For Immediate Release
June 1, 2021
Contact: Betsy Shelton
515.348.6228
betsy.shelton@iowaeda.com
DES MOINES, IA – Volunteer Iowa has approved federal and state AmeriCorps funding that will leverage private and local funding for a total of $12.2 million in support of over 700 AmeriCorps State members for the 2021-2022 program year. These AmeriCorps members will be eligible to earn over $2.6 million worth of Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an award of approximately $6,300 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.
With these awards, Iowa will now have over 1,500 AmeriCorps members serving, and over 7,400 National Service positions. AmeriCorps State grants provide funding to local organizations to support AmeriCorps members meeting critical community needs in the areas of education, disaster services, health, environmental stewardship, and economic opportunity.
In addition to the program grants listed below, Volunteer Iowa also approved the award of planning grant funding to four organizations to plan for future AmeriCorps operations. Several programs were also approved to request additional federal funding for the upcoming program year as it becomes available through the rollout of the American Rescue Plan Act, which will provide an additional $1 billion for AmeriCorps over the next several years. This investment will be used to expand national service programs into new communities and increase the opportunity for all Americans to serve their country.
Volunteer Iowa announced the following AmeriCorps State grants today:
| Grantee Organization | Program Name | Total Grant Award |
|---|---|---|
| Bur Oak Land Trust | Bur Oak Land Trust AmeriCorps | $335,397 |
| City of Davenport | City of Davenport AmeriCorps & Youth Corps Program | $997,604 |
| City of Dubuque | AmeriCorps Partners in Learning | $428,161 |
| City of Dubuque | City of Dubuque Creating Opportunities AmeriCorps Program | $194,950 |
| College Possible | College Possible Iowa AmeriCorps | $52,000 |
| Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa | Conservation Corps Iowa AmeriCorps | $278,622 |
| Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC) | RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps | $1,138,514 |
| Graceland University AmeriCorps Youth Launch | AmeriCorps Youth Launch | $414,634 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Iowa, Inc. | Habitat for Humanity of Iowa AmeriCorps | $773,794 |
| Iowa Children's Museum | Summer Ladder AmeriCorps Program | $40,417 |
| Iowa College Student Aid Commission | Course to College - College Access AmeriCorps | $354,908 |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Iowa Legal Aid AmeriCorps | $351,101 |
| Iowa State University | AmeriCorps Partnering to Protect Children | $324,309 |
| Iowa State University | Iowa AmeriCorps 4-H Outreach Program | $1,467,503 |
| Iowa Western Community College | Campus Compact AmeriCorps Program | $985,976 |
| Mercy ACO, LLC dba MercyOne Population Health Services Organization (PHSO) | AmeriCorps Community Health Worker Program | $160,000 |
| United Ways of Iowa | Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program | $1,485,841 |
| University of Northern Iowa | Green Iowa AmeriCorps | $2,279,499 |
| Zach Johnson Foundation | Kids on Course AmeriCorps | $405,293 |
Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through thousands of nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations across the country. These citizens have played a critical role in the recovery of communities affected by disasters and helped thousands of first-generation college students access higher education. They also tutor and mentor young people, connect veterans to jobs, care for seniors, reduce crime and revive cities, fight the opioid epidemic, and meet other critical needs.
As the federal agency for volunteering and service, AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle the county’s most pressing challenges. Since the agency’s inception in 1994, nearly 1.2 million AmeriCorps members have served the nation. Those interested in joining AmeriCorps can learn more at AmeriCorps.gov/Join.
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About Volunteer Iowa
Volunteer Iowa and its partner agencies work with organizations and individuals on three main fronts. The first is to help agencies develop quality programs that use service as a strategy to fulfill their missions and address Iowa’s greatest areas of need. The second is to help engage Iowans in their communities by promoting service and expanding the volunteer base. Finally, the third area of work is to connect individuals with appropriate service opportunities by building the volunteer infrastructure. More information is available at volunteeriowa.org.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.