FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mar 28, 2023

National service agency seeking eligible organizations to apply for funds to support volunteer recruitment and retention efforts

WASHINGTON, DC— AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, released a notice of funding opportunity for fiscal year 2023 Volunteer Generation Fund. The Volunteer Generation Fund, open to State Service Commissions, local nonprofit, community, faith-based, tribal, state, and local governments and schools, focuses on investments for volunteer management practices.

The Volunteer Generation Fund is a competitive grant opportunity to strengthen nonprofit and other social service organizations’ ability to recruit, retain and manage mission-critical volunteers. AmeriCorps will make more than $8 million available for organizations with programs that meet community needs, expand volunteering, strengthen the capacity to recruit and retain skill-based volunteers and develop strategies to use volunteers effectively to solve problems.

“At a time when people of all ages are looking for ways to give back, the Volunteer Generation Fund helps service organizations support these Americans who are answering the call to serve,” said Michael D. Smith. “The Volunteer General Fund supports the ever-important issue of volunteer recruitment and management to meet the needs of communities across the nation.”   

AmeriCorps’ priorities for this funding opportunity are programs that engage volunteers to support high-impact tutoring, mentoring and other school-based or out-of-school programs for student academic, mental and overall well-being; work plans that advance justice and equality in historically underserved communities; programs that develop innovative approaches in engaging volunteers from historically underrepresented groups; and activities that counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety.

Last year, AmeriCorps invested more than $6.6 million in Volunteer Generation Fund grants, a majority of which went to supporting the National Partnership for Student Success, a public-private partnership between the Biden-Harris Administration, including AmeriCorps and the Department of Education, the Johns Hopkins Everyone Graduates Center and a diverse coalition of education and service organizations committed to providing academic and mental health support that students need to succeed. 

The application deadline is Tuesday, May 16 at 5 p.m. ET. AmeriCorps expects to notify successful applicants in July 2023.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to be a part of the national service community, grow personally and professionally, and receive benefits for their service. Learn how to get involved at AmeriCorps.gov/serve.