1. Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act An overview FRANK R. TRINITY General Counsel May 2009 FRANK R. TRINITY General Counsel May 2009

2. Major Themes Bi-partisan support Expand opportunities for Americans to serve Break down silos Reduce unnecessary burdens Demonstrate outcomes Innovation in the nonprofit sector

3. A few caveats... Authorization ≠ Appropriations Effective Date: October 1, 2009

4. Learn and Serve America

5. 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

6. LSA School-Based Share of LSA funds is reduced from 63.75% to 60%, formula allocation only Minimum State allotment of $75k, if total LSA appropriation is at least $50M Increase in matching fund requirements More flexible use of funds

7. LSA Higher Ed Grantees must meet Federal Work Study minimum of 7% of FWS funds expended on community service (unless waived) Campuses of Service

8. Innovative Service-Learning Programs -- “Part III” New authority (15% of LSA funds) –community-based programs –summer of service program – semester of service – youth engagement zones –longitudinal study

9. AmeriCorps

10. Expansion of AmeriCorps Sets AmeriCorps on a path to 250,000 positions by 2017 Includes all approved national service positions Sets goal of 50% full-time

11. 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%

12. 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

13. AmeriCorps (3) 5 new Service Corps within subtitle C –Education –Healthy Futures –Clean Energy –Veterans –Opportunity Codifies prohibition on grants to Federal agencies while permitting cost-shares

14. 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+

15. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Makes permanent Emphasis on disaster relief

16. AmeriCorps VISTA Adds sustainability to purpose statement Eliminates Governor 45-day review Increases post-service cash stipend from range of $100-$125 to $125-$150 (leader stipend from $200 to $250)

17. National Service Trust Ties education award to maximum Pell grant Individual may earn up to aggregate of two full-time education awards Expands uses of education award 55+ may transfer to child, foster child, or grandchild

18. Senior Corps

19. Senior Corps (1) Expands eligibility for Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs Increases hourly stipend to $3.00 (funds permitting) Expands scope of FGP children For RSVP, institutes re-competition beginning fiscal year 2013.

20. Senior Corps (2) Opens up Programs of National Significance to organizations new to CNCS

21. Other Expansion

22. State Commissions Admin grants increased from current range ($125K - $750K) to $250K - $1M Lower match for hardship or new Comm’n

23. Inclusion Increases money for outreach and placement Expands to all national service grant programs

24. Disaster Relief 90-day AmeriCorps term extensions More flexibility for FEMA mission assignments through CNCS National Service Reserve Corps for alums and veterans Priority for communities recovering from major disasters

25. Innovation and New Initiatives

26. Social Innovation Fund Provide seed money and scale up capital for innovative programs Leverage private and foundation capital to meet major social challenges Grants between $1M and $10M $1 for $1 match

27. Volunteer Generation Fund Grants to State Commissions and nonprofit organizations Support recruitment and management of volunteers

28. Other Subtitle H programs Call to Service Campaign 9/11 Day of Service Fellowship programs Silver Scholars Nonprofit Capacity Building grants

29. Administrative Provisions and Governance

30. Authority to assign programmatic functions CEO may assign “specific programmatic functions” to State Commissions increase efficiency. Before assigning any function, Corporation must consult with Corporation employees, State Commissions, State educational agencies, and other interested stakeholders Report due to authorizing committees within 2 years on consultation process and any actions taken

31. Current law unchanged by Act “The Chief Executive Office shall establish and maintain a decentralized field structure that provides for an office of the Corporation for each State.” “The office for a State shall be located in, or in reasonable proximity to, such State.”

32. Administrative Provisions Authorizes Corporation to reserve up to 1% of program funds for evaluation Civic Health Assessment GAO to develop performance measures and assess every five years

33. Administrative Provisions (2) Study/pilot of electronic verification of AmeriCorps member eligibility Children-serving programs must consult with parents in design

34. Administrative Provisions (3) Requires FBI fingerprint check for AmeriCorps members and stipended participants and grantee staff who serve vulnerable populations.

35. Administrative Provisions (4) No match requirements for programs in severely economically distressed areas Grant selection criteria to include involvement of volunteers Strategic Advisor for Native-American Affairs

36. Administrative Provisions (5) Prohibits assistance for sole purpose of referring individuals to Federal assisted programs Repeals Title III, non-competitive Points of Light Foundation

37. CNCS Governance Uniform five-year term for Board of Directors Adds authority for Board to review annual budget and review CEO performance

38. What’s not in the Act? Exclusion of education award from taxable income

39. For more information... Please visit: NationalService.gov/serveact