Gov. Gregoire announces $17 million in AmeriCorps grants to address critical community priorities

For Immediate Release: June 4, 2012

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced that the Washington Commission for National and Community Service has received $17.2 million in AmeriCorps grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The state was awarded $14.7 million in competitive funding, and an additional $2.5 million in AmeriCorps formula funding.

�This is a huge win for Washington state, and will enable many Washingtonians to continue to address critical needs in their communities,� Gregoire said. �Part of this funding is dedicated to our Department of Veterans Affairs, which will help our veterans readjust to civilian life.�

WDVA received $650,000 in competitive funding. Through Washington�s Vet Corps program, 50 veterans will work with other veterans, active duty members and military families to support transitions from military service to higher education, training or employment opportunities. The additional competitive funding will support 1,313 positions to help hundreds of nonprofits, schools, local government and community-based entities use service to address many of the social challenges facing our communities during these tough economic times.

The following agencies and organizations were selected to receive funding through the CNCS national grant competition:

Employment Security Department � Washington Service Corps: $7,345,000
Employment Security Department � Washington Reading Corps: $3,255,650
Department of Ecology � Washington Conservation Corps: $1,920,000
Educational Service District #101 � Spokane Service Team: $719,775
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs � Vet Corps: $650,000
Kitsap Community Resources � KCR-AmeriCorps: $582,918
EarthCorps � EarthCorps Corps Program: $286,000

The competitive grants are the result of the fiscal year 2012 AmeriCorps State and National funding competition and advance the priorities of the bipartisan 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and CNCS� 2011-2015 strategic plan. The grants focus AmeriCorps resources on six key service areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families. The current year�s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive due to the strong and growing demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources.

AmeriCorps programs engage more than 80,000 individuals in intensive, results-driven service each year through more than 14,000 organizations across the country. In exchange for 1,700 hours of service, AmeriCorps members earn a $5,550 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to help pay for college or pay back student loans. Part-time service opportunities, with proportional education awards, range from 900 to 300 hours. Since 1994, more than 775,000 AmeriCorps members have given one billion hours of service in their communities. Among other accomplishments, AmeriCorps members last year mobilized 3.4 million community volunteers, and tutored, mentored or served more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth.

Interested individuals can learn about available service opportunities and apply online by visiting http://www.ofm.wa.gov/servewa/ or AmeriCorps.gov.