quarterly-enews-spring-2018

America's Service Commissions header graphic shows AmeriCorps members being sworn in and text that reads Uniting States in Service

Quarterly E-News | Spring 2018

April 10, 2018

Congress Expands Funding for National Service and State Commissions in FY18 Omnibus Bill

On March 23, President Trump signed the FY18 Omnibus Bill which provided expanded funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs! AmeriCorps was increased by $26 million, while the State Commission Grant received a historic $17.538 million — a $1 million increase. The Commission Investment Fund increased by $1 million to $8.5 million, and the Volunteer Generation Fund received a historic $5.4 million, an impressive increase of $1.6 million, thanks to the hard work of national service champions and groups which included ASC, the state service network, and our new States for Service (S4S) Coalition.

Additionally, and as a direct result of the work of ASC, the state service network, and S4S, the legislation included a new general provision to establish a new and widely anticipated 1,200 hour service position. This will provide AmeriCorps programs increased flexibility, and more closely align member service positions with the needs of local communities. Read more and view the funding chart.

Regional Conferences Kick Off in Chicago

Earlier this month, ASC kicked off the first of three regional National Service Training Conferences in Chicago from March 19-21 with our partners from Serve Illinois and Service Year Alliance. The North Central training conference brought together nearly 350 national service program directors and thought leaders from 14 states and was made possible through seed funding from participating commissions and our sponsors Service Year, Cigna, and Causality.

View photos and download materials.

Later this month, we look forward to hosting 300+ attendees in both South Carolina and Washington state for the Atlantic-Southern National Service Training Conference hosted by the South Carolina Service Commission in Greenville, SC (April 30 - May 2) and the Pacific-Southwest National Service Training Conference hosted by Serve Washington in Seattle (May 14 - 16). Registration for Seattle is still open until April 20 or when capacity is reached.

Leadership Convening & Hill Day Highlights

decorative. photo of a sign that has the ASC logo and says ASC Leadership Convening Registration Thank you to the more than 50 commission executive directors and commissioners who were able to join us from February 13-14 in Washington, DC for the annual ASC Leadership Convening and Hill Day. It was a very full, but energizing week and we thank everyone for their participation.

Special thanks to guest speakers from the Corporation for National & Community Service, Service Year Alliance, and Points of Light as well as the many commission colleagues who assisted in facilitating/presenting sessions: Diana Algra (MI), Liz Darling (TX), Ginna Holmes (MI), Scott McFarland (IL), Debbie Schuffenhauer (WA), Bob Shogren (AZ), LaDawn Stoddard (UT), and Leah Rodenberg (IA).

ASC also held its annual Capitol Hill Day for commission representatives to meet with and educate members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on national service and commission impact, with 42 participants attending 173 meetings in Washington that week.

Learn more about Leadership Convening.

A Salute to Senator Thad Cochran

America’s Service Commissions decorative. photo of Tom Branen presenting an award to Thad Cochran. (ASC) would like to salute Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi upon his recent retirement, after 40 years of public service and leadership in the United States Senate.

We are grateful for Senator Cochran's longstanding support for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), its programs AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and state service commissions. We have so enjoyed working with Senator Cochran's office to ensure a brighter future for all Americans and to strengthen communities across this great country through public service.

Thank you, Senator Cochran, for your lifetime of public service and for being a true "giant of the Senate." Your office has been a beacon of optimism, generosity, and common sense caring for the American people.

We wish you a wonderful and well-deserved retirement!

Read our card for Senator Cochran.

Afterschool Convening in DC: Program Development Underway in Eight States

In January, ASC announced its selection of eight state service commissions to receive $12,500 mini-grants to expand out-of-school time opportunities for youth at a statewide level, thanks to a grant of $250,000 from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

The eight states selected to receive this funding include:

Idaho: Serve Idaho
Indiana: Serve Indiana
Iowa: Volunteer Iowa
Kansas: Kansas Volunteer Commission
Maine: Maine Commission for Community Service
Rhode Island: Serve Rhode Island
West Virginia: Volunteer West Virginia
Wisconsin: Serve Wisconsin

On February 15, ASC brought all eight of these states to Washington, DC to develop a better understanding of the local afterschool landscape and identify potential paths for developing national service programming that will expand the quality and quantity of afterschool opportunities in their respective states.

Attendees had the opportunity to plan within their state teams, share strategies and ideas amongst the larger group, and learn from external presenters including the Afterschool Alliance, Service Year Alliance, and other statewide afterschool networks with existing successful national service program models.

We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2018 Leadership Forum for National Service Executives is now open!

Topic: Program Assessment

June 11-15, 2018

The Leadership Forum for National Service Executives is offered by the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington in conjunction with Serve Washington. Tuition for this week-long course is $675. Lodging and meals are the responsibility of the attendee.

Registration must be received no later than May 4, 2018. Early registration is encouraged.

Learn more and register.

ASC Welcomes New Staff Member

In January, and in alignment with our organizational strategic plan, ASC welcomed its fifth staff member to the team, Monica Greenfield, who serves as our Administative Coordinator. A lifelong Washingtonian, Monica comes to us with extensive background working in membership-based organizations, most recently as Department Coordinator at the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

At ASC, Monica provides customer service to our membership and leads administrative activities for the ASC team.

Welcome, Monica!

Member Spotlight: ServeMinnesota Hosts Statewide 'Recovery Forum' to Combat Opioid Crisis

This quarter's member spotlight is on ServeMinnesota.

On February 13, 2018, the ServeMinnesota commission hosted a groundbreaking National Service Recovery Forum to explore the current response to the opioid epidemic from a healthcare and economic perspective. The forum examined the most effective ways that the public sector, business and philanthropic groups in Minnesota can work together with nonprofit organizations to serve the urgent needs of a vulnerable and endangered community.

Dr. John F. Kelly, a renowned researcher on the topic of addiction and recovery from Harvard Medical School, lead the forum with a keynote presentation on the neuroscience of addiction, the current public health model, the impact of stigma and discrimination, and the keys to long-term recovery. Following Dr. Kelly's presentation was a panel representing Minnesota’s economic research, medical, and governmental communities.

The event, funded in part by an AmeriCorps State Program Development "Targeted Initiative" grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, helped lay the foundation for the development of a new statewide plan for how national service can be an integrated part of Minnesota’s efforts to ensure individuals achieve long term recovery from opioid addiction.

Learn more about the Forum and the Opioid Crisis in Minnesota.

In This Issue...

Upcoming Events
Annual Report
Service Job Board
T/TA Directory
Congress Expands Funding for National Service in FY18
Regional Conferences Kick Off in Chicago
Leadership Convening & Hill Day Highlights
A Salute to Senator Cochran
Afterschool Convening in DC
Leadership Forum for National Service Executives
ASC Welcomes New Staff Member
Member Spotlight: ServeMinnesota Recovery Forum

Upcoming Events

April 30-May 2: Atlantic / Southern National Service Training Conference (Greenville, SC)

May 14-16: Pacific / Southwest National Service Training Conference, (Seattle, WA)

June 4-7: Disaster Services Unit Commission Convening (Vicksburg, MS) - registration link forthcoming

June 6-8: 2018 MAVA Conference - Volunteer Engagement Leadership: Next Steps and Beyond (St. Paul, MN)

June 11-15: Leadership Forum for National Service Executives (Seattle, WA)

June 18-20: Points of Light Service Unites Conference, (Atlanta, GA)

Annual Report

The 2017 ASC Annual Report, Honoring Our History, Constructing Our Future, is now available for viewing and download.

Service Job Board

Looking for new opportunities in the service sector? Check out the ASC Service Job Board, including recent listings such as the following:

Alignment Integration Manager, Washington Service Corps

Grants and Training Coordinator, Volunteer Florida

Disaster Case Management Finance Director, Volunteer Florida

Chief Financial Officer, Volunteer Florida

AmeriCorps Program Officer, Volunteer West Virginia

Special Assistant to the Director of AmeriCorps, Corporation for National & Community Service

T/TA Directory

We're pleased to announce the release of the 2018 ASC Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Directory. This is a resource we compile annually with information on consultants and trainers in the national service and volunteer field. ASC encourages members to use the Directory as a resource when releasing RFPs and seeking TTA providers.