From sarena@u.washington.edu Tue Feb 3 16:56:56 1998 Received: from jason02.u.washington.edu (root@jason02.u.washington.edu [140.142.76.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.05) with ESMTP id QAA14400; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 16:56:55 -0800 Received: from homer01.u.washington.edu (sarena@homer01.u.washington.edu [140.142.70.11]) by jason02.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.05) with ESMTP id QAA11374; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 16:56:51 -0800 Received: from localhost (sarena@localhost) by homer01.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.04) with SMTP id QAA77528; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 16:56:50 -0800 Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 16:56:50 -0800 (PST) From: Sarena Seifer To: ccph@u.washington.edu, ccp@u.washington.edu Subject: National Service Funding Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII FYI - National Service Gets FY99 Budget Boost Increases Targeted to America Reads Initiative WASHINGTON D.C. -- President Clinton today proposed significant increases in AmeriCorps and other national service programs in his fiscal 1999 budget proposal. The proposal builds on last year's bipartisan support of the America Reads initiative to help all children learn to read well by fourth grade. The Administration proposes a total of $781 million for the Corporation for National Service and its three programs AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and the National Senior Service Corps, a 14% increase over last year. Created in 1993, the Corporation for National Service administers programs that involve more than 1.2 million citizens of all ages in results-driven service. "National service has a strong track record of getting things done for America's communities, and this budget will give thousands more Americans the chance to serve and help meet our most pressing social needs," said Harris Wofford, CEO of the Corporation for National Service. "I hope Congress will continue its bipartisan support by passing this budget and the President's proposal to reauthorize national service programs." Under the budget, AmeriCorps grants to Governor-appointed state commissions and national nonprofits would increase to $257 million, enough to support more than 45,000 AmeriCorps members in more than 720 programs. When combined with AmeriCorps*VISTA and the AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps, total membership in all AmeriCorps programs should rise to more than 55,000 full-time and part-time members in FY99. Included in these figures are 15,000 education award only members, putting the Administration ahead of schedule on its commitment made at the Presidents' Summit to provide 50,000 new AmeriCorps Challenge Scholarships over five years. The budget earmarks $152 million for the America Reads initiative. Last fall, Congress gave national service a $64 million increase to help recruit and organize volunteers for local literacy programs to tutor the estimated 40% of children who are falling behind in their reading skills. "AmeriCorps members and student and senior volunteers are invaluable resources to parents and teachers in helping children learn to read," said Harris Wofford. "I hope Congress once again will recognize national service as an effective way to help solve a major national problem." Other budget highlights include: * $174 million for the National Senior Service Corps programs, a $10 million increase to support an estimated 470,000 Retired and Senior Volunteer Program volunteers, 28,600 Foster Grandparents serving 100,000 children and youth with special needs, and 14,000 Senior Companions providing support to almost 40,000 adults who have difficulty with daily living tasks. * $73 million for to fund 6,850 AmeriCorps*VISTA members and $21 million to support 1,100 AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps members at 5 campuses; * $50 million for Learn and Serve America, the nation's student service initiative which assists service-learning activities for more than 750,000 students in schools and colleges across America; * $6 million for the Points of Light Foundation. .