Corporation for National and Community Service

FY 2020 Freedom of Information Act Annual Report

(October 1, 2019 – September 30, 2020)

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, S.W.

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, S.W.

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 FY2020, 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, photographs, and/or other information that would result in an unwarranted 

invasion of privacy. Private information in member volunteer records was withheld 

under Exemption 6. 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-privacyact/statutes-and-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. 68

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

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

h. Exemption 9: geological information on wells.
3. Agency Component Abbreviations

Component 

Abbreviation Component Name

CNCS Corporation for National and Community Service

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

N/A N/A N/A CNCS 0 0

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 8 43 46 5

AGENCY OVERALL 8 43 46 5

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 10 14 2 9 0 6 0 1 0 4 0 0 46

AGENCY 

OVERALL 10 14 2 9 0 6 0 1 0 4 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 0 3 3 11 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 0 0 3 3 11 3 0 2 0 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

Fee-Related 

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 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1 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 20 20 20 20

AGENCY OVERALL 20 20 20 20
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 8 12.6 <1 48 33.5 51.2 2 154 19 19 19 19

AGENCY OVERALL 8 12.6 <1 48 33.5 51.2 2 154 19 19 19 19

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 16 16.8 1 48 64.5 75.2 29 154 19 19 19 19

AGENCY 

OVERALL 16 16.8 1 48 64.5 75.2 29 154 19 19 19 19
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 29 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34

AGENCY 

OVERALL 29 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34

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 2 4 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10

AGENCY 

OVERALL 2 4 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10

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 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

AGENCY OVERALL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 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 2 11.5 11.5 3 1 31.7 0 N/A N/A

AGENCY OVERALL 2 11.5 11.5 3 1 31.7 0 N/A N/A
VII.E. PENDING REQUESTS -- TEN OLDEST PENDING PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / Component 10th Oldest Request 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Request

CNCS

Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2020-09-29 2020-09-29 2020-09-15 2020-09-14 2020-05-19

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 11 12 93

AGENCY OVERALL

Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2020-09-29 2020-09-29 2020-09-15 2020-09-14 2020-05-19

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 11 12 93

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 19 19 0

AGENCY OVERALL 1 0 19 19 0

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 1 1

AGENCY OVERALL 0 1 1 1

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 "Full-Time FOIA 

Staff" Processing Costs Litigation-Related Costs Total Costs

CNCS 0 0.43 0.43 36310.00 0.00 36310.00

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 0.43 0.43 36310.00 0.00 36310.00
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 of Times 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 4332

AGENCY OVERALL 0 4332

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 1 0

AGENCY OVERALL 1 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 1 1 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0 1 1 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

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 55 43 50 46

AGENCY OVERALL 55 43 50 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 3 1

AGENCY OVERALL 3 1
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