Post on 07-May-2015
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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