provided $1.14 billion for CNCS in its FY20 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill, an increase of $55 million above the FY19 enacted level. Within the total amount for CNCS, the bill includes increases for AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Volunteer Generation Fund. The Senate posted their Labor-HHS bill online on September 18th, and it recommends $1.08 billion for CNCS, essentially the same level of funding the agency received last year.

We encourage organizations to sign-onto this letter at the highest level — CEO, Executive Director or another organizational leader. The deadline to sign on is Friday, November 8th at 5pm ET.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@voicesforservice.org or 202-742-7374.

Please take the time to fill out the form below in its entirety.

Disclaimer on Political Activity — As we speak for national service and volunteering, we must be mindful of how critically important it is to keep all political and advocacy activities completely separate from federal grant activities. Furthermore, service has always had bipartisan support. That’s why we must be vigilant in maintaining our focus on educating and informing our representatives about our work and impact in a non-partisan and respectful manner, at all times. If your organization receives federal funds, you are allowed to participate in Voices for National Service meetings, call days, events, activities, and sign-on letters. But it is absolutely critical that organizations who receive federal funds keep any political and advocacy activities completely disassociated with their federal grant activities. Please do not make calls or sign letters while on grant-time or using technology funded by your organization’s federal grant. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) rules are clear on this issue, as are the general rules that apply to all grantees of the federal government. We must be scrupulous in conforming with these rules, and we hope you will review these resources from CNCS that explains the restrictions on legislative lobbying and partisan politics.