Publications:

Brief on National Service

September 2, 2008

Governor Granholm Urges Citizen Involvement in Day of Action

ServiceNation is a campaign to unite leaders from every sector of American society with hundreds of thousands of citizens in a national campaign to call on the next President and Congress to enact a new era of service and citizenship in America, an era in which all Americans will work together to try and solve our greatest and most persistent societal challenges.

As a member of the ServiceNation Leadership Council, Governor Granholm has been taking the lead on encouraging Michigan citizens to get involved in this service campaign. There are currently 1,089 Day of Action events planned in all 50 states - 23 of those events will take place in Michigan. To view the full list of service events already scheduled to take place in Michigan on September 27, the Day of Action, visit http://events.servicenation.org/. We encourage you to plan your own Day of Action event or find a local opportunity to participate in!

For more information on planning, registering, or participating in a Day of Action, contact the Michigan Community Service Commission at verberkmoese@michigan.gov or visit www.servicenation.org.

August 26, 2008

McCain, Obama to make Joint Appearance for Volunteerism

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will discuss their views on national service and civic engagement in the post-9/11 world during a prime time forum on the evening of Sept. 11 in New York City.

ServiceNation, a coalition of 110 organizations that has a collective reach of some 100 million Americans, is staging the forum. It is dedicated to solving problems through civic engagement and service.

It will be the opening event of the bipartisan, Sept. 11-12, ServiceNation Summit, which will launch a one-year grassroots campaign to expand voluntary community and national service opportunities for all Americans; use proven service strategies to tackle some of America’s most chronic social challenges; and call on all Americans to make service a bedrock ideal in our democracy. The NonProfit Times is a media sponsor of the event.

At the forum, called “A Nation Of Service,” McCain and Obama will appear on stage separately to discuss their respective visions for the role of service in America’s future. Richard Stengel, managing editor of TIME, will moderate, and the event will be open to all broadcast networks.

“I look forward to participating in the 9/11 service forum,” said Obama said through a statement. “After September 11, Americans of every age, race, region and walk of life were ready to step up and answer a new call of service for their country. Making that call to service will be a central cause of my presidency, because we need the active citizenship of the American people to meet the challenges of the 21st century."

McCain also issued a statement: "I am pleased to be participating in the ServiceNation Summit in New York City. The Summit will be an important remembrance of those that made the ultimate sacrifice serving their country and others as we focus on how to inspire others to serve causes greater than their own self-interest through national and community service."

The forum audience will include 9/11 family members, young Americans, military veterans, and thought leaders, and questions can be submitted by the public at http://tinyurl.com/6jmhd5.

The ServiceNation Summit will convene more than 500 leaders from American business, government and leading nonprofit institutions to celebrate the ideal and power of service, and lay out a bold policy blueprint for addressing America’s greatest social challenges through expanded opportunities for voluntary community and national service.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will welcome attendees when the proceedings continue the morning following the candidates’ forum, on Sept. 12. The summit will conclude with a keynote address by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who earlier this year became the first governor to create a cabinet post dedicated to service and volunteering.

"Service is an idea whose time has come." said Alan Khazei, CEO of Be The Change, Inc. one of the four organizations--along with City Year, Civic Enterprises and Points of Light Institute--that are helping to coordinate the ServiceNation effort. "The entire Service Movement is energized by both Senators McCain and Obama making service a central theme of their respective visions for America.”

The ServiceNation Summit is being co-chaired by Caroline Kennedy; Alma Powell, Chair of America’s Promise Alliance; TIME’s Stengel; Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation of New York; Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP; and Laysha Ward, President of Community Relations and the Target Foundation. It is convened and underwritten by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York and Presented by TIME, AARP and Target. The recording artist, Usher, serves as the Youth Chair for the Summit.

Following the summit, on Sept. 27, ServiceNation will organize a national Day of Action to engage tens of thousands of Americans in events across the country that will showcase the power, potential and impact of service. To date, 891 events have been created in 50 states. The public can sign up to host, or find events to attend, at http://events.servicenation.org.

The goal of ServiceNation (www.servicenation.org), is to mobilize a grassroots movement that will inspire America’s leaders to expand voluntary community and national service opportunities, target Americas greatest societal challenges with proven service strategies, and promote voluntary service as a core ideal in our democracy. Facebook is the lead social media partner to help ServiceNation achieve these goals. A full list of ServiceNation coalition members can be found at: http://www.bethechangeinc.org/servicenation/about_us/organizing.

In a parallel to the ServiceNation campaign, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Ma.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are working on new bipartisan national and community service legislation designed to expand opportunities for voluntary community and national service. One of the key goals of the Service Nation campaign is to inspire the next president and Congress to enact this legislation by Sept. 11, 2009.

“Now is the time to unleash the energy and entrepreneurship of a new generation of social innovators, and ServiceNation will help bring about this transformational change by putting citizens at the center of community problem-solving,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points Of Light Institute in Atlanta.

July 7, 2008

Help Make the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax-Free!

On June 26, Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Jon Porter (R-NV) introduced H.R. 6407, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act, legislation to make the AmeriCorps education award tax-free. The bill would modify the current tax code to exclude the education award from an individual’s gross income, thereby retaining the full value of their education award.

The AmeriCorps Education Award is $4,725 for a year of full-time service and is prorated for part-time service. Some AmeriCorps members lose close to $1,000 of the award value after taxes. The award has not been increased since the program was created in 1993, and during this time, the cost of education has skyrocketed. AmeriCorps members work to improve the lives of all Americans by protecting the environment, strengthening education, responding to disasters, and supporting public health and safety. Now is the time for Congress to do more to recognize their contributions to America and encourage others to serve.

Action Steps for H.R. 6407, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act:

1. Call the Capitol operator at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your Representative.
2. Ask to speak to the Legislative Assistant for National Service and request that your elected official sponsor H.R. 6407, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act.
3. To sponsor, interested offices should contact Brendan Devine with Congressman John Lewis at (202) 225-3801 and brendan.devine@mail.house.gov or Ryan Temme with Congressman Jon Porter at (202) 225-3252 and ryan.temme@mail.house.gov.

Serve Michigan encourages you to help make the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax-Free by contacting your member of Congress today to ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 6407.

May 15, 2008

Action Alert! Act Today To Help Secure Sponsors for the AmeriCorps Act of 2008!

On Friday, May 16, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) will introduce the AmeriCorps Act of 2008, legislation which will:

• Raise the education award to $6,185, the average annual cost of tuition and fees for an instate student at a four year public university;
• Make the education award tax exempt;
• Restore the Corporation's previous authority to partner with other Federal agencies to use national service as a strategy to carry out Departments' priorities; and
• Promote the Corporation for National and Community Service to Cabinet level status.

Serve Michigan strongly supports this effort to recognize the importance of service and to promote access to education by increasing the value of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Since inception in 1994, more than 540,000 citizens have served through AmeriCorps to address the unmet needs of our nation. These citizens have given over 700,000,000 hours toward improving the lives of other Americans.

• Click here to read the bill language.

You can build support for national service by encouraging your Senators to join as original cosponsors of the bill. Call today; the deadline for cosponsors is Thursday, May 15th at 4:00pm.

Action Steps for the AmeriCorps Act of 2008:

1. Call the Capitol operator at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your Senator.
2. Ask your elected official to be an original cosponsor of the AmeriCorps Act of 2008.
3. To cosponsor, interested offices should contact Mary Ellen McGuire with Senator Dodd’s office by email: MaryEllen_McGuire@help.senate.gov. Deadline for cosponsors is Thursday, May 15th at 4pm.

March 26, 2008

2008 Michigan Volunteer Champion Award Winners Announced!

Serve Michigan is pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 Michigan Volunteer Champion Awards!

• Sen. Jason Allen (R-Traverse City) - Volunteer Spirit Award for exemplary service in support of volunteerism.
• Rep. Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) - Volunteer Spirit Award for exemplary service in support of volunteerism.
• Rep. Kim Meltzer (R-Clinton Township) - Servant Leadership Award for outstanding personal dedication to civic engagement and service.
• Sen. Gilda Jacobs (D-Huntington Woods) - Servant Leadership Award for outstanding personal dedication to civic engagement and service.

The 2008 Michigan Volunteer Champion Awards will be presented at the Michigan Giving & Volunteering Celebration 2008, presented by Comcast. This event will take place on April 16 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon in Rooms 402-403 of the State Capitol Building.

For more information and to register to attend, click here.

March 13, 2008

The GIVE Act Fails by One Vote

H.R. 5563, legislation to reauthorize the national service programs, was defeated yesterday by a recorded vote of 277 - 140. Because the GIVE Act was considered under suspension, the legislation needed two-thirds of those present to vote in the affirmative for the bill to pass. The GIVE Act was one vote shy of meeting the required margin. 

 Click here to see how your Member of Congress voted.

Official Statement from Voices for National Service on H.R. 5563

Voices for National Service is extremely disappointed that H.R. 5563, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act failed to receive the required two-thirds majority vote needed for final passage.

The national service programs have not been reauthorized in 15 years and the GIVE Act addressed this oversight. The bill would have helped to strengthen and expand the federally supported service initiatives, stimulate community volunteerism, and increase accountability and efficiency within the administration of the national service programs.

The GIVE Act was crafted in an open, bipartisan manner and had broad support from the White House, community and faith-based partners, and the national service community. Last week, the U.S. House spent several hours debating the GIVE Act and the tenor of the debate was extremely positive. Members of both parties spoke eloquently and personally about the benefits of national service, and there was virtually no opposition to the programs.

Voices for National Service was dismayed by today's vote and we are frustrated that national service reauthorization will not happen this year. While the bill's defeat is a disappointment, we are grateful for the 277 members - a substantial bipartisan majority - who voted in support of national service.

Voices for National Service would like to thank Chairman George Miller, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, Representative Todd Platts and the leadership of the National Service Congressional Caucus for their commitment to reauthorizing the national service programs.

Each year, over 3.9 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds serve their communities through the core national service programs - AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, VISTA, NCCC and Learn and Serve America. Together, members and volunteers contribute over 228 million hours of service in communities around the country. We are disappointed that the service of millions of Americans did not receive the full support of the U.S. House of Representatives.

March 10, 2008

We Need Your Immediate Help to Support Service!

WE NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP TO PASS H.R. 2857, THE GIVE Act!
After 15 years - NOW is the time to reauthorize the national service programs.

Last week, moments before the House was going to vote on final passage of the GIVE Act, a parliamentary procedure snagged the bill.  Leadership was forced to pull the national service reauthorization bill from the floor.

The House is expected to resume consideration of the GIVE Act on Tuesday and will vote on the bill.   You must call and email your legislators TODAY and urge them to vote in favor of this important Act.

Your calls and emails are extremely important.   Your elected officials need to hear from you ... their constituents.   Please call and write Congress and let them know that there is a high level of interest in strengthening national service programs and we need their support. 

A MESSAGE YOU CAN FORWARD BY EMAIL

Subject: Vote YES on GIVE Act; Support Volunteers, Children, Elderly, Veterans, Homeless and Many More

Message Content:

Please vote for H.R. 2857, Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act!

Volunteerism and Service: Delivering Enormous Benefits to the Nation

Service and volunteering are essential to addressing some of America's toughest challenges, especially in the areas of education, public health, helping America's youth, and preparing for and responding to disasters. The GIVE Act is a comprehensive reauthorization package that builds upon the successful work being done in communities across the nation by members of AmeriCorps, VISTA, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America.

The national service programs have not been reauthorized in 15 years.  The GIVE Act addresses this oversight, helping to strengthen and expand the federally supported service initiatives and increase accountability and efficiency within the administration of these programs.

Last week, the U.S. House spent five hours debating the GIVE Act and came very close to completing its consideration.  The tenor of the debate on the GIVE Act was extremely positive.  Members of both parties spoke eloquently and personally about the benefits of national service, and there was virtually no opposition to the programs. Unfortunately, the bill was snagged by a parliamentary procedure that forced leadership to pull the Act from consideration.  

We urge you to bring the bill back to the House floor and to vote for final passage.  The GIVE Act was crafted in an open, bipartisan manner and has broad support from the White House, the interest groups, and the national service community.  It passed out of committee by a vote of 44-0 and enjoys support from senior Republicans and Democrats.

National service has played an important role in our nation's history and continues to help us meet the challenges and needs of our communities.   The GIVE Act will help us build a strong country through service, and we ask that you pass this important bill.

HOW TO EMAIL AND CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

1. If you need help determining who represents your district visit www.house.gov. You can also find their email addresses from this site.
2. Call the House Operator at (202) 225-3121 and ask to be connected to the office of your representative.
3. Once connected, identify yourself as a constituent and ask to speak to the staff person in charge of national service and education issues. 

A MESSAGE TO DELIVER BY PHONE

I want my Congressperson to vote for the GIVE Act, legislation to reauthorize the federally-supported national service programs: AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and Senior Corps. 

Volunteerism and service are delivering enormous benefits to the nation.  These national service programs have broad community support and they are helping to address critical needs in our community.

The GIVE Act builds upon the successful work being done in communities across the nation by members of AmeriCorps, VISTA, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America.

The national service programs have not been reauthorized in 15 years.  The GIVE Act addresses this oversight.   The bill helps to strengthen and grow the national service programs.   The bill also addresses accountability and efficiency within the administration of these programs.

Although this bill has broad, bipartisan support, a parliamentry procedure prevented the House from voting on the bill last week.  I was extremely disappointed, and I am anxious to see Congress resume consideration and pass the bill.

This is a bipartisan bill.  It is non-controversial and the White House supports the legislation.  I ask that my Congressperson vote in favor of the GIVE Act.

February 5, 2008

President's FY09 Budget Request for National Service includes funding decreases

On February 4, 2008, President Bush sent to Congress his Fiscal Year 2009 budget request which recommends $829.7 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its three core programs - AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Learn & Serve America. This request is $26.6 million less than the agency received in FY08, continuing a five year decline in national service funding.

The President's budget proposes cuts to several service initiatives, the most significant being a 40% cut to the Foster Grandparent Program - a program that connects 19,000 volunteers age 60 and over with children and young people with exceptional needs. For more details about the budget please read below or click here to visit the Corporation for National and Community Service website. 

• AmeriCorps State and National Grants: $274 million, includes a $17.4 million increase over the FY 2008 enacted level. The additional funds will support the agency's congressionally mandated transition from two-year to one-year funding while maintaining the current level of service to communities across the nation.
• National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC): $9.8 million, combined with $6.3 million in available FY08 funding. The request for NCCC in FY09 is a $14 million reduction in appropriated funds.
• VISTA: $91.6 million, a $2.2 million reduction from FY08.
• Senior Corps: $174 million. While sustaining the federal invesment in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Senior Companion Program, the President's budget cuts the Foster Grandparent program by more than $40 million.
• Learn and Serve America: $32.1 million, a $5.3 million reduction from the FY08 enacted level.

The President’s budget submission is just the first step in a lengthy appropriations process. Voices for National Service will remain engaged, reaching out to the Administration and the Congress, urging them to sustain and grow their investment.

This latest development does underscore how important it is for us to educate our nation's leaders about the indispensable value of national service as they head into a very difficult appropriations process. The pressure to produce more with less funding will be felt by nearly every federal program and agency in the coming year. We urge you to invite your elected officials to visit your program this year. For tips on how to schedule a visit, please click here. 

November 1, 2007

Reauthorization of National Service May Move Next Week

The House Education and Labor Committee has reserved floor time next week to possibly bring the reauthorization bill (The GIVE Act) up for debate.    

The Committee staff has had a few conversations with the Learn & Serve community and the RSVP Directors at the national level about their key issues with the proposed GIVE Act.   Both groups feel the gap between them and the Committee has narrowed, but they have yet to see any of the proposed changes in their final written form.  A manager's amendement (a piece of legislation added to existing bills to clarify, detail, and implement existing agreements) will likely be offered as part of the process next week.

The Committee staff also continues to express interest in the AmeriCorps funding allocation alternative proposed by a working group of Voices for National Service and the Association of State Service Commissions (ASC). They have requested a letter from the State Service Commissions reiterating their support for the revised formula, and the Committee staff continues to run the concept past their minority members. The final details of this deal will be important and we are anxious to review the manager's amendment which will contain their changes to the introduced GIVE Act.

This is fast moving process and we may be provided very little time to review amendments.   Please be on the look out for emails from us, and be aware that a very quick response may be required.

It is our hope that the committee will incorporate most of our requested changes and produce a final bill that we can enthusiastically support. 

To view the FY08 National Service Budget details as passed by the Senate, click here.

November 1, 2007

DeRoche Calls for Elimination of Michigan Community Service Commission

In a press statement released on October 31, House Republican Leader Craig DeRoche (R-Novi) unveiled a GOP plan to find cuts to replace the services tax, including the state matching funds for the Michigan Community Service Commission.  The elimination of the $3.9 million in state funding and authority would mean that Michigan would turn back twice the amount in federal funding and cut off support to the community based efforts of AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve, Mentor Michigan, and the Volunteer Investment Grants.  For more information on the potential impact of state cuts on national service in Michigan, go to http://www.connectmichiganalliance.org/servemichigan/links.htm and view the documents under "Michigan Community Service Commission National Service Programs."  

October 24, 2007

FY08 National Service Budget Details as Passed by Senate 

The Senate completed action today on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for Fiscal 2008. The bill recommends $880,909,000 for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, the same level approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 21.  The numbers break down as follows: 

• Senior Corps: $217,586,000
  • RSVP:  $59,685,000
  • Foster Grandparent:  $110,937,000
  • Senior Companion:  $46,964,000
• AmeriCorps VISTA:  $95,468,000
• AmeriCorps Grants:  $275,775,000
• National Service Trust:  $117,720,000
• State Commission Administrative Grants:  $12,516,000
• AmeriCorps NCCC:  $31,789,000
• Learn and Serve America:  $39,125,000
• Partnership Grants: $0
• Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance:  $10,550,000
• Evaluation:  $3,960,000
• Salaries & Expenses:  $69,520,000
• Inspector General:  $6,900,000 

Total:  $880,909,000

The House recommended $843,381,000 for national service programs in their version of the Labor-HSS-Education bill passed on July 19.  The next step is a joint House and Senate conference committee to resolve differences between the two measures.   As a reminder, the Corporation and other government programs are currently operating on a Continuing Resolution that keeps programs operating through November 17 at the current fiscal year 2007 levels. 

Bill text, committee reports, charts, testimony, and other budget materials are available on the Corporation’s website by clicking on the Budget link at nationalservice.gov.