Serve Washington receives $21.3 million in federal grants to support 1,490 AmeriCorps members statewide

Gov. Jay Inslee introduced in the present day that Serve Washington, the state’s fee on nationwide and group service, has been awarded $21.3 million in federal AmeriCorps funding that can assist place 1,490 AmeriCorps members statewide.

AmeriCorps is the nationwide group service program the place AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve instantly with nonprofit organizations to deal with the nation’s most urgent challenges. Over the course of their service, AmeriCorps members serve in program focus areas associated to financial alternative, wholesome futures, environmental stewardship, catastrophe companies, schooling and the wants of veterans and army households.

“AmeriCorps members are a power multiplier relating to serving to communities thrive,” Inslee stated. “Their resourcefulness, creativity and unwavering dedication to service has helped group organizations meet vital wants of essentially the most weak Washingtonians. I’m proud we have now these AmeriCorps members to assist our communities thrive although results-driven service and make Washington state an excellent larger place to dwell.”

Along with federal allocations, AmeriCorps applications in Washington leverage an extra $28.2 million in native matching funds. AmeriCorps is predicated on public-private partnerships. Which means AmeriCorps grantees want to boost vital outdoors sources, which incorporates help on the native degree, to function their applications.

AmeriCorps applications proceed to be an essential accomplice to deal with vital wants and systemic inequities in Washington which were heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Serve Washington Govt Director Amber Martin-Jahn stated many AmeriCorps applications pivoted their focus the final two years to deal with points round meals and housing insecurity, pupil studying loss and psychological well being amongst younger individuals.

“AmeriCorps members stepped in to serve their communities in some ways and confronted these vital wants head on,” Martin-Jahn stated. “As highly effective as that’s, I’m reminded each day of the double backside line AmeriCorps presents via its funding, growth and help of the AmeriCorps members themselves. We’re honored our AmeriCorps applications will proceed to accomplice with philanthropies, nonprofits and state businesses to satisfy these challenges.”

Over the subsequent 12 months, 1,490 AmeriCorps members will earn as much as a mixed $9 million in schooling awards. Members will obtain roughly $6,495 every via an AmeriCorps Segal Schooling Award after they full 1,700 hours of service to pay for school or repay pupil loans.

Concerning the funding:

Serve Washington is the state fee that administers AmeriCorps state funds in Washington, the vast majority of which is awarded via a nationwide competitors. On the federal degree, funds from the extremely aggressive award course of comes from AmeriCorps, the federal company also called the Company for Nationwide and Neighborhood Service, chargeable for AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors applications.

Occurring within the fall of every 12 months, aggressive grants for AmeriCorps program proposals are put right into a pool of candidates for a nationwide grant overview course of. Method grants happen within the spring of every 12 months. Program proposals are put right into a pool of candidates on the state fee degree for a choice on funding made by the state’s service commissioners.

Twenty-one organizations throughout the state will run 23 AmeriCorps applications, which can place AmeriCorps members at lots of of service areas statewide.

Three extra organizations have additionally been awarded planning grants. Planning grants assist present coaching and technical help to organizations which are growing new AmeriCorps applications.

Serve Washington AmeriCorps grants and member positions shall be distributed as follows:

Two multistate applications headquartered in Washington state additionally obtained AmeriCorps federal grants: Mount Adams Institute VetsWork Surroundings and Western Washington College-Washington Campus Compact.

Organizations are actually recruiting for AmeriCorps members to start service this fall. AmeriCorps members sometimes obtain a modest residing stipend and an schooling award after they full their service. These serious about serving can study extra on the Serve Washington web site.

###

About Serve Washington: Serve Washington advances nationwide service, volunteerism and civic engagement to enhance lives; expands alternative to satisfy the native vital wants of residents of Washington; and strengthens group capability whereas creating wholesome and resilient communities. For extra info, go to servewashington.wa.gov.

About AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps, the federal company for volunteering and nationwide service, gives alternatives for Individuals to serve their nation domestically, handle the nation’s most urgent challenges, enhance lives and communities and strengthen civic engagement. Every year, the company invests greater than $800 million in grants for native nonprofit, group, tribal and state organizations; locations greater than 250,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles and empowers thousands and thousands extra to function long-term, short-term or one-time volunteers. Be taught extra at AmeriCorps.gov.