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Edward M. Kennedy Edward M. Kennedy Serve America ActServe America Act

An overviewAn overview

FRANK R. TRINITYGeneral Counsel

May 2009

FRANK R. TRINITYGeneral Counsel

May 2009

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Major Themes

• Bi-partisan support

• Expand opportunities for Americans to serve

• Break down silos

• Reduce unnecessary burdens

• Demonstrate outcomes

• Innovation in the nonprofit sector

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A few caveats . . .

• Authorization ≠ Appropriations

• Effective Date: October 1, 2009

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Learn & Serve America

• Current Law– School-based– Community-based– Higher Education

• Serve America Act– School-based (formula only)– Higher Education– Part III -- Innovative Service-Learning Programs

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LSA School-Based

• Share of LSA funds is reduced from 63.75% to 60%, formula allocation only

• Minimum SEA allotment of $75k, if total LSA appropriation is at least $50M

• Increase in matching fund requirements, and waiver necessary for Title I and IDEA

• More flexibility for capacity-building

• Admin cap increases from 5% to 6%

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LSA Higher Ed

• Grantees must meet Federal Work Study minimum of 7% of FWS funds expended on community service (unless waived)

• Campuses of Service

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Innovative Service-Learning Programs

• New authority (15% of LSA funds)– community-based programs– summer of service program– semester of service– youth engagement zones– longitudinal study

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AmeriCorps

• Sets AmeriCorps on a path to 250,000 members by 2017

• Bill ties to availability of appropriations and quality service positions

• Includes all AmeriCorps positions

• Includes goal of 50% full-time

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AmeriCorps State/National• Current law

– 1% each for Indian tribes and U.S. territories– State formula 1/3– National Direct (appropriations cap, $55M)– State competitive at least 1/3

• Serve America Act

– Merges N. Direct and State competitive at 62.7% (State input on ND projects)

– State formula 35.3%

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AmeriCorps (2)

• Minimum State formula grant $600K (or .5% of total formula allocation, whichever is greater)

• Cost per member (grant costs only) at $18K for each grantee, with waiver authority up to $19.5K

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AmeriCorps (3)

• 5 new Service Corps within subtitle C

• Codifies prohibition on grants to Federal agencies (but authorizes inter-agency agreements, including cost-shares)

• Authorizes fixed amount grants

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AmeriCorps (4)

• Requires tutors to have HS diploma

• CNCS to make effort to allocate at least 10% of grants to organizations involving significant number of individuals 55+

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State Commissions

• Admin grants increased from current range ($125K - $750K) to $250K - $1M

• Lower match for hardship or new Comm’n

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Participants with Disabilities

• Increases funds for outreach and placement

• Expands to all national service grant programs

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National Service Trust

• Ties education award to maximum Pell grant ($5350 in 2009, increases annually)

• Replaces two-term cap with aggregate of two full-time education awards

• Expands uses of education award

• 55+ may transfer to child or grandchild

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AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps

• Makes permanent

• Authorizes non-residential activities

• Emphasis on disaster relief

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Disaster relief

• 90-day AmeriCorps term extensions

• More organizations eligible for FEMA mission assignments through CNCS

• National Service Reserve Corps for alums and veterans

• Priority for communities recovering from major disasters

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Subtitle H

• Social Innovation Fund

• Volunteer Generation Fund

• Call to Service Campaign

• 9/11 Day of Service

• Fellowship programs

• Silver Scholars

• Nonprofit Capacity Building grants

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VISTA

• Eliminates Governor 45-day review

• Increases post-service cash stipend from range of $100-$125 to $125-$150 (leader stipend from $200 to $250)

• Drops separate VISTA recruitment office in favor of CNCS-wide outreach

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Senior Corps (1)

• Lowers age from 60 to 55 in FGP and SCP• Eligibility for stipended FGP/SCP positions

expanded to 200% of poverty line (from 125%)• Increases Federal share of stipend to $3.00• Expands scope of FGP children• For RSVP, institutes competition beginning fiscal

year 2013.

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Senior Corps (2)

• Directs 25% share of Programs of National Significance to organizations new to CNCS

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Administrative Provisions

• Authorizes Corporation to reserve up to 1% of program funds for evaluation

• Civic Health Assessment

• Increases focus on performance measures via evaluation and corrective actions

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Administrative Provisions (2)

• Children-serving programs must consult with parents in design

• Technical assistance: one funding source

• Strategic Advisor for Native-American Affairs

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Administrative Provisions (3)

• Allows Corporation to consolidate applications and reports

• Requires FBI criminal history check for stipended participants and grantee staff. Disqualifies sex offenders and murderers. Attorney General study.

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Administrative Provisions (4)

• No match requirements for programs in severely economically distressed areas

• Grant selection criteria to include involvement of volunteers

• Promotes citizenship

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Administrative Provisions (5)

• Authorizes CEO to assign programmatic functions to State Commissions

• Electronic verification of AmeriCorps member eligibility

• Prohibits assistance for sole purpose of referring to Federally assisted programs

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Administrative Provisions (6)

• Repeals Title III, non-competitive Points of Light Foundation

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CNCS Governance

• Uniform five-year term for Board of Directors

• Adds authority for Board to review annual budget and review CEO performance

• CFO changed from PAS to CEO appointee

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CNCS Website

• Additional resources are posted at:

• http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/serveamerica/index.asp