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Dear Colleagues,
Last Friday, President Trump
signed the Fiscal Year 2017 omnibus spending bill that provides funding for the
federal government through September 30, 2017.
This bipartisan bill provides
$1.03 billion for CNCS to support our vital work to solve problems, strengthen
communities, and expand economic opportunity. It funds Senior Corps, AmeriCorps
(including VISTA and NCCC), the Volunteer Generation Fund, Evaluation, and other
accounts at current levels. It provides slight increases for State Commissions
and the Inspector General, and continues our focus on impact, accountability,
and results.
The budget includes no funding for
the Social Innovation Fund (SIF). For the past seven years, the SIF has
addressed critical challenges like chronic unemployment, systemic homelessness,
and workforce readiness by investing in 469 evidence-based programs, attracting
private-sector matching commitments totaling $700 million. Our SIF team has
done an extraordinary job managing this program, which has improved the lives
of hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans. While SIF will not be able to
provide 2017 continuation grants or hold a new competition, the SIF team will
continue to manage their portfolio of existing grantees and begin working on
close out plans.
Through the funding provided in
this bill, CNCS and the thousands of nonprofit, faith-based, and community
organizations we support will continue to expand economic and educational
opportunity and engage millions of Americans in solutions to our most pressing
challenges. It is critical that we continue to be responsible stewards of
taxpayer dollars by supporting high-quality programs, ensuring accountability,
and investing resources to maximize the positive benefit to individuals and
communities.
Thank you for you dedication to our
vital work to empower citizens to solve local problems, expand opportunity,
strengthen civil society, and unite our nation through service.
Warmest Regards,
Kim Mansaray
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and
Community Service
PS. For more information, please
visit the budget page on the CNCS website.
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