The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service, announced the availability of 2020 grant funding for the agency’s AmeriCorps program.

The notice of federal funding opportunity will award funds to AmeriCorps programs in the agency’s six focus areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families. The annual competition is open to nonprofit organizations, faith-based and other community organizations; higher-education institutions; local government entities within states or territories, such as cities or counties; and Indian Tribes. New organizations are encouraged to apply for these grants.

Special priority will be given to applicants that meet one of the 2020 funding priorities: preparing Americans for the workforce; reducing and/or preventing prescription drug and opioid misuse; positively impacting the quality of life for veterans and improving military family strength; evidenced-based economic opportunity, education, or healthy futures interventions; serving rural communities; and faith-based organizations.

“Each year, thousands of communities are made better by the presence of AmeriCorps members,” said Chester Spellman, director of AmeriCorps. “This funding opportunity is an exciting chance to grow the impact that AmeriCorps programs have nationwide. We encourage groups interested in our grants to apply, especially ones that address some of our nation’s most-pressing issues – such as ending the opioid epidemic, preparing Americans for 21st-century careers, or supporting our veterans and military families.”

The total funding available for these grants will be set by Congress through the appropriations process now underway. In 2019, approximately $250 million was awarded in competitive grants.

Potential applicant organizations are encouraged to read all information posted on the agency’s funding opportunities webpage. The deadline for applications is January 8, 2020, and successful applicants will be notified in early May 2020. All applications must be submitted via eGrants, the CNCS grants system.

The agency will host a variety of technical assistance calls and workshops to answer questions about this funding opportunity, including how to submit an application. Times and dates for these calls, along with additional technical assistance information, will be posted on the funding opportunity page. Questions about the grant competition can be directed to AmeriCorpsGrants@cns.gov.

This fall marks the 25th anniversary of the AmeriCorps program. For more than two decades, dedicated Americans have joined AmeriCorps and pledged to get things done. They prepare students for college, reduce crime and revitalize cities, connect veterans to jobs, fight the opioid epidemic, rebuild communities following disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more. Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through more than 21,000 schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country.

Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than 1.1 million AmeriCorps members have served, giving more than 1.6 billion hours of service and earning more than $3.6 billion in education awards, or scholarships, $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student debt. Those interested in joining AmeriCorps can learn more at JoinAmeriCorps.gov.