Funding will support over 3,400 AmeriCorps Members at Forty Member Corps of The Corps Network.
WASHINGTON, DC – The Corps Network, the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, is the recipient of two AmeriCorps National Direct Grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). These grants will respectively support the continuation of The Corps Network’s Opportunity Youth Service Initiative (OYSI) and Education Award Program (EAP).
During the first year of a three-year grant cycle, the OYSI funding will support 740 AmeriCorps members at 15 Service and Conservation Corps of The Corps Network. Corpsmembers will engage in environmental stewardship projects designed to promote energy efficiency in low-income housing and improve access to public lands, trails, and waterways. Operating across 16 states, the 15 Corps that will receive OYSI funding through The Corps Network are:
American YouthWorks (TX)
Civic Works (MD)
Conservation Legacy (AZ, CO, NM)
Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (WI)
Greater Miami Service Corps (FL)
Green City Force (NY)
Heart of Oregon Corps (OR)
Limitless Vistas, Inc. (LA)
Milwaukee Community Service Corps (WI)
Northwest Youth Corps (OR, ID, WA)
Operation Fresh Start (WI)
SEEDS (MI)
The Sustainability Institute (SC)
Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (NC, VT)
Western Colorado Conservation Corps (CO)
During the first program year of the grant, running October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017, the OYSI AmeriCorps members will be responsible for improving 6,000 acres of public lands; creating and improving 430 miles of trails; and increasing the energy efficiency of 1,305 housing units and public structures. During the first grant year, 100 percent of Corpsmembers will obtain work-readiness (soft) and technical (hard) skills, and learn how to pursue jobs; 80 percent will obtain industry-recognized credentials; and 50% of Corpsmembers entering the program without a GED or High School Diploma will attain one. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will leverage an additional 2645 volunteers on public land and trail projects.
During the 2016 – 2017 program year, the EAP grant will support 2,670 AmeriCorps members at 40 member Corps of The Corps Network. The Corpsmembers will work on Environmental Stewardship projects in hundreds of communities across 31 states. Corpsmembers will be responsible for improving 30,000 acres of public land, 1,550 miles of trails and waterways, and collecting 1,700 tons of recycling. In addition, the AmeriCorps members, many of whom are Opportunity Youth, will be provided with educational and economic opportunities and will leverage an additional 5,500 volunteers. The Corps receiving EAP funding through The Corps Network are (showing state where Corps is based):
American Conservation Experience (AZ)
American YouthWorks (TX)
California Conservation Corps (TX)
Christodora (NY)
Citizens Conservation Corps (WV)
Civicorps (CA)
Community Training Works (FL)
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (MN)
Conservation Corps of North Bay (CA)
Conservation Legacy (CO)
Fresh Start Advocap (CA)
Fresno Local Conservation Corps (CA)
GLISTEN (DC)
Great Basin Institute/Nevada Conservation Corps (NV)
Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (WI)
Greater Miami Service Corps (FL)
Green City Force (NY)
Green Mountain Club (VT)
Headwaters Youth Conservation Corps (NY)
Heart of Oregon Corps (OR)
Kupu – Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps (HI)
Louisiana Greencorps (LA)
Los Angeles Conservation Corps (CA)
Maine Conservation Corps (ME)
Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps (MI)
Mile High Youth Corps (CO)
New York – New Jersey Trail Conference (NJ)
Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps (MN)
Northwest Youth Corps (OR)
Onondaga Earth Corps (NY)
Orange County Conservation Corps (CA)
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (CO)
Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps (CA)
Sequoia Conservation Corps (CA)
SEEDS (MI)
Utah Conservation Corps (UT)
Virginia State Parks Youth Conservation Corps (VA)
Washington Conservation Corps (WA)
WisCorps (WI)
Youth Conservation Corps (IL)
“The Corps Network is proud to be an AmeriCorps National Direct Grantee and make indispensable AmeriCorps funding available to dozens of our Service and Conservation Corps across the country,” said Mary Ellen Sprenkel, CEO of The Corps Network. “The AmeriCorps members serving through the OYSI and EAP grants will make a powerful impact in the communities where they serve and, through their service, will develop valuable life skills, job skills and a sense of civic responsibility.”
“AmeriCorps members make a powerful impact on the toughest challenges facing our nation,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps. “As they serve others, AmeriCorps members will also expand opportunity for themselves – gaining skills and experience to jumpstart their careers. We congratulate The Corps Network for their strong application, and thank all AmeriCorps members for their service.”
The Corps Network launched the OYSI in 2013 with a three-year AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The OYSI is designed to engage diverse youth and young adults (primarily ages 16 – 24 years old) from disadvantaged backgrounds in environmental stewardship projects. Through their participation in the program, Corpsmembers are connected to education and career pathways.
Corpsmembers who are enrolled in The Corps Network’s AmeriCorps Education Awards Program are, upon successful completion of their term of service, eligible to receive an education award (scholarship) that can be used for future educational endeavors or to repay student loans. Corpsmembers serving during the 2014 – 2015 program year were eligible to receive up to $5,645.
AmeriCorps engages more than 75,000 members in intensive service annually to serve through nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations at more than 21,000 locations across the country. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.
Since 1994, 980,000 AmeriCorps members have given more than 1.3 billion hours of service to their country, earning more than $3 billion in education scholarships. Later this year, the one millionth AmeriCorps member will take the AmeriCorps pledge, committing to “get things done” for America.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov .
About The Corps Network
The Corps Network provides leadership and support to over 130 of America’s Service and Conservation Corps. Through advocacy, access to funding opportunities and expert guidance, The Corps Network annually enables over 24,000 Corpsmembers, ages 16-25, to strengthen communities, improve the environment and transform their lives through service.
To learn more about The Corps Network, please visit www.corpsnetwork.org.
Media Contact:
Hannah Traverse
The Corps Network
1275 K Street, NW – Suite 1050
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202.737.6272
Email: [email protected]