Engage Boomers in Service, Mentor Disadvantaged Youth

Posted by on May 20, 2005

Funding Available to Engage Boomers in Service, Mentor Disadvantaged Youth

Washington D.C. – The Corporation for National and Community Service is encouraging organizations to apply for approximately $1.5 million in grant funds to support "the next generation" of national service programs. The special competition will support organizations meeting community needs that have not previously received Corporation support.
"We are committed to finding new ways to use national and community service to capitalize on untapped resources and respond to critical national problems," said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation.

The Corporation will make grants as seed money to help selected organizations plan and implement innovative new programs that have the potential to become national in scope, or that propose a model that could be replicated in other locations. Each program selected must contain innovative strategies for engaging volunteers in community service activities, and must be designed so as to achieve measurable outcomes to both program participants and beneficiaries. Proposals must fall under one [or both] of two areas:

* Programs that engage adults age 50 and above [‘baby-boomers"] in full- or part-time service; and

* Improving the lives of disadvantaged youth through mentoring and service.

The competition is open to new and existing organizations that work in education, the environment, health and human services, homeland security, public safety, and other critical areas. The Next Generation Grants competition is being conducted outside of the Corporation’s usual grant-making streams in order to encourage flexibility and the development of new models of service.

Eligible applicants include public and private non-profit organizations, including faith-based and other community-based organizations. Intermediary organizations may apply for this grant opportunity to perform the fiscal, administrative, and resource development activities for affiliated local sites which may lack the capacity to carry out these roles. Applicants other than individual schools and intermediaries will generally have an annual operating budget of $500,000 or less.

Applications for this competition are due to the Corporation no later than June 7, 2005. Complete application materials for the Next Generations Grant competition are available on the Corporation’s website at: <a href="http://www.nationalservice.gov/funding_initiatives">http://www.nationalservice.gov/funding_initiatives</a>. For further information or for a printed copy of this NOFA and application instructions please call (202) 606-5000 x 309, or send an e-mail to NextGeneration@cns.gov.
The TDD number is (202) 565-2799.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.nationalservice.gov">http://www.nationalservice.gov</a>.