Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that Serve Washington, the state’s commission on national and community service, has been awarded $15.8 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps and other national service programs. Funds awarded to Serve Washington are subgranted to Washington nonprofit organizations, state and local governments and educational institutions following a highly competitive process.
“This year, our AmeriCorps members will help close achievement gaps for school-age children, prepare low-income students for higher education, protect our environment and so much more,” Inslee said. “As they serve, they not only make tremendous contributions to our communities, they also expand opportunities for themselves by gaining skills and experience to jump-start their careers.”
The 1,383 AmeriCorps members will collectively earn up to $8 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards valued at approximately $5,920 per member for completion of a 1,700-hour term of service. The earned education award helps members pay for college or pay off student loans.
“The law creating AmeriCorps gave a key role to states in determining how national service resources are used,” said Serve Washington Executive Director Amber Martin-Jahn. “Serve Washington is honored to partner with nonprofits and state agencies across Washington to bring these federal resources to our communities.”
Serve Washington received the third-largest competitive grant amount received by any one state. In addition to the dollars leveraged through the national competition, Serve Washington receives a formula allocation.
AmeriCorps is a public-private partnership, and AmeriCorps grantees leverage significant outside resources to operate their programs. The $15.8 million in federal funds received will be matched by more than $17.5 million in local resources.
Serve Washington AmeriCorps grants and member positions will be distributed as follows:
Organizations are now recruiting for AmeriCorps members to begin service this fall. AmeriCorps members typically receive a modest living stipend and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of service. Those interested in serving can learn more at americorps.gov/join.
Funding is also being awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service to multi-state programs headquartered in Washington and to tribal organizations. These are the Washington Campus Compact College Access Corps and the Mt. Adams Institute VetsWork Environment programs, and the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. A new tribal grant with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation AmeriCorps program will implement a Yakama Nation financial literacy program at 17 school sites serving the Yakama Reservation.
Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than 1 million men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.4 billion hours of service. They have earned more than $3.6 billion in education awards to pay for college or pay back student loans, of which more than $1 billion has been used to repay student loan debt.
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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 servewashington.wa.gov.
The Corporation for National and Community Service is the federal agency for volunteering, service and civic engagement. The agency engages millions of Americans in citizen service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation's volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.