Congress is looking to eliminate funding for AmeriCorps programs.  Such a bad idea – especially in these tough economic times when the demand placed on nonprofits has never been higher.  I am amazed that after my 16 years of working with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), state service commissions and AmeriCorps State and National programs throughout the country, how many people are still unaware of AmeriCorps and the MANY benefits the program brings to local communities.  When I mention to people that I train and consult with AmeriCorps, I often still have to say, “you know…it is the domestic Peace Corps.”  Then people get it.

AmeriCorps has never received the widespread recognition that it deserves and that is a true shame.  One of the topics I have done extensive work on with AmeriCorps programs nationally is performance measurement and evaluation – a key requirement of all AmeriCorps programs.  The bar is high to show real impact – and CNCS is enforcing even tougher standards through Agency-Wide priority measures tied to their strategic plan.  So what I know to be true is that these programs are providing fabulous service to their communities and making a significant measurable impact - because I have helped them figure out how to measure it!

What is AmeriCorps?

For those of you that don’t know, AmeriCorps is a National Service program that places members (aka volunteers) at nonprofits and state/local government agencies, often in teams, to provide volunteer service addressing specific local social and environmental needs. One of the things I really like about AmeriCorps is that it is great example of a federal/state/local partnership.  The federal portion of the dollars provided by CNCS for the program is matched locally via cash and in kind resources – basically dollar for dollar. AmeriCorps resources are focused on evidence-based programming in seven key areas (education, veterans and military families, disaster services, economic opportunity, healthy futures, environmental stewardship, and nonprofit capacity building) to leverage the greatest impact nationally. Each hosting organization tailors their program to provide locally relevant services

Full-time members give 1700 hours of their time, receive a tiny monthly living stipend, and at the end of their service commitment an educational award to pay for additional schooling or past educational debt.  While the majority of members are in the 20′s, there is no upper age limit and it is not uncommon to see 20 somethings working alongside people in their 40′s, 50s, and 60s from a wide range of backgrounds!  The monthly stipend is great, in my opinion, as it levels the playing field allowing people of any financial background to participate – not just those whose parents can afford to support them while they serve!

AmeriCorps members work directly with the beneficiaries of their hosting organization doing such things as tutoring students having trouble in school, running afterschool programs, cleaning up neighborhoods, developing neighborhood watch programs, assisting communities hit by disasters, running food pantries, and building homes – just to name a few.  All AmeriCorps programs are required to provide direct service to meet a documented community need, provide the necessary training for members to effectively provide high quality service and become more civically engaged, develop/strengthen partnerships among community organizations, and recruit other community members to get involved in giving back as volunteers.

Why should you care?

AmeriCorps truly expands the capacity of local nonprofits to meet local needs and allows them to offer services to the needy that would not be possible otherwise due to stretched resources due to diminishing charitable donations, hiring freezes and staff shortages.  Do a little research of your own and you’ll quickly see – AmeriCorps is no loosey goosey – pork barrel program.  AmeriCorps is a powerful investment in our country’s future.   Tell your Congresspeople to Save AmeriCorps!  Go to Voices for National Service or AmeriCorps Alums to learn how you can have your voice heard.

In the article, Light says that Generation “O” – for Obama – “is ready to do its part in putting the country on a more hopeful path.”  He makes the case that President-Elect Obama could mobilize “Generation O to help the nation’s struggling nonprofit sector” as the nation’s 1 million other charitable organizations and their 11 million employees are not flourishing.

He states, “there is already plenty of evidence that the sector is suffering. It is often the first to experience recession as households cut back on discretionary contributions and the last to recover. Of the nearly 1 million nonprofits up and running, as many as 100,000 will fail over the coming six months.”  He makes the case that “what the nation needs is an emergency program to rescue failing nonprofits while protecting healthy nonprofits from further job freezes and cuts.”

He talks about two possible initiatives which could help the sector.  “The first would be a loan fund for distressed nonprofits. This program would be administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which has shown its ability to work with states and nonprofit intermediaries to funnel money into needed activities, including the recruiting, training and deployment of volunteers. With an interest-bearing payback provision, the loan fund would carry minimal taxpayer risk and would be directed to distressed nonprofits that can prove their ability to spend the money to increase effectiveness.

The second initiative would be a call for Generation O to volunteer. This volunteerism cannot be the run-of-the-mill, episodic engagement that increasingly characterizes volunteering in America — the kind of come-and-go volunteering that rarely helps nonprofits fill vacancies in front-line service jobs. Rather, Obama should call upon his supporters to make durable, year-long commitments to specific high-impact jobs.”

Lots of things brewing!  What is true is that the Governors’ Commissions on National and Community Service (aka state service commissions) – the state level organizations that administer AmeriCorps and promote service and volunteerism as a strategy to address local issues – have more than 14 years experience with what it takes to run effective nonprofit programs to maximize the impact of scarce resources.  The AmeriCorps and other programs they administer and support are well-known for being great stewards of dollars and leveraging big impact from a minimal investment.  They also have huge networks within their state with nonprofits, government agencies and the private sector.  Hopefully they will be at the table to help figure out how to best mobilize citizens to make a difference and counteract the impact of tough economic times.

Read Light’s full article- it’s great food for thought!  Go National Service – your time to “explode” and show your true value may be near!!

The article talks about the role of diversification of financial portfolios as a way to minimize losses…however the  closing quote from John Griswold, executive director of the Commonfund Institute, stated that “Diversification has been the name of the game in endowments, and that’s good,” he says.  “The problem is, in a crisis like this, everything can go down and diversification doesn’t help.”

To read the full article, click here.