Washington, DC (March 10, 2009)- President Obama has proposed significant expansion of AmeriCorps and other service programs. His 2010 proposed budget includes a $261 million increase for AmeriCorps, with a goal of putting AmeriCorps on a path to expand from its current 75,000 members to 250,000 members in future years.

Photo courtesy of Anthony Schmidt.

Congress has signaled equal enthusiasm for a dramatic expansion of service programs. The Serve America Act, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy and Sen. Orin Hatch and other similar proposals are expected to receive strong support. It's fair to say that service expansion is imminent- what is your organization doing to get ready for this opportunity?

How Expansion of AmeriCorps Could Impact Your Organization:

1. Several ACT members operate in-house AmeriCorps programs funded all or in part through grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service. These green teams are a powerful source of support for urban forests and ecosystem restoration in New York City, San Jose, Shreveport, and other cities. ACT recently hosted a webcast on how to operate an AmeriCorps program with guest speakers Yvonne Lee (Shreveport Green) and Ashley Atkinson (The Greening of Detroit). In short, hosting an AmeriCorps site can provide your organization with significant resources, community credibility, and a powerful team of young people ready to serve the environment and their community. You can view the webcast in ACT's archives.

2. AmeriCorps teams are often loaned out to perform work with a wide variety of community partners. If you aren't interested in managing an AmeriCorps team of your own full-time, there are opportunities to partner with a local AmeriCorps provider on special projects. For example, Anacostia Watershed Society is matched each February for two weeks with a local team that helps the watershed group restore stream banks. It's challenging outdoor work during cold weather that would not be easy to accomplish relying solely on unpaid community volunteers. During the rest of the year, the team is working on a variety of projects with many different community groups.

3. The halo effect from the new presidential administration and the expansion of service programs could inspire many more people to volunteer. As we saw in the recent election, there were many people- young and old- who campaigned and got directly involved in an election for the first time. Many people feel inspired to be part of positive change but have not identified an outlet for that impulse. Local nonprofits should capture this spirit and market their volunteer programs aggressively to attract new participants.

4. Senior Corps programs will grow. The Baby Boomer generation is now beginning to enter retirement. This massive generation is idealistic, energetic, and redefining what it means to be a senior. Whether through formalized programs like SeniorCorps or through other forms of community volunteerism, people age 55 and older are a powerful source of support for your cause.

Related Resources:
Serve America Act
Incorporating AmeriCorps and Recent Grads Into Local Programs