Federal funding will help meet critical state and local needs
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 22, 2017) – The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) announced today that Kentucky has received more than $6.5 million in AmeriCorps federal funding for 23 programs with more than 800 total members.
Most of the programs were funded through an annual grant competition by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency that engages Americans of all ages in service. The remaining programs are funded through formula grant funds that are allocated to Kentucky by CNCS based on state population.
AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism and Service (KCCVS) in the CHFS. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. Members serve faith-based and nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local government entities and state agencies.
CHFS Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson said the grants will help address critical issues across the commonwealth – like teaching and tutoring students, combatting homelessness, providing drug resistance education, protecting environmental resources, serving veterans and military families, empowering victims of domestic violence and assisting low-income senior citizens.
“This funding will engage Kentuckians across the state in service that will benefit the local needs of thousands of citizens,” Secretary Glisson said. “Service is a wonderful way to build our workforce and our community resources.”
Glisson said that including additional local funding and educational grants, AmeriCorps programs will result in a $16.8 million investment in Kentucky.
“Kentucky AmeriCorps is making an enormous impact, both now and for the future of our Commonwealth,” Glisson said. “I am proud that this funding is strengthening both individuals and entire communities.”
KCCVS Executive Director Joe Bringardner said the 2017 AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, with a continuing level of strong demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources. The national competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, opioid prevention, education, governor and mayor initiatives, veterans and military families, disaster services, and initiatives to build safer communities.
“Our programs really demonstrated their community-driven goals in their grant applications,” he said. “These programs have distinct goals to help educate youth, provide comfort to seniors and rebuild families’ lives by providing safe and affordable housing,” he said. “Our AmeriCorps members use their talents, their vision and their boundless energy to establish immediate and long-lasting change in Kentucky.”
Kentucky received $4.5 million for 11 programs in national competitive grant funding and were also allocated $2 million in formula grant funding to support additional state programs. The law creating AmeriCorps gave a key role to state service commissions in determining how national service resources are used to promote service and volunteering to meet specific community needs. With the state allocation, the KCCVS awarded grants to 12 additional AmeriCorps programs.
AmeriCorps program sponsors are also contributing a total of $6.9 million in local funding matches, money from the private sector, foundations, community partnerships and other sources.
In addition to the grant funding, CNCS will make available nearly $3.4 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,815 to pay for college or to pay back student loans.
From an economic standpoint, AmeriCorps is a good investment in workforce training. Recent studies show a strong connection between volunteering and employment, particularly in rural areas, where volunteers are 57 percent more likely to find employment. In fact, eight out of 10 alumni say AmeriCorps helped them get a job. Bringardner said AmeriCorps can pave the way to higher education and a selected career for many Kentuckians.
“Kentucky AmeriCorps provides millions of dollars for college,” he said. “This funding provides a path to education and a long-term livelihood. And most members stay in the public service field – their passion to serve is what drives them.”
Since AmeriCorps began in 1994, more than 11,000 Kentuckians have served more than 17 million hours and have received education awards totaling more than $40.8 million. Data collected from the last completed program year reveals that AmeriCorps members recruited more than 27,000 community volunteers who provided an additional 80,000 hours of service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its citizens.
Competitive grants are awarded nationally for fixed time periods for specific projects and costs. Formula grants are awarded by the bipartisan KCCVS commission based on local needs, Governor’s Office priorities, geographic and program diversity, performance measurements and CNCS focus areas.
Grants were awarded to the programs listed below.
2017-18 Kentucky AmeriCorps Program GrantsATEAM Sponsor: Barren County School Board CNCS Grant: $498,811 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $753,210 Member Slots: 80 Ed Awards: $232,600 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members tutor targeted remedial students in Kindergarten through 12th grade in reading and/or math using research based curriculums. ATEAM members leverage an additional 400 volunteers to be engaged in assisting students in tutoring and support of school based and program service projects. Christian Appalachian Project AmeriCorps Sponsor: Christian Appalachian Project CNCS Grant: $33,080 (Formula Fixed Amount – Education Award Program) Local Match: $883,195 Member Slots: 70 Ed Awards: $240,446 CNCS Focus Area(s): Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, Healthy Futures Members provide housing services, long-term hunger support, emergency assistance, disaster relief, early childhood education, character education and tutoring, summer programming, and elderly and disability services for residents of Eastern Kentucky. Members leverage an additional 1,000 volunteers to be engaged in housing repair. Economic Empowerment Corps Sponsor: KY Coalition Against Domestic Violence CNCS Grant: $266,000 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $132,335 Member Slots: 20 Ed Awards: $116,300 CNCS Focus Area(s): Economic Opportunity Members provide economic empowerment services to domestic violence survivors at KCADV’s 15 member programs and other community partners across the state. Members leverage an additional 600 volunteers to be engaged in assisting the members with financial education courses or helping participants in economic empowerment programs access community resources. Environmental Education Leadership Corps Sponsor: Kentucky Environmental Council CNCS Grant: $61,360 (Formula Cost Reimbursement – Planning Grant) Local Match: $26,020 Member Slots: 0 Ed Awards: $0 CNCS Focus Area(s): Environmental Stewardship Plans to support 10 members who will provide high quality environmental education across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. FRYSC Corps Sponsor: Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative CNCS Grant: $439,446 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $715,616 Member Slots: 90 Ed Awards: $266,734 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members provide literacy tutoring and student mentoring in economically disadvantaged schools in Northern, Central, and Eastern Kentucky. Members leverage an additional 150 literacy peer mentors to be engaged in helping Kindergarten to grade 5 students find pleasure in reading. Gateway AmeriCorps Sponsor: Gateway Community and Technical College CNCS Grant: $63,974 (Formula Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $46,489 Member Slots: 22 Ed Awards: $27,098 CNCS Focus Area(s): Capacity Building Members apply academic knowledge and skills to provide needed direct and indirect services to economically disadvantaged individuals and families through skills-based matched placements at non-profits, local or regional government agencies, or educational settings located in Northern Kentucky. GGC In-Residence Expanded Learning Partnerships Sponsor: Global Game Changers Children’s Education Initiative CNCS Grant: $146,920 (Formula Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $300,000 Member Slots: 20 Ed Awards: $58,150 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members teach students in GGC’s Expanded Learning Programs in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Members leverage an additional 75 volunteers to be engaged in mentoring students and supporting classroom instruction during the course of the In-Residence Program. Homes for All Sponsor: Homeless and Housing Coalition of KY CNCS Grant: $515,397 (Formula Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $646,200 Member Slots: 38 Ed Awards: $209,340 CNCS Focus Area(s): Economic Opportunity Members serve as housing services members, providing construction, rehabilitation, repair and other housing service activities in order to increase Kentucky’s safe and affordable housing stock for individuals and families that are low-income or have a disability. Members leverage at least 550 unduplicated volunteers each year. Kentucky College Coaches Sponsor: NKU Research Foundation CNCS Grant: $428,869 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $420,756 Member Slots: 77 Ed Awards: $187,010 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education, Veterans and Military Families Members coach high school students and Veterans pursuing post-secondary education. Members leverage an additional 500 volunteers to be engaged in helping high school students and veterans learn about careers, complete paperwork for college access, and build a college-going culture in Kentucky. Kentucky College Coaches on Campus (KC3) Sponsor: NKU Research Foundation CNCS Grant: $75,000 (Formula – Planning Grant) Local Match: $23,469 Member Slots: 0 Ed Awards: $0 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Plans to engaged members who will support economically disadvantaged students prepare for success in post- secondary educational institutions. KY READY Corps Sponsor: Eastern Kentucky University CNCS Grant: $204,093 (Formula Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $88,729 Member Slots: 35 Ed Awards: $70,769 CNCS Focus Area(s): Disaster Services Members identify and provide direct assistance to individuals and groups vulnerable to disasters, and they conduct disaster planning with a focus on vulnerable individuals and groups in communities across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Louisville Metro Parks AmeriCorps Sponsor: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation CNCS Grant: $198,593 (Formula Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $95,528 Member Slots: 14 Ed Awards: $78,503 CNCS Focus Area(s): Environmental Stewardship Members help to protect and enhance environmental resources. They engage in (1) improving parks, natural areas, historic properties, and urban forest and public lands through invasive plant removal and natural woodland restoration, restoration/creation of trails; (2) tree health maintenance, tree replacement/new plantings; (3) environmental education and interpretive services; and (4) recruitment, training, and placement of volunteers to support these activities. MSU Corps Sponsor: Morehead State University CNCS Grant: $402,900 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $616,405 Member Slots: 30 Ed Awards: $174,450 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members provide evidence-based math and reading tutoring in local elementary and middle schools using technology-based interventions to high-risk, economically disadvantaged students in 22 counties in Eastern Kentucky. Members leverage an additional 150 volunteers to be engaged in student success by providing a minimum of 5 hours of tutoring to students engaged in the intervention program. PartnerCorps School Turnaround Sponsor: Partners for Education at Berea College CNCS Grant: $839,998 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $409,884 Member Slots: 60 Ed Awards: $348,900 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members serve high school students in Clay, Knox, and Perry Counties in rural Kentucky and are responsible for increasing attendance of high school students. PartnerCorps SOAR Sponsor: Partners for Education at Berea College CNCS Grant: $278,585 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $136,998 Member Slots: 24 Ed Awards: $121,243 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members serve in Leslie County Schools in rural Kentucky and are responsible for improving student attendance. PartnerCorps STEM Sponsor: Partners for Education at Berea College CNCS Grant: $320,718 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $149,690 Member Slots: 32 Ed Awards: $140,258 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members serve as mentors, tutors, and college guides in Madison County, Kentucky. Members leverage an additional 24 volunteers to be engaged as presenters of STEM career opportunities. The Plantory AmeriCorps Sponsor: The Plantory/Kentucky Conference for Community and Justice CNCS Grant: $58,315 (Formula Cost Reimbursement – Planning Grant) Local Match: $18,354 Member Slots: 0 Ed Awards: $0 CNCS Focus Area(s): Economic Opportunity, Education, Healthy Futures Plans to have 10 AmeriCorps members who will support the direct service efforts of local nonprofits in Lexington, KY. Members will leverage an additional 300 volunteers to be engaged in supporting local nonprofits. REACH Corps School Turnaround Sponsor: Jefferson County Public Schools CNCS Grant: $327,021 (Competitive Cost Reimbursement) Local Match: $138,873 Member Slots: 24 Ed Awards: $139,560 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members mentor disadvantaged students at priority and focus schools in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Members leverage 432 volunteers to be involved in tutoring, parent and community engagement activities, and school-based service projects. Senior Connections Sponsor: Green River Area Development District CNCS Grant: $590,920 (Formula Fixed Amount) Local Match: $231,000 Member Slots: 44 Ed Awards: $255,860 CNCS Focus Area(s): Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Healthy Futures, Veterans and Military Families Members provide a range of services and social support to seniors, to reduce the rate of hospitalization among Medicare beneficiaries at a variety of service sites. Members leverage 800 volunteers to be engaged in assisting the efforts of AmeriCorps members and training with AmeriCorps members to prepare for and recover from disasters that may affect the region. Teach For America – KY Sponsor: Teach For America CNCS Grant: $46,000 (Competitive Fixed Amount – Education Award Program) Local Match: $787,000 Member Slots: 46 Ed Awards: $267,490 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members are responsible for teaching for two years in low-income and disadvantaged schools in Appalachian Kentucky. Teach Kentucky AmeriCorps Sponsor: Teach Kentucky CNCS Grant: $24,000 (Formula Fixed Amount – Education Award Program) Local Match: $0 Member Slots: 24 Ed Awards: $139,560 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members are STEM public middle and high school teachers in Jefferson County Public Schools. UNITE Service Corps Sponsor: Operation UNITE CNCS Grant: $658,800 (Competitive Fixed Amount) Local Match: $297,000 Member Slots: 54 Ed Awards: $314,010 CNCS Focus Area(s): Education Members provide math tutoring and wellness curriculum to address drug prevention and nutritional education for 4th and 5th grade students. The USC members leverage an additional 1,100 volunteers to help with activities at their assigned schools. UWBG Resource Corps Sponsor: United Way of the Bluegrass CNCS Grant: $75,000 (Formula Cost Reimbursement – Planning Grant) Local Match: $23,156 Member Slots: 0 Ed Awards: 0 CNCS Focus Area(s): Economic Opportunity Plans to place members at UWBG’s 2-1-1 Contact Center who will engage with individuals and families to ensure they have the necessary information to access human services. Additional information is available at http://chfs.ky.gov/. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is home to most of the state’s human services and healthcare programs, including the Department for Medicaid Services, the Department for Community Based Services the Department for Public Health and the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. CHFS is one of the largest agencies in state government, with nearly 8,000 full- and part-time employees located across the Commonwealth focused on improving the lives and health of Kentuckians. |
Add Comment