Corporation for National and Community Service

(operating as AmeriCorps)

FY 2021 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report

(October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021)

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(e)(1)

Section I: Basic Information Regarding Report 

1. Provide name, title, address, and telephone number of person(s) to be contacted with 

questions about the Report. 

Stephanie Soper

FOIA Officer

Corporation for National and Community Service

250 E Street, SW

Washington, DC 20525

Phone: (202) 606-6747

2. Provide an electronic link for access to the Report on the agency Web site. 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/site-policy-and-notices/foia-and-privacyact/electronic-reading-room-and-library/foia-directory

3. Explain how to obtain a copy of the Report in paper form. 

To obtain a hard copy of this report, please contact the FOIA Officer at the address in 

Section I.1. You may also download a copy from the Internet site in Section I.2.

Section II: Making a FOIA Request 

1. Provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all individual agency components 

that receive FOIA requests. 

FOIA requests should be sent in writing by email, mail, or fax.

mail: FOIA@cns.gov phone: 202-606-6747 fax: 202-606-3467

Corporation for National and Community Service

Attn: FOIA Officer

250 E Street, SW

Washington, DC 20525
2. Provide a brief description of why some requests are not granted and an overview of 

certain general categories of the agency’s records to which the FOIA exemptions apply. 

Portions of some requested documents were withheld for the following reasons:

In FY2021, Exemption 5 was applied to deliberative process information. Exemption 6 was 

applied to personal information such as a person’s social security number, address, phone 

number, age, date of birth, race, ethnicity, marital status, disability, education level, 

medical issues, and/or other information that would result in an unwarranted invasion of 

privacy. Also under exemption 6, AmeriCorps withheld private information in member 

volunteer records. The agency applied Exemption 7A to law enforcement records from our 

Office of the Inspector General which could interfere with law enforcement proceedings if 

released, and Exemption 7(C) to requested materials in law enforcement records released 

by its Office of the Inspector General, the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected 

to constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

3. Provide a functional electronic link to agency FOIA regulations, including the agency's fee 

schedule. (NOTE: Agency FOIA Regulations were formerly listed at Section XI of the 

human-readable version of the Report). 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/site-policy-and-notices/foia-and-privacy-act/statutesand-resources/foia-regulation

Section III: Acronyms, Definitions, and Exemptions 

1. Definitions of terms used in this Report: 

a. Administrative Appeal – a request to a federal agency asking that it review at a higher 

administrative level a FOIA determination made by the agency at the initial request level. 

b. Average Number – the number obtained by dividing the sum of a group of numbers by the 

quantity of numbers in the group. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average number is 8. 

c. Backlog – the number of requests or administrative appeals that are pending at an agency 

at the end of the fiscal year that are beyond the statutory time period for a response.

d. Component – for agencies that process requests on a decentralized basis, a "component" is 

an entity, also sometimes referred to as an Office, Division, Bureau, Center, or Directorate, 

within the agency that processes FOIA requests. The FOIA now requires that agencies include 

in their Annual FOIA Report data for both the agency overall and for each principal 

component of the agency. 

e. Consultation – the procedure whereby the agency responding to a FOIA request first 

forwards a record to another agency or component within the same agency for its review 

because that other agency has an interest in the document. Once the agency in receipt of the 

consultation finishes its review of the record, it responds back to the agency or component 

within the same agency that forwarded it. That agency, in turn, will then respond to the FOIA 

requester. 
f. Exemption 3 Statute – a federal statute that exempts information from disclosure and 

which the agency relies on to withhold information under subsection (b)(3) of the FOIA. 

g. FOIA Request – a FOIA request is generally a request to a federal agency for access to 

records concerning another person (i.e., a "third-party" request), or concerning an 

organization, or a particular topic of interest. FOIA requests also include requests made by 

requesters seeking records concerning themselves (i.e., "first-party" requests) when those 

requesters are not subject to the Privacy Act, such as non-U.S. citizens. Moreover, because all 

first-party requesters should be afforded the benefit of both the access provisions of the FOIA 

as well as those of the Privacy Act, FOIA requests also include any first-party requests where 

an agency determines that it must search beyond its Privacy Act "systems of records" or 

where a Privacy Act exemption applies, and the agency looks to FOIA to afford the greatest 

possible access. All requests which require the agency to utilize the FOIA in responding to the 

requester are included in this Report. 

Additionally, a FOIA request includes records referred to the agency for processing and direct 

response to the requester. It does not, however, include records for which the agency has 

received a consultation from another agency. (Consultations are reported separately in 

Section XII of this Report.) 

h. Full Grant – an agency decision to disclose all records in full in response to a FOIA request. 

i. Full Denial – an agency decision not to release any records in response to a FOIA request 

because the records are exempt in their entireties under one or more of the FOIA exemptions, 

or because of a procedural reason, such as when no records could be located.

j. Median Number – the middle, not average, number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median 

number is 7. 

k. Multi-Track Processing – a system in which simple requests requiring relatively minimal 

review are placed in one processing track and more voluminous and complex requests are 

placed in one or more other tracks. Requests granted expedited processing are placed in yet 

another track. Requests in each track are processed on a first in/first out basis. 

i. Expedited Processing – an agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis 

when a requester satisfies the requirements for expedited processing as set forth in the 

statute and in agency regulations. 

ii. Simple Request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in 

its fastest (non-expedited) track based on the low volume and/or simplicity of the records 

requested. 

iii. Complex Request – a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places 

in a slower track based on the high volume and/or complexity of the records requested. 

l. Partial Grant/Partial Denial – in response to a FOIA request, an agency decision to 

disclose portions of the records and to withhold other portions that are exempt under the 

FOIA, or to otherwise deny a portion of the request for a procedural reason. 
m. Pending Request or Pending Administrative Appeal – a request or administrative 

appeal for which an agency has not taken final action in all respects. 

n. Perfected Request – a request for records which reasonably describes such records and is 

made in accordance with published rules stating the time, place, fees (if any) and procedures 

to be followed. 

o. Processed Request or Processed Administrative Appeal – a request or administrative 

appeal for which an agency has taken final action in all respects. 

p. Range in Number of Days – the lowest and highest number of days to process requests or 

administrative appeals. 

q. Time Limits – the time period in the statute for an agency to respond to a FOIA request 

(ordinarily twenty working days from receipt of a perfected FOIA request).

2. Descriptions of the nine FOIA exemptions: 

a. Exemption 1: classified national defense and foreign relations information 

b. Exemption 2: information that is related solely to the internal personnel rules and 

practices of an agency 

c. Exemption 3: information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law 

d. Exemption 4: trade secrets and other confidential business information 

e. Exemption 5: inter-agency or intra-agency communications that are protected by legal 

privileges 

f. Exemption 6: information involving matters of personal privacy 

g. Exemption 7: records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, to the extent 

that the production of those records (A) could reasonably be expected to interfere with 

enforcement proceedings, (B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial 

adjudication, (C) could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of 

personal privacy, (D) could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential 

source, (E) would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or 

prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or 

prosecutions, or (F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of 

any individual

h. Exemption 8: information relating to the supervision of financial institutions 

i. Exemption 9: geological information on wells.
III. AGENCY COMPONENT ABBREVIATIONS

Component 

Abbreviation Component Name

CNCS Corporation for National and Community Service (operating as AmeriCorps)

IV. EXEMPTION 3 STATUTES

Statute Type of Information

Withheld Case Citation Agency / Component

Number of Times

Relied upon

by Agency / Component

Total Number of

Times Relied upon

by Agency Overall

41 U.S.C. § 2102 (amending 41 

U.S.C. § 423(a)(1)) 

(Procurement Integrity Act)

Contractor bid or proposal 

information; source selection 

information.

Legal & Safety Emp. Rsch., Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of the 

Army, No. Civ. S001748, 2001 WL 34098652, at *3-4 

(E.D. Cal. May 4, 2001) (dictum).

CNCS 1 1

V.A. FOIA REQUESTS -- RECEIVED, PROCESSED AND PENDING FOIA REQUESTS

Agency / Component Number of Requests Pending 

as of Start of Fiscal Year

Number of Requests 

Received in Fiscal Year

Number of Requests 

Processed in Fiscal Year

Number of Requests Pending 

as of End of Fiscal Year

CNCS 5 47 46 6

AGENCY OVERALL 5 47 46 6

V.B.(1). DISPOSITION OF FOIA REQUESTS – ALL PROCESSED REQUESTS

Agency / 

Component

Number 

of Full 

Grants

Number of 

Partial 

Grants / 

Partial 

Denials

Number of 

Full Denials 

Based on 

Exemptions

Number of Full Denials Based on Reasons Other than Exemptions

No 

Records

All Records Referred 

to Another 

Component or 

Agency

Request 

Withdrawn

FeeRelated 

Reason

Records 

not 

Reasonably 

Described

Improper 

FOIA 

Request for 

Other 

Reason

Not 

Agency 

Record

Duplicate 

Request

Other 

*Explain 

in Chart 

Below

TOTAL

CNCS 12 23 3 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 46

AGENCY OVERALL 12 23 3 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 46
V.B.(2). DISPOSITION OF FOIA REQUESTS – "OTHER" REASONS FOR "FULL DENIALS BASED ON REASONS OTHER THAN EXEMPTIONS"

Agency / Component Description of "Other" Reasons for 

Denials from Chart B(1)

Number of Times "Other" 

Reason Was Relied Upon TOTAL

CNCS N/A 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0

V.B.(3). DISPOSITION OF FOIA REQUESTS – NUMBER OF TIMES EXEMPTIONS APPLIED

Agency / Component Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 Ex. 7(A) Ex. 7(B) Ex. 7(C) Ex. 7(D) Ex. 7(E) Ex. 7(F) Ex. 8 Ex. 9

CNCS 0 0 1 2 5 15 5 0 11 2 0 1 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 1 2 5 15 5 0 11 2 0 1 0 0

VI.A. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OF INITIAL DETERMINATIONS OF FOIA REQUESTS -- RECEIVED, PROCESSED, AND PENDING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / 

Component

Number of Appeals Pending as 

of Start of Fiscal Year

Number of Appeals Received in 

Fiscal Year

Number of Appeals Processed in 

Fiscal Year

Number of Appeals Pending as of

End of Fiscal Year

CNCS 0 1 1 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 1 1 0

VI.B. DISPOSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS – ALL PROCESSED APPEALS

Agency / 

Component

Number Affirmed 

on Appeal

Number Partially Affirmed & Partially 

Reversed/Remanded on Appeal

Number Completely 

Reversed/Remanded on Appeal

Number of Appeals Closed 

for Other Reasons TOTAL

CNCS 1 0 0 0 1

AGENCY OVERALL 1 0 0 0 1

VI.C.(1). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL – NUMBER OF TIMES EXEMPTIONS APPLIED
Agency / 

Component Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 Ex. 7(A) Ex. 7(B) Ex. 7(C) Ex. 7(D) Ex. 7(E) Ex. 7(F) Ex. 8 Ex. 9

CNCS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

VI.C.(2). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL – REASONS OTHER THAN EXEMPTIONS

Agency / 

Component

No 

Records

Records Referred 

at Initial Request 

Level

Request 

Withdrawn

FeeRelated 

Reason

Records not 

Reasonably 

Described

Improper 

Request for 

Other Reasons

Not Agency 

Record

Duplicate 

Request or 

Appeal

Request in 

Litigation

Appeal Based Solely on 

Denial of Request for 

Expedited Processing

Other 

*Explain in 

chart below

CNCS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

VI.C.(3). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL – "OTHER" REASONS

Agency / 

Component

Description of "Other" Reasons for Denial on 

Appeal from Chart C(2)

Number of Times "Other" 

Reason Was Relied Upon TOTAL

CNCS N/A 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0

VI.C.(4). RESPONSE TIME FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / 

Component

Median Number 

of Days

Average 

Number of Days

Lowest Number 

of Days

Highest Number 

of Days

CNCS 35 35 35 35

AGENCY OVERALL 35 35 35 35

VI.C.(5). TEN OLDEST PENDING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / 

Component

10th Oldest 

Appeal 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Appeal

CNCS Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

VII.A. FOIA REQUESTS – RESPONSE TIME FOR ALL PROCESSED PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / 

Component

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Lowest 

Number of 

Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Lowest 

Number of 

Days

Highest 

Number of 

Days

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Lowest 

Number of 

Days

Highest 

Number of 

Days

CNCS 18 34.1 <1 195 38.5 104.3 2 248 187 187 187 187

AGENCY OVERALL 18 34.1 <1 195 38.5 104.3 2 248 187 187 187 187

VII.B. PROCESSED REQUESTS – RESPONSE TIME FOR PERFECTED REQUESTS IN WHICH INFORMATION WAS GRANTED

Agency / 

Component

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Lowest 

Number of 

Days

Highest 

Number of 

Days

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Lowest 

Number of 

Days

Highest 

Number of 

Days

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Lowest 

Number of 

Days

Highest 

Number of 

Days

CNCS 21 40.2 <1 195 99.5 125.5 12 248 187 187 187 187

AGENCY OVERALL 21 40.2 <1 195 99.5 125.5 12 248 187 187 187 187

VII.C. PROCESSED SIMPLE REQUESTS – RESPONSE TIME IN DAY INCREMENTS

Agency / 

Component

<1-20

Days

21-40

Days

41-60

Days

61-80

Days

81-100 

Days

101-120 

Days

121-140 

Days

141-160 

Days

161-180 

Days

181-200 

Days

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+

Days TOTAL

CNCS 19 5 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 31

AGENCY OVERALL 19 5 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 31
VII.C. PROCESSED COMPLEX REQUESTS – RESPONSE TIME IN DAY INCREMENTS

Agency / 

Component

<1-20

Days

21-40

Days

41-60

Days

61-80

Days

81-100 

Days

101-120 

Days

121-140 

Days

141-160 

Days

161-180 

Days

181-200 

Days

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+

Days TOTAL

CNCS 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 14

AGENCY OVERALL 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 14

VII.C. PROCESSED REQUESTS GRANTED EXPEDITED PROCESSING – RESPONSE TIME IN DAY INCREMENTS

Agency / 

Component

<1-20

Days

21-40

Days

41-60

Days

61-80

Days

81-100 

Days

101-120 

Days

121-140 

Days

141-160 

Days

161-180 

Days

181-200 

Days

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+

Days TOTAL

CNCS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

VII.D. PENDING REQUESTS – ALL PENDING PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / Component

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Number 

Pending

Median Number 

of Days

Average 

Number of Days

Number 

Pending

Median Number 

of Days

Average 

Number of Days

Number 

Pending

Median Number 

of Days

Average 

Number of Days

CNCS 1 113 113 5 289 220 0 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 1 113 113 5 289 220 0 0 0

VII.E. PENDING REQUESTS – TEN OLDEST PENDING PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / 

Component

10th Oldest 

Request 9

th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest 

Request

CNCS

Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A 2021-08-27 2021-07-19 2021-05-03 2020-11-03 2020-09-29 2020-09-29

Number of Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 23 113 166 289 311 311

AGENCY OVERALL Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A 2021-08-27 2021-07-19 2021-05-03 2020-11-03 2020-09-29 2020-09-29
Number of Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 23 113 166 289 311 311

VIII.A. REQUESTS FOR EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Agency / 

Component

Number 

Granted

Number 

Denied

Median Number of 

Days to Adjudicate

Average Number of 

Days to Adjudicate

Number Adjudicated Within 

Ten Calendar Days

CNCS 1 0 2 2 1

AGENCY OVERALL 1 0 2 2 1

VIII.B. REQUESTS FOR FEE WAIVER

Agency / 

Component

Number 

Granted

Number 

Denied

Median Number of 

Days to Adjudicate

Average Number of 

Days to Adjudicate

CNCS 0 1 4 4

AGENCY OVERALL 0 1 4 4

IX. FOIA PERSONNEL AND COSTS

Agency / Component

PERSONNEL COSTS

Number of “Full-Time FOIA 

Employees”

Number of “Equivalent Full-Time 

FOIA Employees”

Total Number of “FullTime FOIA Staff”Processing 

Costs

LitigationRelated Costs Total Costs

CNCS 0 0.40 0.40 37246.00 0.00 37246.00

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0.40 0.40 37246.00 0.00 37246.00

X. FEES COLLECTED FOR PROCESSING REQUESTS

Agency / Component Total Amount of Fees Collected Percentage of Total Costs

CNCS 0.00 0.0000

AGENCY OVERALL 0.00 0.0000
XI.A. NUMBER OFTIMES SUBSECTION (C) USED

Agency / Component Number of Times 

Subsection Used

CNCS 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0

XI.B. NUMBER OF SUBSECTION (A)(2) POSTINGS

Agency / Component Number of Records Posted by the FOIA Office Number of Records Posted by Program Offices

CNCS 0 21

AGENCY OVERALL 0 21

XII.A. BACKLOGS OF FOIA REQUESTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / Component Number of Backlogged Requests as of End of Fiscal Year Number of Backlogged Appeals as of End of Fiscal Year

CNCS 5 0

AGENCY OVERALL 5 0

XII.B. CONSULTATIONS ON FOIA REQUESTS – RECEIVED, PROCESSED, AND PENDING CONSULTATIONS

Agency / 

Component

Number of Consultations Received from 

Other Agencies that were Pending at 

the Agency as of Start of the Fiscal Year

Number of Consultations Received from 

Other Agencies During the Fiscal Year

Number of Consultations Received from 

Other Agencies that were Processed by 

the Agency During the Fiscal Year

Number of Consultations Received from 

Other Agencies that were Pending at 

the Agency as of End of the Fiscal Year

CNCS 0 0 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 0 0
XII.C. CONSULTATIONS ON FOIA REQUESTS – TEN OLDEST CONSULTATIONS RECEIVED FROM OTHER AGENCIES AND PENDING AT THE AGENCY

Agency / 

Component

10th Oldest 

Consultation 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Consultation

CNCS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

XII.D.(1). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF REQUESTS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL REPORT – REQUESTS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED

Agency / Component

NUMBER OF REQUESTS RECEIVED NUMBER OF REQUESTS PROCESSED

Number Received During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year's Annual Report

Number Received During Fiscal Year 

from Current Annual Report

Number Processed During Fiscal 

Year from Last Year's Annual Report

Number Processed During Fiscal 

Year from Current Annual Report

CNCS 43 47 46 46

AGENCY OVERALL 43 47 46 46

XII.D.(2). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF REQUESTS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL REPORT – BACKLOGGED REQUESTS

Agency / Component Number of Backlogged Requests as of End of the 

Fiscal Year from Previous Annual Report

Number of Backlogged Requests as of End of the 

Fiscal Year from Current Annual Report

CNCS 1 5

AGENCY OVERALL 1 5

XII.E.(1). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL REPORT – APPEALS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED

Agency / Component NUMBER OF APPEALS RECEIVED NUMBER OF APPEALS PROCESSED
Number Received During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year's Annual Report

Number Received During Fiscal 

Year from Current Annual Report

Number Processed During Fiscal 

Year from Last Year's Annual Report

Number Processed During Fiscal 

Year from Current Annual Report

CNCS 1 1 1 1

AGENCY OVERALL 1 1 1 1

XII.E.(2). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL REPORT – BACKLOGGED APPEALS

Agency / Component Number of Backlogged Appeals as of End of 

the Fiscal Year from Previous Annual Report

Number of Backlogged Appeals as of End of the 

Fiscal Year from Current Annual Report

CNCS 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0