Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that Washington has been awarded $16.3 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
These grants will support 1,474 AmeriCorps members across the state serving with 19 organizations. AmeriCorps members will tackle critical challenges in Washington, including helping in education settings, preserving the environment, assisting with disaster response and recovery, and supporting veterans and military families.
Of the total amount, $15.1 million will be directed to Serve Washington, the governor-appointed state service commission, which in turn will award grants to 17 nonprofit organizations and public agencies across the state. Funds will engage 1,360 AmeriCorps members in service. In addition, $1.2 million is being awarded to two multi-state programs headquartered in Washington, which will add 114 AmeriCorps positions.
“National service strengthens communities and is an essential part of the solutions to challenges we face in our state,” Inslee said. “These AmeriCorps members help meet pressing local needs while developing civic and leadership skills that will last a lifetime. I thank all those who serve Washington state through AmeriCorps.”
“AmeriCorps members make a powerful impact on the toughest challenges facing our state,” said Serve Washington Executive Director Debbie Schuffenhauer. “Building on Washington’s strong tradition of neighbor helping neighbor, AmeriCorps members will improve lives and strengthen communities across the state. As they serve others, AmeriCorps members will also expand opportunity for themselves by gaining skills and experience to jump-start their careers.”
CNCS will make available $8.5 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an award of $5,775 they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.
The current year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive due to the strong demand by organizations seeking its resources. The 2016 competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, veterans and military families, and disaster services.
Since 1994, more than 37,000 Washington residents have served more than 55 million hours and qualified for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards totaling more than $130 million.
AmeriCorps grants and number of positions will be distributed in Washington as follows:
| Competetive Grants | ||
|---|---|---|
| College Access Now | $384,900 | 30 |
| EarthCorps – EarthCorps Corps Program | $360,000 | 30 |
| Mt. Adams Institute – VetsWork (multi-state) | $499,489 | 58 |
| Washington Campus Compact – College Access Corps (multi-state) | $672,000 | 56 |
| Washington Department of Veterans Affairs – Vet Corps | $630,500 | 50 |
| Washington Department of Ecology – Washington Conservation Corps | $1,823,920 | 285 |
| Washington Employment Security Department – WA Reading Corps | $1,860,000 | 150 |
| Washington Employment Security Department – WA Service Corps | $7,149,870 | 567 |
| Formula Grants | ||
|---|---|---|
| City Year Seattle | $338,800 | 28 |
| College Success Foundation – College and Career Advising Corps | $234,000 | 18 |
| Communities In Schools of WA – WA State CIS AmeriCorps Project | $343,249 | 25 |
| Community Youth Services – AmeriCorps Youth in Service | $274,600 | 20 |
| Kitsap Community Resources – KCR AmeriCorps | $268,600 | 20 |
| Life Works – Cowlitz AmeriCorps Network | $335,750 | 25 |
| NE Washington Educational Service District 101 – Spokane Service Team | $174,906 | 39 |
| Northwest Leadership Foundation – Urban Leaders in Training | $156,092 | 12 |
| Pasco School District #1 – Regional Service Corps | $274,599 | 20 |
| Port Angeles School District – Port Angeles AmeriCorps | $217,932 | 16 |
| United Way of King County | $322,242 | 25 |
Serve Washington advances national service, volunteerism and civic engagement to improve lives; expands opportunity to meet the local critical needs of residents of Washington; and strengthens community capacity while creating healthy and resilient communities. For more information, visit www.ofm.wa.gov/servewa.
AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the president's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.