Congressional Budget Justification

Fiscal Year 2013
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is the federal agency dedicated to community-driven civilian service 

for the purpose of improving lives, strengthening communities and fortifying the civic health of our nation.
Part I. Overview.

Part II. Bill Language & Analysis.

Part III. Budget Request & Performance Report. 

Budget Activity 1: AmeriCorps State and National ...................................................................................................................................12

Budget Activity 2: AmeriCorps VISTA ........................................................................................................................................................15

Budget Activity 3: AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps..........................................................................................................20

Budget Activity 4: State Service Commission Administration Grants.......................................................................................................23

Budget Activity 5: National Service Trust .................................................................................................................................................24

Budget Activity 6: RSVP ...........................................................................................................................................................................26

Budget Activity 7: Foster Grandparent Program.......................................................................................................................................28

Budget Activity 8: Senior Companion Program.........................................................................................................................................30

Budget Activity 9: Subtitle H, Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance...............................................................................................32

Budget Activity 10: Disability Inclusion Grants........................................................................................................................................37

Budget Activity 11: Subtitle J, Training and Technical Assistance............................................................................................................39

Budget Activity 12: Evaluation.................................................................................................................................................................42

Budget Activity 13: Salaries and Expenses ..............................................................................................................................................44

Part IV. Office of Inspector General. 

Part V. Appendices. 

Table of Contents
I am pleased to present the Fiscal Year 2013 Congressional Budget Justification for the Corporation for National 

and Community Service (CNCS). 

For nearly two decades, CNCS has been improving lives, strengthening communities, and fostering civic 

engagement through service and volunteering. Based on the principles of local control, competition, 

accountability, and public-private partnership, CNCS and the national service network support more than 

70,000 community and faith-based organizations engaging millions of Americans in results-driven service 

each year.

The need for the services of CNCS has never been greater. The nation faces fiscal challenges, and American 

households, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governments at every level are making tough choices 

with tight budgets. 

Our national service programs are a cost-effective strategy to help meet the nation’s needs. They tap the energy of our nation’s greatest resource – 

the American people – and focus it on pressing social problems. In addition, the Social Innovation Fund leverages a modest investment of public 

funds to significantly expand the most promising nonprofit programs serving low-income communities. 

The FY 2013 CNCS budget will bring vital leadership, resources, and coordination to some of the most pressing challenges that America has ahead: 

supporting individuals, organizations, and communities on the road to economic recovery; addressing the needs of a new wave of veterans returning

from war; putting disadvantaged youth on the path to success through service; educating students for jobs of the 21st century; helping communities 

rebuild after natural disasters; and harnessing the skills and experience of an older generation projected to retire in record numbers. 

The budget also strengthens CNCS’ infrastructure to achieve higher levels of efficiency, accountability, and impact. Guided by the vision of the 

Serve America Act and the goals of our comprehensive five-year Strategic Plan, CNCS will focus on a core set of social needs; drive and measure 

performance; expand cross-sector partnerships and interagency collaboration; leverage private sector resources; and embrace innovative models and 

modern technology to make the best use of limited resources. 

National service provides a powerful return on investment: benefiting the people who serve, those who are served, and the larger community and 

nation because we believe in the value of service as a solution. That is why successive administrations of both political parties have invested in 

national service to involve citizens in solving problems – from the creation of VISTA and the Foster Grandparent program in 1965 to the bipartisan 

Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009. 

America has always been at its best when citizens work together, joined in common purpose. A sense of shared responsibility is woven into the fabric 

of our nation. In this era of fiscal restraint and growing social needs, Americans remain eager to do their part.

Service builds a stronger nation, one person and one community at a time. Enactment of this budget will allow CNCS to harness the energy and 

ingenuity of citizens and bolster the capacity of the social sector to tackle tough problems in the most effective and quintessentially American way 

possible: from the ground up. 

In Service,

Robert Velasco, II

Acting Chief Executive Officer

Message from the Acting CEO

CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 1

Overview | PART I 

In light of the fiscal challenges facing the nation, it is critical to focus federal 

investments on cost-effective programs that produce results and support 

Americans in need and provide opportunities for Americans to serve. 

Over the past two decades, the Corporation for National and Community 

Service (CNCS) has invested in community solutions across the nation – 

focusing on critical issues, supporting the nonprofit sector, and inspiring 

millions of Americans to share responsibility in order to help protect 

our people and our economy. Building upon the foundation laid by the 

Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, CNCS has increased its focus on 

innovation and impact. 

CNCS’ FY 2013 Budget Request reflects these priorities within an 

otherwise constrained budget environment. The agency request of 

$1.063 billion represents an increase of $13.8 million or 1 percent above 

the FY 2012 Enacted Budget. 

Specifically, CNCS proposes to:

• Support nearly 82,600 AmeriCorps members engaged in high-quality, 

meaningful service opportunities across CNCS’ six focus areas: 

Education, Veterans and Military Families, Disaster Services, Economic 

Opportunity, Healthy Futures, and Environmental Stewardship. At 

a time of high unemployment among youth, AmeriCorps engages 

members in training and skill-building. A term of service also provides 

an opportunity for members to earn money to further their education 

and succeed in the workforce. Skill development and access to 

education through national service programs prepare youth for the 

jobs of tomorrow. 

• Invest in the validation and growth of evidence-based programs in the 

nonprofit sector through the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) to improve 

the lives of low-income individuals. Each federal dollar invested in the 

SIF must be matched by up to three private and non-federal dollars. 

The proposed $50 million federal investment will bring an additional 

$120 million in funds to promising, locally driven programs with 

evidence of compelling results.

• Continue AmeriCorps NCCC’s important work in disaster services.

• Engage older Americans in quality service opportunities with a 

sharper focus on program outcomes and impact. To achieve this, 

CNCS is proposing to begin competition across its three Senior Corps 

programs. This approach aligns the program with other agency grant 

programs, and will increase accountability in, and impact of, Senior 

Corps grants.

• Make continued and necessary improvements in the agency’s 

information technology (IT) infrastructure. This budget reflects 

the agency priority around monitoring and oversight as well as 

strengthening and improving financial and grants management, in 

alignment with the agency’s IT Strategic Plan.

This FY 2013 Budget makes critical investments in programs and 

activities that will address the social and economic challenges facing our 

communities. These investments are also aimed at building the capacity 

of the agency and grantees toward greater accountability, efficiency, and 

impact. 

AmeriCorps State and National: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $345.000 

million will support 74,000 AmeriCorps members who will be engaged 

in programs across the country. Driven by local needs, these AmeriCorps 

members will serve in a variety of positions, including teachers and tutors, 

job trainers, disaster responders and outreach coordinators for veterans 

and military families. Member levels will remain the same as FY 2012.

AmeriCorps VISTA: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $95.300 million 

will support an estimated 7,400 full-time and summer AmeriCorps 

VISTA members focused on anti-poverty projects serving economically 

disadvantaged Americans, particularly those facing long-term 

unemployment and other impediments to financial stability. The program 

continues to identify cost efficiencies in training and travel, and will 

allocate those savings to support member enrollment.

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps: The FY 2013 Budget 

Request of $30.110 million will support 1,200 AmeriCorps members, 

equal to the number of members in FY 2012. This budget request will 

fund completion of the relocation of the mid-Atlantic Region Campus 

and continue to fund disaster services projects. 

State Service Commissions: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $15.990 

million will support State Service Commissions (Commissions), 

Overview | PART I
2 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

providing critical funding for implementing and administering 

AmeriCorps programs and key service initiatives in states.This 

investment will support the Commissions’ ability to successfully 

cultivate high-performing nonprofit organizations focused on 

accountability and impact.

National Service Trust: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $208.744 

million, along with anticipated carryover, will fund Segal AmeriCorps 

Education Awards for eligible AmeriCorps members who complete their 

terms of service. The maximum award for full-time service is $5,550.

Senior Corps: The FY 2013 Budget Request for the Senior Corps 

programs is $207.883 million, supporting Americans, aged 55 and 

older, who will make significant contributions in improving educational 

outcomes for at-risk and special needs youth; connecting veterans 

and military families to needed services; responding to disasters; 

and helping low-income seniors stay in their homes and avoid costly 

institutional care. 

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance: The FY 2013 Budget 

Request of $53.215 million reflects prioritized funding for key agency 

initiatives aimed at growing evidence-based solutions in the public 

sector and supporting the President’s Call to Service initiative. 

Specifically, CNCS requests $50.000 million for the Social Innovation 

Fund and $3.215 million in funding for initiatives including the 9/11 

Day of Service and Remembrance, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of 

Service, and the United We Serve initiative. 

Disability Inclusion Grants: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $3.000 million 

will fund training, outreach, and reasonable accommodation requests, 

with the goal of increasing the number of national service participants 

with disabilities. While engaging the disability community in service, there 

is a particular focus to recruit veterans and wounded warriors. 

Training and Technical Assistance: The FY 2013 Budget Request for 

training and technical assistance is $5.000 million. These activities 

will be focused on strengthening the capacity of AmeriCorps and Senior 

Corps programs to support their members and volunteers, deliver 

results, and measure their performance. These funds will support a more 

focused and strategic approach to providing financial and technical 

assistance to grantees, sponsors, and national service participants.

Evaluation: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $5.000 million will support 

research and evaluation studies that will: provide evidence about what 

program models and interventions work; assess the impact of service 

interventions on both the beneficiaries and national service participants; 

and help the agency become more effective through assessment of 

internal business processes and practices. The proposed work includes 

continued funding for an evaluation of AmeriCorps YouthBuild programs 

with the U.S. Department of Labor as well as an evaluation of Minnesota 

Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps grantee.

Salaries and Expenses: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $88.000 

million will support the phased modernization of CNCS’ core grant and 

financial management systems.

Office of Inspector General: The FY 2013 Budget Request of $5.400 

million will be focused on areas intended to enhance the management 

and overall performance of CNCS.

Achieving greater programmatic efficiency and effectiveness

The budget request supports the administration’s continued commitment 

to providing opportunities for Americans to address local challenges 

through service by identifying and focusing resources in core programs. 

It reflects careful deliberations that resulted in targeted spending cuts 

rather than across-the-board reductions. As such, this budget does not 

include funding for important but lower priority programs, such as the 

Volunteer Generation Fund and the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program. 

While these programs align with agency goals to support the nonprofit 

sector and expand the capacity of volunteer connector organizations, 

discretionary spending limits mean tough choices have to be made in 

order to preserve funding for core national service programs, for our 

state partners, and for IT modernization. 

In the AmeriCorps VISTA program, the training of members is required by 

statute and is a critical component of member development and success. 

It also represents the program’s highest variable cost. CNCS undertook 

a comprehensive review of training starting in FY 2010, which identified 

savings and resulted in some improved business processes. Staff has 

continued this work – reviewing the VISTA training model and identifying 

the most critical skills and competencies necessary to prepare VISTA 

members for successful terms of service. 

In the area of Information Technology, CNCS implemented a computer 

matching agreement with the Social Security Administration to 

electronically validate social security and citizenship status, for 

approximately 95,000 member applications per year. Approximately 92 

percent result in a successful match, reducing the average time required 

to process those matches from 15 minutes to near zero. Faster validation 

of social security and citizenship status more quickly identifies and 

removes ineligible applicants, and reduces the amount of grantee costs 

that must be disallowed annually due to participant ineligibility. 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 3

Overview | PART I 

Table 1. Request Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account

FY11 

Enacted

FY12 

Enacted

FY13 

President's 

Budget Difference $ Difference %

Operating Expenses $780,809 $750,251 $760,498 $10,247 1.4%

AmeriCorps State and National* 349,300 344,348 345,000 652 0.2%

AmeriCorps NCCC 28,942 31,882 30,110 (1,772) (5.6%)

AmeriCorps VISTA 98,876 94,820 95,300 480 0.5%

Learn and Serve America*** 0 0 0 0

State Service Commission Administration Grants 16,966 13,440 15,990 2,550 19.0%

Senior Corps 207,883 207,491 207,883 392 0.2%

Subtitle H 60,379 53,280 53,215 (65) (0.1%)

Innovation, Demonstration & Assitance 5,489 4,481 3,215 (1,266) (28.3%)

Social Innovation Fund 49,900 44,815 50,000 5,185 11.6%

Volunteer Generation Fund*** 3,992 3,984 0 (3,984) (100.0%)

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program*** 998 0 0 0

Evaluation 5,988 2,994 5,000 2,006 67.0%

Subtitle J, Training and Technical Assistance 7,485 1,996 5,000 3,004 150.5%

Disability Inclusion Grants** 4,990 3,000 3,000

National Service Trust 199,260 211,797 208,744 (3,053) (1.4%)

Salaries and Expenses 87,824 82,843 88,000 5,157 6.2%

Office of the Inspector General 7,684 3,992 5,400 1,408 35.3%

Total $1,075,577 $1,048,883 $1,062,642 $13,759 1.3%

*In accordance with Public Law 111-117, Division D, Title IV, CNCS transferred $1,939,804 to the National Service Trust as authorized under Subtitle D of Title 

I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990. This was comprised of $801,384 in Tribal funds, $753,891 in Territories funds, and $384,529 in funds for the 

combined AmeriCorps grant competition. 

**No specific amount was enacted for disability inclusion activities. In accordance with the Kennedy Serve America Act CNCS will utilize program funding to support this 

activity in FY2012.

***These programs are authorized but unfunded in FY 2013.
4 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

CNCS also made significant upgrades to its grants management system 

(eGrants), the AmeriCorps member portal, and E-Span. These enhancements 

allow CNCS to store member documentation electronically and in one 

place, thereby improving recordkeeping and management access to critical 

information that can improve oversight and accountability.

Increasing accountability 

Grounded in our ethic of continuous improvement, CNCS has 

strengthened procedures and protocols related to accountability in the 

AmeriCorps State and National program. The AmeriCorps Action Plan has 

three primary areas of focus: 

• Enhancing key aspects of monitoring protocols, including requiring 

all AmeriCorps State and National grantees to annually assure 

compliance with regulations on prohibited activities; 

• Strengthening the training and technical assistance provided to 

grantees and members around prohibited activities, including new, 

direct communication to all members; and

• Improving risk assessment tools aimed at preventing and detecting 

prohibited activities.

The program will also continue to implement monitoring and oversight 

protocols launched early in FY 2012 that enhance data validity and monitoring 

of grantee data collection activities. These protocols will strengthen the 

reliability of grantee self-reported data and the integrity of the agency’s 

performance management program. These activities are aligned with key 

priorities in Subtitle J (Training and Technical Assistance) aimed at providing 

financial and programmatic resources to grantees and sponsors to support 

them in meeting heightened data collection and validation requirements.

The FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan underscores this commitment by 

defining a focused path to deliver enhanced programs and benefits 

to communities. In particular, the adoption of the Plan’s agency-wide, 

outcome-oriented performance measures increases our ability to assess 

and account for the individual and combined contributions of our 

grantees, sponsors, and partners. 

Modernizing the agency’s IT infrastructure 

Modernization of the agency’s IT infrastructure remains a priority, as 

underscored in the agency’s Strategic Plan. Resources allocated for 

system modernization will update the aging system architecture and 

provide better support for recent changes to business processes and 

priorities as directed by the Serve America Act. They will also reduce 

the life-cycle cost of maintaining the older systems and increase the 

feasibility of hosting appropriate system elements in the “cloud” for 

further long-term savings.

Identification of Low Priority Programs

The Terminations, Reductions and Savings (TRS) volume of the 

President’s Budget identifies the lower-priority program activities under 

the GPRA Modernization Act, 31 U.S.C. 1115(b)(10). The public can 

access the volume at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget.

Implementation of the FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan

In FY 2013, CNCS will be entering the third year of its FY 2011-2015 

Strategic Plan, which focuses national service on a core set of four 

strategic goals. These goals are the foundation for the Plan, and they 

challenge staff and our field to lead and operate at a higher level of 

accountability, integrity, and transparency.

1. Increase the impact of national service on local needs in 

communities served by CNCS-supported programs. CNCS invests 

in community programs and projects that achieve outcomes in 

Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, Environmental 

Stewardship, Healthy Futures, and Veterans and Military Families. 

Looking ahead, our investments will focus on achieving a specific 

set of outcomes in each of these areas, reflected in the agency’s new 

mandatory performance measures.

2. Strengthen national service so that participants engaged in CNCSsupported programs consistently find satisfaction, meaning, 

and opportunity. CNCS supports the national service network in 

providing experiences that offer a unique combination of professional, 

educational, and life benefits to service participants. The network 

also recruits a diversity of Americans, especially those from 

underrepresented or disadvantaged populations. CNCS will collaborate 

with the national service network to strengthen outreach efforts and to 

implement best practices that ensure a powerful service experience.

3. Maximize the value we add to grantees, partners, and participants. 

To support our focus on a specific set of both community outcomes 

and powerful service experiences, CNCS will develop a relevant 

and accessible knowledge base informed by research and rigorous 

evaluation, and conduct capacity building activities that advance the 

adoption of best practices.

4. Fortify management operations and sustain a capable, responsive, 

and accountable organization. We will work across programs 

and enhance our operations to support evidence-based decision 

making and a culture of performance. We will build upon our current 

infrastructure to strengthen and enhance our IT systems, workforce, 

and financial and grants management efforts.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 5

Overview | PART I 

Goal 1: Increase the impact of national service on community needs in communities served by CNCS-supported 

programs Focus Area

Number of individuals that received assistance from CNCS-supported programs in disaster preparedness, mitigation, 

response, and/or recovery.

Disaster Services

Percent of economically disadvantaged people that received housing-related assistance from CNCS-supported members, 

participants, and volunteers who showed improvement in their housing situation.

Economic Opportunity

Percent of children that demonstrated gains in school readiness. Education

Percent of students served by or serving in CNCS-supported programs that demonstrated improved academic performance 

(including the percent meeting state proficiency levels in literacy and/or math, or whose scores on state standardized tests 

improved).

Education

Percent of students served by CNCS-supported programs, or engaged in CNCS-supported service-learning, that 

demonstrated improved academic engagement.

Education

Number of at-risk acres (land and/or water) improved by CNCS-supported members, participants, and volunteers. Environmental 

Stewardship

Percent of homebound OR older adults and individuals with disabilities that received CNCS-supported services who 

reported having increased social ties/perceived social support.

Healthy Futures

Number of individuals that gained access to food resources provided with the assistance of CNCS-supported members, 

participants, or volunteers.

Healthy Futures

Number of each of the four categories of service recipients (veterans, veterans’ family members, family members of active 

duty military, and military service members) that received CNCS-supported assistance.

Veterans and Military 

Families

Goal 2: Strengthen national service so that participants engaged in CNCS-supported programs consistently find 

satisfaction, meaning, and opportunity Focus Area

Number of veterans and military family members engaged in providing services through CNCS-supported programs. Veterans and Military 

Families

Percent of service participants engaged in CNCS-supported programs who report gaining skills they can apply to future 

educational, professional, or civic endeavors.

Goal 3: Maximize the value we add to grantees, partners, and participants

Percent of organizations that implement evaluations that demonstrate stronger evidence of program effectiveness than in the year prior to 

receiving CNCS funding.

Number of community volunteers recruited and/or managed by CNCS-supported organizations or National Service Participants.

CNCS Strategic Goals, Focus Areas and Priority Measures

Goal 4: Fortify management operations and sustain a capable, responsive, and accountable organization

Complete modernization of IT infrastructure.

Ensure that no material internal control or compliance issues are identified in CNCS annual financial statement audit.

Award and close grants and contracts within prescribed timeframes.

*CNCS will collect data for the measures above starting in FY12 and will begin reporting on these measures in FY13.
6 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

As the blueprint guiding our work, the Strategic Plan includes further 

details on the specific objectives, strategies, and performance measures 

that determine how we will evaluate our success in the coming years. 

The full plan and appendix are posted on our website at: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/focus_areas/index.asp.

In FY 2012, the agency programs adopted some of the 16 agency-wide 

performance measures – in alignment with individual program statutes 

and missions – which will allow for aggregation in agency reporting moving 

forward. For example, to address critical needs in education, CNCS programs 

will focus on enabling disadvantaged children and youth to achieve gains 

in school readiness, academic performance, and academic engagement. 

Programs will seek to increase the number of economically disadvantaged 

people with improved housing situations and access to food resources. 

CNCS programs that serve older adults and individuals with disabilities will 

focus on increasing social ties, which would allow those individuals to live 

independently and have improved quality of life.

Our work in disaster services will seek to provide critical services 

throughout the entire continuum from preparedness and mitigation to 

response and recovery. And more veterans and military family members 

will serve as national service participants and also receive targeted 

support from CNCS programs. 

All CNCS programs have distinct missions or legislation that requires 

them to engage in activities that are not included in the 16 agency-wide 

priority measures. For instance, the Foster Grandparent Program has 

a specific child welfare mandate. In these cases, programs adopted 

additional measures in FY 2012 to gather data and measure program 

success in these other activities. These program-specific measures 

include some of the supplemental measures adopted by the agency as 

part of the AmeriCorps State and National performance measures pilot, 

while others are entirely new. When taken together, with the agency 

priority measures, these program measures help to tell the story of 

service and impact across the agency.

Mission Statement

Improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

Serve America Act Focus Areas

Disaster Services

Economic Opportunity

Education

Environmental Stewardship

Healthy Futures

Veterans and Military Families

Goal 3

Maximize the value we add to grantees, partners, and participants

Goal 4

Fortify management operations and sustain a capable, responsive, and accountable organization

CNCS Programs

Goal 1

Increase the impact of national 

service on community needs 

in communities served by 

CNCS-supported programs

Goal 2

Strengthen national service so that 

participants engaged in CNCS-supported 

programs consistently find satisfaction, 

meaning, and opportunity
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 7

Overview | PART I 

Figure 2. CNCS Organization Chart

Figure 1. CNCS Field Offices

CNCS Offices

FFMC

NCCC Campus

State Office

Board of Directors*

General Counsel

V. Green

Chief Operating Officer

K. Mansaray (Acting)

Chief of Program Operations

I. Nickelson

AmeriCorps State & Nat’l

J. Gomperts

AmeriCorps NCCC

K. Raftery

AmeriCorps VISTA

M. Strasser

Senior Corps

E. Tan

Field Liasion

M. Berning

Grants Policy & Operations

V. Garibaldi

Civil Rights & Inclusiveness**

L. Honnoll

External Affairs

J. Fetig

Chief Executive Officer*

R. Velasco (Acting)

Strategy & Special Initiatives

J. Kim (Acting)

Human Capital

R. Limon

Government Relations

R. Glickman

Information Technology

P. Clark

Chief Financial Officer

D. Hilton (Acting)

Grants & Field Financial Mgmt.

R. Gaudio

Inspector General*

(Vacant)

Social Innovation Fund

P. Carttar

Award Oversight & Monitoring

A. Robinson

* Presidential Appointments with Senate confirmation 

** The Director has independent authority to advise the CEO on pre-complaint and complaint issues.

*** Under section 123(e) of the NCSA, Board members with expired terms may continue to serve until a successor takes office, up to one year.

Laysha Ward,

Chair

Minneapolis, MN

Term: 6/6/2008- 

12/27/2012

Eric J. Tanenblatt, 

Vice Chair

Atlanta, GA

Term: 6/6/2008- 10/6/2012

 Julie Fisher Cummings

Detroit, MI

Term: 11/19/2007-

9/14/2011***

Hyepin Im

Los Angeles, CA

Term: 10/7/2008-

10/6/2013

James Palmer

Tustin, CA

Term: 7/3/2007-

10/6/2011***

Stan Soloway

Washington, DC

Term: 7/3/2007-

10/6/2011***
8 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Operating Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Corporation for National and Community 

Service (referred to in this title as “CNCS”) to carry out the Domestic 

Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (referred to in this title as “1973 Act”) 

and the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (referred to in this 

title as “1990 Act”), [$751,672,000]$760,498,000, notwithstanding 

sections 198B(b)(3), 198S(g), 501(a)(4)(C), and 501(a)(4)(F) of 

the 1990 Act: Provided, That of the amounts provided under this 

heading: (1) up to 1 percent of program grant funds may be used to 

defray the costs of conducting grant application reviews, including 

the use of outside peer reviewers and electronic management of 

the grants cycle; (2) [$44,900,000]$50,000,000 shall be available 

for expenses authorized under section 501(a)(4)(E) of the 1990 Act; 

(3) [$2,000,000]$5,000,000 shall be available for expenses to carry 

out sections 112(e), 179A, and 198O and subtitle J of title I of the 

1990 Act, notwithstanding section 501(a)(6) of the 1990 Act; (4) 

[$13,466,000]$15,990,000 shall be available to provide assistance to 

State commissions on national and community service, under section 

126(a) of the 1990 Act and notwithstanding section 501(a)(5)(B) of 

the 1990 Act; (5) [$31,942,000]$30,110,000 shall be available to carry 

out subtitle E of the 1990 Act; and (6) [$3,992,000 shall be available 

for expenses authorized under section 501(a)(4)(F) of the 1990 Act, 

which, notwithstanding the provisions of section 198P shall be awarded 

by CNCS on a competitive basis]$3,000,000 shall be available to 

increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in national 

service and for demonstration activities in furtherance of this purpose, 

notwithstanding section 129(k)(1) of the 1990 Act: Provided further, 

That, with respect to amounts provided under this heading for State 

Service Commissions, section 126 of the 1990 Act shall be applied by 

substituting “$200,000” for “$250,000” each place that it appears: 

Provided, further, That not to exceed 20 percent of funds made available 

under section 501(a)(4)(E) of the 1990 Act may be used for Social 

Innovation Funds Pilot Program-related performance-based awards 

for Pay for Success projects: Provided further, That, with respect to the 

previous proviso, any funds obligated for such projects shall remain 

available for disbursement until expended, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 

1552(a), and that any funds deobligated from such projects shall 

immediately be available for activities authorized under 198K of such 

Act. (Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, 

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012.)

National Service Trust

(Including Transfer of Funds)

[For necessary expenses for the National Service Trust established under 

subtitle D of title I of the 1990 Act, $212,198,000, to remain available 

until expended: Provided, That CNCS may transfer additional funds from 

the amount provided within “Operating Expenses’’ allocated to grants 

under subtitle C of title I of the 1990 Act to the National Service Trust upon 

determination that such transfer is necessary to support the activities 

of national service participants and after notice is transmitted to the 

Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 

Senate: Provided further, That amounts appropriated for or transferred 

to the National Service Trust may be invested under section 145(b) of the 

1990 Act without regard to the requirement to apportion funds under 31 

U.S.C. 1513(b).] (Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012.)

Payment to National Service Trust Fund

For payment to the National Service Trust established under subtitle 

D of title I of the 1990 Act, $208,744,000, to remain available until 

expended: Provided, That CNCS may transfer additional funds from the 

amount provided within “Operating Expenses” allocated to grants under 

subtitle C of title I of the 1990 Act to the National Service Trust upon 

determination that such transfer is necessary to support the activities 

of national service participants and after notice is transmitted to the 

Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 

Senate: Provided further, That amounts appropriated for or transferred 

to the National Service Trust may be invested under section 145(b) of the 

1990 Act without regard to the requirement to apportion funds under 31 

U.S.C. 1513(b).

Bill Language & Analysis | PART II
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 9

Bill Language & Analysis | PART II

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses of administration as provided under 

section 501(a)(5) of the 1990 Act and under section 504(a) of the 

1973 Act, including payment of salaries, authorized travel, hire of 

passenger motor vehicles, the rental of conference rooms in the 

District of Columbia, the employment of experts and consultants 

authorized under 5 U.S.C. 3109, and not to exceed $2,500 for official 

reception and representation expenses, [$83,000,000]$88,000,000. 

(Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, 

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012.)

Office of Inspector General 

For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General in carrying 

out the Inspector General Act of 1978, [$4,000,000]$5,400,000. 

(Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, 

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012.)

Administrative Provisions

[Sec. 401. CNCS shall make any significant changes to program 

requirements, service delivery or policy only through public notice and 

comment rulemaking. For fiscal year 2012, during any grant selection 

process, an officer or employee of CNCS shall not knowingly disclose 

any covered grant selection information regarding such selection, 

directly or indirectly, to any person other than an officer or employee of 

CNCS that is authorized by CNCS to receive such information.] 

Sec. [402]401. AmeriCorps programs receiving grants under the 

National Service Trust program shall meet an overall minimum share 

requirement of 24 percent for the first 3 years that they receive 

AmeriCorps funding, and thereafter shall meet the overall minimum 

share requirement as provided in section 2521.60 of title 45, Code 

of Federal Regulations, without regard to the operating costs match 

requirement in section 121(e) or the member support Federal share 

limitations in section 140 of the 1990 Act, and subject to partial 

waiver consistent with section 2521.70 of title 45, Code of Federal 

Regulations. 

[Sec. 403. Donations made to CNCS under section 196 of the 1990 Act 

for the purposes of financing programs and operations under titles I 

and II of the 1973 Act or subtitle B, C, D, or E of title I of the 1990 Act 

shall be used to supplement and not supplant current programs and 

operations.] 

Sec. [404]402. In addition to the requirements in section 146(a) of the 

1990 Act, use of an educational award for the purpose described in 

section 148(a)(4) shall be limited to individuals who are veterans as 

defined under section 101 of the Act. 

Sec. 403. (a) Section 201 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 

1973 (42 U.S.C. 5001) is amended—

(1) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by striking, “, with an option” and 

all that follows through “(g)”, and inserting “not to exceed” 

following “for a period”; 

(2) in subsection (e)(2)(B), by striking clause (iv), inserting at 

the end of clause (iii) “and”, and by redesignating clause (v) as 

clause (iv); 

(3) by striking subsection (i) and redesignating subsection (j) as 

subsection (i); 

(b) Section 227(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 

(42 U.S.C. 5027(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and, in 

paragraph (1), by striking “(1)” and “paragraph (2) and”; and 

(c) Section 412(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 

1973 (42 U.S.C. 5052) is amended by striking paragraphs (2) 

and (3), by inserting at the end of paragraph (1) “and”, and by 

redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2). 

(Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and 

related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012)
10 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Table 2. Appropriations Language Analysis 

Language Provision/Change Explanation

Operating Expenses

1. Volunteer Generation Fund

Delete: $3,992,000 shall be available for expenses authorized under 501(a)(4)(F) of 

the 1990 Act, which, notwithstanding the provisions of section 198P shall be awarded 

by the Corporation on a competitive basis to State commissions

Consistent with the Corporation’s priorities, no funding is 

requested for the Volunteer Generation Fund for Fiscal Year 

2013. 

2. Disability Inclusion Funds

Add: $3,000,000 shall be available to increase the participation of individuals with 

disabilities in national service and for demonstration activities in furtherance of this 

purpose, notwithstanding section 129(k)(1) of the 1990 Act

Consistent with appropriations provisions from 2010 and 

2011, this language restores direct funding to increase 

the participation of individuals with disabilities (including 

disabled veterans) in national service programs.

3. Pay for Success Project Authority

Add: Provided, That not to exceed 20 percent of funds made available under section 

501(a)(4)(E) of the 1990 Act may be used for Social Innovation Funds Pilot Programrelated performance-based awards for Pay for Success projects: Provided further, 

That, with respect to the previous proviso, any funds obligated for such projects shall 

remain available for disbursement until expended, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C.1552(a), 

and that any funds deobligated from such projects shall immediately be available for 

activities authorized under 198K of such Act.

This language provides authority for the Corporation to 

support Pay for Success awards within the Social Innovation 

Fund Pilot Program. This mechanism would only be used 

if social investors, the Federal government, and a State 

or local community collectively determine that a Pay for 

Success pilot could improve outcomes and successfully 

test this new approach to financing effective interventions. 

The Corporation’s Social Innovation Fund program is one of 

several innovation programs to be given this authority to seek 

out model Pay for Success awards. 

Payment to National Service Trust Fund

4. Delete:

Gifts and Contributions National Service Trust 

(including transfer of funds) 

For necessary expenses for the National Service Trust established under subtitle D of title 

I of the 1990 Act, $212,198,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That CNCS 

may transfer additional funds from the amount provided within ``Operating Expenses’’ 

allocated to grants under subtitle C of title I of the 1990 Act to the National Service Trust 

upon determination that such transfer is necessary to support the activities of national 

service participants and after notice is transmitted to the Committees on Appropriations of 

the House of Representatives and the Senate: Provided further, That amounts appropriated 

for or transferred to the National Service Trust may be invested under section 145(b) of the 

1990 Act without regard to the requirement to apportion funds under 31 U.S.C. 1513(b).

Add:

Payment to National Service Trust Fund 

For payment to the National Service Trust established under subtitle D of title I of the 

1990 Act, $208,744,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That CNCS 

may transfer additional funds from the amount provided within “Operating Expenses” 

allocated to grants under subtitle C of title I of the 1990 Act to the National Service 

Trust upon determination that such transfer is necessary to support the activities of 

national service participants and after notice is transmitted to the Committees on 

Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate: Provided further, That 

amounts appropriated for or transferred to the National Service Trust may be invested 

under section 145(b) of the 1990 Act without regard to the requirement to apportion 

funds under 31 U.S.C. 1513(b). 

These changes create a new appropriation payment account 

that will receive funds appropriated by Congress and which 

will be transferred by the Corporation to the National Service 

Trust. As a trust account, the National Service Trust cannot 

receive direct appropriations. 

(continued)
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 11

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

Table 2. Appropriations Language Analysis (continued)

Language Provision/Change Explanation

Administrative Provisions

5. Administrative Authority

Delete: 

The Corporation for National and Community Service shall make any significant 

changes to program requirements, service delivery or policy only through public notice 

and comment rulemaking. For fiscal year 2011, during any grant selection process, 

an officer or employee of the Corporation shall not knowingly disclose any covered 

grant selection information regarding such selection, directly or indirectly, to any 

person other than an officer or employee of the Corporation that is authorized by the 

Corporation to receive such information.

This language infringes on the prerogatives of the Executive 

Branch in carrying out programs consistent with the 

authorizing statute.

6. Gift Fund Authority

Delete:

Donations made to the Corporation for National and Community Service (“the 

Corporation’’) under section 196 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 

(“1990 Act’’) for the purposes of financing programs and operations under titles I and 

II of the 1973 Act or subtitles B, C, D, or E of title I of the 1990 Act shall be used to 

supplement and not supplant current programs and operations

This language infringes on the prerogatives of the Executive 

Branch in carrying out programs consistent with the 

authorizing statute.

7. Senior Corps Competition

Add: 

Sec. 403. (a) Section 201 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 

5001) is amended—

 (1) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by striking, “, with an option” and all that follows 

through “(g)”, and inserting “not to exceed” following “for a period”; 

 (2) in subsection (e)(2)(B), by striking clause (iv), inserting at the end of clause 

(iii) “and”, and by redesignating clause (v) as clause (iv); 

 (3) by striking subsection (i) and redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (i); 

(b) Section 227(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 

5027(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and, in paragraph (1), by striking 

“(1)” and “paragraph (2) and”; and 

 (c) Section 412(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 

5052) is amended by striking paragraphs (2) and (3), by inserting at the end of 

paragraph (1) “and”, and by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2).

This language will allow CNCS to conduct more Senior 

Corps grant competitions. While Senior Corps grants are 

competitive when first awarded, certain provisions of the 

Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 essentially allow 

those programs to continually renew their grants without 

competition. Full competitive grant making facilitates 

linking the grants awarded from federal appropriations 

to impact and quality by making awards to the best 

applicants, and yields grant funding decisions that are 

transparent and equitable. These proposed amendments 

are further discussed in the Budget Activity sections for the 

RSVP, Foster Grandparent and Senior Companions programs. 
12 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

BUDGET ACTIVITY 1:

AmeriCorps State and National

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title I, Subtitle C)

Program Summary

For nearly two decades, AmeriCorps has engaged hundreds of thousands 

of members in intense, impact-oriented service in every state. These 

AmeriCorps members have dedicated millions of hours of service in 

communities across the nation – tutoring children who are struggling to 

succeed in schools, responding to large-scale natural disasters, building 

homes for low-income families, and helping returning veterans and their 

families. And, in meeting these community needs, AmeriCorps has invested 

in and been the catalyst for many of our country’s most respected and 

innovative organizations.

AmeriCorps service builds leadership and employment skills and serves 

as a training ground for our nation’s future leaders. AmeriCorps State and 

National programs are designed and managed by national and community 

organizations that have demonstrated the knowledge, expertise, and 

capacity to deploy AmeriCorps members aged 17 years and older to meet 

critical needs across CNCS’ six focus areas: Education, Healthy Futures, 

Environmental Stewardship, Economic Opportunity, Disaster Services, and 

Veterans and Military Families.

AmeriCorps State and National is central to the agency’s strategic goals one 

and two: increasing the impact of national service on community needs and 

providing a powerful service experience for participants. 

AmeriCorps State and National administers the following grant programs: 

• State Formula grants are awarded to governor-appointed State 

Service Commissions (Commissions) utilizing a population-based 

formula. The Commissions, in turn, fund programs within their 

Table 3. AmeriCorps State and National Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President’s 

Budget

Increase/ 

(Decrease)

(2012-2013)

Formula Grants to States $118,889 $116,970 $117,036 $66

Competitive Grants 211,171 207,764 207,879 115

Education Award Program Grants 4,438 4,821 4,830 9

Set-asides for U.S. Territories 3,368 3,314 3,315 1

Set-asides for Indian Tribes 3,368 3,314 3,315 1

Subtotal, Grants Budget Authority 341,234 336,183 336,375 192

Childcare 5,240 5,165 5,175 10

Grantmaking Support 2,826 3,000 3,450 450

Total Budget Authority $349,300 $344,348 $345,000 $652

Total AmeriCorps Members 74,000 74,000 74,000 0

In accordance with Public Law 111-117, Division D, Title IV, CNCS transferred $1,939,804 to the National Service Trust as authorized under Subtitle D of Title I of 

the National and Community Service Act of 1990. This was comprised of $801,384 in Tribal funds, $753,891 in Territories funds, and $384,529 in funds for the combined 

AmeriCorps grant competition. 

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 13

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

states on a competitive basis that address local needs. These grants 

represent 35.3 percent of program funds available for grant making. 

• Single and Multi-State Competitive grants are awarded to 

organizations operating in one or more states that have successfully 

competed in a national selection process administered by CNCS. Some 

of these grants are awarded on a fixed-amount basis and others are 

cost-reimbursable grants. 

• Single and Multi-State Education Award Program (EAP) grants are 

awarded to organizations operating in one or more states that have 

successfully competed in a national selection process administered by 

CNCS. These organizations receive a small fixed-amount administrative 

grant, and use their own and other non-CNCS resources to cover most 

program costs. 

• Indian Tribe grants are awarded to Indian Tribes that have successfully 

competed in a national selection process. One percent of program funds 

available for grant making is allocated by statute to Indian Tribes. 

• U.S. Territories grants are awarded to governor-appointed Territory Service 

Commissions using a population-based formula. The Commissions, in 

turn, fund programs within their territories on a competitive basis that are 

addressing local needs. One percent of program funds available for grant 

making is allocated by statute to territories. 

• States and Territories without commission grants are awarded 

competitively to organizations operating within states and territories with 

no established service commission, using a population-based formula. 

• Planning grants are awarded competitively to organizations to support a 

year of planning and developing AmeriCorps programs able to compete in 

a future funding cycle. 

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

Program Accomplishments and Impact 

In FY 2010, the last full year for which final data is available, AmeriCorps 

State and National grants supported 79,266 AmeriCorps members. Those 

AmeriCorps members multiplied their efforts by recruiting and supporting 

2.3 million community volunteers for one-time and ongoing projects, further 

expanding the capacity of nonprofits at a time when needs are increasing 

and resources are diminishing. AmeriCorps programs also raised $298 

million in public and private resources to support community solutions. 

Year over year the demand for AmeriCorps members has increased. In the FY 

2011 combined state and national competition, AmeriCorps received more 

than 600 applications seeking $394 million – nearly double the amount of 

available funding. AmeriCorps State and National awarded $335.2 million 

in grants that will support approximately 74,000 members. These members 

will engage and recruit an estimated 1.5 million additional volunteers in the 

communities in which they serve.

Taken together, the direct service of AmeriCorps members, the efforts 

of volunteers recruited and directed by AmeriCorps members, and the 

additional non-federal resources brought to community solutions, make 

AmeriCorps a uniquely powerful vehicle for meeting community challenges 

and for strengthening the effectiveness of local organizations.

National Performance Measure Pilot

In 2010, CNCS began piloting a series of uniform, outcome-based 

performance measures, which 74 percent of all grantees adopted as part 

of the FY 2010 grant competition. The adoption of standardized measures 

will eventually improve agency efforts to demonstrate the aggregate 

impact that AmeriCorps members have when focused on key national and 

community challenges.

AmeriCorps programs that opted into using these pilot national performance 

measures followed standard criteria, including definitions and measurement 

guidelines. In 2010 and 2011, programs applying for their first year of 

funding or reapplying for a new three-year grant were able to select national 

performance measures. Programs seeking continuations for the second or 

third year of their grants were not able to opt-in to the performance measure 

pilot. The pilot will conclude in 2012.

FY 2011 Grant Competition

In alignment with the SAA and CNCS’ Strategic Plan, the FY 2011 

AmeriCorps grant competition reflected that the highest funding 

priority would be: (1) programs that improve academic outcomes for 

children in the lowest performing schools and (2) growing AmeriCorps’ 

investment in programs that engage and serve veterans and military 

families. The next level of priority was given to programs in the other 

focus areas (Healthy Futures, Economic Opportunity, and Environmental 

Stewardship) and to applicants who opted into the national performance 

measurement pilot. 

Consistent with the emphasis on education and academic achievement, 

$122.2 million in grants were awarded to programs focused on 

improving education outcomes for young people. AmeriCorps increased 

its investment in programs that engage veterans and meet the needs 

of veterans and military families from $11 million to over $15 million, a 

nearly 40 percent increase between FY 2010 and FY 2011. 

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

For FY 2013, CNCS requests $345.000 million for AmeriCorps State and 

National to support approximately 74,000 AmeriCorps members. With 

this funding, CNCS will continue to invest in evidence-based community 

solutions focused in the high priority areas identified by Congress. 

Growing evidence demonstrates that AmeriCorps members – 
14 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

well-trained and strategically deployed national service participants – 

can make a crucial difference. 

The three-year AmeriCorps State and National performance measure pilot 

will be completed in FY 2012 and, in FY 2013, AmeriCorps will begin to 

implement a standard set of national grantee measures. AmeriCorps and 

its grantees have been preparing for this shift in performance measurement 

over the past three years through the pilot program and engaging in 

extensive training of staff and grantees. When fully implemented, these 

performance measures will focus AmeriCorps-funded programs on producing 

measurable outcomes, and the national measures will make it possible to 

assess and report the overall impact of performance in key areas. 

Efficiencies

CNCS is placing greater emphasis on creating innovative partnerships with 

public and private organizations – including other federal agencies – that 

make it possible to support more AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps will 

continue to explore and experiment with partnerships in which the cost of 

AmeriCorps members is shared by other funders. 

In FY 2011, AmeriCorps partnered with more than 20 existing grantees to 

support nearly 1,300 additional AmeriCorps slots, for which AmeriCorps 

provides no program grant funding. Rather, CNCS only provides the Segal 

AmeriCorps Education Award, funded through the National Service Trust, for 

these positions. To date, CNCS has made these additional slots available 

only to existing grantees, based on their track records of successfully 

implementing AmeriCorps programs. Similar to AmeriCorps VISTA cost-share 

agreements, supporting additional members in this way is an effective 

means of expanding AmeriCorps resources to organizations at a significantly 

lower overall cost.

CNCS will continue to offer fixed-amount grants to organizations seeking 

funding in AmeriCorps State and National. Fixed-amount grants significantly 

streamline and reduce the information collection and reporting requirements 

for grantees in the area of proving financial match. In exchange for a fixed 

amount grant, the grantees use their own or other non-CNCS resources to 

cover program costs. 

Accountability

AmeriCorps is enhancing its accountability in two primary ways: (1) by 

strengthening the emphasis on demonstrating impact in meeting community 

needs and on AmeriCorps participants, and (2) by implementing enhanced 

oversight and monitoring procedures. 

To enhance oversight and monitoring, AmeriCorps has tightened the 

requirements for reporting the specific location at which each and 

every AmeriCorps member serves. AmeriCorps also has strengthened 

the requirement that every grantee have a detailed description of each 

AmeriCorps member’s service assignment and responsibilities before 

any member begins his/her term of service. To monitor these position 

descriptions, AmeriCorps has instituted a quarterly sampling review of 

member position descriptions and activities. 

To ensure all AmeriCorps members are aware of the legal limitations on their 

service and activities, CNCS now communicates directly with all AmeriCorps 

members who enroll in the AmeriCorps State and National program. 

The communication (letter) spells out the rules of service and provides 

AmeriCorps members with the necessary information should they have any 

inquiries or concerns, or to report any potential violations.

Table 4. AmeriCorps State and National Vital Statistics

Budget Account FY09 Actual FY10 Actual FY11 Actual FY12 Target FY13 Target

Appropriation (in thousands) $259,262 $366,987 $345,960 $344,348 $345,000

Number of members slots approved (or estimated) 65,353 79,266 73,937 74,000 74,000

Cost per MSY1 $6,850 $7,896 $7,873 $7,549 $7,772

Percent of total costs contributed from CNCS sources 53.50% 57.10% 54% N/A N/A

1 A Member Service Year (MSY) represents an estimated cost of supporting an individual for an entire fiscal year. The cost includes direct expenses (living allowances) and 

indirect expenses (recruitment and outreach). The cost per MSY is the appropriation divided by the number of MSYs.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 15

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

BUDGET ACTIVITY 2:

AmeriCorps VISTA

(Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Title I, Part A)

Program Summary

AmeriCorps VISTA was created for the purpose of reducing poverty 

and building economic opportunity. Authorized in 1964 as Volunteers 

in Service to America, the program was incorporated into the 

AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993. AmeriCorps VISTA primarily 

supports efforts to alleviate poverty by engaging individuals ages 18 

and older in one year of full-time service. These AmeriCorps members 

build the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of 

programs that help low-income Americans gain the skills and resources 

they need to break the cycle of poverty. AmeriCorps VISTA members are 

assigned to nonprofit community organizations and public agencies 

through an application process managed locally by CNCS State Offices. 

The AmeriCorps VISTA program is guided by the core principles of 

sustainability, capacity building, and strengthening community. Through 

activities such as community outreach and partnership development, 

resource development, and establishment of volunteer recruitment 

and management systems, members strengthen the ability of local 

organizations to carry out their missions and programs. Sponsoring 

organizations must ensure that their projects engage residents of the 

targeted low-income community in the planning, development, and 

implementation of the project to which members are assigned. 

In doing so, the program promotes service and community engagement 

at the local level. By creating and expanding the capacity of 

organizations that serve low-income populations, VISTA resources are 

leveraged to establish a lasting impact on community needs, while 

How AmeriCorps Funding Is Distributed

Beginning with the appropriation of $345.000 million, the following items are deducted first: 1.5 percent for childcare funding for AmeriCorps 

members, and 1 percent for costs to support the Grant Application Review Process (eGrants, Grants.gov) as well as the funding to support the 

Education Award Only Program (EAP). Should CNCS transfer funds to the National Service Trust, which is not planned for FY 2013, this amount would 

be subtracted as well.

From the remaining funds, $331.545 million in FY 2013, 35.3 percent is allocated for State Formula grants, 1 percent each for Tribes and Territories 

and the balance available in the competitive pool including planning grants and the Professional Corps program.

Total Appropriation (dollars in thousands) $345,000

Less childcare funding (1.5 percent) 5,175

Less Education Award Only Program grants 4,830

Less GARP costs (1 percent) 3,450

Transfer to National Service Trust 0

Balance $331,545

State Formula (35.3 percent ) 117,036

Tribes (1 percent) 3,315

Territories (1 percent) 3,315

Competitive Pool $207,879
16 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

ensuring that the VISTAs themselves, many of whom are recruited from 

the low-income communities being served, consistently find satisfaction, 

meaning, and opportunity through their service.

The organizational capacity built by VISTA members remains viable long 

after VISTAs complete their service. A recent study funded by CNCS and 

conducted by Westat Inc. found that 84 percent of AmeriCorps VISTA 

projects continued to operate effectively two to five years after the VISTA 

resources ended.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In FY 2011, CNCS placed 7,438 VISTAs, to build capacity in the more than 

1,100 communities and organizations in which they served and to leverage 

more than one million volunteers. Members were targeted to programs in 

education, employment, housing, and financial development, in service 

to individuals and communities affected by long-term poverty and 

unemployment, but also those facing hardships resulting from the current 

economic recession. Members strengthened the organizational capacity of 

their sponsor organizations and raised $162.5 million in cash and in-kind 

resources in support of anti-poverty programs across the country. The 

emphasis of new project development in FY 2011 focused on educational 

improvement at underperforming schools, and creating or expanding 

programs that support veterans and military families. 

CNCS continued to develop the VISTA Campus – AmeriCorps VISTA’s online 

learning and knowledge management site that offers VISTA leaders, 

members, and sponsors 24/7 support in professional development, peer 

support, and program guidance.

Selected Program Examples

Education

• The 40 VISTA members serving at the Communities in Schools of Florida 

recruited, trained, and supervised 12,910 mentors who served more than 

38,000 at-risk students in Title I schools and community centers.

• VISTAs serving at Educate Tomorrow, Inc. in Miami, Florida, have helped 

strengthen the organization’s mentoring program for foster care youth 

between the ages of 13 and 23 and those “aging out” of the foster care 

system. These youth often fall through the cracks and get caught in 

a violent cycle of poverty, imprisonment, homelessness, etc. To date, 

VISTAs have recruited one-on-one educational/life coach mentors, who 

have served more than 300 youth, 95 percent of whom remain enrolled in 

school. VISTAs also helped develop training curriculum for the “It’s Your 

Life” Life Skills Camps, where volunteers educate transitioning youth 

about money management, educational and employment opportunities, 

health, and housing.

Table 5. AmeriCorps VISTA Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President’s 

Budget

Increase/(Decrease) 

(2012-2013)

Subsistence Allowance $55,103 $54,608 $57,373 $2,765

Post-Service Stipend $2,525 2,205 2,543 338

Health care $12,179 12,841 14,291 1,450

Childcare $1,024 1,361 1,302 (59)

Workers Compensation $813 800 857 57

Travel, Relocation, and Settling-In $3,302 4,312 3,426 (886)

Supervision and Transportation $8,387 6,003 3,968 (2,035)

Grantmaking Support $1,704 913 762 (151)

Training $11,306 10,165 9,156 (1,009)

Evaluation, Administration, etc. $1,026 190 192 2

Recruitment and Outreach $1,502 1,422 1,430 8

Total Budget Authority $98,876 $94,820 $95,300 $480

Total AmeriCorps VISTA Members 7,438 7,300 7,400 100
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 17

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

Veterans and Military Families

• A New Hampshire-based VISTA member sponsored by Families in 

Transition was instrumental in creating housing for homeless veterans. 

A veteran himself, the VISTA member secured project-based vouchers 

valued at $78,600 that will house at least nine homeless veterans 

and 24 of their dependent family members. For another property, he 

helped raise $25,000 in cash and $287,500 in New Hampshire state tax 

credits, which are expected to yield another $230,000 toward developing 

permanent housing for five homeless veterans. During his service, this 

VISTA member became known for his expertise and research into funding 

opportunities, becoming a resource not just for his site, but for other 

organizations addressing the homeless and aiding the poor.

Economic Opportunity

• NeighborWorks America’s VISTAs raised more than $14 million to expand 

the capacity of community organizations in over 70 communities 

nationwide to provide financial fitness education to low-income 

communities.

• VISTAs at the Ohio Benefit Bank help the most vulnerable Ohioans get 

back on their feet and on the path to financial independence. VISTAs 

have helped the Ohio Benefit Bank expand its service from two counties 

in 2006 to having a significant presence in all 88 counties by 2011. 

Between May 2010 and April 2011, Ohio Benefit Bank Counselors, many 

recruited by VISTAs, assisted more than 55,000 clients with referrals to 

public benefits, work support programs, and tax credits. The Ohio Benefit 

Bank returned $167,422,135 in work support and tax credits to Ohioans 

in 2011. About $40,707,654 of that amount was in tax credits; the 

remaining $126,714,481 was in food assistance, child care assistance, 

health coverage, and other miscellaneous benefits.

• The VISTA project of Habitat for Humanity in Minnesota has impacted 

the physical, educational, emotional and social, and financial resources 

of families in poverty. Of the low-income families that have become 

homeowners as a result of the VISTA project: 80 percent of the respondents 

and their children say they feel safer; 56 percent said their children’s 

grades improved; 91 percent feel more positive about the future; and 92 

percent said their lives were better. The new homeowners also had less 

need for assistance programs, such as food support (31 percent), welfare 

(73 percent), medical (11 percent), energy (29 percent), and rental (100 

percent). As a homeowner, low-income families used about one less 

government program than they did before becoming a Habitat homeowner. 

Healthy Futures

• The Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps, a national AmeriCorps VISTA 

project created in 2011, placed 47 VISTA members at organizations 

in 21 urban and rural cities across the country. VISTA members have 

increased the capacity of 100 anti-hunger community organizations to 

provide comprehensive benefit assistance and outreach to low-income 

constituents, particularly to seniors, working families, and Latino 

populations. They have recruited and managed more than 600 community 

volunteers who have served at pantries, kitchens, and food banks.

 VISTAs have raised more than $680,000 to support the project goal 

of creating sustainable community resources that include community 

gardens, volunteer recruitment systems, nutrition workshop 

curriculums, multicultural food benefit outreach materials, and 

nonprofit fundraising templates. 

• In three months, the 15-person VISTA team in New York State recruited 

nearly 900 volunteers; obtained $81,695 in funding for pantries and 

kitchens; and organized networks of pantries and kitchens in 10 

neighborhoods to help agencies collectively harmonize their hours of 

operation, coordinate their services, and conduct joint projects.

• Summer Associates at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 

exceeded their summer health, nutrition, and education goals. To help 

reduce childhood obesity and increase healthy eating habits, Summer 

Associates provided nutrition education to more than 800 children. 

They referred nearly 1,900 families to new food resources, such as the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Summer Food Service 

Programs, farmers markets, community gardens, and food banks. 

In FY 2011, CNCS created and expanded collaborations across the public 

and private sectors aimed at increasing VISTA enrollment beyond CNCS’ 

own investment. These VISTA members were deployed to work in projects 

across CNCS’ focus areas, but with the common goal of moving targeted 

populations toward greater economic self-sufficiency.

Through our cost-share agreements in AmeriCorps VISTA, organizations 

seeking VISTA resources pay all or part of the living allowances for one 

or more AmeriCorps VISTA members. Cost sharing will allow the program 

to support an additional 730 AmeriCorps VISTA members in FY 2013 and 

prepare sponsoring organizations to support member activities long after 

the program has reached completion. In FY 2011, nearly 20 percent of all 

VISTAs living allowances were supported through cost share agreements 

with approximately 500 organizations providing local support in 

recognition of the value of VISTA resources to those communities. Other 

examples of leveraging the VISTA program’s resources include:

• In support of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiative, 

CNCS received $100,000 from Nike N7 – Nike’s comprehensive 

program to increase access to sport in Native American and Aboriginal 

communities. The funding supports VISTA members in Santa Ana Pueblo, 

N.M., Temecula, Calif., Portland, Ore. and Gresham, Ore., are building 

capacity to promote physical activity, advance nutrition programs, and 
18 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

promote continued education to meet needs expressed by the local 

community. This program creates awareness about the health and 

related economic challenges facing tribal communities.

• The US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) 

provided $800,000 to fund 53 VISTA members to expand anti-poverty 

and capacity building efforts around increased food security. These 

members will build on the work begun by the 48 FNS-funded members in 

FY 2010. These members have helped to develop a long-term, sustainable 

fundraising infrastructure for food banks and anti-hunger agencies. 

In FY 2012, all new VISTA programming is being aligned with the agency’s 

Strategic Plan. Since the purpose of VISTA is to build the capacity of 

organizations to develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty, VISTA 

will be assessing the program’s performance using capacity building 

performance measures that support outcomes and impact that align with 

several Goal 1 measures that have been identified in the CNCS Priority 

Measures; these include VISTA’s investments in education, housing, 

veterans and military families, and food security. In FY 2013, VISTA will 

continue to focus and align its resources with the Strategic Plan, and will 

collect data for the priority performance measures and continue to focus 

on supporting sponsors who adopt promising practices that lead to good 

outcomes for the targeted services.

Strengthening Member Experience and Improving Training

VISTA continues to develop an array of innovative communication and 

training strategies for its members and stakeholders, such as alumni, VISTA 

leaders, sponsors, and CNCS State Offices. The VISTA Campus is an online 

learning and communications center, as well as a knowledge management 

site. Linked to the Campus are VISTA’s Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter sites 

and feeds, as well as content forums hosted by VISTA. Using the Twitter 

feed, “VISTA Buzz,” VISTA conducted series of MeetupsTM, held throughout 

the year around the country for members, alumni, supervisors, and CNCS 

staff. MeetupTM, a large network of local groups, is a Google service that 

facilitates organizing local groups which supplements VISTA’s in-service 

training and facilitates communication and support across communities. 

In addition to the innovative approaches that have been adopted to 

strengthen the member experience, VISTA continues to implement 

enhancements to its training program. The supervisors section of the 

Campus has comprehensive program and policy guidance, in addition to 

interactive tutorials with documents on recruitment, project reporting, and 

coaching and training for their members. VISTA is currently developing a 

curriculum for supervisors, which will offer self-directed training, technical 

assistance from our State Offices, and “grab and go” materials for 

sponsors to use in training their sub-site supervisors. 

VISTA leaders are individuals who have served at least one year as a VISTA 

member, who are responsible for professional guidance and coaching for 

VISTA members in large, multi-site projects. Additionally, leaders assist 

supervisors in identifying organization and member support issues, 

and in collecting data for monitoring and reporting. The VISTA leaders 

section on Campus now offers a robust “blended curriculum,” using 

video conferencing, webinars, and self-directed materials. VISTA will pilot 

a virtual institute, with no face-to-face training to initiate the Leaders’ 

service year, in order to reduce training expenses and offer online training 

and coaching services that are on-time and on the spot when needed.

VISTA is taking two approaches to minimize travel expenses: 

• Reducing reliance on air travel by “regionalizing” the Pre-Service 

Orientation (PSO). Rather than offering trainings in every state VISTA 

members are serving, PSO will be offered in different regions of the 

country (e.g, Pacific Northwest, New England, etc.), reducing the 

need for larger, more costly venues and minimizing the need for air 

transportation

• Increasing relocation efficiencies by permitting members to arrange 

their own travel within certain parameters and expenses, capping 

shipping expenses, and tying settling-in allowances to the living 

allowance as practiced by GSA. This change not only improves the 

cost-effectiveness of the program, it allows greater flexibility in 

responding to the VISTA members’ needs and expectations.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

For FY 2013, CNCS requests $95.300 million for the AmeriCorps VISTA 

program, a increase of $.480 million above the FY 2012 Enacted level. 

This funding will support roughly 5,745 member service years, placing a 

total of 7,400 members (6,000 full-time and 1,400 Summer Associates) in 

FY 2013. The anticipated increases in cost of living and health care costs 

will be absorbed through savings in travel, training, and project support. 

In addition, 20 percent of the program’s portfolio will continue to be 

supported through cost-sharing agreements with sponsoring organizations 

and other private funding sources. This strategy will enable the program to 

engage a greater number of Americans to fight poverty.

AmeriCorps VISTA is recognized as an effective national service 

intervention for building a community’s capacity to address and reduce 

poverty. With more people in poverty than ever before since the US Census 

Bureau collected this information–42.6 million or 15 percent of the 

population–the need for this resource has never been more important. 

While AmeriCorps VISTA can be used to support a broad range of 

programming, the VISTA program will devote the majority of its resources 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 19

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

to programs that align with CNCS’ strategic focus areas related to 

education and improving/expanding economic opportunity. 

With 30 percent of projects turning over each year, AmeriCorps VISTA will 

continue to take advantage of new program development opportunities 

in FY 2013 to direct resources to projects that can most successfully 

demonstrate and are focused on producing measurable outcomes. The 

national performance measures will make it possible to assess and report 

the impact of the program in specific areas.

Consistent with the mandate of moving toward standardized performance 

measurement across the agency, AmeriCorps VISTA will be in its second 

year of requiring a set of mandatory performance measures for all sponsors. 

These measures are reflected in the FY 2012 Program Guidance. Not only will 

this requirement ensure that all VISTA placements are focused on producing 

measurable outcomes, but the national measures will make it possible to 

assess and report the impact of the program in specific areas. 

Within the Economic Opportunity focus area, AmeriCorps VISTA resources 

will be strategically targeted in order to help those in poverty become 

more financially independent as the economy improves. This will be 

accomplished by supporting projects that:

• Increase access to safe, healthy affordable housing, both in the shortand long-term;

• Expand access to financial literacy and other services aimed at 

increasing economic security; and

• Improve employability and economic opportunity.

In the area of Education, AmeriCorps VISTA members will support 

programs that increase academic readiness and performance, and support 

early childhood education and youth development programs as well as low 

performing schools (in line with the goals of the Department of Education). 

Within the areas of Economic Opportunity and Education, VISTA will target 

a significant subset of resources towards programs that specifically assist 

economically vulnerable veterans and their families. 

Accountability/Efficiencies/Modernization/Enhancements

VISTA will be reviewing policies and practices to significantly reduce the 

cost of training to achieve greater efficiencies, including travel to and from 

training opportunities, building in part on SAVE Award recommendations. 

An external, extensive evaluation of VISTA Training will be completed in FY 

2012 and is expected to result in additional recommendations for cost and 

logistical efficiencies while enhancing the quality of the overall training 

of members. Prior to those recommendations, the program has been 

continuing cost-saving initiatives, particularly in the area of trainingrelated travel. 

VISTA has increased its use of the VISTA Campus and distance learning 

methods to train and support both supervisors and members throughout 

the year. Starting in FY 2012, member Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) 

curriculum was strengthened by offering college credits in management 

and public policy for AmeriCorps VISTA members who opt to undertake the 

full distance learning curriculum. Further enhancements to the curriculum 

will be explored in FY 2013 to support the members in their professional 

development before and after their term of service. VISTA also continues to 

build out the web-based VISTA Campus as a key developmental resource 

for VISTAs and VISTA Supervisors.

Table 6. AmeriCorps VISTA Vital Statistics

FY09 Actual FY10 Actual FY11 Actual FY12 Target FY13 Target

Appropriation (in thousands) $96,050 $99,027 $98,662 $94,820 $95,300

Number of new members enrolled 7,289 7,776 7,438 7,300 7,400

Number of Member Service Years (MSYs)1 5,418 5,387 5,786 5,600 5,745

Cost per MSY $17,728 $18,391 $17,052 $16,933 $16,588

Average Health Care Cost Per Member $2,970 $2,766 $2,102 $2,293 $2,488

1 A Member Service Year (MSY) represents an estimate of the cost of supporting an individual VISTA member for an entire fiscal year. The cost includes direct expenses 

(living allowances) and indirect expenses (recruitment and outreach). The cost per MSY is the appropriation divided by the number of MSYs.
20 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

BUDGET ACTIVITY 3:

AmeriCorps National Civilian 

Community Corps 

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title I, Subtitle E)

Program Summary

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a residential, 

team-based program that provides opportunities for young Americans 

between the ages of 18 and 24 to address pressing national and 

community needs in all 50 states through 10 months of full-time, 

intensive national service. Since 2000, more than 13,000 NCCC members 

from across the country have served more than 4.6 million hours on 

1,915 disaster service projects. The service, training, and certification 

provided by AmeriCorps NCCC increase employment skills and leadership 

opportunities for young adults – particularly those from disadvantaged 

circumstances.

NCCC provides rigorous training in skills, such as first aid, CPR, 

firefighting, case management and asset mapping, and volunteer 

coordination, which prepare its members to serve as lead CNCS disaster 

responders and as force multipliers who can effectively coordinate 

and manage episodic volunteers. In addition to disaster preparation, 

mitigation, response, and recovery, AmeriCorps NCCC members serve 

at the request of local, state, and regional organizations in the areas of 

infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, 

urban and rural development, and energy conservation. 

NCCC’s structure of a national office with five regional campuses allows 

for rapid deployment of teams to meet both local and national needs, 

particularly disaster relief. Thus, NCCC is an important resource for the 

agency in achieving objectives in Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan. NCCC’s 

flexible structure enables the program to partner with resource-challenged 

communities that lack the financial, human capital, or organizational 

capacity to manage grant programs. The structure also enables the 

program to strategically partner with other national service programs to 

magnify the impact on the communities in which they serve. 

For example, NCCC has partnered with veterans and military families in 

the Denver, Colo. area in an innovative program called “Veterans Green 

Jobs” (VGJ). This program provides green jobs education, transition 

support, and career and enterprise development opportunities for military 

veterans, empowering and supporting them to lead America’s transition 

to energy independence, ecological restoration, community renewal, and 

economic prosperity. VGJ was founded in 2008, based on the concept of 

the Civilian Conservation Corps, and operates programs in a variety of 

green jobs fields, including home energy efficiency, renewable energy, land 

conservation, and urban forestry.

NCCC’s commitment to providing leadership opportunities for its members 

also enables the program to be a significant contributor to Goal 2 of the 

Strategic Plan (improving member experience). NCCC’s training and 

diversity objectives are a core component of the agency’s performance 

in Goal 2. Young people are empowered through service. They leave the 

10-month program with the technical and life skills needed to become 

productive and engaged citizens who feel prepared and obligated to 

become leaders in their families, communities, and workplace. 

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In FY 2011, 34 percent of AmeriCorps NCCC project hours were devoted to 

disaster services nationwide, providing support to displaced and needy 

individuals, families, and communities. NCCC completed its commitment 

to the Gulf Coast Recovery in FY 2010, which resulted in an overall 

decrease in the total percentage of disaster recovery projects from an 

organizational high of over 50 percent. CNCS management is aggressively 

exploring additional opportunities for employing AmeriCorps NCCC 

resources in support of agency-wide disaster planning. 

Some of NCCC’s major disaster deployments in FY 2011 include 

participating in response and recovery efforts in 29 different states, 

including large-scale disaster response in Joplin, Mo., Tuscaloosa, Ala., 

and throughout the Mid-Atlantic after Hurricane Irene. The program 

supported disaster response efforts in partnership with the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, 

State Commissions, and local municipalities throughout the US and its 

territories. This past year, NCCC members assisted more than 210,559 

people affected by disasters. Additionally, since 2005, AmeriCorps NCCC 

members from all campuses have served approximately 3.5 million hours 

in the Gulf Coast region on over 1,354 disaster-related projects.

The average AmeriCorps NCCC member completed 1,861 hours of service 

(including training) during their 10-month service term in FY 2011. 

AmeriCorps NCCC members built 297 new homes, mucked or gutted 

1,068 homes, and outfitted over 1,100 homes with energy-efficient 

modifications. Members also conducted prescribed burns and fire 

mitigation on almost 11,000 acres of land, constructed or restored 751 

miles of hiking trails, and recruited or coordinated more than 111,000 

community volunteers. In addition to disaster relief projects, members 

completed 447 additional projects in the areas of infrastructure 

improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 21

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

conservation, and urban and rural development (which include 

education) for a total over 1.5 million hours of service. 

The unique role NCCC plays in working with community organizations 

to build resilient communities is evidenced by the diversity of project 

sponsors with which NCCC partners. These partnerships focus on 

helping people recover from disasters, providing critical infrastructure 

improvement, mitigating environmental degradation, and supporting 

children from disadvantaged circumstances in afterschool and 

out-of-school programming. 

In FY 2012, NCCC will begin reporting on the issue areas identified 

in the SAA: natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, 

environmental stewardship and conservation, urban and rural 

development, and energy conservation. The program tested approaches to 

performance measurement in FY 2011 that led to the adoption of a limited 

set of valid and tested measures that clearly reflect the community and 

member outcomes of the program. 

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

In FY 2013, CNCS requests $30.110 million for AmeriCorps NCCC, a 

decrease of $1.771 million from the FY 2012 Enacted Level. In FY 2012, 

CNCS received an increase of $3 million dollars to relocate the Atlantic 

Region campus from its location at the VA Medical facility in Perryville, 

Md., to a more suitable location for young people. A one-time cost of 

about $1.8 million in FY 2012 will be utilized for renovation and the 

movement of staff and equipment from Perry Point to the new campus 

location.

The FY 2013 request will support an annualized enrollment of 1,012 

members— an increase of one additional member from the level projected 

to serve in FY 2012. The cost per member is expected to remain relatively 

equal to the FY 2012 cost, rising only $341, to $27,593 in FY 2009 constant 

dollars. This modest increase is a direct result of the Atlantic Region facility 

move and the expected rent increase associated with this move. The campus 

move was necessary for member health and safety reasons. 

The occupancy of a new Atlantic Region facility is not expected to take 

place until the second quarter (at the earliest) of FY 2013, thus budget 

projections in FY 2013 include costs for both the Atlantic Region facility 

and partial costs at the VA Medical Center, as well as a new facility. The 

lease at the VA Medical Center can be terminated with 60 days notice, 

which will occur as soon as the new facility is ready to be occupied.

Member Development

By FY 2013, AmeriCorps NCCC will complete implementation of the Service 

Leadership program. This training will ensure that all members and team 

Table 7. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account

FY11

Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 

President’s Budget

Increase/ (Decrease)

(2012-2013)

Program Support $13,648 $13,061 $13,087 $26

Program Operations 15,294 18,820 17,023 (1,797)

Total Budget Authority $28,942 $31,881 $30,110 ($1,771)

Total Annualized Members 1,036 1,011 1,012 1

Table 8. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Service Hours

Regional Campus Number of Projects

Team Service Hours 

Completed1

Percentage of Team 

Service Hours

Natural and Other Disasters 211 520,774 34%

Infrastructure Improvement 32 60,731 4%

Environmental Stewardship and Conservation 165 348,789 23%

Energy Conservation 22 52,486 3%

Urban and Rural Development 228 540,288 36%

Total 658 1,523,068 100%

1

 These hours do not include those devoted to training or the 80 hours of individual service each NCCC member must complete with a community sponsor of their own choosing. 
22 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

leaders have the support and opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, 

and abilities that best support the program’s mission of building leaders 

through service in communities. Additionally, the Service Leadership 

program will support the needs of the increasing numbers of youth from 

disadvantaged circumstances enrolled in NCCC, and ensure that members 

graduating from NCCC return to their communities with the tools they need 

to continue their capacity building work after their service. 

Youth From Disadvantaged Circumstances

The SAA directs AmeriCorps NCCC to increase the percentage of 

participants in the program who are disadvantaged youth to 50 percent 

of all participants by year 2012. According to the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, the unemployment rate for youth between the ages of 16-24 

was just over 18 percent in 2011, and youth from under-served and 

economically challenged communities and families were unemployed at 

nearly twice the rate of their less challenged peers.

Staff across the program have worked diligently and strategically 

to achieve this target. The program now has partnerships in place 

that create pipelines for recruitment of youth from disadvantaged 

circumstances. Some existing partners in the area include: the National 

Guard Youth ChalleNGe, the National Job Corps Association, YouthBuild 

USA, Casey Family Programs, and Covenant House. Both headquarters 

and campus-based staff and support have been enhanced to ensure that 

all members have the necessary support, encouragement, and training to 

successfully complete their term of service. The program has instituted a 

system to assist members who have left high school to move toward a GED. 

To assist with employment prospects after NCCC graduation, the program 

has partnered with institutions of higher learning, such as the American 

Council on Education, to provide college credits for member training and 

service experience. In addition, a partnership with the Nonprofit Leadership 

Alliance was created to offer a certification in nonprofit management to 

NCCC members. These pipelines and partnerships, in conjunction with a 

new initiative to create pathways for members to the community college 

network, reflect the program’s dedication to fulfilling both the SAA target 

and the agency’s strategic objective to expand opportunities to serve, 

particularly for populations that the program has not traditionally engaged 

in a numerically significant way.

AmeriCorps NCCC has made significant progress toward the 50 percent 

target in just two years. Based on FY 2012 enrollments, approximately 30 

percent of all members serving across the program’s five campuses are 

youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, an increase of approximately 27 

percent since 2010. 

Efficiencies

CNCS is committed to managing the AmeriCorps NCCC program in a costeffective manner through sound financial planning and strategic operations. 

Over the past several years, a number of measures aimed at improving 

efficiency have been implemented across the campuses, including:

• Creating a disaster services staging area at the Southern Region 

campus that can be used by both CNCS and non-CNCS organizations 

for deployments, volunteer shelter, and supply and equipment storage.

• Streamlining uniform purchases and eliminating costly pre-service 

physicals for members that cost the program nearly $250,000 per year. 

• Acquiring the Maximo Inventory Control database, which provides realtime tracking of supplies and equipment across all five campuses and 

more efficient purchasing of needed stock in the future.

• Establishing the NCCC Optimization plan which clearly articulates how 

NCCC can maximize cost-effectiveness in a residential program model. 

Table 9. AmeriCorps NCCC Campus Capacity (number of members)

Regional Campus

Full Facility 

Utilization

Single Class 

Facility 

Utilization

FY11 Facility 

Utilization

Proposed 

FY12 Facility 

Utilization

Proposed FY13 

Utilization

Atlantic 640 320 240 160 240

North Central 480 240 240 240 160

Pacific 640 320 320 320 320

Southern 480 240 80 160 160

Southwest 640 320 320 320 320

Total 2,880 1,440 1,200 1,200 1,200

% Capacity 100% 50% 42% 42% 42%
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 23

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

Table 10. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Vital Statistics

FY09 

Actual

FY10

Actual

FY11 

Actual

FY12

Target

FY13 

Target

Budget (dollars in thousands) $29,929 $28,787 $28,788 $31,882 $30,110

Number of Member Service Years (MSYs) 1,120 1,200 1,149 1,200 1,200

Annualized Enrollment1 816 964 1,036 1,011 1,012

Cost per MSY $33,700 $30,051 $27,936 $27,909 $29,572

Cost per MSY in constant 2009 dollars $33,700 $29,931 $27,606 $27,252 $27,593

1

 Annualized member enrollment reflects the average numbers of members serving each month across the entire fiscal year.

In FY 2012, cost per member calculations exclude $3 million in renovation costs associated with the Atlantic Region campus.

The following management and operations performance metrics have been 

adopted to determine the efficiency of program operations in FY 2013:

• Cost per member;

• Budget forecasting, i.e. degree of synchronicity between budget 

formulation and execution;

• Audit or IG findings – external, independent review showing no (or 

minor) deficiencies; and

• All campuses meeting overall standards reflected in the internal 

in-progress review assessment by CNCS’ Internal Controls and 

Assessment unit.

BUDGET ACTIVITY 4:

State Service Commission 

Administration Grants

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title I, sections 

126(a) and 178)

Program Summary

Since the inception of CNCS in 1993, Congress envisioned AmeriCorps 

and national service as a joint state–federal undertaking. To carry out this 

partnership, Congress created a special role and responsibility for governorappointed State Commissions on service and volunteering. These State 

Service Commissions were designed to be and are invaluable partners to 

CNCS, identifying local needs and driving federal and state resources to 

address them.

Today, fifty-three governor-appointed State Service Commissions administer 

and oversee approximately two-thirds of CNCS’ AmeriCorps State and 

National grant funds. State Service Commissions perform outreach to 

prospective AmeriCorps grantees, conduct grant competitions, oversee 

and monitor grants and AmeriCorps programs, and provide the training 

and technical assistance necessary to build the capacity of faith and other 

community-based organizations that seek to operate AmeriCorps programs. 

In addition, State Service Commissions develop a comprehensive national 

service plan to improve the coordination and effectiveness of federal, state, 

and local resources for service and volunteerism within the state.

States must match federal funds provided on a 1-to-1 basis. The SAA sets a 

minimum grant per state of $250,000 and a maximum of $1 million. For 

2012, CNCS’ enacted appropriation set the minimum at $200,000.

These grants are critical to ensuring that State Service Commissions 

have the capacity to support high-quality programming, oversee and 

monitor the use of federal funds, and promote the use of service and 

volunteerism as a strategy to meet critical community needs. State 

Service Commissions have a primary role in cultivating and supporting 

high-quality, results-based programs. They are essential to the effective 

oversight of federal funds, as they have frontline responsibility for 

ensuring grantees comply with all federal rules and regulations. In 

addition, State Service Commissions establish statewide goals for national 

service and volunteer action and actively pursue them in collaboration 

with other CNCS programs, volunteer centers, Voluntary Organizations 

Active in Disaster (VOADs), and a wide variety of other partners. State 

Service Commission activities include hosting statewide volunteer 

conferences, coordinating state volunteer training and matching systems, 

and coordinating individuals who volunteer in response to disasters. 
24 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

CNCS requests $15.990 million for State Service Commissions. The request 

is based on a minimum required allocation of $200,000 and a maximum of 

$850,000 set by CNCS. It will support the commissions in providing basic 

administrative and oversight functions of CNCS grants and programs and 

build the capacity necessary to implement the performance-based culture with 

grantees. With the funds, commissions must monitor programs and conduct 

site visits to ensure grantees are accounting for federal funds appropriately 

and meeting performance objectives identified by community needs. 

BUDGET ACTIVITY 5:

National Service Trust 

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title 1, 

Subtitle D)

Program Summary

The National Service Trust (the Trust) was established by the National 

and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 to provide funds for Segal 

AmeriCorps Education Awards for eligible participants who successfully 

complete their terms of service. Funding for the Trust comes from 

appropriations, interest earned, and proceeds from the sale or 

redemption of Trust investments. The Awards can be used to: 

• Repay qualified student loans; 

• Pay education expenses at a qualified institution of higher education 

(or GI-Bill institution for eligible members); and/or 

• Repay eligible interest expenses. 

As Table 13 shows, the amount of an education award depends on 

the length of service performed by an AmeriCorps member. Between 

CNCS’ inception in FY 1993 and FY 2009, the maximum amount of 

an education award was set at $4,725, as determined by a statutory 

formula. Under the SAA, the amount of education awards is linked to the 

maximum level of Pell Grants each year. For FY 2013, a full-time member 

who completes his or her term of service will earn an award of $5,550. 

The Trust also will disburse education awards of $500 earned by middle 

school students during Program Year 2010 of Learn and Serve America’s 

Summer of Service program, the only year such awards were made.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: Between CNCS’ inception in 1993 

through FY 2011, AmeriCorps members earned over $2.2 billion in 

education awards and used over $1.5 billion to fund their education and 

repay student loans during this period. In addition, CNCS made $55.4 

million in interest forbearance payments, covering the interest costs of 

outstanding student loans for AmeriCorps members who complete their 

terms of service. Approximately $218.2 million in education awards earned 

had expired without being used as of September 30, 2011. The Trust 

obligation formula has been adjusted to reflect these expired awards. 

In FY 2009, CNCS received an additional $40 million to fund education 

awards for AmeriCorps members supported by the Recovery Act. As of 

September 30, 2010, CNCS obligated $34.6 million, which will be paid 

as members use their awards, with $3.5 million set aside in the National 

Service Trust Reserve.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

For FY 2013, CNCS requests $208.744 million for the National Service 

Trust. The budget request, along with anticipated carryover, will support 

approximately 81,260 new member enrollments in the Trust, in line with 

the following provisions: 

• An estimated average Trust cost per member service year (MSY) of 

$4,075; 

• Full-time members comprise approximately 47 percent of the 

portfolios; and 

• No increase to the National Service Trust Reserve. Established by the 

Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act, a portion of the funds in the 

Trust are held in reserve and are for use only in the event that the 

estimates used to calculate obligations differ from actual results. The 

reserve currently totals $46.7 million for the General Fund and $3.5 

million for the Recovery Act Fund. To date, no reserve funds have been 

used. CNCS will continue to monitor the factors used to estimate Trust 

funding and make adjustments in the future if necessary. 

Table 11. State Commission Administration Grants, Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President’s 

Budget

Increase/ (Decrease)

(2012-2013)

State Service Commission Administration Grants $16,966 $13,440 $15,990 $2,550

Total Budget Authority $16,966 $13,440 $15,990 $2,550
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 25

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

Calculation of Trust Budgetary Needs 

CNCS used the following assumptions to calculate budgetary needs of the 

Trust for FY 2013: 

• Member Service Years. This request proposes a total of 51,898 

AmeriCorps MSYs (representing 81,260 Trust members) who will be 

eligible for a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. An additional 1,340 

VISTA members are projected to choose a cash stipend in lieu of an 

education award, and therefore do not affect funding needs in the 

Trust. Total slots including those for non-Trust members available for 

program year 2013 are 82,600.

• Enrollment Rate. Consistent with the Strengthen AmeriCorps Program 

Act legislative history, our calculation of Trust funding assumes that 

all members will be enrolled in the Trust (allowing for refillable slots). 

Over the past five years, enrollment rates have averaged about 98 

percent of available slots. 

• Earning Rate. Based on the Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act 

legislation, our FY 2013 calculation assumes that about 84 percent of 

members enrolled in the Trust will complete their service (ranges from 

77 to 86 percent depending on term type) and earn an award, which is 

consistent with our Trust model. 

• Full Value of the Award. This calculation assumes that members 

earning an award will earn the full value based on their earning 

category (e.g., full-time, part-time, and reduced part-time). 

Historically, we have found that about 4 percent of members exit 

programs early and receive a slightly reduced award. 

• Usage Rate. Based on Trust model projections, for FY 2013, CNCS 

is projecting 87 percent of the awards earned will be used, which 

includes a factor of 100 percent for members over age 55. Under 

the SAA, education awards earned by members over age 55 can be 

transferred to an eligible beneficiary. CNCS is projecting that all 

transferable awards eventually will be used. 

• Net Present Value. Two years can elapse between the time that 

CNCS receives an appropriation for the Trust, a grant is awarded, 

and a member is enrolled and completes his or her service term. In 

addition, members have seven years from the completion of their 

service to use their award. Consequently, over nine years can elapse 

between the initial appropriation to the Trust and when an education 

award is used. Members who perform multiple terms of service, or 

are unavoidably prevented from using their education award can 

also receive an extension of the time the education award can be 

used. CNCS takes this time frame into account by discounting the 

education award to its net present value. The discount factors used 

in the calculation are based on historical usage patterns, Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) projected interest rates, and the 

weighted average maturity of CNCS’ Trust portfolio. 

• Reserve Account. This request does not include additional funding 

for the National Service Trust Reserve, which currently stands at $50.2 

million and we believe is adequate to cover unanticipated costs. 

Table 12. National Service Trust Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Items FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President’s 

Budget

Increase/ (Decrease)

(2012-2013)

National Service Trust $199,260 $211,797 $208,744 ($3,053)

Total Budget Authority $199,260 $211,797 $208,744 ($3,053)

The National Service Trust is a no-year account. Unobligated balances can carry over from year to year to fund Trust positions.

In accordance with Public Law 111-117, Division D, Title IV, CNCS transferred $1,939,804 to the National Service Trust as authorized under Subtitle D of Title I of 

the National and Community Service Act of 1990. This was comprised of $801,384 in Tribal funds, $753,891 in Territories funds, and $384,529 in funds for the combined 

AmeriCorps grant competition.

Table 13. Education Awards for Service Term Hours

Service Term Number of Hours Education Award

Full-time 1,700 $5,550.00

Half-time 900 $2,775.00

Reduced half-time 675 $2,114.20

Quarter-time 450 $1,467.92

Minimum time 300 $1,174.34
26 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

BUDGET ACTIVITY 6:

RSVP

(Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Title II)

Program Summary

RSVP taps the skills, talents, and interests of almost 300,000 volunteers 

ages 55 and older to meet a wide range of community needs. Volunteers 

serve in community organizations to help them deliver critical services and 

fulfill their missions. RSVP is a flexible volunteer service model, with no set 

service schedules or compensation for the volunteers when on assignment, 

with the exception of insurance coverage and mileage reimbursement. 

RSVP grants are provided to eligible sponsoring organizations, including 

nonprofit organizations and state, local, and tribal governments. RSVP has 

the largest rural footprint of any CNCS program, and often serves as an 

important source of disaster services in rural communities. The required 

non-federal share is a minimum 10 percent of the total grant in year one, 

20 percent in year two, and 30 percent in year three and all subsequent 

years. Grants are awarded for a period of up to three years.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In FY 2011, RSVP volunteers delivered more than 62 million hours 

of service in their communities. Across the network of 704 grantees, 

296,380 volunteers served in more than 65,000 community organizations 

nationwide to deliver essential services. Working through such networks 

as Area Agencies on Aging, Volunteer Centers, United Ways, social 

services agencies, and many others, RSVP volunteers: 

• Mentored more than 16,000 children;

• Provided independent living services to 676,000 adults; and

• Engaged more than 400,000 volunteers to address community needs 

such as delivering meals to homebound seniors, conducting safety 

patrols, tutoring children, and assisting with food banks.

In FY 2011, states and local communities contributed more than $42.9 

million in non-federal funds to support RSVP projects. This level is 46 

percent of the total cost, and well above the required 30 percent nonfederal share required by the program. This additional funding, including 

the $6 million in state appropriated dollars, demonstrates the value of the 

essential services that RSVP volunteers provide in their communities.

Some examples of RSVP volunteers meeting high priority needs include:

• Disaster Services – Throughout FY 2011, RSVP volunteers joined forces 

with other national service members and volunteers around the nation 

to assist in the aftermath of natural disasters. In Mississippi, Alabama, 

and Missouri, following a devastating outbreak of tornadoes, RSVP 

volunteers helped to coordinate community volunteers, answered phones 

at support centers, opened and served in volunteer reception centers, 

helped to coordinate supply donations, and helped the Red Cross 

prepare meals for displaced families and disaster workers. During floods 

in South Dakota and Iowa, RSVP volunteers assisted with clean up and 

coordination of volunteers. During Hurricane Irene, RSVP volunteers in 

Rhode Island supported shelter operations around the state.

• Helping Veterans – 

– The Olympic Community Action Council in Port Townsend, Wash. and 

the Coastal Community Action Council in Aberdeen/Grays Harbor, 

Wash. created two new programs in 2011 that support economic 

opportunities for Rural Veterans. Working with the U.S. Veterans 

Employment and Training Service at the Department of Labor (DOL), 

these RSVP projects initiated new programming that was designed 

to reach out to unemployed veterans in the rural Olympic Peninsula 

and Pacific coast of Washington State. The teams of volunteers 

visit with veterans, check on their careers developments, and 

if needed, alert them to additional support available from DOL, 

Veterans Affairs (VA) and other government and non-government 

organizations. This is an example of how RSVP was able to mobilize 

local human capital to empower a community to access resources 

and further administration priorities. Senior Corps is replicating this 

program in Washington and other states such as Montana. 

– Columbia County RSVP in Oregon recently launched the Columbia 

County Veterans Program, a pilot project to help connect eligible 

veterans and surviving spouses to VA benefits. The pilot project 

was created to respond to millions of dollars in VA payments that 

go unclaimed by eligible veterans and recipients, due to processing 

issues. Currently, 14 trained RSVP volunteers serve, all of whom are 

veterans, military spouses, or military family members.

 The services the volunteers provide include conducting pre-intake

interviews of beneficiaries on needed services and claims, scheduling 

appointments, preparing the clients’ case files in advance of 

appointments, and performing research relevant to each client. 

 Prior to June, the one-person Columbia County Veterans Service 

Officer (CVSO) office was unable to keep up with its caseload. Today, 

because of the RSVP volunteers, there are new systems in place 

to prepare and maintain files, improve client contact and access 

to referral agencies, and provide intake, data entry, research and 

filing. By late July, the CVSO announced that due to RSVP, he has 

increased his client services output by 20 percent.

 This improvement has motivated the Oregon Department of Veterans 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 27

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

Affairs to seek additional funds to add another full-time equivalent 

(FTE) to the Columbia County office in order to take advantage of 

the resources provided by RSVP volunteers.

– Four RSVP Projects are working with the Montana Department of 

Labor & Industry to start a Rural Veteran Outreach Pilot Project in 

Montana. The Montana projects are part of a national initiative 

to allow the Department of Labor and states to greatly improve 

outreach to rural veterans and provide them with better access 

to employment programs, services, and information to help rural 

veterans attain meaningful careers.

 An initial training event took place at the Montana State Capitol on

November 9, 2011 conducted by the Montana Department of Labor 

& Industry in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Community 

Service and the CNCS Montana Field Office. Several AmeriCorps State 

and VISTA members also working on projects with a veteran focus 

attended as well. The pilot started on January 16, 2012, when RSVP 

volunteers began the first round of calling veterans. The initial pilot 

(first round of calling) will end on March 31, 2012.

The 2011 Budget for RSVP was $50.2 million, a $12.6 million (20 

percent) reduction below 2010. CNCS implemented the cut on a pro 

rata basis awarding all RSVP grants at approximately 80 percent of 

the FY 2010 base level. CNCS temporarily suspended an internal policy 

provision on replacing grants in communities where RSVP projects were 

relinquished in order to centralize and apply funds as needed to cover FY 

2011 commitments. These steps allowed the budget to be implemented 

consistently and fairly at the grantee level and all RSVP grant start dates 

are either in the 3rd or 4th quarter of the fiscal year. As a result, as of 

late December 2011, RSVP grants were relinquished in 33 communities. 

These grants totaled $1.77 million and were not replaced, resulting in 

the reduction of the national RSVP grant footprint from 737 grants to 704 

grants. Additionally, the total number of RSVP volunteers changed from 

400,475 in FY 2010 to 296,380 in FY 2011. Since late December 2011, 

CNCS has received additional notification from RSVP sponsors intending 

to relinquish grants. The full impact of the FY 2011 budget reduction, in 

terms of volunteer numbers, total grants relinquished due to the reduced 

operating level, and level of funds associated with the relinquished grants 

will be known in the 4th quarter of FY 2012..

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

The request of $50.299 million is the same as the FY 2011 enacted 

level. The funding will support approximately 704 federally-funded RSVP 

projects and an estimated 296,380 RSVP volunteers.

Non-grant activities include funding for operations across all three 

Senior Corps programs including business support, Senior Corps Week, 

and an evaluation. The planned evaluation, which is called for under 

sec. 416(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act (DVSA) would be used 

to begin work on a study of the impact of Senior Corps programs. The 

Senior Corps evaluation will measure the impact of RSVP programming 

on social ties and support in clients (independent living performance 

measure). This evaluation will also measure the impact of RSVP 

programming on social ties and support in caregivers of clients, which is 

a SCP and RSVP specific performance measure.

Introducing Full Competition into RSVP: Proposed 

Amendments to the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 

1973 (DVSA)

The Bill Language and Analysis section of this budget request includes 

proposed amendments to the DVSA that will allow CNCS to conduct 

Senior Corps grant competitions. These amendments would allow CNCS 

to conduct a competitive process built around funding the highest 

quality RSVP programs for the first time in 40 years. Competitive 

grant making facilitates linking the grants awarded from federal 

appropriations to impact and quality by making awards to the best 

applicants, and yields grant funding decisions that are transparent and 

Table 14. RSVP Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Items FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President’s 

Budget

Increase/ (Decrease)

(2012-2013)

Grants to projects

Continuing Grants $49,620 $46,412 $31,141 ($15,271)

New Grants 0 2,119 17,390 15,271

Subtotal, Grants 49,274 48,531 48,531 0

Grantmaking and Business Support 1,025 1,673 1,768 95

Total Budget Authority $50,299 $50,204 $50,299 $95
28 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

equitable. While all Senior Corps grants have always been competitive 

when first awarded, provisions of the DVSA allow incumbent grantees 

to continually renew their grants without further competition. The Serve 

America Act authorized limited competition of RSVP grants to start in FY 

2013. The requirements, however, significantly limit the ability to select 

grantees based on quality and outcomes. For example:

• Serve America Act amendments to the DVSA require CNCS to continue 

to fund an existing RSVP project, including a poor performer, for up to 

12 months if a competition does not result in a new sponsor.

• The current provisions state that RSVP competition decisions should 

ensure that the overall distribution of funded projects should remain 

the same, and that competition results should minimize the effect on 

volunteers.

• CNCS is also required to implement budget cuts by pro rata reductions 

in all grants, rather than on the basis of outcomes or quality.

• The proposed language would permit competition after the initial 

three-year grant expires. Under current law, CNCS will not be 

conducting new competitions in FY 2016-FY 2018 for RSVP grants that 

were initially awarded in FY 2013-FY 2015. 

This proposal represents an important step forward in ensuring 

greater return on the long-term investment in RSVP. It also reflects 

a CNCS commitment to modernization, programmatic impact, and 

accountability.

Mandatory Performance Measures with a Focus on 

Outcomes 

Beginning in FY 2013, all Senior Corps grantees will be required to 

begin implementation of new standardized performance measures. 

The majority of the new measures are part of the CNCS agency-wide 

priority and supporting measures, augmented by a number of program 

specific measures. CNCS will require all grantees to adopt subsets of 

the agency’s priority performance measures to track and report on their 

effectiveness and impact. CNCS anticipates that the concentration 

of programming in strategic focus areas, using priority performance 

measures, is as follows:

In RSVP, 75 percent of activities will be within the scope of the 

combination of the agency-wide priorities, AmeriCorps pilot measures, 

and approved program specific measures on caregivers, respite, and 

disaster services. Within the 75 percent, RSVP grantees must select and 

report one “primary” performance measure from the slate of agencywide outcomes. The “primary” performance measure must include and 

account for at least 30 percent of the RSVP volunteers enrolled in the 

project. The primary measure will help RSVP grantees to concentrate a 

minimum of 30 percent of volunteers on meeting the same measure, 

thus facilitating focus, scope of effort, and a specialized identity for the 

grant. Twenty-five percent of volunteers can be placed in community 

priority assignments, outside the scope of the CNCS Strategic Plan.

BUDGET ACTIVITY 7: 

Foster Grandparent Program

(Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Title II)

Program Summary

The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) is an intergenerational program 

first established in 1965. It connects volunteers age 55 and over with 

opportunities to provide one-on-one mentoring, nurturing, and support 

to children with special needs, exceptional needs, or who are at an 

academic, social, or financial disadvantage. Children and youth served 

by the program often do not have a caring and consistent adult presence 

in their lives — a void that is filled by a Foster Grandparent. In turn, 

Foster Grandparents derive significant emotional and health benefits 

from their service, which can improve their quality of life and provide 

them with a strong sense of purpose. 

Foster Grandparents help young children with special or exceptional 

needs to gain skills and confidence to succeed in school, tutor children 

in literacy, and assist children in the child welfare system. FGP projects 

currently support the school turn around pilots in both Orlando, Fla. 

and the state of Minnesota in a CNCS and US Department of Education 

interagency effort. Foster Grandparents at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., 

Table 15. RSVP Vital Statistics

Program Items FY09 Actual FY10 Actual FY11 Actual FY12 Target FY13 Target

Number of federally funded CNCS 

awards/grantees

741 737 704 704 704

Average federal award/grant $76,750 $83,080 $69,991 $68,936 $68,936

Number of Direct Volunteers 405,000 400,475 296,380 296,380 296,380
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 29

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and Fort Bliss, Texas, also serve military 

families in early child development programs. We have also begun 

discussions with the Administration for Children and Families through 

the Department of Health and Human Services to increase coordination 

on FGP support of programs such as Head Start. 

Foster Grandparents serve between 15 and 40 hours per week and 

income-eligible volunteers receive a modest hourly stipend of $2.65 

per hour. Volunteers also receive service-related insurance, mileage 

reimbursement, and other non-monetary incentives. Grants are provided 

to eligible sponsoring organizations, including nonprofit organizations 

and state, local, and tribal governments. The required non-federal share 

is 10 percent of the total budget and an amount equal to 80 percent of 

the federal budget must be expended on direct volunteer costs. Grants 

are awarded for a period of up to three years.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In FY 2011, 27,900 FGP volunteers delivered 24 million hours of service 

in their communities. Volunteers served a total of 232,000 children, 

mentoring more than 130,000 children, 7,000 of whom were children 

of incarcerated parents and more than 2,250 of whom were children of 

military families.

In 2011, states and local communities contributed $33 million in nonfederal funds to support Foster Grandparents, well above the required 

10 percent non-federal share. The additional funds, including $6.8 

million in state appropriated dollars, demonstrate the value of essential 

services that Foster Grandparents provide to children with special or 

exceptional needs in their communities.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

The request of $110.774 million is the same as the FY 2011 enacted 

level. The funding will support approximately 318 federally-funded FGP 

projects, the same level as in FY 2011, and an estimated total of 27,900 

Foster Grandparent volunteers. 

Non-grant activities include funding for operations across all three 

Senior Corps programs, including business support, Senior Corps 

Week, and the Senior Corps evaluation. CNCS will conduct a quasiexperimental evaluation that measures effects of volunteering on FGP 

participants compared to the 22,000 participants age 50 or older in 

the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) administered by the National 

Institute on Aging/NIH. The Senior Corps evaluation will measure the 

impact of FGP participation on the self-efficacy of FGP volunteers 

(member experience performance measure). The use of shared 

instruments from HRS will allow for quasi-experimental analyses, 

including propensity scoring, multivariate analyses, and statistical 

accounting for the clustering of data by sponsor. The potential use

Table 16. Foster Grandparent Program Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Items FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President’s 

Budget

Increase/ Decrease) 

(2012-2013)

Grants to projects

 Continuing grants $109,931 $109,722 $109,840 $118

 Administrative cost increase 0 0 0 0

 Subtotal, grants 109,940 109,722 109,840 118

Grantmaking and business support 843 843 934 91

Total Budget Authority $110,774 $110,565 $110,774 $209

Table 17. Foster Grandparent Program Vital Statistics

Program Items FY09 Actual FY10 Actual FY11 Actual FY12 Target FY13 Target

Number of federally funded CNCS awards/grantees 328 325 318 318 318

Average federal award/grant $331,000 $340,218 $345,723 $345,038 $345,409

Number of Direct Volunteers 28,300 28,200 27,900 27,900 27,900
30 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

of longitudinal data greatly increases the power of this study, which 

represents the ability of the study to detect impact.

Introducing Full Competition into FGP: Proposed 

Amendments to the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 

1973 (DVSA)

The proposed amendments to the DVSA discussed in Budget Activity 

6, RSVP, will also allow CNCS to conduct a competitive process built 

around funding the highest quality program for FGP grants for the first 

time in 46 years. As with the other Senior Corps programs, this proposal 

represents an important step forward in insuring greater return on the 

long-term investment in FGP. It also reflects a CNCS commitment to 

modernization, programmatic impact, and accountability.

Mandatory Performance Measures with a Focus on 

Outcomes 

Beginning in FY 2013, all Senior Corps grantees will be required to begin 

implementation of new standardized performance measures. The majority of 

the new measures are part of the CNCS agency-wide priority and supporting 

measures, augmented by a number of program specific measures. CNCS will 

require all grantees to adopt subsets of the agency’s priority performance 

measures to track and report on their effectiveness and impact. CNCS 

anticipates that the concentration of programming in strategic focus areas, 

using priority performance measures is as follows:

– In the Foster Grandparent Program 75 percent of activities will be

within the Education focus area and the agency-wide priority measures 

related to school readiness, academic engagement, and academic 

performance. The remaining 25 percent can be directed toward other 

agency priority measures and child welfare and health issues that 

reflect the statutory requirements of special and exceptional needs 

children eligible to be served by Foster Grandparents.

BUDGET ACTIVITY 8: 

Senior Companion Program

(Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Title II)

Program Summary

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) provides a cost-effective option 

in the continuum of care available to the nation’s aging population. 

Each year, Senior Companions serve thousands of older and frail adults 

by providing companionship, transportation, light chores, and respite 

to facilitate seniors remaining in their own homes. Senior Companions 

help aging Americans and veterans to maintain their dignity and quality 

of life, while enriching their own lives through high-quality volunteer 

experiences. Senior Companions’ traditional clients are frail seniors, 

particularly women over the age of 85 who live alone. Other clients 

include individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. 

Research conducted by the program in 2004 – 2005 suggests that 

Senior Companion clients had significant, long-term mental health 

benefits from their services, including reduced rates of depression. 

Companionship serves both the Senior Corps volunteer and companion, 

as social ties and perceived social support are linked with long-term 

health outcomes. Senior Companions also serve 7,860 caregivers, with 

caregiver burnout being an important contributor to nursing home 

use. Senior Companions, such as those serving through the Salt Lake 

County Aging Services in Utah, also serve home-bound veterans. This 

organization has partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs 

Home Based Primary Care Program to use SCP volunteers as part of an 

integrated care team for veterans. 

Senior Companions serve between 15 and 40 hours per week and 

income-eligible volunteers, who are at 200 percent of the federal poverty 

level, receive a modest monetary hourly stipend of $2.65 per hour to help 

offset the cost of volunteering. Volunteers also receive service-related 

insurance, mileage reimbursement, and other non-monetary incentives. 

SCP grants are awarded to eligible sponsoring organizations, including 

nonprofit organizations and state, local, and tribal governments. The 

required non-federal share is 10 percent of the total budget and an 

amount equal to 80 percent of the federal budget must be expended on 

direct volunteer costs. Grants are awarded for a period of up to three 

years.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In FY 2011, 13,600 SCP volunteers delivered 12.2 million hours to 

approximately 60,940 frail, older adults, and others with physical or 

other limitations. They transport clients to medical appointments; 

help shop for food and basic necessities; provide companionship 

to offset isolation; and offer respite to 7,900 family members and 

informal caregivers. 

SCP grantees also work with states to expand services through 

Medicaid Home and Community-based Waivers. In 2010, 12 states 

elected to incorporate SCP services into their Medicaid-funded 

home and community-based services, providing nearly $1.3 million 

to support 624 Senior Companions who in turn provided in-home 

support to more than 1,640 Medicaid eligible clients. In 2011, states 

and local communities contributed $22.9 million in non-federal 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 31

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

funds to support Senior Companions, well above the required 10 

percent non-federal share. The additional funds, including $6 million 

in state appropriated dollars, demonstrate the value of essential 

services that Senior Companions provide in their communities.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

The request of $46.810 million is level with the FY 2011 enacted level. 

The funding will support approximately 185 federally-funded SCP 

projects, the same number as FY 2011, and an estimated total of 13,600 

Senior Companion volunteers serving.

Non-grant activities include support for business support, Senior Corps 

Week, and the Senior Corps evaluation. CNCS will conduct a quasiexperimental evaluation that measures effects of volunteering on SCP 

volunteers and clients as compared to the 22,000 participants age 

50 or older in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) administered by 

the National Institute on Aging/NIH. The Senior Corps evaluation will 

measure the impact of the Senior Corps program on the following agency 

performance measures: 1) the impact of SCP programming on social 

ties and support in clients (independent living performance measure) 

and 2) the impact of SCP participation on the self-efficacy of SCP 

volunteers (member experience performance measure). This evaluation 

will also measure the impact of Senior Corps programming on social ties 

and support in caregivers of clients, which is a SCP and RSVP specific 

performance measure. The use of shared instruments from HRS will 

allow for quasi-experimental analyses, including propensity scoring, 

multivariate analyses and statistical accounting for the clustering of 

data by sponsor. The potential use of longitudinal data greatly increases 

the power of this study, which represents the ability of the study to 

detect impact. 

Introducing Full Competition into Senior Corps: Proposed 

Amendments to the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 

1973 (DVSA)

The proposed amendments to the DVSA discussed in Budget Activity 6, 

Retired Senior Volunteer Programs, will also allow CNCS to conduct a 

competitive process built around funding the highest quality programs 

for SCP grants for the first time in 38 years. As with the other Senior 

Corps programs, this proposal represents an important step forward 

in insuring greater return on the long-term investment in SCP. It also 

reflects a CNCS commitment to modernization, programmatic impact, 

and accountability.

Mandatory Performance Measures with a Focus on 

Outcomes 

Beginning in FY 2013, all Senior Corps grantees will be required to 

begin implementation of new standardized performance measures. 

The majority of the new measures are part of the CNCS agency-wide 

priority and supporting measures, augmented by a number of program 

specific measures. CNCS will require all grantees to adopt subsets of 

the agency’s priority performance measures to track and report on their 

effectiveness and impact. CNCS anticipates that the concentration 

of programming in strategic focus areas, using priority performance 

measures is as follows:

In the Senior Companion Program 100 percent of activities will be 

within the healthy futures-independent living focus area, and 100 

percent of programming will align with agency-wide priority measures 

or approved program specific measures on caregivers and respite.

Table 18. Senior Companion Program Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Items FY11 Actual FY12 Enacted

FY13 President's 

Budget

Increase/ 

(Decrease)

(2012-2013)

Grants to projects

Continuing grants $46,085 $46,120 $46,120 $0

Administrative cost increase 0 0 0 $0

Subtotal, grants 46,085 $46,120 $46,120 $0

Grantmaking and business support 725 602 690 88

Total Budget Authority $46,810 $46,722 $46,810 $88
32 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

BUDGET ACTIVITY 9: 

Subtitle H, Innovation, 

Demonstration, and Assistance

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title I, Subtitle H)

Program Summary

Subtitle H funding provides resources for CNCS to support and encourage 

new forms of service and civic participation, and improve existing service 

programs. The activities in Subtitle H generally promote service and 

volunteering throughout the country; identify and incubate innovative 

program models and approaches; and disseminate effective practices 

found to improve the reach and effectiveness of programs and projects.

Innovation, demonstration, and assistance significantly contribute to 

CNCS’ Strategic Goal 2, strengthening national service so that participants 

find satisfaction, meaning, and opportunity in their service. CNCS strives 

to ensure that members and volunteers across its programs leverage their 

experiences in ways that benefit them as individuals and the communities 

in which they remain engaged. Subtitle H activities also contribute to 

CNCS’ goal of maximizing the value we add to grantees, partners, and 

participants through programming, convening meetings, and producing 

materials to help improve volunteer programs. 

Authorized within Subtitle H, the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) is CNCS’ 

most significant initiative undertaken in the area of innovation. It aligns 

with CNCS’ Strategic Goal 3 and its primary objective is to improve the 

lives of people in low-income communities by mobilizing public and 

private resources to grow innovative nonprofit organizations that have 

evidence of compelling impact in three priority areas of need: economic 

opportunity, youth development, and healthy futures. 

The SIF model is itself innovative and combines several key elements 

that reinforce a clear role for the federal government as a catalyst for 

transformational change and impact. These elements include:

• Reliance on intermediaries, as previously above, which strengthens 

existing nonprofit infrastructure rather than creating additional 

government bureaucracy;

• Requirement of a 1-to-1 match from private sources, both at the 

grantee and subgrantee levels, which generates up to $3 in private 

money for each $1 of federal money granted and builds stronger, more 

sustainable, and more diversified funding bases for each program;

• Requirements for rigorous program evaluation to increase 

accountability, and create a robust pipeline of proven models for 

further investment; and

• An explicit mandate to capture and share knowledge, practices, and 

tools that emerge from the grant program in order to enable increased 

social innovation in the broader nonprofit sector.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

Social Innovation Fund. FY 2011 represented the first full year of operations 

for the Social Innovation Fund. The primary focus of the program was on 

building a solid programmatic and operational foundation to support 

effective operations and further development of promising, innovative 

nonprofit organizations, and the generation of compelling outcomes. The 

major achievements of the past year consisted mainly of executing activities 

essential to building that foundation. Key examples include the following: 

• Selection of 138 promising community-based, service-providing nonprofit 

organizations (subgrantees) by the 11 SIF intermediaries (grantees) 

through open subgrant competitions that attracted more than 500 

applications. Altogether, SIF subgrantees:

– Have committed to raising $77 million in matching funds from 

private and non-federal public sources, which combined with the 

$50 million in matches by intermediaries, will total $127 million 

generated by the initial $50 million federal investment made as 

part of the FY 2010 appropriation;

– Represent a wide range of program initiatives from rural healthcare 

initiatives in Kentucky to employment programs for former offenders 

in California to workforce collaboratives in New Orleans to college 

preparation programs for low-income students in North Carolina;

Table 19. Senior Companion Program Vital Statistics

Program Items FY09 Actual FY10 Actual FY11 Actual FY12 Target FY13 Target

Number of federally funded CNCS awards/grantees 194 187 185 185 185

Average federal award/grant $234,500 $247,375 $249,108 $249,297 $249,297

Number of Direct Volunteers 15,200 14,450 13,600 13,600 13,600
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 33

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

– Are located in 31 states and the District of Columbia; and

– Constitute a potential pipeline of promising, effective nonprofits 

that would be attractive to other funders – both public and 

private – that are seeking community solutions backed by at least 

preliminary evidence of results.

• Launch of the rigorous evaluation program required for all 

subgrantees. Each grantee defined its overall evaluation strategy 

and is generating detailed plans for how its subgrantees will achieve 

“moderate” levels of evidence over the course of the grant period. 

• Completion of a systematic, inclusive process to define how the 

Social Innovation Fund should be most effectively and rigorously 

evaluated over the next five years. The goals are to determine how 

it is performing relative to the expectations of Congress and the 

Administration. This was followed by an open, competitive process to 

select an external evaluator. 

• Launch of the first phase of the Social Innovation Fund Knowledge 

Network, a web-based vehicle for facilitating dialogue, exchanging 

information, and posting documents among grantees. This will be the 

platform for the ongoing capture and dissemination of the knowledge, 

insights, and tools that emerge from our work.

• Selection of a second cohort of grantees in the FY 2011 grant 

competition. This process awarded $13.9 million in grants to five 

outstanding intermediaries that:

– Have created distinctive models of public and private partnerships; 

– Are focused on issue areas not previously represented in the grant 

portfolio, including chronic homelessness, housing affordability, 

and childhood obesity; 

– Have committed to raising an additional $35 million in matching 

funds at both the grantee and subgrantee levels; and

– Extend SIF activities to geographic areas not previously served 

by the Fund, notably rural Colorado and specific communities in 

greater Detroit.

SIF’s focus on rigorous evaluation strengthens CNCS’ overall evaluation 

capacity and adds knowledge to the broader field. It contributes to the 

agency’s strategic goal to maximize the value CNCS adds to grantees, 

partners, and participants and more specifically, it is at the core of 

fulfilling the objective to improve organizational capacity to conduct 

rigorous evaluations and measure outcomes. 

Accountability 

The performance of the Social Innovation Fund is subject to several 

levels of accountability:

• Management oversight of SIF grantmaking processes. As with all grant 

programs, CNCS management closely monitors the SIF grantmaking 

to ensure that all policies and procedures are followed and meet the 

standards set forth in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

• SIF grantee monitoring. SIF management has a formal grantee 

monitoring plan in place that includes site visits as well as regular 

reporting and review of data. During FY 2011, SIF and Office of 

Grant Management staff conducted an in-person monitoring of 

each grantee. These site visits were conducted to ensure that all 

grant agreement and legal conditions were met. Staff reviewed 

programmatic, administrative, and fiscal issues, documenting and 

following up on items needing resolution. Grantees submit quarterly 

progress reports and semi-annual financial reports. 

• Outcomes and impacts. The SIF designed a formal evaluation process 

that will be executed by an external evaluator over the next five years. 

This process will independently establish the performance of the SIF 

relative to expectations.

Volunteer Generation Fund. CNCS awarded grants to 19 State Service 

Commissions to mobilize more people to volunteer including underrepresented populations; to increase the organizational capability of 

nonprofits to effectively manage volunteers; to improve operations in the 

areas of sustainability, governance, leadership, and evaluation capacity; 

and to integrate technology to improve business processes. 

Table 20. Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Item(s) FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President's 

Budget

Increase/ (Decrease) 

(2012-2013)

Innovation, Demonstration, and Other $5,489 $4,481 $3,215 ($1,266)

Social Innovation Fund 49,900 44,815 50,000 5,185

Volunteer Generation Fund 3,992 3,984 0 (3,984)

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program 998 0 0 0

Total Budget Authority $60,379 $53,280 $53,215 ($65)
34 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

In FY 2011, State Service Commissions provided direct support to 

numerous nonprofits and volunteer connector organizations in urban 

and rural communities in their states, and reported on priority measures 

related to volunteer recruitment and management. Performance 

highlights to date include:

• Development of a research-based volunteer management curriculum 

for nonprofit organizations;

• Creation and expansion of volunteer centers in underserved 

communities;

• Training and deployment of volunteer leaders to coordinate and 

manage community service projects;

• Launch and expansion of skill-based volunteer programs;

• Improved systems and training for coordinating disaster and 

emergency volunteers to meet immediate and long-term needs;

• Convening of networks to share and disseminate best practices; and

• Training and technical assistance to enhance nonprofit organizational 

capacity to manage and engage volunteers in meaningful service.

In FY 2013 this program is authorized but unfunded.

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program. In FY 2011, CNCS awarded new 

two year grants totaling about $1 million in grants to five intermediary 

organizations. In turn, they helped small and midsize nonprofits in 

resource-poor communities to develop and implement performance 

management systems. Research suggests that an established 

framework of performance management is the prerequisite and predictor 

of success in other aspects of nonprofit health such as financial 

planning and sustainability.

In creating the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program, Congress 

recognized that many small and midsize nonprofit organizations are 

challenged in their ability to sustain and expand services and that 

organizational development assistance may be necessary to ensure the 

continuation of much-needed services in local communities. 

In alignment with the Strategic Plan, grantees were encouraged to 

identify potential subgrantees that focus on the agency’s six focus areas.

In FY 2013 this program is authorized but unfunded.

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance

Call to Service. The President’s Call to Service seeks to engage all 

Americans in making service a way of life. CNCS builds large-scale 

efforts that bring attention to service and volunteering in order to 

increase the number of people making an impact in their communities. 

Through Call to Service activities, the CNCS also expands partnerships 

and reaches new audiences, broadening the pool of potential volunteers 

and service participants. Call to Service activities provide increased 

recognition for outstanding organizations and individuals involved in 

service to their communities.

The MLK Day of Service continued to call upon Americans to honor the 

legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by devoting at least a day to serving 

their community and addressing local challenges, and initiating a 

longer-term commitment. In 2011, there were approximately 13,000 

projects/activities in all 50 states, representing a 30 percent increase 

over 2010. CNCS’ MLK Day grantees were directly responsible for 2,260 

projects and activities, which deployed 136,200 volunteers, benefiting 

many more thousands. For the first time, more than 600 President’s 

Volunteer Service Awards were presented to MLK Day “Drum Majors for 

Service.” Involvement of public officials increased substantially, with 42 

mayors, 13 governors, and several members of Congress participating. 

More than 40 companies provided project funding, organized projects, 

and provided employees time off to serve. 

For the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, CNCS held a 

10th anniversary Challenge, inspiring nearly 140 organizations to recruit 

more than 150,000 volunteers. More than 30 State Service Commissions 

also participated in supporting service activities in honor of the 10th 

anniversary. Challenge winners commit to increasing numbers of 

volunteers on the next 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. 

United We Serve: Let’s Read. Let’s Move – a collaboration involving six 

federal agencies and countless nonprofit partners, addressed summer 

reading loss and childhood obesity by engaging youth in summer 

reading and physical activity, as well as provided access to healthy, 

affordable food. The effort resulted in the distribution of 2.5 million 

books to children, the creation or clean-up of new playgrounds in 20 

cities, the establishment of libraries at 45 sports camps, the donation of 

67,088 lbs. of fresh produce, and the cultivation of 531 gardens.

These and other efforts such as National Mentoring Month, AmeriCorps 

Week, and Senior Corps Week promote service and volunteering across 

broad sectors of American society. Moreover, many initiatives leverage 

strong partnerships with the private sector to build volunteering 

capacity. For example, in the 2011 Corporate Mentoring Challenge, 

290,000 mentors, readers, and tutors were pledged by over 100 

corporations and businesses. 

The White House Council for Community Solutions completed its first 

fiscal year, leading with its mandate to encourage the growth and 

maximize the impact of innovative community solutions and civic 

participation by all Americans. For more information on the critical work 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 35

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

conducted by the council, please visit 

http://www.serve.gov/council_resources.asp#maincontent.

A number of CNCS initiatives seek to engage specific populations or 

sectors, leveraging their resources to address their needs and achieve 

focused impact. Billion + Change, the corporate mentoring challenge 

and school improvement pilots, rallies members of the business and 

educational communities to answer the Call to Service and commit 

to community improvement. By convening neighborhood, faith-based, 

and Native American communities and organizations, CNCS builds 

relationships, gathers useful feedback, and expands the impact of 

organizations by engaging new volunteers in service work.

A number of CNCS activities are designed to recognize outstanding 

organizations and individuals engaged in service, to both highlight best 

practices for the field, and increase awareness about opportunities to 

serve. The President’s Higher Education Honor Roll received applications 

from more than 850 institutions. The President’s Volunteer Service 

Award recognizes more than 100,000 dedicated Americans each year. 

Nearly 150 entries from individuals and organizations were submitted 

for the CNCS Service Impact Award (formerly Spirit of Service Award). 

Nine exemplary applicants, representing each strategic plan focus area, 

were selected. These programs are cost-effective ways to recognize and 

encourage service contributions, and amplify the call to make service a 

way of life for all Americans.

Conferences and Meetings. In the first two quarters of 2011, CNCS 

hosted seven convenings. Approximately 350 people attended the 

meetings, to orient new grantees (Social Innovation Fund) and highlight 

and share effective practices in the six strategic plan focus areas. 

Results from these gatherings include the collaboration between 

National Veterans Serving organizations and the national service 

network to create a new Veteran’s Service Corps, and the inclusion of 

centers serving Urban Indian populations in the Let’s Move! in Indian 

Country initiative. 

Through Subtitle H, CNCS co-convened the National Conference on 

Volunteering and Service. The 2011 event drew 4,606 attendees to New 

Orleans, La., with 82 percent rating the conference as excellent or good, 

66 percent reporting a better understanding of how to engage volunteers 

in service, 66 percent reporting that they are better prepared to meet the 

needs of their communities, and 82 percent claiming they learned effective 

practices they can apply in their work as a result of conference attendance.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

CNCS requests a total of $53.215 million to build the capacity of local 

communities to develop and implement innovative programs, increase 

impact in our strategic focus areas, and deploy, recognize, and provide a 

better experience for a diversity of volunteers. 

Social Innovation Fund. CNCS is requesting $50.000 million for the 

SIF for FY 2013. Of this, 5 percent ($2.5 million) will be set aside by 

statute to support research, technical assistance, and knowledgerelated activities stipulated in the Serve America Act amendments to the 

National and Community Service Act. Another 2 percent ($1.0 million) 

supports the grant application review process. The roughly $46.5 million 

would be available to fund new and continuing grants. 

Consistent with its emphasis on ongoing learning among its grantees, 

the SIF continues to refine its operations and its model in order to 

maximize its effectiveness. Starting with the 2013 competition, the SIF 

will be more explicitly focused on influencing broader federal policy and 

programs in the area of economic opportunity. CNCS will partner with 

other federal agencies working in this area that have limited flexibility 

to support innovations in their existing funding streams, but that have 

evidence that funding new models could significantly improve outcomes 

for individuals and communities they serve. 

The amount available for this new competition will be dependent on the 

amount necessary for continuation funding of existing grantees, which 

is CNCS’ top priority. To date, all SIF grants have been awarded for a 

formal period of five years, while funds were provided for periods of 

just one or two years. Continuation funds are contingent on compliance 

with grant conditions and satisfactory performance, including having 

secured sufficient matching funds and making appropriate progress in 

advancing the evidence levels and growth of subgrantees. Grantees that 

do not meet these conditions will not receive continuation grants. 

The SIF will use the 5 percent set-aside for continued support of the 

key initiatives that supplement the grant program and are expected to 

generate sustained impact for the broader social innovation community 

and nonprofit sector. These initiatives include the national evaluation of 

the SIF and SIF Knowledge Network and are critical to realizing the full 

impact potential of the SIF.

The SIF is aligned with CNCS’ overall mission to improve lives and 

strengthen communities. SIF grantees and subgrantees will align with 

eight of the 16 CNCS performance measures that were established 

as part of the CNCS strategic plan. SIF is also a fundamental driver 
36 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

of CNCS objectives relating to Goal 3 – maximizing the value we 

add to grantees, partners, and participants, especially as relates to 

improvement in the development and use of evidence.

Enhancements

Several aspects of the SIF model will be developed and implemented in 

FYs 2012 and 2013. Key examples include: 

• Expansion of the SIF Knowledge Network membership and content and 

initiation of efforts to package and share its work product;

• Formal initiation of the SIF national evaluation project, which was planned 

during FY 2011 but will significantly ramp up during FY 2012; and 

• Launch of other selected strategic initiatives intended to leverage the 

grant program to advance social innovation in the broader nonprofit sector.

Over the next two years, the SIF will also be adopting a number of 

additional reforms to increase the impact of its grantmaking, including: 

•Strengthening the requirement that all subgrantees must have a plan 

to reach moderate levels of evidence over the term of the grant;

• Strengthening review procedures to ensure that subgrantees selected 

by each grantee comply with the minimum evidence standards; 

• Better articulating the desired connection between levels of evidence 

demonstrated by subgrantees and the amount of growth and 

expansion by subgrantees supported by grantees. 

• Reinforcing the desired link between size of grant and level of evidence 

to ensure that grantees with the most evidence receive larger awards; 

• Clarifying the criteria for continued funding of grantees and 

subgrantees, especially relating to the SIF program’s evidence and 

evaluation requirements;

• Strengthening expert reviewer guidance and training to ensure that 

all grantees selected have budgeted adequately to support rigorous 

evaluation. 

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance. CNCS requests $3.215 

million to fund priority activities of the Call to Service initiative and 

to conduct strategic meetings, and prepare and publish collateral 

materials to support development and best practices of performance 

measurement and impact. 

In 2013, CNCS will concentrate Subtitle H resources to advance the 

following goals: 

• Make national service opportunities accessible and attractive to 

Americans of all backgrounds (Strategic Plan Goal 2); and

• Conduct conferences and convenings, and develop related materials 

that enhance the knowledge base of best practices, support efforts 

to measure results, and increase organization capacity to conduct 

rigorous evaluations (Strategic Plan Goal 3). 

The Call to Service initiative expands the number and reach of citizen 

volunteering while driving impact and quality programming. In FY 2013, 

CNCS will focus resources on grants and other support for the MLK Day 

of Service and the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. 

Planned activities include expanding reach to veterans and military 

families and the organizations that serve them, and to enhance 

interest in programs serving this unique population. Activities also 

include creating more effective local relationships that target school 

improvement efforts, and enhancing relationships with the leadership of 

Native American communities and faith-based organizations.

The White House Council for Community Solutions will continue to 

encourage the growth and maximize the impact of innovative community 

solutions and civic participation by all Americans. For more information 

on the critical work being planned by the council, please visit 

http://www.serve.gov/council_resources.asp#maincontent.

In the past, significant Subtitle H resources were dedicated to coconvening the National Conference on Volunteering and Service through 

a cooperative agreement grant through the Points of Light Institute. 

After weighing priorities, particularly in light of limited resources, CNCS 

will focus on smaller, more strategic conferences and meetings aligned 

with the specific goals of our strategic plan. CNCS will continue to fund 

specific trainings and convening for grantees at the conference, but the 

agency’s role and financial commitment has been reduced significantly. 

CNCS will host several smaller scale meetings in FY 2013, participate 

in larger third party conferences related to our focus areas where a 

critical mass of CNCS programs are present, and use online learning 

communities to convene people remotely. These activities are directed 

towards increasing the knowledge of best practices and building the 

capacity of national service programs to measure results.

Efficiencies 

CNCS will expand its use of Challenge.gov as an efficient vehicle for 

local nonprofit engagement, beyond the Service Impact Awards and 

the 9/11 10th Anniversary Challenge. To save on grantee travel costs, 

CNCS will host meetings at non-government conferences that are widely 

attended by CNCS-funded programs and other interested organizations. 

For example, the President’s Honor Roll Award Ceremony took place at 

the American Council on Education Conference (ACE), thereby reducing 

travel, lodging, and related costs. The President’s Volunteer Service 

Award will operate through a new provider under an arrangement 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 37

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

generating sufficient revenue to be self-sustaining. The Billion + 

Change initiative will operate through a partnership with the Points of 

Light Institute. 

Whenever feasible, conferences and meetings will expand reach and 

provide collateral materials through electronic media. Knowledge 

networks and learning communities launched previously will be 

supported by CNCS staff. More materials will be made available 

electronically, thereby reducing funds used for printing and hard copy 

distribution. 

Modernization/Enhancements

The use of available applied learning technologies has enabled us to 

launch learning communities to capture effective practices through virtual 

communities. Remote convenings are now considered as priority meeting 

venues. This provides savings on facilities, travel, lodging, and per diem 

costs incurred in face-to-face meetings. Creative use of social media and 

other technologies will further reduce printer and mailing costs. 

BUDGET ACTIVITY 10: 

Disability Inclusion Grants

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title 1, section 

129(k))

Program Summary

Pursuant to the NCSA, CNCS seeks to expand opportunities that lead to 

the meaningful and successful inclusion of Americans with disabilities in 

national service. Disability Inclusion Grants support all five objectives of 

Goal 2 in the CNCS strategic plan by helping:

• Make service opportunities accessible and attractive to Americans of 

all backgrounds;

• Participants to find meaning in their service experience and remain 

engaged in their communities;

• Participants to have a high quality service experience;

• Participants to find professional, educational or civic opportunities in 

their service experience; and

• Participants 55 and older and veterans to experience health benefits 

associated with service.

Further, by strategically aligning national service programs and disability 

agencies, we mitigate the real and perceived barriers toward full inclusion 

of individuals with disabilities in national service programs. CNCS 

disability inclusion grants have allowed for:

• Outreach activities (such as two national conferences on disability 

inclusion and service) that provide Americans with disabilities and 

their supporters with knowledge and understanding of national 

service, and which bring together representatives from a wide variety 

of disability and national service organizations to strategize, address 

barriers, review progress to date, and set goals for full inclusion in 

national service;

• Collaboration with 22 other federal agencies in Disability.gov.

• Achieving full accessibility at the National Conference on Volunteering 

and Service, recruitment and training events, and service sites; and

• Development of CNCS promotional materials in alternative formats and 

ensuring a fully accessible web-based National Service Resource Center.

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In FY 2011, CNCS funded a collaboration with State Service Commissions 

and the Institute of Community Inclusion at the University of 

Massachusetts, which implements the National Service Inclusion Project 

(NSIP) and the National Service toward Employment Project (NextSTEP)1

. 

This national level collaboration (and local levels through State Inclusion 

Teams) strengthened the capacity and technical skills of national service 

programs for disability inclusion. These efforts also resulted in outreach 

to promote service and volunteering as a viable option for people with 

disabilities, and research into practices that effectively promote service 

and volunteering as a pathway to successful transition to employment or 

post-secondary education. For example, in 2011:

• 48 State Service Commissions partnered with the University Centers 

of Excellence on Disabilities (UCEDs) to recruit, place, and support 

people with disabilities in national service programs

• 35 states formed State Inclusion Teams. These teams are a primary 

mechanism to implement disability inclusion strategic goals at the 

state level and are typically comprised of representatives from state 

and local governments and non-profit disability related organizations, 

UCEDs, national service alumni, parent groups, and CNCS State 

Offices

• 12 State Service Commissions partnered with veterans organizations 

to increase awareness of national service that may lead to the 

recruitment of veterans as volunteers 

1 NSIP is a partnership between the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD), the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), the National 

Down Syndrome Congress (NCSC), and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). NextSTEP is a partnership with the National Organization on Disability 

(NOD), the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN), the State Employment Leadership Network, and Denver Options/CTAT. 
38 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

• 42 State Service Commissions conducted 359 disability inclusion 

training events to build the capacity and technical skills of service 

programs and members (a 25 percent increase in training events over 

the previous year). State Service Commissions now routinely conduct 

their own introductory and intermediate inclusion trainings due to 

training they received from NSIP

• 43 states have instituted a formal policy to address requests for 

reasonable accommodation; 33 states report receiving 219 requests 

for reasonable accommodation during the year

• Nearly all State Service Commissions have instituted a process for 

assessing and monitoring the accessibility of service sites 

• 100 percent of State Service Commissions conducted targeted 

outreach to persons with disabilities and their families using 

recruitment materials in alternative formats

• NSIP trained 2,222 national service members and staff (a 59 percent 

increase over the previous year) in 108 face-to-face trainings (a 

120 percent increase over the previous year) across the nation on a 

wide variety of inclusion topics ranging from “Providing Reasonable 

Accommodations 101” to “Understanding the Americans with 

Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.” 94 percent 

of the trainees who gave feedback reported gaining knowledge that 

they would use to train sub-grantees and in general strengthen the 

inclusion practices in their programs 

• 12,000 (a nearly 79 percent increase over the previous year) 

individuals representing grantees, sub-grantees, and potential 

grantees participated in NSIP sponsored web-based and virtual 

training events and teleconferences, received remote technical 

assistance, or accessed technical assistance through a fully 

accessible website

• NSIP developed fifty-two accessible products including written 

curricula, FAQ sheets, Issue Briefs that inform and/or update the field 

on training resources, and briefs detailing examples of successful 

service stories. These resources are available to all on 

www.ServiceandInclusion.org or www.nationalserviceresources.gov

• The National Conference on Volunteering and Service was fully 

accessible to individuals with disabilities, materials were available 

in alternative formats and 100 percent of requests for reasonable 

accommodation were addressed

As a part of the CNCS priority effort to engage more veterans in national 

service, the Engaging Veterans with Disabilities Initiative was launched 

in 2010 to identify practices that effectively engage veterans with 

disabilities. The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) in partnership 

with the Denver Options Traumatic Brain Injury Project is conducting this 

work. Through this project, veterans have reported that a national service 

experience can provide a relatively less-stressful transition back into the 

community while remaining a part of a team that is actively continuing to 

serve the country. 

In FY 2010, the National Service Toward Employment Project (NextSTEP) 

conducted research to understand critical issues among people with 

disabilities; implemented service-to-work demonstration projects within 

public schools in 4 cities; promoted service as a pathway to employment 

among state developmental disabilities (DD) and vocational rehabilitation 

(VR) agencies and facilitated their partnering with State Service 

Commissions; collaborated with two State Service Commissions to pilot 

the placement and tracking of individuals with developmental disabilities 

(DD) in service programs; convened a learning community that included 

state vocational rehabilitation personnel and service commission staff; 

and promoted service as a pathway to employment at eight national 

service and disability conferences. 

By the end of the grant in 2012, NextSTEP will have identified promising 

practices and program models that can lead to successful outcomes 

toward employment or post-secondary education for persons with 

Table 21. Disability Inclusion Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account FY11 Enacted

FY12 

Enacted 

FY13 President's 

Budget

Increase/ (Decrease) 

(2012-2013)

Disability Inclusion Grants to State Service Commissions $3,690 see footnote $2,190 $2,190

National strategies to build capacity for disability inclusion 1,300 see footnote 810 810

Total Budget Authority $4,990 $3,000 $3,000

* No specific amount was enacted for disability inclusion activities. In accordance with the Kennedy Serve America Act, CNCS will utilize program funding to support this 

activity in FY2012.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 39

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

disabilities who engage in national service and will have developed and 

disseminated technical assistance tools that will inform the practice of 

inclusion in national service programs.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

In FY 2013, CNCS requests $3.000 million to support disability inclusion 

activities. Grants will focus principally on Objective 1 in Goal 2 (Make 

national service opportunities accessible and attractive to Americans 

of all backgrounds). Building on the success of the Engaging Veterans 

with Disabilities Initiative, the program will focus on outreach to and 

recruitment of veterans with disabilities. In addition, we will provide 

targeted technical assistance to State Service Commissions, grantees, and 

sponsors so they are prepared to accommodate service participants with 

disabilities. Finally, to support understanding of the number of national 

service participants with disabilities, we will undertake a census project to 

establish a first-ever baseline for this work. 

Funding priorities of the proposed FY 2013 request include:

• Targeted, direct outreach to veterans with disabilities/wounded 

warriors to increase the number who are recruited as active 

participants in national service. This approach will include the 

development of recruitment materials and methods, and the testing 

and implementation of practices that effectively connect national 

service programs to wounded warriors. 

• Grants to assist programs to provide reasonable accommodation as 

required by federal statute. Pursuant to the SAA, virtually all national 

service members are now eligible to receive an accommodation to 

complete the essential functions of their service position. A reasonable 

accommodation can make all the difference to the quality of the 

member experience and to the participant’s retention and successful 

completion of the program. Grant guidance will be developed in 

consultation with CNCS programs. 

• Regional, basic, and advanced training institutes that cover the 

gamut of inclusion topics and effective strategies and that, in general, 

build the technical capacity of national service programs to comply 

with federal and state anti-discrimination laws. As the number of 

individuals (including veterans) with disabilities in service increases, 

concomitant training that builds program capacity to successfully 

support and retain them is necessary. 

Efficiencies

Disability inclusion programming will realize efficiencies by employing 

practices that allow the agency to maintain acceptable levels of progress 

toward inclusion goals without unduly compromising the quality of the 

work. For example CNCS will continue to: 

• Leverage resources, including data, through existing systems and 

technology and through partnering with agencies with mutual goals 

and interests; 

• Conduct remote and virtual training wherever possible, including 

training in second life; and

• Cost share, as appropriate, with grantees and other public and private 

sector partners to implement inclusion activities.

Accountability

By the end of FY 2013, performance measures specific to disability 

inclusion will be developed in alignment with agency priorities and in 

collaboration with CNCS programs. In addition, by 2013, we will be able 

to link our grantee data base to our learning management system in order 

to track participation of grantees in disability inclusion trainings against 

disability inclusion performance measures. 

BUDGET ACTIVITY 11:

Subtitle J, Training and 

Technical Assistance

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title I, sections 

198O and Subtitle J)

Program Summary

Through Subtitle J, the National and Community Service Act authorizes 

CNCS to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to improve the 

programmatic quality of current and potential national service programs 

and projects, (specifically AmeriCorps and Senior Corps), and requires the 

agency to report annually on the civic health of the nation. 

CNCS seeks to maximize the value it adds to grantees, partners, and 

participants (Goal 3 in the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan). Training and 

technical assistance (TTA) is central to this strategic goal. Specifically, 

CNCS uses TTA to strengthen the collective capacity of the national service 

network to measure performance. In the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, 

CNCS identified specific measurement indicators in order to measure the 

impact of the federal investment in service. CNCS depends on the critical 

resources in Subtitle J to reach and teach current and potential grantees 

so they can align local programs and projects with CNCS performance 

measures and use appropriate tools and techniques to report on results. 

The 2013 Subtitle J request is the heart of a unified TTA capacity building 

strategy to more effectively address training needs related to strategic 
40 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

plan implementation, prevent duplication of effort, and maximize 

efficiency of federal funds2

.

Civic Health Assessment

Section 179A of the National and Community Service Act requires CNCS 

and its designated partner, the National Conference on Citizenship, to 

establish and periodically update a Civic Health Assessment, which 

provides data on the civic health of our nation and communities. 

Training and Technical Assistance Activities

In the past, CNCS has advanced two TTA activities as the most costeffective and efficient ways to deliver critical information and tools to 

large numbers of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps grantees across the 

country: 1) Program Development, Assistance, and Training (PDAT) 

Grants, awarded as an allocation of funds to every State Service 

Commission by formula to ensure TTA to local programs and projects 

within each state and 2) a web platform/online infrastructure. 

For FY 2013, CNCS proposes to maintain the web platform/online 

infrastructure. CNCS also plans to award PDAT grants through a 

competitive process to support an infrastructure of national and local/

regional intermediaries to provide TTA activities on CNCS priorities 

and report on results. This is a change from prior years as funds will 

not be awarded on a formula basis and eligibility to apply will not be 

limited to State Commissions. State Commissions will be encouraged 

to compete for the proposed grants to be awarded in FY 2013. 

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact 

Civic Health Assessment

In FY 2011, CNCS released its second installment of the Civic Health 

Assessment in partnership with the congressionally chartered 

National Conference on Citizenship. CNCS also took additional steps 

to refine the concept of civic engagement, including collaborating 

with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to bring together leading 

researchers and practitioners in civic engagement, and working with 

the U.S. Census Bureau to strengthen the quality of the data included 

in the Assessment. NAS is scheduled to publish its final report, 

including their recommendations for indicators and data collection 

strategies, in September 2013.

Program Assistance, Development, and Training Grants

Upon the submission of an appropriate plan that meets standards as 

established in provisions, State Service Commissions have received a 

formula allocation based on the number of programs and participants in 

the state. The minimum allocation was $73,800, the maximum $145,800. 

Provisions for PDAT grants authorized commissions to use funds to pay for 

up to 1.0 FTE equivalent to conduct a wide variety of TTA-related activities 

in the state. In FY 2011, based on CNCS’ review of aggregated data from 

state progress reports, State Commissions sponsored an estimated 800 

training events providing critical information to approximately 30,500 

members and 15,000 program staff. 

Online Infrastructure

In accordance with the Strategic Plan, TTA activities in FY 2011 sought 

to build the knowledge base of effective practice and disseminate 

knowledge products and tools to the national service network. For 

example, a total of 36 instrument packets were updated or created to aid 

AmeriCorps applicants and programs in selecting and implementing the 

national performance measures. Supplementary website pages for the 

AmeriCorps State and National Pilot Measures were designed and posted 

in December 2010. In addition, three tutorials were revised or added 

to the online learning center in spring 2011 including “Introducing the 

National Performance Measures,” “Basic Components of Logic Models,” 

and “Indicators, Targets, and Instruments,” bringing the total number of 

tutorials for AmeriCorps performance measures to six with 2,789 page 

views and 2,221 unique visitors in 2011.

TTA materials are available through a suite of sites known individually 

as The Resource Center, The National Service Learning Clearinghouse,

and AmeriCorps Connect. In the first two quarters of FY 2011, these 

sites collectively had 728,871 unique visitors (a measure that 

calculates activity on site beyond page views or “hits”). Resources 

available and usage of these sites include: 

• 44,153 video views of online training videos posted on our You Tube 

channel;

• An online learning center with 38 courses enrolling 11,767 individuals;

• 32 active e-mail discussion lists with a total of 39,176 subscriptions;

• 80 national service-related Basecamp projects currently in use for 

collaboration and project management, supporting 1,482 users;

• 55 WebEx leaders hosting a total of 788 webinar sessions with 4,651 

participants;

• 8,590 TTA requests for remote TTA were made and responded to via 

2 Under the National and Community Service Act and its annual appropriations, the CNCS receives separate funding for training and technical assistance for Social 

Innovation Fund and VISTA programs. In addition, the CNCS closely coordinates its training and technical assistance activities with conferences, meetings and materials 

financed under the Subtitle H budget.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 41

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

phone, individual e-mails, e-mail discussion groups, Basecamp, 

social media networks, and the websites;

• A login feature recently added to the Resource Center which enables 

users to submit their own samples, submit events to the calendar, and 

rate and comment on effective practices and other content; and

• 19 new landing pages created on the Resource Center site to align with 

content to support Strategic Plan implementation (effective program 

practices and performance measures in CNCS priority focus areas).

We are currently not able to link TTA recipients using the online platform 

with CNCS’ eGrants system; thus, we are not able to report on the 

percentage of grantees and sponsors who participated in capacity 

building activities and opt into performance measures. However, based 

on an electronic survey sent to those who participated in the above 

activities (41 percent response rate), we know that: 

• 94 percent of surveyed participants reported increasing their 

knowledge of performance measurement basics;

• 85 percent reported being able to develop a performance measurement 

plan; and

• 84 percent reported being able to report results/outcomes for their 

programs.

As CNCS institutes agency-wide performance measures and related 

grantee and sponsor measures, we need to continue developing the 

knowledge and skills necessary for grantees and subgrantees to become 

competent in measuring the outcomes of their work.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

In FY 2013, CNCS requests $5.000 million for activities authorized under 

Subtitle J. CNCS will launch a new training and technical assistance 

strategy through a competitive grantmaking process that will identify 

highly trained and experienced partners that will assist AmeriCorps and 

Senior Corps programs in delivering and managing effective programs. 

In addition, CNCS will continue research on the nation’s civic health, 

which is required by statute, and support other activities that strengthen 

the capacity of the national service field.

Training and Technical Assistance 

Of the total request, $4.2 million will be used primarily for competitive 

grants to intermediaries to provide training and technical assistance 

to current and potential national service programs and projects 

within targeted service areas or regions. CNCS will seek proposals 

reflecting comprehensive strategies of capacity building, performance 

measurement and management, and member/volunteer development 

and impact, as well as assisting programs in meeting requirements 

related to fiscal and program compliance. 

Successful applicants will demonstrate expertise and experience 

delivering these activities through a broad range of strategies, including 

face-to-face and online training, peer to peer or expert consultation, 

coaching, and mentoring. The competition will be open to private 

organizations, companies in the private and public sector, as well as 

State Service Commissions able to work across states. To ensure that the 

enhanced training and technical strategy is effective, CNCS will adopt 

performance measures by which providers will report and be assessed. 

CNCS is also planning to direct a portion of this funding to support the 

agency’s online learning platform. The purpose of this effort is to offer 

training to, share best practices with, and promote fiscal and program 

compliance among grantees. The agency will continue to support a suite 

of online resources, such as The Resource Center, the National Service 

Learning Clearinghouse, the VISTA Campus, and AmeriCorps Connect, 

that together offer access to hundreds of effective practices, training 

videos, and formal courses that help strengthen our national service 

partners, nonprofits, and community organizations across the country.

Civic Health Assessment

CNCS requests $0.8 million to fund the Civic Engagement Supplement to 

the Current Population Survey, which is conducted in partnership with the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, and publish a Civic 

Health Assessment. Authorized by the Serve America Act, the Civic Health 

Assessment provides a valuable snapshot of how Americans engage 

civically in their communities through formal and less formal means. This 

report is used by leaders at the national, state and local level to inform 

efforts to engage citizens in building solutions to community challenges.

Table 22. Training and Technical Assistance Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Account FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 

President’s Budget

Increase/ 

(Decrease) 

(2012-2013)

Training and Technical Assistance $7,485 $1,996 $5,000 $3,004

Total Budget Authority $7,485 $1,996 $5,000 $3,004
42 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

BUDGET ACTIVITY 12:

Evaluation

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Title I, section 179)

Program Summary

Evaluation at CNCS develops and cultivates knowledge that will 

enhance the agency’s mission and support its strategic goals. Moreover, 

strengthening the evidence base for national service is a priority outlined 

in the agency’s Strategic Plan. Evaluation supports two objectives of Goal 

3: Maximize the value we add to grantees, partners and participants:

• Build on the knowledge base of best practices and support efforts to 

measure results; and

• Improve organizational capacity to conduct rigorous evaluation of 

programs to measure outcomes and/or impact.

With funding for evaluation, CNCS delivers quality data to strengthen 

program performance, promote accountability, and enhance effectiveness. 

The data will be gathered from two sources: 1) the agency’s own 

quantitative and qualitative research and analysis; and 2) research 

conducted by grantees, where CNCS provides them with technical 

assistance to produce quality results. Research and evaluations are also 

important learning and management tools for understanding trends, 

demonstrating program impact, and identifying promising practices and 

effective strategies for improvement. 

FY 2011 Accomplishments and Program Impact

In alignment with the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, CNCS has developed 

an ambitious evaluation plan to provide high-quality research so that 

management decisions are based on strong evidence. FY 2011 activities 

included a balanced mix of rigorous, long-term experimental evaluations 

and shorter-term policy and management research projects that provide 

more timely information. The activities build on existing efforts to document 

participant impacts and examine impacts on service beneficiaries.

The agency’s research and evaluation projects are designed to address 

three main questions: 

1) Which national service interventions offer evidence of effectiveness in 

the six focus areas of the agency? 

2) Does service work? What is the unique value of national service? 

3) How can CNCS be more effective? 

As such, we began new projects in each of these areas, including 

providing in-depth technical assistance to Social Innovation Fund 

grantees on their plans to evaluate the impacts of their subgrantees; 

conducting an impact evaluation of a large tutoring grantee; and 

launching the second phase of an assessment to review grantee 

performance and outcomes (a project which continues to inform efforts 

to establish performance measures).

In addition, CNCS also worked on the following:

Random Assignment of Youth Corps Evaluation. Research was completed 

for a random-assignment evaluation of Youth Corps programs (which 

engage disadvantaged youth in service) across the country to assess their 

impact on future employment, education, life skills, and civic engagement. 

This is the first rigorous study of Youth Corps in more than a decade. 

Findings demonstrate that young adults who participate in youth corps 

programs made similar, but nevertheless, important strides in three key 

outcome areas of employment, education attainment, and service to a 

comparison group of young adults who were also eligible, but did not serve 

in the program. However, those who served in Youth Corps experienced 

additional benefits and achieved other significant positive outcomes 

that set them apart from those who did not participate in the program. 

For example, they were more likely to have a higher hourly wage, greater 

annual income, and more job stability than those who did not serve.

Volunteering and Civic Health. CNCS also continued work on the 

Volunteering in America (VIA) and Civic Life in America (CLA) studies 

through its partnerships with the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics. Both the VIA (http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/) 

and CLA (http://civic.serve.gov/) websites show national demographic 

trends in volunteering and civic engagement, as well as a variety of 

statistics from every state and almost 200 communities across the 

country. This research shows that members of Generation X made 

significant strides in their volunteer rate, doubling their rate of service 

since they were teenagers, and that they lead all other generations in 

several other measures of civic engagement.

Evaluation activities are funded primarily by the Evaluation budget; 

however, some evaluation activities are funded by other budget 

activities. For example, the SIF technical assistance and evaluation 

work is funded by the Social Innovation Fund. While these activities are 

described below, dollars from sources other than the Evaluation budget 

are not included in the chart above.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

For FY 2013, CNCS requests $5.000 million for evaluation and research 

activities that support the strategies to achieve Goal 3 of the Strategic 

Plan. This budget request will support research and evaluation studies 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 43

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

that provide evidence about what works in the six focus areas, assess the 

impacts of service interventions, and help CNCS become more effective. As 

a result, we will continue to build the evidence base and knowledge about 

service as a solution and improve capacity to conduct rigorous evaluations.

Our work in FY 2013 is guided by the following tactics that enhance 

accountability and effectiveness:

• Maximize limited resources by designing evaluations that include 

results and learnings that are applicable and generalizable to other 

grantees. This will help to save evaluation costs since we will have 

already determined which generally applicable aspects of the model 

contribute to impact.

• Enhance CNCS capacity and expertise through collaborations with 

other federal agencies and experts.

• Build capacity of grantees to conduct rigorous evaluations that 

will add to the evidence base of high-impact service models and 

interventions.

• Incorporate best practices in rigorous evaluation such as feasibility 

studies that strengthen the end result of an impact evaluation and ensure 

maximum rigor and appropriateness in light of program maturity.

• Integrate learning strategies into projects so that research findings 

are more easily disseminated. 

CNCS plans to initiate or continue a number of tailored evaluation 

projects in FY 2013. These projects represent new directions in CNCS 

research, driven in part by the need to support grantee efforts to 

strengthen their own capacity to provide rigorous evidence. The planned 

research and evaluation activities together will better enable us to 

understand what defines a strong member experience, meet statutory 

mandates, and test the theory of change in all focus areas through 

grantee evaluations, as well as specifically in the education focus 

area through the education evaluation, and in the Healthy Futures and 

Economic Opportunity focus areas through the SIF.

Evaluation of YouthBuild Programs. CNCS will continue its collaboration 

with the Department of Labor (the lead agency for this project) to 

conduct a random assignment evaluation of YouthBuild. YouthBuild 

provides work and life skill opportunities for young adults between 

the ages of 16 and 24 who are economically disadvantaged and who 

demonstrate educational need, usually because they are high school 

dropouts. The evaluation examines whether YouthBuild grantees are 

creating more civically engaged citizens, and studies the benefits to 

communities in which YouthBuild participants serve. This project is 

grantee-specific in that it looks at YouthBuild programs only and is the 

first rigorous evaluation of the program. This project will help determine 

what factors influence members’ service experience in support of Goal 2.

Impact Evaluation in the Education Focus Area. CNCS will continue its 

work on a rigorous impact evaluation of the Minnesota Reading Corps, 

for which the impact phase of the study began in FY 2012. This work 

will help determine what services effectively support the agency’s work 

within the education focus area.

SIF National Evaluation. CNCS will be in the second year of this multiyear rigorous evaluation to demonstrate the SIF’s success at achieving 

measurable outcomes and meet the needs of communities, particularly 

in the economic opportunity and healthy futures focus areas, as well as 

in youth development. This project will be funded with SIF funds.

Evaluation Review and Monitoring for the SIF. CNCS will continue 

work on a project to provide technical assistance for SIF grantees and 

subgrantees on the implementation of rigorous evaluations. Information 

gathered through the project will identify what works in the Economic 

Opportunity and Healthy Futures focus areas, as well as in youth 

development. This project will be funded with SIF funds.

Evaluation and Performance Measurement Technical Assistance (TA). 

With the FY 2013 budget, CNCS will have limited resources to conduct 

rigorous grantee evaluations. Therefore, it becomes increasingly 

important to expand grantees’ capacity to develop quality evaluations 

of their own. This new undertaking will be modeled after the intensive 

support being provided to SIF grantees. This effort will entail providing 

TA to grantees to help strengthen their work in evaluation planning and 

implementation, and in performance measurement implementation to 

assist in gathering the best data possible to demonstrate the value of 

their service.

Table 23. Evaluation Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Item(s) FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 President's 

Budget

Increase/ (Decrease) 

2012-2013

Evaluation $5,988 $2,994 $5,000 $2,006

Total $5,988 $2,994 $5,000 $2,006
44 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Senior Corps Evaluation. Through a planned collaboration with the 

National Institute of Aging (located within the National Institutes of 

Health), CNCS will receive longitudinal data on senior volunteers and 

beneficiaries of Senior Corps interventions. The survey will collect data 

on life outcomes and compare the results against national benchmarks 

obtained from the nationally representative Health and Retirement 

Survey. The data from this project will provide useful evidence of the 

value of service sponsored by Senior Corps programs. This project will be 

funded with Senior Corps funds.

Civic Health Assessment. The SAA directs CNCS to produce an annual report 

(pending the availability of high-quality data) that describes civic activities 

nationally, and in America’s states and communities. A panel assembled by 

the National Academies of Science has been tasked to help CNCS re-envision 

the Civic Health Assessment (CHA). In particular, the panel will discuss the 

types of civic engagement indicators the government should be collecting, 

and methods for collecting high-quality data on these indicators. The panel’s 

report is scheduled to be published in September 2013.

BUDGET ACTIVITY 13:

Salaries and Expenses 

(National and Community Service Act of 1990, Section 501(a)

(5); Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Section 504(a))

Program Summary 

CNCS Salaries and Expenses (S&E) budget activity provides resources 

for the federal administration of all CNCS programs. Administrative 

activities, including program development, grant award oversight and 

monitoring, grants and contract management, financial management, 

budget formulation and oversight, development of regulations and 

policy, and information technology system development and support.

FY 2011 Management Performance and Accomplishments

In FY 2011, CNCS undertook and accomplished a number of critical 

initiatives across the agency to improve operations, performance, and 

accountability. Within the last year, CNCS completed the following 

management initiatives. 

Information Technology (IT) 

In each of Fiscal Years 2009 through 2011, CNCS’ investment in information 

technology (IT) was significantly higher than FY 2008 funding levels. These 

funding increases have permitted a major improvement in IT support to 

agency business operations and the creation of a more stable and agile 

IT environment. At the same time, these IT investments have resulted in 

recurring IT operations and maintenance costs for future years. As a result, 

current annual fixed/base-level costs for steady-state agency IT operations is 

approximately 95 percent of the approved FY 2011 IT budget, CNCS could not 

return to FY 2008 IT funding levels without major IT infrastructure restructuring 

and, in many cases, without reversing many of the recent IT investments.

In FY 2011, in response to the agency’s FY 2011-15 Strategic Plan Goal 

4 (to fortify management operations and sustain a capable, responsive 

and accountable organization) the agency’s core financial processing was 

upgraded and moved to a “cloud computing” environment. The new contract 

provides CNCS with a commercially maintained federally compliant financial 

system with increased capability including easier reporting capability, 

integrated credit card review and processing, and a streamlined user 

interface. Additional IT accomplishments included the following initiatives: 

Stabilized CNCS’ IT infrastructure by:

• Improving IT security:

– Implemented security scanning software and procedures to scan all 

new code for vulnerabilities before entering production.

• Upgrading the Oracle database management system.

• Enhancing the eGrants grants management system:

– To allow attachments to be entered into the system in support of 

recordkeeping requirements and audits.

– To streamline the grant amendment process, reducing the time and 

labor required to enter post-award grant amendments to the system.

Created a more agile IT response to CNCS’ changing needs:

• Implemented a content management system to streamline the process 

for changing and publishing content on agency web sites.

• Acquired access to the electronic Official Personnel File system to 

provide digital storage and electronic access to personnel records.

Improved productivity and service across CNCS using technology:

• Increased capacity and improvements in usability of remote access 

solutions supporting OMB telework directives.

• Acquired a data warehouse reporting tool to allow faster and more 

accurate generation of custom reports from the agency IT system 

database.

• Provided capability within the eGrants system to collect, store, and 

retrieve new performance measurement data related to the new 

agency Strategic Plan.

• Implemented a wireless local area network at agency headquarters to 

provide greater staff mobility and productivity.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 45

Budget Request & Performance Report | PART III 

Following IT best practices, CNCS is striving for continuous improvement with:

• Continued improvement on internal OIT/CNCS governance, including 

revitalization of the agency Enterprise Review Board.

• Met OMB directive for open government and transparency.

• Continued improvement in the agency IT security program:

– More effective security scanning of new codes and systems prior to 

implementation in production;

– Greater protection for sensitive data, both at rest and in motion; and

– Continued good results from annual information security audits.

While additions to IT capacity and functionality over the past two years 

have resulted in significantly increased operations and maintenance costs, 

these initiatives will increase staff productivity and position CNCS to more 

effectively and efficiently carry out its mission over the long term.

Workforce Development and Training 

In FY 2011, CNCS launched the CNCS Leadership Institute. The CNCS 

Leadership Institute will consist of two programs. The first program, 

Leadership Crossroads, is based on the highly successful Department of 

Interior Pathways to Leadership program, adapted to meet the interests of 

CNCS. Participants are individuals who have, through successful completion 

of high level duties or special assignments, demonstrated the potential to 

take on a significant leadership role in the management of CNCS resources, 

projects, and/or people.

The second program, The Partnership for Public Service Annenberg 

Leadership Institute is an innovation and leadership laboratory where rising 

federal leaders learn the best management practices and apply them to 

pressing national issues. This program is targeted toward senior to mid-level 

CNCS employees.

FY 2013 Budget Request and Performance Plan

For FY 2013 CNCS requests $88.000 million to support Salaries and 

Expenses. This request will support the strengthening and enhancement of 

our Information Technology Systems so that CNCS is optimally positioned 

to meet the goals and objectives detailed in the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan. 

Additional funding will also support the use of overtime to address the 

lack of staffing increases in recent years and provide a 0.5% cost of living 

increase. 

Information Technology 

The FY 2013 IT budget request includes funding of phased modernization 

of core agency business systems (eGrants and eSPAN). The agency’s FY 

2013 budget request for systems modernization includes funding for the 

acquisition planning of eGrants and eSPAN projects and the beginning 

of the eGrants redesign and development effort. Additional funding will 

be required in FY 2014-2015 to provide for the completion of the eGrants 

modernization phase and the eSPAN modernization. System modernization 

is a key element of the IT portion of Goal 4 of the agency’s recently approved 

Strategic Plan (to improve the computing environment by shifting to modern 

software and cloud computing). System modernization will update the 

aging system architecture to provide better support to recent changes to 

business processes and priorities (many related to the SAA), reduce the life 

cycle cost of maintaining the systems, and increase the feasibility of hosting 

appropriate system elements in the “cloud” for further longer term savings 

in operating costs.

The FY 2013 IT budget request also allows the agency to meet its new 

Strategic Plan IT- related objectives by continuing to make improvements to 

the agency’s data warehouse operations (including support of agency-wide 

performance measures and analysis), public facing systems and websites, 

IT cost-effectiveness (through consideration of cloud computing, shared 

services, and other cost-saving options), and enhanced IT security.

FY 2013 IT funding will support agency accountability initiatives by 

supporting the collection, storage, and analysis of information about 

grant management activity and grant/program performance. Agency 

cost-efficiency goals will be supported by using IT capabilities to further 

automate grant processes, improve remote system access to reduce the need 

for office facilities, and to reduce the operations and maintenance cost of 

IT itself. Finally, IT funding will support agency modernization initiatives by 

modernizing IT systems to allow greater flexibility and reliability in support of 

new streamlined business processes.

This budget request supports continued investments in core business 

applications (consolidated IT Help Desk, MyAmeriCorps Portal application, 

and FISMA compliance). 

Enhancements proposed in this request include: 

• Initial redesign and development of the core eSpan/eGrants 

application with the goal of increased productivity, effectiveness, and 

accountability for CNCS programs and Grantees. CNCS is considering 

alternative approaches for providing modernized systems at the lowest 

cost and risk.

• Analysis of viable “cloud computing” technical approaches for 

migrating agency IT services/systems to the cloud (implementing the 

Administration’s Cloud First policy), and leverage shared IT services 

(implementing the Administration’s guidance on the initiative to Cut 

Waste), as appropriate. This analysis will be integrated within the 

agency’s IT capital planning and investment control process. 
46 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

• Procuring the necessary tools and support to meet the heightened security 

accountability needs of CNCS’ systems. Included is the work related to the 

system certification and accreditation (C&A) process; privacy; incident 

management activities; and FISMA. The FISMA activities further breakdown 

to include continuous system security monitoring, penetration testing, 

reporting, and security control implementation (SP800-53). 

Table 24. Salaries and Expenses Budget Summary (dollars in thousands) 

Object Class FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY12 to FY13 

Adjustments

FY13 

President’s 

Budget

Personnel compensation

Full-time permanent 41,704 39,700 199 39,899

Other than full-time permanent 1,397 1,400 10 1,410

Other personnel compensation 849 850 125 975

 Total personnel compensation 43,950 41,950 334 42,284

Civilian personnel benefits 12,424 12,525 101 12,626

Travel and transportation of persons 1,932 1,496 129 1,625

Rental payments to GSA 7,060 7,408 325 7,733

Communications, utilities, and Misc. Charges 1,690 1,700 0 1,700

Other services from non-federal sources* 20,246 17,295 4,227 21,522

Supplies and materials 522 469 41 510

 Total, Salaries and Expenses $87,824 $82,843 $5,157 88,000

Full-time Equivalent 524 512 0 512

* In prior budget submissions this line item has been divided between Information Technology and other services. The IT investment for FY 2013 is $16,536. This 

funding represents the S&E portion of CNCS’ IT costs. It does not reflect the IT costs covered by program funds.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 47

Office of Inspector General | PART IV 

Office of Inspector General

Program Summary/Mission

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), Corporation for National and 

Community Service (CNCS), conducts audits and investigations 

of CNCS grantees, programs, and operations with the goal of 

detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. The OIG further 

recommends revisions to CNCS policies and practices, with the goal 

of promoting economy and efficiency. The OIG keeps the CNCS Chief 

Executive Officer, Board of Directors and the Congress fully informed 

of its work and findings.

FY 2013 Budget Request Summary

Our request for a $5,400,000 budget for FY 2013 reflects our effort to 

begin rebuilding the OIG’s human capital and capabilities in the wake 

of the large reduction we sustained in FY 2012. This reduction forced 

us to release many of our staff, including a number of investigators 

and auditors, and to suspend or greatly curtail most of our audit and 

investigative activity. Our FY 2013 request would allow us to begin 

rebuilding our staff to 20 FTEs, including seven audit personnel, five 

investigators, three information technology specialists, three persons 

in the immediate office of the Inspector General, and two support 

personnel. Our request also includes funding for the training needed 

to give new employees the skills they will need to provide effective 

oversight of CNCS, its programs, and its grantees.

Office of Inspector General | PART IV

Table 25. Office of the Inspector General Budget Summary (dollars in thousands)

Budget Activities FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted FY13 Request

Increase/ (Decrease)

(2012-2013)

Audits $3,252 $1,065 $2,391 $1,326

Investigation 1,703 1,050 1,213 163

Support 2,630 1,510 1,173 (337)

Information Technology 0 367 573 206

Training 92 0 43 43

CIGIE 7 0 7 7

Total Budget Authority $7,684 $3,992 $5,400 $1,408

Reimbursable Authority * 103 0 **120 0

Total Budget Available for Obligations $7,787 $3,992 $5,520 $1,528

* Reimbursable authority authorized for FY 2011.

 ** Reimbursable authority requested for FY 2013
48 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

The OIG’s Three-Year Work Plan for FYs 2011-2013 was designed to 

meet our high-priority performance goals of effectively carrying out our 

statutory mission, and implementing innovative and more cost-effective 

oversight methods while recognizing the need for overall restraint in 

federal spending.

Audits, investigations, and evaluations are the primary tools we use 

to protect federal taxpayer dollars invested in national service, bring 

sanctions against wrongdoers, and assist CNCS in improving its 

policies, programs, and operations. We have divided this budget request 

into four key sections: Investigations Section, Audit Section, Support 

Section, and Information Technology.

Our request includes $7K to support the Council of Inspectors General 

on Integrity and Efficiency, as required by the Inspector General Reform 

Act of 2008. The act also requires that Inspectors General specify the 

amount necessary for staff training. The Inspector General certifies 

that our proposed staff training budget of $43K for FY 2013, which 

encompasses audit, investigations, information technology, and support 

personnel, meets our training requirements.

Investigations Section

The Investigations Section requires an allocation of $1.213 million for 

FY13. This amount will allow us to hire and train three new criminal 

investigators and one criminal analyst. Our agents are required to 

travel to all 50 states and U.S. Territories to pursue their investigations, 

coordinate with federal, state, and local prosecutorial authorities, and 

conduct outreach activities, including Fraud Awareness Briefings. For 

example, our major cases during FY 2011 involved CNCS grants and 

programs in American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

During FY 2011, our Investigations Section opened 42 cases, closed 

35 actions, and recovered more than $447,850 in stolen or misused 

funds. It also identified more than $1,666,000 in cost avoidance. In the 

1st quarter of FY 2012 alone, our investigators recovered more than 

$1,167,000 and identified more than $4,650,000 in potential recoveries.

In FY 2011, we expanded our Fraud Awareness Program and initiated 

a “dedicated agent” liaison program. Each of our special agents 

is assigned a geographical area in the United States and has an 

established liaison with the State Program Offices in their area. This 

program provides us the opportunity to conduct fraud awareness 

training and to provide the State Program Offices a dedicated OIG 

special agent to whom they can report fraud or address their concerns 

that relate to fraud, waste, and abuse. We plan to renew this program in 

FY 2013.

In FY 2013, we hope to expand this program to include the State 

Commissions, which are major recipients of CNCS grant funds. Our 

fraud awareness briefings and liaison program have resulted in the 

opening of at least four cases since the initiatives were launched in 

March 2011. The cases were opened following allegations reported by 

CNCS staff and increased calls to our Fraud Hotline.

A key initiative for FY 2013 is the hiring of a criminal analyst to continue 

development and refinement of our Analytical/Intelligence effort, which 

began operations in FY 2011. The initial effort provided our auditors and 

investigators with trend analyses, research of various public and federal 

databases, and the beginning of expert data mining of the agency’s IT 

systems. This person will also field all Fraud Hotline complaints and 

assist in the evaluation of these complaints for referrals in-house, to 

CNCS management or to other federal agencies.

Audit Section

The Audit Section requires an allocation of $2.391 million for FY 2013. 

This amount will allow us to rebuild by hiring and training two auditors 

and an audit manager. With sufficient FY 2013 funding, the OIG can 

conduct grant audits and agreed-upon procedure engagements that 

support the CNCS mission.

During FY 2013, we anticipate conducting a number of audits/

evaluations that were scheduled to be performed in FY 2012. These 

include an evaluation of internal controls and related potential cost 

savings in the AmeriCorps NCCC program; and an evaluation of the 

Professional Corps model and the pre-professional training programs 

to determine whether these programs are 1) providing a valid service, 

2) fairly available across regional boundaries, and 3) addressing unmet 

community needs.

CNCS is responsible for complying with the Improper Payments and 

Elimination and Recovery Act (IPERA) of 2010. It requires agencies 

to annually identify programs and activities susceptible to improper 

payments, estimate the annual amount, and submit the estimate to 

Congress. In FY 2011, CNCS estimated it had no overpayments and 

one minor improper payment of $2. It also stated that it has sufficient 

controls to prevent improper payments. In FY 2013 we will perform a 

review of the CNCS assessment of improper payments and evaluate its 

compliance with IPERA, Executive Orders, and applicable OMB guidance.

We also plan to audit CNCS’ space utilization at its headquarters 

location. As a result of recent budget constraints and the promotion 

of telework opportunities, many agencies are seeking methods to use 

workspaces more efficiently and effectively. Performing this scheduled 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 49

Office of Inspector General | PART IV 

audit will determine whether CNCS utilizes its space in an efficient and 

economic manner, and will identify further potential cost-savings. 

We further plan a FY 2013 review of CNCS conference spending. 

Following the guidance contained in OMB Memorandum M-11-35, dated 

September 21, 2011, we will examine whether CNCS plans and executes 

its conferences in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

During FY 2011, our Audit Section issued 21 reports that identified 

$959,792 in questioned costs and $581,528 in funds that could be put 

to better use. Our audits included 213 recommendations to improve 

CNCS and grantee operations, and also resulted in the termination of 

grants to a number of grantees and sub-grantees.

In FY 2011, the Audit Section issued an agreed-upon procedures report 

on the American Samoa Special Services Commission. The report 

identified significant questioned costs, including extensive personal 

travel charged to the grants, and revealed serious deficiencies in all 

facets of the program. Based on our findings, CNCS placed a manual 

hold on the Commission’s grant drawdowns, and delayed future awards 

pending resolution of all investigative and audit issues. In addition, 

the Governor of American Samoa informed CNCS that all Commission 

employees were relieved of their duties and the office was closed.

The Audit Section continued in FY 2011 to concentrate on staffproduced, high-priority performance reviews that have a global impact 

on CNCS and its grantees. For example, we conducted an evaluation 

of CNCS’s inaugural Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant award process 

in response to requests from Congress and CNCS management. We 

found that the SIF policies and procedures were applied in a fair and 

objective manner; however, CNCS deviated slightly from its existing 

grant application and review procedures. CNCS management generally 

concurred with our recommendations and issued a policy statement to 

increase transparency in the Grant Application Review Process (GARP).

Prior OIG audits and investigations repeatedly revealed findings 

and questioned costs whereby the AmeriCorps programs approved 

partial education awards to early-exited members in spite of 

improper Compelling Personal Circumstances (CPC) justifications in 

accordance with Title 45 C.F.R. § 2522.230 and insufficient supporting 

documentation. For these reasons, the OIG conducted an audit in FY 

2011 to determine whether the AmeriCorps members exited the program 

based on a legally valid justification. We also assessed CNCS’ internal 

controls surrounding the CPC’s review and authorization process. We 

noted a wide-spread non-compliance for approximately 75 percent of 

our tested population, resulting in total questioned costs of $328,574, of 

which $120,352 was identified as improper payments. 

Support Section

The OIG Support Section requires $1.173 million for FY 2013 to meet the 

needs of OIG management, and audit, investigative, and information 

technology (IT) staff in the areas of physical security, human resources, 

budgeting, and accounting.

The support budget provides funding for the staff of the immediate 

office of the Inspector General. It also includes all OIG common services, 

including rent, commuter benefits, supplies, and materials. 

We are continuing to streamline our financial and administrative policies 

and procedures with a revised telework policy, implementation of a 

property management system, and a data information management 

system. We expect to achieve full implementation of these new 

initiatives by the end of FY 2013. Our strategic goal for the Support 

Section is to promote office efficiency, increase productivity, and create a 

more environmentally conscious workplace.

Information Technology (IT)

For FY 2013, our IT Section requires $573K as we seek to rebuild our 

staff and further improve the technologies which support our auditors 

and investigators. In FY 2013, we plan on hiring an IT specialist focused 

on evaluations of CNCS’ systems and security and to redouble our efforts 

to identify and apply new and more efficient technologies, including full 

virtualization and cloud computing.

Specific IT initiatives for 2013 include: 

• Continued development of two new specialized information systems for 

our Audit and Investigative sections;

• Further development of a third new information system that will allow us 

to perform quantitative and qualitative analyses of grantee performance, 

allowing us to better identify potential fraud before it occurs;

• Implementation of new telework technologies using Virtual Private 

Network (VPN); and

• Bolstering our information security capabilities using leading edge 

technologies and practices.

Strategic Goals and Performance Measures

The OIG operates independently from CNCS but, to the extent not 

inconsistent with its independence, works with CNCS to achieve what 

is best for CNCS’ service programs, its participants, and the Americans 

they serve. The OIG designed its strategic goals to promote economy, 

efficiency, and effectiveness and to detect and prevent fraud, waste and 

abuse, and mismanagement in CNCS programs and operations. The 
50 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

general purpose of these goals is to improve CNCS’ ability to meet its 

responsibilities and achieve its mission.

In FY 2013, the OIG will focus on areas intended to enhance the 

management and overall performance of CNCS. It will provide information 

designed to further CNCS’ progress toward achieving its strategic goals 

and will help CNCS identify existing vulnerabilities, as well as those that 

may emerge from changes in its operations or environment.

The OIG’s Investigation Section will continue to conduct investigations 

when it obtains information that suggests misuse of CNCS funds; 

will aggressively seek sanctions, including monetary recoveries, from 

wrongdoers; will give Fraud Awareness Briefings to CNCS employees, 

volunteers, and stakeholders; and will participate in projects that 

strengthen agency operations.

The OIG’s FY 2013 audit and investigative plans are designed, to the 

best of the OIG’s ability, to assist CNCS in meeting its strategic goals, 

reducing program vulnerabilities, strengthening program integrity in 

the delivery of benefits to program participants, and increasing the 

efficiency and effectiveness with which CNCS manages and exercises its 

stewardship of grant funds.

With the proposed FY 2013 budget, the OIG will be able to perform the 

congressionally required annual audit of the CNCS financial statements; 

the annual FISMA evaluation; examinations of risk-assessed and 

selected CNCS grants and operations; and assessments of CNCS efforts 

to protect the financial integrity of the National Service Trust.

Goal 1. Reduce program vulnerabilities, strengthen program integrity, 

and CNCS’ efforts to efficiently manage its programs and implement 

effective internal controls. We will do this by providing timely and 

independent information to the agency’s Board of Directors, Chief 

Executive Officer, senior management, and Congress regarding the 

effectiveness and efficiency of CNCS programs and operations. 

Strategies

• Continuously monitor and assess risk in CNCS programs and 

operations to identify those critical to the achievement of our goals; and 

• Identify resources needed to address those critical risks. 

Performance Measures 

• Identify OIG direct resources dedicated to critical risk or high impact 

areas;

• Quantify the number of audit or evaluation recommendations for which 

management decisions are achieved within one year of report issuance;

• Quantify the number of audits or evaluations delivered within time 

frames agreed to with stakeholders; 

• Quantify the number of completed investigations that result in a referral 

for action to the Department of Justice, state or local law enforcement 

officials, or relevant administrative authority; 

• Quantify the number of closed investigations that result in an

indictment, conviction, civil suit or settlement, judgment, administrative 

action, or monetary recovery; 

• Identify the number of inquiries not acted upon for formal audit or 

investigation that resulted in the inquiry being routed to the proper 

agency, office, or official; and 

• Measure the impact of audits, evaluations, or investigative inquiries 

in which CNCS management’s action resulted in positive change, cost 

savings, compliance, or greater efficiency. 

Goal 2. Look ahead, anticipate change, stay flexible, and be prepared to 

meet new challenges. 

Strategies

• Hire, train, develop, motivate, and effectively lead a high-performing and 

diverse front-line supervisory and executive workforce with the technical, 

management, and leadership skills to meet OIG’s goals; 

• Hire, train, develop, and motivate non-supervisory employees by

providing opportunities for skill enhancement and career advancement; 

• Continuously acquire and deploy state-of-the-art technology, equipment, 

and other physical resources necessary for OIG to meet its goals; and 

• Enhance internal OIG communication so all staff understand OIG’s 

priorities and the contribution their work makes toward fulfilling OIG’s 

mission.

Performance Measures

• Assess the quality of OIG work through internal reviews and external 

peer reviews; and 

• Obtain feedback from OIG stakeholders. 

Goal 3. Make public the results of our reviews, to the extent allowable 

by law and privacy considerations, through a robust OIG website and 

social media tools, and look for ways to operate in an environmentally 

conscious or “green” manner. 

Strategies

• Operate a publicly accessible OIG website; 

• Keep the website current with postings of our audits, evaluations, or 

reviews; 

• Communicate OIG matters of importance to agency employees and 

grantees through our website, e-mail, and social media outlets; 

• Maximize use of OIG employee telework; 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 51

Office of Inspector General | PART IV 

• Enhance our use of electronic reporting and communications; and 

• Practice economy of supplies and equipment. 

Performance Measures

• Ensure that all official OIG reports will be posted within the time 

period specified in the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008; 

• Increase the use of telework where operationally sound; 

• Increase the use of report distribution via electronic media; and 

• Purchase equipment with Energy Star or similar energy-efficiency 

ratings.
52 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Table 26. Obligations by Object Classification–OIG (dollars in thousands)

FY11 Enacted

FY12 

Enacted FY13 Request

Increase/ (Decrease) 

2012-2013 

Total number of permanent positions 37 38 22 (18)

Full-time equivalent employment (FTE) 34 15 22 7

11.1 - Full-Time Permanent 3,503 2,538 2,516 (22)

11.3 - Other than full-time permanent 0 0 0 0

11.5 - Other personnel compensation 221 0 155 155

11.7 - Military personnel compensation 0 0 0 0

11.8 - Special personal services payments 0 0 0 0

Total, personnel compensation 3,724 2,538 2,671 133

12.1 - Civilian personnel benefits 1,044 747 721 (26)

12.2 - Military personnel benefits 0 0 0 0

13.0 - Benefits for former personnel 0 501 0 (501)

21.0 - Travel and transportation of persons 303 33 120 87

22.0 - Transportation of things 3 0 0 0

23.1 - Rental payments to GSA 324 81 164 83

23.2 - Rental payments to others 0 0 0 0

23.3 - Communications, utilities, and misc. charges 48 6 43 37

24.0 - Printing and reproduction 6 0 5 5

25.1 - Advisory and assistance services 0 0 0 0

25.2 - Other Services 2,151 81 1,634 1,553

25.3 - Other purchases from Government accounts 0 0 0 0

25.4 - Operation and maintenance of facilities 0 0 0 0

25.5 - Research and development contracts 0 0 0 0

25.6 - Medical care 0 0 0 0

25.7 - Operation and maintenance of equipment 0 0 0 0

25.8 - Subsistence of support of persons 0 0 0 0

26.0 - Supplies and Materials 50 5 25 20

31.0 - Acquisition of Equipment 31 0 17 17

32.0 - Acquisition of land and structures 0 0 0 0

33.0 - Investments and loans 0 0 0 0

41.0 - Grants, subsidies, and contributions 0 0 0 0

42.0 - Insurance claims and indemnities 0 0 0 0

43.0 - Interest and dividends 0 0 0 0

44.0 - Refunds 0 0 0 0

94.0 - Financial transfers 0 0 0 0

Total Obligations 7,684 3,992 5,400 (1,408)

Control Total 7,684 3,992 5,400 (1,408)
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 53

Appendices | PART V

Appendices | PART V

Appendix A. Corporation for National and Community Service Enacted Budget 

From FY 1994–2013 Request (dollars in thousands)

Activity FY94 Enacted FY95 Enacted FY96 Enacted FY97 Enacted FY98 Enacted

Total, Operating Expenses 543,503 651,587 566,844 586,499 653,975

National Service Trust $98,751 $115,070 $56,000 $59,000 $70,000

AmeriCorps State and National Grants 155,500 219,000 215,000 215,000 227,000

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance2 31,900 30,000 29,850 30,000 30,000

Evaluation 4,600 5,500 5,000 5,000 5,000

AmeriCorps NCCC 10,000 18,000 18,000 18,000 18,000

Learn and Serve America 40,000 46,000 43,000 43,000 43,000

State Commissions Admin. Grants1 24,750 28,723 24,918 25,000 27,000

Partnership Grants 5,000 5,830 5,500 5,500 5,500

AmeriCorps VISTA 42,724 47,700 41,235 41,235 65,235

Special Volunteer Programs - - - - -

National Senior Service Corps 130,278 135,764 128,341 144,764 163,240

RSVP 34,388 35,708 34,949 35,708 40,279

Foster Grandparent Program 66,117 67,812 62,237 77,812 87,593

Senior Companion Program 29,773 31,244 31,155 31,244 35,368

Senior Demonstration Program 0 1,000 0 0 0

Disability Placement Funds 0 0 0 0 0

Training & Technical Assistance 0 0 0 0 0

Salaries & Expense Account1,2 31,151 31,160 28,541 27,850 28,129

Office of the Inspector General 944 2,000 2,000 2,000 3,000

 Total, CNCS $575,598 $684,747 $597,385 $616,349 $685,104

1

 NCSA administrative expenses are included in the State Commission Admin. Grants Program line item prior to FY 2004

2

 Pursuant to P.L. 110-28 $1.360 million was transferred from Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance to the Salaries and Expense Account in FY 2007.
54 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix A. Corporation for National and Community Service Enacted Budget 

From FY 1994–2013 Request (dollars in thousands)

Activity FY99 Enacted FY00 Enacted FY01 Enacted FY02 Enacted FY03 Enacted

Total, Operating Expenses 682,266 696,545 729,112 698,501 745,755

National Service Trust $70,000 $70,000 $69,846 $0 $99,350

AmeriCorps State and National Grants 237,000 233,395 230,492 240,492 173,863

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance2 28,500 28,500 28,437 28,488 35,269

Evaluation 5,000 5,000 4,989 5,000 2,981

AmeriCorps NCCC 18,000 17,892 20,954 24,896 24,838

Learn and Serve America 43,000 43,000 42,905 43,000 42,721

State Commissions Admin. Grants1 28,356 27,895 30,932 30,991 32,289

Partnership Grants 5,500 7,741 28,936 29,000 14,901

AmeriCorps VISTA 73,000 80,574 83,074 85,255 93,674

Special Volunteer Programs - - - 5,000 9,9935

National Senior Service Corps 173,910 182,818 188,547 206,379 215,934

RSVP 43,001 46,117 48,884 54,884 58,501

Foster Grandparent Program 93,256 95,988 98,868 106,700 110,775

Senior Companion Program 36,573 39,219 40,395 44,395 46,260

Senior Demonstration Program 1,080 1,494 400 400 398

Disability Placement Funds 0 0 0 0 0

Training & Technical Assistance 0 0 0 0 0

Salaries & Expense Account1,2 29,129 31,129 32,229 32,213 34,346

Office of the Inspector General 3,000 3,985 4,989 4,994 5,961

 Total, CNCS $714,395 $731,659 $766,330 $735,708 $786,062

1

 NCSA administrative expenses are included in the State Commission Admin. Grants program line item prior to FY 2004.

2

 Pursuant to P.L. 110-28 $1.360 million was transferred from Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance to the Salaries and Expense Account in FY 2007.

(continued)
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 55

Appendices | PART V

Appendix A. Corporation for National and Community Service Enacted Budget 

From FY 1994–2013 Request (dollars in thousands)

Activity FY04 Enacted FY05 Enacted FY06 Enacted FY07 Enacted FY08 Enacted

Total, Operating Expenses 867,833 856,574 837,936 805,760 782,744

National Service Trust $129,233 $142,848 $138,600 $117,720 $122,539

AmeriCorps State and National Grants 312,147 287,680 264,825 264,825 256,805

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance2 11,159 13,227 16,280 29,771 18,893

Evaluation 2,982 3,522 3,960 3,960 3,891

AmeriCorps NCCC 24,853 25,296 36,730 26,789 23,782

Learn and Serve America 42,746 42,656 37,125 37,125 37,459

State Commissions Admin. Grants1 11,929 11,904 12,516 12,516 11,790

Partnership Grants 14,913 14,384 14,850 0 0

AmeriCorps VISTA 93,731 94,240 95,464 95,468 93,800

Special Volunteer Programs 9,976 4,960 - - -

National Senior Service Corps 214,264 215,857 217,586 217,586 213,785

RSVP 58,156 58,528 59,685 59,685 58,642

Foster Grandparent Program 110,121 111,424 110,937 110,937 108,999

Senior Companion Program 45,987 45,905 46,964 46,964 46,144

Senior Demonstration Program 0 0 0 0 0

Disability Placement Funds 0 0 0 0 0

Training & Technical Assistance 0 0 0 0 0

Salaries & Expense Account1,2 61,321 64,480 66,083 70,324 67,759

Office of the Inspector General 6,213 5,952 5,940 4,963 5,828

 Total, CNCS $935,367 $927,006 $909,959 $881,047 $856,331

1

 NCSA administrative expenses are included in the State Commission Admin. Grants program line item prior to FY 2004.

2

 Pursuant to P.L. 110-28 $1.360 million was transferred from Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance to the Salaries and Expense Account in FY 2007.

(continued)
56 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix A. Corporation for National and Community Service Enacted Budget

From FY 1994–2013 Request (dollars in thousands)

Activity FY09 Enacted FY10 Enacted FY11 Enacted FY12 Enacted

FY13 

President’s 

Budget

Total, Operating Expenses 811,639 1,041,521 967,594 960,053 961,242

National Service Trust $131,075 $197,000 $199,260 $211,797 $208,744

AmeriCorps State and National Grants 271,196 372,547 349,300 344,348 345,000

Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance2 18,893 60,500 60,379 53,280 53,215

Evaluation 3,891 6,000 5,988 2,994 5,000

AmeriCorps NCCC 27,500 29,000 28,942 31,882 30,110

Learn and Serve America 37,459 39,500 0 0 0

State Commissions Admin. Grants1 11,790 17,000 16,966 13,441 15,990

Partnership Grants 0 0 0 0 0

AmeriCorps VISTA 96,050 99,074 98,876 94,820 95,300

Special Volunteer Programs - - - - -

National Senior Service Corps 213,785 220,900 207,883 207,491 207,883

RSVP 58,642 63,000 50,299 50,204 50,299

Foster Grandparent Program 108,999 110,996 110,774 110,565 110,774

Senior Companion Program 46,144 46,904 46,810 46,722 46,810

Senior Demonstration Program 0 0 0 0 0

Disability Placement Funds 0 5,000 4,990 0 3,000

Training & Technical Assistance 0 7,500 7,485 1,996 5,000

Salaries & Expense Account1,2 71,715 88,000 87,824 82,843 88,000

Office of the Inspector General 6,512 7,700 7,684 3,992 5,400

 Total, CNCS $889,866 $1,149,721 $1,075,577 $1,048,884 $1,062,642

1

 NCSA administrative expenses are included in the State Commission Admin. Grants program line item prior to FY 2004.

2

 Pursuant to P.L. 110-28 $1.360 million was transferred from Innovation, Demonstration, and Assistance to the Salaries and Expense Account in FY 2007.

(continued)
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 57

Appendices | PART V

Appendix B: Summary of CNCS Programs

The following exhibit provides information about CNCS programs and other activities.

Program/Activity Description FY13 Request 

(in Thousands)

Major Programs

AmeriCorps State 

and National

Grant programs designed and managed by community organizations that build and 

strengthen the infrastructure of the nonprofit sector, increasing the scope and quality 

of services available to those most in need. Federal funds are heavily leveraged via 

partnerships with states, local communities, and private organizations.

$345,000.00

AmeriCorps VISTA Anti-poverty program that provides opportunities for individuals 18 years or older for a 

full year of service in low-income communities. VISTA members support the efforts of 

nonprofits and communities to build and enhance sustainable anti-poverty programs.

 $95,300.00 

AmeriCorps NCCC Team-based service performed by youth, 18-24 years of age, serving in campus-based 

residential programs and supporting community and national-based organizations, 

tribes, educational institutions, local municipalities, and state and national parks.

 $30,110.00 

National Service Trust Provides funds for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for eligible national service 

participants. A full-time education award is $5,550 for AmeriCorps members who start 

service in FY 2012.

 $208,744.00 

State Commission 

Administration Grants

Formula grants to State Service Commissions, matched dollar for dollar with state funds, 

which support Commissions in conducting grant competitions and monitoring subgrantee performance.

 $15,990.00 

Senior Corps-RSVP Grants awarded to eligible sponsors to develop and manage flexible non-stipend 

opportunities for volunteers age 55 and older to help improve their lives while delivering a 

wide range of community services to nonprofits and public agencies.

$50,299.00 

Senior Corps-FGP Grants awarded to community organizations for stipended service for volunteers age 55 

and older to support children and youth with special or exceptional needs. Volunteers 

meeting income eligibility requirements receive an hourly cash stipend.

$110,774.00

Senior Corps-SCP Grants awarded to community organizations for stipended service for volunteers age 

55 and older to help individuals, primarily frail seniors, to remain independent in their 

homes. Volunteers meeting income eligibility requirements receive an hourly cash stipend.

$46,810.00

Innovation and 

Demonstration Activities

Supports and encourages new forms of service and civic participation. Includes funding 

for the Social Innovation Fund, Serve America Fellowships, a national Call to Service 

Campaign, and 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.

 $53,215.00 

Disability Grants Disability grants provide Americans with disabilities the opportunity to participate in 

strengthening their communities through volunteering and service. 

 $3,000.00 

Training and 

Technical Assistance

The Serve America Act authorizes a new subtitle J for training and technical assistance 

for programs under the national service laws. 

$5,000.00

Evaluation Evaluation at CNCS is dedicated to developing and cultivating knowledge that will 

enhance the mission and support the strategic goals of CNCS and of national and 

community service programs.

$5,000.00

Salaries and Expenses Funds for administering and managing National and Community Service programs. $88,000.00 
58 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix C: Summary of Program Benefits for Participants

Program Eligibility Stipend

AmeriCorps State and National In general, an AmeriCorps State and National member must (1) be as least 

17 years old at the commencement of services, or have been an out-ofschool youth 16 years of age at the commencement of service, participating 

in a youth corps program; (2) s/he must have a high-school diploma (or its 

equivalent) or agree to obtain a high-school diploma or its equivalent prior 

or using the ed awards, and (3) s/he must be a citizen, national, or lawful 

permanent resident alien of the United States.

Minimum Living allowance of 

$12,000 for full-time members 

in program Year 2012. A Living 

allowance is not required for 

less than full-time members or 

EAP members. 

AmeriCorps NCCC An AmeriCorps NCCC member must (1) be between the ages of 18 and 24 

years old, and (2) s/he must be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent 

resident alien of the United States. 

Yes. The Living Allowance 

($400/month for 10 months), 

lodging and meals. Team 

Leaders earn $1136 per month 

during 11 months of service.

AmeriCorps VISTA An AmeriCorps VISTA member must (1) be 18 Years of age or older, and (2) s/

he must be a citizen, national, or legal resident of the United States.

Yes. Living Allowance: In FY12 

range is projected to be $892/

month to $1590/month (based 

on regional cost of living and 

tied to the poverty rate.)

Senior Corps 1. RSVP 

2. Foster Grandparent Program 

3. Senior Companion Program 

Senior Corps programs use the term “volunteer” to describe a participant 

enrolled in a Senior Corps programs and supported by the grant award.

RSVP To be an RSVP volunteer, an individual must (1) be 55 years of age or older; 

(2) s/he must agree to serve without compensation, and (3) s/he must reside 

in or nearby the community served by RSVP.

No. 

Foster Grandparent Program To be a Foster Grandparent volunteer, an individual must (1) be 60 years of 

age or older. (2) S/he must be determined by a physical examination to be 

capable, with or without reasonable accommodation, of serving children 

with exceptional or special needs without detriment to either himself or 

herself or children served. (3) In order to receive a stipend, the individual 

must have an income that is within the income eligibility guidelines (within 

200% of poverty).

Yes, if income guidelines are 

met (200% of poverty), then 

receive $2.65/hour tax free.

Senior Companion Program To be a Senior Companion, an individual must (1) be 60 years of age or older. 

(2) S/he must be determined by a physical examination to be capable, with or 

without reasonable accommodation, of serving children with exceptional or 

special needs without detriment to either himself or herself or children served. 

(3) In order to receive a stipend, the individual must have an income that is 

within the income eligibility guidelines (within 200 percent of poverty).

Yes, if income guidelines are 

met (200% of poverty), then 

receive $2.65/hour tax free.

Learn and Serve America - K-12 

and Higher Education Programs

School-based participants must (1) be youth ages 5 to 17 and/or children 

with disabilities as defined in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (20 USC 1401, et seq). (2) Higher Education participants can 

include students, faculty, staff, and other community volunteers.

No.

Learn and Serve America - Summer 

of Service

Summer of Service program participants must be enrolled in any of grades 6 

through 12 at the end of the summer concerned (giving priority to programs 

that enroll youth who will be enrolled in any of grades 6 through 9 at the end 

of the summer concerned) during the summer months. 

No.

SIF - see Appendix I
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 59

Appendices | PART V

Appendix C: Summary of Program Benefits for Participants

Program Term of Service Health care Childcare

Segal AmeriCorps 

Education Award

AmeriCorps State and National An AmeriCorps member 

serves full-time (1,700 

hours up to 12 months) 

or part-time (up to 900 

hours in up to 2 years).

Full-time members 

must receive health 

care benefits except for 

EAP. Less than full-time 

members may not receive 

health care with CNCS 

funds.

Only members are eligible 

to receive childcare. Rate 

established by state 

Child Care Development 

Grant (CCDG).

Yes.

AmeriCorps NCCC An AmeriCorps NCCC 

member serves fulltime in a team-based 

residential program for 

10 months.

Yes. CNCS administered 

health plan. 

Yes. Maximum $400/ou 

month per child.

Yes.

AmeriCorps VISTA Full-time for one year. Yes. CNCS administered 

health plan.

Yes. Maximum $400/ 

month per child.

Yes or may select an 

end of service stipended 

accrued at the rate of 

$125/month.

Senior Corps

RSVP Open enrollment-no set 

schedule. Can serve 

as few or as many as 

the volunteer chooses 

(volunteer hours vary).

No. No. No.

Foster Grandparent Program Open enrollment service 

schedule between 15 and 

40 hours per week. 

No. (Note: Each Foster 

Grandparent receives 

a physical examination 

annually with the cost 

covered by the project/

grantee).

No. No.

Senior Companion Program Open enrollment service 

schedule between 15 and 

40 hours per week. 

No. (Note: Each Senior 

Companion receives a 

physical examination 

annually with the cost 

covered by the project/

grantee).

No. No.

Learn and Serve America - K-12 

and Higher Education Programs

Not applicable. No. No. No.

Learn and Serve America - Summer 

of Service

Not less than 100 hours 

of service during the 

summer months.

No. No. Education award of $500 

(or, at the discretion 

of the Chief Executive 

Officer, $750 in the 

case of a participant 

who is economically 

disadvantaged).

SIF - see Appendix I

(continued)
60 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix D: Grantee Match Requirements

At a Glance

AmeriCorps State and National 

For grants made from FY 2012 Appropriations, AmeriCorps State and National grantees must meet the following minimum requirements based on the 

number of years they have been operating their AmeriCorps program.

Minimum grantee requirement

Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10

24% 24% 24% 26% 30% 34% 38% 42% 46% 50%

Programs in severely economically distressed communities or rural areas may be allowed to follow alternative match requirements, as per the 

following schedule:

Alternative match requirements

Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10

24% 24% 24% 24% 24% 24% 29% 31% 33% 35%

Programs that can demonstrate an inability to raise either the minimum grantee requirements or the alternative grant requirements, shown above, 

may apply to CNCS for a full or partial waiver.

AmeriCorps Education Award Program

No match requirement.

AmeriCorps 

Fixed amount grants—no match requirement.

AmeriCorps NCCC

No match requirement.

AmeriCorps VISTA

Certain project sponsors (not grantees) share in the project costs with AmeriCorps VISTA by providing VISTA members’ subsistence allowance. 

Cost-sharing among projects is encouraged but not required by AmeriCorps VISTA. Additionally, AmeriCorps VISTA has a limited number of projects 

receiving operating grants; VISTA does not require a non-federal match from these projects.
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 61

Appendices | PART V

Appendix E: AmeriCorps Members by Program Type: FY 1996–2013

Program

Actual 

1996 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

1997 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

1998 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

1999 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2000 

Awarded Pct

Education Award Program N/A 15,280 31.3% 10,508 20.8% 12,464 22.4% 16,436 25.1%

National Direct 8,239 28.8% 6,601 13.5% 7,446 14.7% 7,020 12.6% 6,958 10.6%

State Formula and Competitive 14,625 51.1% 19,701 40.4% 21,181 41.9% 22,123 39.7% 28,088 42.9%

Territories 93 0.3% 246 0.5% 59 0.1% 215 0.4% 252 0.4%

Tribes 97 0.3% 202 0.4% 135 0.3% 242 0.4% 425 0.6%

Other State and National 586 2.0% 1,212 2.5% 4,286 8.5% 5,796 10.4% 5,387 8.2%

VISTA Ed Awards 2,506 8.8% 3,150 6.5% 4,256 8.4% 4,653 8.4% 4,960 7.6%

VISTA Stipends 1,548 5.4% 1,442 3.0% 1,895 3.7% 1,959 3.5% 1,902 2.9%

NCCC 926 3.2% 964 2.0% 820 1.6% 1,195 2.1% 994 1.5%

Total 28,620 48,798 50,586 55,667 65,402

Program

Actual 

2001 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2002 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2003 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2004 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2005 

Awarded Pct

Education Award Program 20,651 28.4% 23,859 34.4% 6,899 21.6% 28,975 38.9% 25,024 34.2%

National Direct 7,287 10.0% 7,225 10.4% 3,517 11.0% 9,751 13.1% 10,221 14.0%

Professional Corps N/A N/A N/A - 1,545 2.1%

State Formula and Competitive 33,278 45.7% 29,548 42.7% 13,740 42.9% 28,436 38.2% 28,658 39.1%

Territories 128 0.2% 142 0.2% - 149 0.2% 26 0.0%

Tribes 212 0.3% 314 0.5% 86 0.3% 185 0.2% 162 0.2%

Other State and National 2,200 3.0% 752 1.1% 652 2.0% - -

VISTA Ed Awards 5,801 8.0% 4,270 6.2% 3,086 9.6% 4,061 5.4% 4,475 6.1%

VISTA Stipends 2,128 2.9% 1,920 2.8% 2,711 8.5% 1,782 2.4% 1,962 2.7%

NCCC 1,156 1.6% 1,250 1.8% 1,300 4.1% 1,184 1.6% 1,147 1.6%

Total 72,841 69,280 31,991 74,523 73,220
62 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix E: AmeriCorps Members by Program Type: FY 1996–2013

Program

Actual 

2006 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2007 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2008 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2009* 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2010** 

Awarded Pct

Education Award Program 23,112 29.8% 23,303 31.7% 22,111 29.6% 20,856 23.5% 20,521 (22.9%)

National Direct 11,332 14.6% 12,568 17.1% 13,810 18.5% 16,942 19.1% N/A

Professional Corps 1,331 1.7% 2,426 3.3% 1,645 2.2% 1,637 1.8% N/A

State Formula and Competitive 33,605 45.0% 27,047 36.8% 28,431 38.1% 36,183 40.8% N/A

Competitive Grants (new for 2010) N/A N/A N/A N/A 36,858 41.1%

State Formula Only (new for 2010) N/A N/A N/A N/A 22,198 24.5%

Territories 116 0.1% 123 0.2% 60 0.1% 60 0.1% 236 0.3%

Tribes 158 0.2% 80 0.1% 72 0.1% 91 0.1% 191 0.2%

Other State and National - - - - -

VISTA Ed Awards 4,797 6.2% 5,162 7.0% 4,871 6.5% 7,901 8.9% 6,537 7.3%

VISTA Stipends 2,057 2.6% 1,690 2.3% 2,533 3.4% 3,882 4.4% 2,100 2.3%

NCCC 1,126 1.5% 1,184 1.6% 1,102 1.5% 1,068 1.2% 1,200 1.3%

Total 77,634 73,583 74,635 88,620 89,631

Program

Actual 

2011 

Awarded Pct

Projected

2012 

Awarded Pct

Projected 

2013 

Awarded Pct

Education Award Program 16,906 20.5% 17,168 20.8% 17,201 20.9%

National Direct N/A

Professional Corps N/A

State Formula and Competitive N/A

Competitive Grants (new for 2010) 35,459 43.0% 34,795 42.2% 34,809 42.2%

State Formula Only (new for 2010) 21,082 25.6% 21,505 26.1% 21,454 26.0%

Territories 286 0.3% 305 0.4% 305 0.4%

Tribes 204 0.2% 232 0.3% 232 0.3%

Other State and National -

VISTA Ed Awards 5,507 6.7% 6,000 7.3% 6,000 7.3%

VISTA Stipends 1,797 2.2% 1,300 1.6% 1,400 1.7%

NCCC 1,200 1.5% 1200 1.5% 1,200 1.5%

Total 82,441 82,505 82,601

* FY 2009 data includes additional AmeriCorps State and National and VISTA members funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

** FY 2010 includes additional VISTA members funded under ARRA. 

 

(continued)
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 63

Appendices | PART V

Appendix F: AmeriCorps Members by Service Term: FY 1996–2013

Program

Actual 

1996 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

1997 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

1998 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

1999 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2000 

Awarded Pct

Full-time 19,607 68.5% 25,809 52.9% 27,401 54.2% 27,671 49.7% 29,944 46.0%

Full-time S/N 14,627 51.1% 20,253 41.5% 20,430 40.4% 19,864 35.7% 22,088 34.0%

Part-time 8,131 28.4% 16,858 34.5% 14,588 28.8% 15,545 27.9% 16,049 24.7%

Reduced Part-time 882 3.1% 6,131 12.6% 8,597 17.0% 12,451 22.4% 19,049 29.3%

Total 28,620 48,798 50,586 55,667 65,042

Program

Actual 

2011 

Awarded Pct

Projected 

2012 

Awarded Pct

Projected 

2013 

Awarded Pct

Full-time 38,043 46.1% 41,034 49.8% 40,628 49.3%

Full-time S/N 31,357 38.0% 33,434 40.6% 33,428 40.5%

Part-time 9,785 11.9% 8,779 10.6% 8,378 10.2%

Reduced Part-time 34,613 42.0% 33,691 40.9% 33,594 40.7%

Total 82,441 83,504 82,600

* FY 2009 data includes additional AmeriCorps State and National and VISTA members funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

** FY 2010 includes additional VISTA members funded under ARRA.

Program

Actual 

2001 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2002 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2003 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2004 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2005 

Awarded Pct

Full-time 34,450 47.3% 33,860 48.9% 18,470 57.7% 33,359 44.8% 32,459 44.3%

Full-time S/N 25,365 34.8% 26,420 38.1% 11,373 35.6% 26,332 35.3% 24,875 34.0%

Part-time 16,413 22.5% 14,366 20.7% 6,890 21.5% 15,262 20.5% 11,896 16.2%

Reduced Part-time 21,978 30.2% 21,054 30.4% 6,631 20.7% 25,902 34.8% 28,865 39.4%

Total 72,841 69,280 31,991 74,523 73,220

Program

Actual 

2006 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2007 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2008 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2009* 

Awarded Pct

Actual 

2010** 

Awarded Pct

Full-time 35,203 45.3% 33,937 46.1% 36,561 49.0% 44,599 50.3% 39,715 44.3%

Full-time S/N 27,223 35.1% 27,059 36.8% 28,822 38.6% 32,941 37.2% 32,151 35.9%

Part-time 12,839 16.5% 10,126 13.8% 9,971 13.4% 11,113 12.5% 11,581 12.9%

Reduced Part-time 29,592 38.1% 29,520 40.1% 28,103 37.7% 32,908 37.1% 38,335 42.8%

Total 77,634 73,583 74,635 88,620 89,631
64 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix G: AmeriCorps Programs over $500,000

The list below shows all AmeriCorps programs that received a grant of more than $500,000 in 2011 under the AmeriCorps State, National, and Fixed

Amount grant programs. The match levels shown are based on grantee budgets. Organizations that appear more than once are local affiliates of 

national organizations that are funded through State Commissions instead of the national organization. For example, City Year, Inc. is a National 

Direct grantee. There are also other City Year affiliates that receive funding through State Commissions. In the case of state programs, the 

Commissions are the grantees, but do not operate any programs directly. Therefore, for state programs, we list the subgrantees–the organizations 

that actually operate the programs. For National Direct programs, the grantee organization is listed.

Under Fixed Amount grants, organizations receive specific amounts per full-time member, and members who complete their service hours receive 

an education award. The organization bears all other operational and member support costs, including the living allowance. Therefore, no match is 

required and the Grantee Share is zero. In all other cases, the Grantee Share is the sum of other federal and all non-federal funds. 

Program Type State Grantee Name

CNCS 

Share

Grantee 

Share

Total 

Budget

% Grantee 

Match

 Fixed Amount NY Teach For America $9,648,366 $0 $9,648,366 0%

 National Direct MA YouthBuild USA, Inc. $8,959,462 $7,637,224 $16,596,686 46%

 National Direct MA City Year, Inc. $6,773,000 $7,293,000 $14,066,000 52%

 National Direct WI Public Allies, Inc. $6,331,000 $6,634,828 $12,965,828 51%

 State Competitive WA WA State Employment Security Department $6,166,000 $5,284,037 $11,450,037 46%

 Fixed Amount MD National Association of Community Health 

Centers, Inc.

$6,097,000 $0 $6,097,000 0%

 State Competitive MS Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning $4,546,305 $2,383,083 $6,929,388 34%

 State Competitive MN Minnesota Education Corps $4,225,000 $3,059,428 $7,284,428 42%

 Fixed Amount MD Notre Dame Mission Volunteers Program, Inc. $3,971,625 $0 $3,971,625 0%

 Fixed Amount GA Habitat for Humanity International, Inc. $3,900,000 $0 $3,900,000 0%

 Fixed Amount MS Digital Opportunity Trust USA $3,640,000 $0 $3,640,000 0%

 State Competitive MN Minnesota Education Corps $3,575,000 $3,045,956 $6,620,956 46%

 State Competitive WA WA State Employment Security Department $3,350,000 $2,425,865 $5,775,865 42%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $2,921,000 $2,921,010 $5,842,010 50%

 Fixed Amount MA Citizen Schools, Inc. $2,781,979 $0 $2,781,979 0%

 National Direct NJ Education Works $2,624,390 $2,971,254 $5,595,644 53%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $2,415,000 $2,415,000 $4,830,000 50%

 National Direct NY Local Initiatives Support Corporation $2,152,742 $2,639,690 $4,792,432 55%

 National Direct MA Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. $1,964,021 $2,093,588 $4,057,609 52%

 State Competitive CA Napa County Office of Education $1,960,000 $2,029,364 $3,989,364 51%

 State Competitive WA WA State Department of Ecology $1,920,000 $3,072,384 $4,992,384 62%

 National Direct PA Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council $1,872,000 $1,809,393 $3,681,393 49%

 State Competitive MT Montana Conservation Corps, Inc. $1,872,000 $3,073,892 $4,945,892 62%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $1,764,000 $2,324,000 $4,088,000 57%
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 65

Appendices | PART V

Appendix G: AmeriCorps Programs over $500,000

Program Type State Grantee Name

CNCS 

Share

Grantee 

Share

Total 

Budget

% Grantee 

Match

 National Direct DC Experience in Action d/b/a Experience Corps $1,753,552 $1,483,635 $3,237,187 46%

 State Formula NY Western New York AmeriCorps $1,689,498 $1,154,536 $2,844,034 41%

 State Competitive NY Harlem Children's Zone $1,651,000 $2,022,049 $3,673,049 55%

 National Direct OR Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest $1,569,013 $1,088,740 $2,657,753 41%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $1,550,000 $1,950,000 $3,500,000 56%

 National Direct DC National Association for Public Interest Law d/b/a 

Equal Justice Works

$1,506,886 $1,237,356 $2,744,242 45%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $1,495,000 $2,255,000 $3,750,000 60%

 National Direct DC National Association for Public Interest Law d/b/a 

Equal Justice Works

$1,425,337 $1,275,856 $2,701,193 47%

 State Competitive PA Keystone SMILES Community Learning Center $1,415,345 $1,182,185 $2,597,530 46%

 State Competitive WV West Virginia University Research Corp. $1,404,500 $1,027,201 $2,431,701 42%

 State Formula PA Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8: Pennsylvania 

Mountain Service Corps

$1,378,612 $1,172,115 $2,550,727 46%

 State Competitive ID Lewis-Clark State College $1,366,319 $1,932,050 $3,298,369 59%

 Fixed Amount NY New York City Office of the Mayor $1,365,000 $0 $1,365,000 0%

 State Formula PA Allegheny County Department of Human Services $1,364,795 $1,162,382 $2,527,177 46%

 State Competitive CA Bay Area Community Resources/BAYAC 

AmeriCorps

$1,363,753 $2,097,717 $3,461,470 61%

 State Formula MA City Year, Inc. $1,350,000 $1,150,000 $2,500,000 46%

 State Competitive HI Kupu $1,256,020 $680,857 $1,936,877 35%

 National Direct DC The Corps Network $1,226,425 $1,330,924 $2,557,349 52%

 National Direct PA Health Federation of Philadelphia $1,198,486 $970,668 $2,169,154 45%

 National Direct AZ Communities In Schools of Arizona $1,191,994 $2,180,946 $3,372,940 65%

 State Competitive CA California Conservation Corps $1,185,750 $1,557,833 $2,743,583 57%

 Fixed Amount DC The Corps Network $1,088,000 $0 $1,088,000 0%

 State Competitive MA Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. $1,057,778 $914,785 $1,972,563 46%

 State Formula NY After-School Corporation (The) $1,056,259 $1,691,602 $2,747,861 62%

 National Direct CA Playworks Education Energized $1,039,999 $2,846,718 $3,886,717 73%

 Fixed Amount MN Duluth Public Schools $1,033,200 $0 $1,033,200 0%

 State Competitive CA Administrative Office of the Courts $1,018,884 $723,978 $1,742,862 42%

 State Formula TX Central Dallas Ministries $1,008,697 $542,394 $1,551,091 35%

 National Direct NY Up2Us, Inc. $1,005,420 $1,020,959 $2,026,379 50%

 State Competitive CA Child Abuse Prevention Council, Inc. $996,561 $1,512,398 $2,508,959 60%

(continued)
66 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix G: AmeriCorps Programs over $500,000

Program Type State Grantee Name

CNCS 

Share

Grantee 

Share

Total 

Budget

% Grantee 

Match

 Fixed Amount MN Admission Possible $728,000 $0 $728,000 0%

 State Competitive WA Educational Service District 101 $720,591 $523,892 $1,244,483 42%

 State Competitive TX CIS of Central Texas $709,521 $709,980 $1,419,501 50%

 National Direct DC AIDS United $702,000 $1,507,753 $2,209,753 68%

 State Formula MI The Guidance Center $695,657 $694,781 $1,390,438 50%

 State Competitive MD

Department of Natural Resources - Maryland 

Conservation Corps $686,222 $955,652 $1,641,874 58%

 State Formula NY Erie Regional Housing Development Corporation, 

Inc.-The Belle Center

$677,542 $447,819 $1,125,361 40%

 State Competitive KY Homeless And Housing Coalition of Kentucky $674,144 $647,987 $1,322,131 49%

 State Formula FL Florida Department of Environmental Protection $668,824 $413,912 $1,082,736 38%

 State Formula OK Oklahoma Community Service Commission $664,802 $481,413 $1,146,215 42%

 State Formula NY Teach For America $655,762 $260,349 $916,111 28%

 State Competitive CA City of Sacramento - START $650,740 $2,029,333 $2,680,073 76%

 National Direct MA TechMission, Inc. $650,000 $516,145 $1,166,145 44%

 State Formula MN Minnesota Education Corps $639,971 $704,280 $1,344,251 52%

 State Formula GU University Of Guam $639,903 $354,013 $993,916 36%

 State Competitive MT The University of Montana $639,492 $602,520 $1,242,012 49%

 State Competitive WI Public Allies, Inc. $637,000 $679,794 $1,316,794 52%

 State Competitive NY Monroe Community College $633,470 $539,623 $1,173,093 46%

 State Competitive WA Kitsap Community Resources $630,005 $496,533 $1,126,538 44%

 State Formula NY Western New York AmeriCorps $629,334 $235,430 $864,764 27%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $625,000 $554,246 $1,179,246 47%

 Fixed Amount NY FoodCorps, Inc. $625,000 $0 $625,000 0%

 State Competitive NV Great Basin Institute $613,695 $1,863,910 $2,477,605 75%

 State Formula MN Minnesota Education Corps $609,084 $724,413 $1,333,497 54%

 Fixed Amount MD Catholic Volunteer Network $608,000 $0 $608,000 0%

 State Formula TX United Way of El Paso County $607,990 $268,867 $876,857 31%

 National Direct DC American National Red Cross $604,363 $561,966 $1,166,329 48%

 State Competitive CA Shasta County Child Abuse Prevention Council $603,889 $731,823 $1,335,712 55%

 State Competitive CA Kern County Superintendent of Schools $600,000 $1,432,207 $2,032,207 70%

 State Competitive MN Minnesota Conservation Corps $598,000 $250,259 $848,259 30%

 Fixed Amount MI B - H - K - Child Development Board $586,500 $0 $586,500 0%

(continued)
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 67

Appendices | PART V

Appendix G: AmeriCorps Programs over $500,000

Program Type State Grantee Name

CNCS 

Share

Grantee 

Share

Total 

Budget

% Grantee 

Match

 Fixed Amount AZ Coconino County Community Services $585,000 $0 $585,000 0%

 Tribal CA Hoopa Valley Tribe and Hoopa Forestry Division $585,000 $335,449 $920,449 36%

 State Formula MI Michigan Nonprofit Association $585,000 $0 $585,000 0%

 Fixed Amount WA Washington Campus Compact $585,000 $0 $585,000 0%

 State Competitive MA City Year, Inc. $579,601 $579,600 $1,159,201 50%

 National Direct CO Southwest Conservation Corps $576,915 $1,764,467 $2,341,382 75%

 State Competitive WI Operation Fresh Start, Inc. $564,126 $572,581 $1,136,707 50%

 State Formula TX Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD $563,622 $272,059 $835,681 33%

 State Formula NC East Carolina School of Education-Project Heart $562,208 $602,416 $1,164,624 52%

 State Formula FL Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition $559,991 $312,583 $872,574 36%

 State Competitive IN Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County Indiana, Inc $559,284 $408,290 $967,574 42%

 State Competitive MO Partnership For Youth, Inc. $557,790 $481,486 $1,039,276 46%

 State Competitive CA California Conservation Corps Watershed 

Stewards

$541,435 $1,005,297 $1,546,732 65%

 State Competitive NC UNCG - Office of Research Services $538,010 $2,083,804 $2,621,814 79%

 National Direct CA Reading Partners $532,000 $2,058,785 $2,590,785 79%

 State Formula PA Family Services of Butler Memorial Hospital $531,061 $451,940 $983,001 46%

 National Direct MA New Sector Alliance, Inc. $530,395 $1,081,628 $1,612,023 67%

 National Direct ME Goodwill Industries of Northern New England $530,000 $600,056 $1,130,056 53%

 State Competitive NY Fund for the City of New York $529,888 $201,910 $731,798 28%

 State Formula NY Teach For America $525,000 $225,000 $750,000 30%

 Fixed Amount TN Knoxville Knox County Community Action 

Committee

$519,975 $0 $519,975 0%

 State Competitive NH Student Conservation Association, Inc. $518,922 $652,407 $1,171,329 56%

 State Competitive WI Public Allies, Inc. $518,505 $461,384 $979,889 47%

 State Competitive CA Reading Partners $517,285 $1,761,967 $2,279,252 77%

 Fixed Amount NV WestCare Foundation, Inc. $512,080 $0 $512,080 0%

 State Formula MA Media and Technology Charter High (MATCH) 

School

$506,775 $396,700 $903,475 44%

 State Competitive IA Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources $506,727 $483,997 $990,724 49%

(continued)
68 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix H: FY 2012 AmeriCorps Formula Grant Allocation

State FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12

Alabama 1,267,542 1,208,480 1,223,964 2,096,427 1,975,058 2,234,591 

Alaska 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Arizona 1,699,504 1,655,251 1,706,598 2,684,552 2,541,103 2,861,476 

Arkansas 774,707 740,256 749,672 1,529,436 1,446,096 1,630,233 

California 10,048,095 9,545,212 9,650,323 12,148,399 11,434,561 12,949,034 

Colorado 1,310,082 1,269,497 1,296,835 2,194,924 2,081,365 2,339,579 

Connecticut 965,963 914,565 919,240 1,725,420 1,625,390 1,839,133 

Delaware 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

District of Columbia 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Florida 4,985,769 4,765,982 4,812,036 6,406,461 6,030,290 6,828,676 

Georgia 2,580,803 2,492,439 2,542,955 3,692,285 3,480,668 3,935,624 

Hawaii 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Idaho 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Illinois 3,536,630 3,356,211 3,387,256 4,652,573 4,363,343 4,959,199 

Indiana 1,740,074 1,656,958 1,674,203 2,630,739 2,473,848 2,804,117 

Iowa 821,895 780,274 788,309 1,566,338 1,478,904 1,669,567 

Kansas 761,809 724,901 735,690 1,507,400 1,426,002 1,606,745 

Kentucky 1,159,240 1,107,584 1,120,874 1,973,447 1,861,609 2,103,506 

Louisiana 1,181,755 1,121,093 1,158,038 2,028,911 1,916,845 2,162,626 

Maine 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Maryland 1,547,755 1,467,129 1,479,080 2,405,211 2,268,004 2,563,725 

Massachusetts 1,774,160 1,684,237 1,706,017 2,683,869 2,527,919 2,860,748 

Michigan 2,782,468 2,630,074 2,626,360 3,736,079 3,487,319 3,982,303 

Minnesota 1,424,109 1,357,265 1,370,594 2,270,179 2,138,098 2,419,794 

Mississippi 802,176 762,188 771,523 1,548,929 1,460,700 1,651,010 

Missouri 1,610,315 1,535,042 1,552,069 2,495,001 2,347,800 2,659,432 

Montana 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Nebraska 500,000 500,000 500,000 1,188,844 1,126,535 1,267,194 

Nevada 687,795 669,903 682,664 1,452,654 1,371,819 1,548,390 

New Hampshire 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

New Jersey 2,404,583 2,268,171 2,279,600 3,342,767 3,138,900 3,563,070 

New Mexico 538,709 514,408 520,985 1,255,243 1,191,311 1,337,970 

New York 5,320,993 5,039,253 5,117,103 6,719,208 6,291,855 7,162,034 
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 69

Appendices | PART V

Appendix H: FY 2012 AmeriCorps Formula Grant Allocation

State FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12

North Carolina 2,440,949 2,366,125 2,421,310 3,552,559 3,349,993 3,786,689 

North Dakota 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Ohio 3,163,463 2,994,378 3,015,582 4,226,295 3,952,744 4,504,827 

Oklahoma 986,470 944,597 956,288 1,778,016 1,682,813 1,895,196 

Oregon 1,019,969 978,580 995,066 1,821,215 1,720,924 1,941,241 

Pennsylvania 3,428,770 3,246,599 3,268,248 4,557,316 4,272,742 4,857,664 

Puerto Rico 1,082,538 1,359,316 1,038,117 1,865,355 1,702,427 1,988,291 

Rhode Island 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

South Carolina 1,190,983 1,150,994 1,176,154 2,050,467 1,936,479 2,185,602 

South Dakota 215,505 225,995 219,882 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Tennessee 1,664,359 1,607,716 1,631,695 2,591,202 2,442,686 2,761,974 

Texas 6,478,999 6,242,197 6,386,955 8,352,573 7,930,333 8,903,046 

Utah 702,825 690,780 718,438 1,496,749 1,422,988 1,595,392 

Vermont 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

Virginia 2,106,462 2,013,873 2,039,745 3,085,600 2,911,928 3,288,955 

Washington 1,762,751 1,689,112 1,719,474 2,705,875 2,561,330 2,884,204 

West Virginia 501,190 500,000 500,000 1,196,061 1,130,733 1,274,887 

Wisconsin 1,531,433 1,462,767 1,477,601 2,391,278 2,248,015 2,548,874 

Wyoming 500,000 500,000 500,000 628,908 600,000 670,356 

TOTAL 86,503,598 83,239,403 83,936,545 125,781,666 118,551,479 134,071,246

(continued)
70 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix I: Social Innovation Fund

Impact 

Area Grantees Awarded

Grant 

Duration Description

Initial 

Award FY

Economic Development

Jobs for the 

Future, Inc.

$7.7 million 2 year 

funding

Jobs for the Future, Inc. and the National Fund for Workforce Solutions 

(NFWS) will expand their targeted training and technical assistance 

to at least 23,000 low-income individuals over three years while also 

addressing the critical skill needs of more than 1,000 employers. 

The funds will dramatically increase economic opportunities for 

disadvantaged workers and job seekers through investments in regional 

workforce collaboratives that partner with employers to identify jobs and 

career pathways in high-growth industries.

FY10

Local 

Initiatives 

Support 

Corporation 

$4.2 million 1 year 

funding

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation will grow Financial Opportunity 

Centers – a workforce development and asset-building model that boosts 

earnings, reduces expenses and coaches low-income families on how 

to make better financial decisions – to five new cities and 7,500 total 

participants. The Centers are a core component of the organization’s 

strategy to build sustainable communities.

FY10

Mayor’s Fund 

to Advance 

New York City 

$5.7 million 1 year 

funding 

The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and the NYC Center for 

Economic Opportunity (CEO) will replicate five effective anti-poverty 

programs originally piloted by CEO in eight urban areas. By advancing the 

education, employment, and financial savings of low-income adults and 

families, the programs will combat poverty across a diverse cross-section 

of America.

FY10

REDF $3 million 2 year 

funding 

REDF will create job opportunities for thousands of Californians with 

multiple barriers to employment – including dislocated youth, individuals 

who have been homeless or incarcerated, and those with severe mental 

illness – in sustainable nonprofit social enterprises in low-income 

communities throughout the state. The project includes testing to determine 

the potential of these enterprises as scalable employment.

FY10

NCB Capital 

Impact

$2.0 million 2 year 

funding

NCBCI’s Stewardship Capacity Fund (SCF) will scale and replicate “shared 

equity homeownership” (SEH) programs to build the capacity of local 

organizations to more effectively manage public investment in affordable 

homeownership for low-income families.

FY11

Healthy Futures

Foundation 

for a Healthy 

Kentucky

$2 million 2 year 

funding 

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky will improve access to needed 

health services, reduce health risks and disparities, and promote health 

equity in six to10 low-income communities in Kentucky. Subgrantees will 

focus on testing innovative strategies to increase physical activity, improve 

nutrition, curb smoking and other unhealthy habits, and increase access 

to health services in underserved communities. Competitively pre-selected 

subgrantee: Barren River District Health Department ($250,000). 

FY10
CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 71

Appendices | PART V

Appendix I: Social Innovation Fund

Impact 

Area Grantees Awarded

Grant 

Duration Description

Initial 

Award FY

Missouri 

Foundation 

for Health 

$2 million 2 year 

funding 

The Missouri Foundation for Health is investing in seven sub-grantees 

working in low-income communities across the state to reduce risk 

factors and the prevalence of two preventable causes of chronic disease 

and death: tobacco use and obesity. The project draws on an integrated 

community change model blending two transformative models of 

prevention on obesity and tobacco control.

FY10

Healthy Futures (Continued)

National AIDS 

Fund 

$3.6 million 1 year 

funding 

The National AIDS Fund will support innovative strategies that increase 

access to care and improve health outcomes for at least 3,500 low-income 

individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The project will employ rigorous evaluation, 

informing the implementation of the White House National HIV/AIDS 

Strategy and offering lessons that reduce barriers to care for a broad range 

of people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases. 

FY10

US Soccer 

Federation 

Foundation

$2 million 2 year 

funding 

The US Soccer Federation Foundation (USSFF) will support the expansion 

and replication of Soccer for Success (SfS), a no-cost, after-school, 

sports-based youth development program whose goal is to improve health 

by arresting and reducing obesity through physical activity and nutrition 

education.

FY10

Corporation 

for Supportive 

Housing

2.3 million 2 year

funding 

Corporation for Supportive Housing will expand and replicate supportive 

housing models that combine health, housing, and social services to 

improve the health and housing outcomes from homeless individuals with 

complex health needs who frequent multiple public crisis systems.

FY11

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

New Profit, 

Inc.

$5 million 1 year 

funding 

New Profit, Inc. collaborates with five to six innovative youth-focused 

nonprofit organizations with existing evidence to yield significant 

improvements in helping young people navigate the increasingly complex 

path from high school to college and productive employment. The project 

will expand the reach of these nonprofits to improve the lives of nearly 

8,000 young people in low-income communities throughout the country. 

Competitively pre-selected subgrantees: College Summit ($2 million); 

iMentor ($750,000); Year Up ($2 million). 

FY10

(continued)
72 CNCS FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification 

The Corporation for National and Community Service

Appendix I: Social Innovation Fund (continued)

Impact 

Area Grantees Awarded

Grant 

Duration Description

Initial 

Award FY

The Edna 

McConnell 

Clark 

Foundation 

$10 million 1 year 

funding 

The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation is combining large grants, 

strategic business planning, rigorous evaluation, and capital aggregation 

to increase the scale and impact of nine youth development organizations 

in communities of need across the United States. Their subgrantees are 

focusing on improving the educational skills and workforce readiness 

of economically disadvantaged young people as well as helping them to 

avoid high-risk behavior. Competitively pre-selected subgrantees: Bell 

($2 million); CAS-Carrera ($1.5 million); CEO ($2.25 million); CHSNC ($2 

million); CII ($2 million); Communities In Schools ($2.5 million); Gateway 

to College Network ($2 million); Reading Partners ($2 million); SEED 

Foundation ($2 million).

FY10

Venture 

Philanthropy 

Partners 

$4 million 2 year 

funding 

Venture Philanthropy Partners will create a powerful network of effective 

nonprofit organizations in the Washington D.C. National Capital Region 

supporting an integrated approach to addressing the education and 

employment needs of low-income and vulnerable youth ages 14-24. 

Competitively pre-selected subgrantees: College Summit National Capital 

Region ($372,000); KIPP DC ($656,000); Latin American Youth Center 

($500,000); Year Up National Capital Region ($207,000). 

FY10

United 

Way for 

Southeastern 

Michigan

$4 million 2 year 

funding

United Way for Southeastern Michigan will build on the expertise of its 

partnering organizations and facilitate the development of a portfolio of 

replicable early childhood learning communities in 10 needy communities 

in greater Detroit and surrounding areas.

FY11

Mile High 

United Way

$3.6 million 2 year 

funding

Mile High United Way (MHUW) will fund subgrantee programs that 

leverage community volunteers to collectively address 3rd grade literacy 

rates in rural and urban areas across the state of Colorado. Building upon 

a strong state movement for reform and with strong bipartisan support 

from Colorado’s Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and state legislature, Mile 

High United Way is poised to introduce key transformations in Colorado’s 

education system.

FY11

MULTI-ISSUE: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL SUPPORT

United Way 

of Greater 

Cincinnati

$2 million 2 year 

funding 

United Way of Greater Cincinnati, the Strive Partnership, and other 

funders, will address the needs of low-income children and youth from 

“cradle to career” in the Greater Cincinnati-area though investments in 

early education, mentoring and literacy programs, college access, career 

pathways, and other innovations. 

FY10