Part IV—National Service Programs Clearinghouses; Volunteer Generation Fund

§12653o. National service programs clearinghouses

(a) In general

The Corporation shall provide assistance, by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to entities with expertise in the dissemination of information through clearinghouses to establish 1 or more clearinghouses for information regarding the national service laws, which shall include information on service-learning and on service through other programs receiving assistance under the national service laws.

(b) Function of clearinghouse

Such a clearinghouse may—

(1) assist entities carrying out State or local service-learning and national service programs with needs assessments and planning;

(2) conduct research and evaluations concerning service-learning or programs receiving assistance under the national service laws, except that such clearinghouse may not conduct such research and evaluations if the recipient of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement establishing the clearinghouse under this section is receiving funds for such purpose under part III of division B or under this division (not including this section);

(3)(A) provide leadership development and training to State and local service-learning program administrators, supervisors, service sponsors, and participants; and

(B) provide training to persons who can provide the leadership development and training described in subparagraph (A);

(4) facilitate communication among—

(A) entities carrying out service-learning programs and programs offered under the national service laws; and

(B) participants in such programs;

(5) provide and disseminate information and curriculum materials relating to planning and operating service-learning programs and programs offered under the national service laws, to States, territories, Indian tribes, and local entities eligible to receive financial assistance under the national service laws;

(6) provide and disseminate information regarding methods to make service-learning programs and programs offered under the national service laws accessible to individuals with disabilities;

(7) disseminate applications in languages other than English;

(8)(A) gather and disseminate information on successful service-learning programs and programs offered under the national service laws, components of such successful programs, innovative curricula related to service-learning, and service-learning projects; and

(B) coordinate the activities of the clearinghouse with appropriate entities to avoid duplication of effort;

(9) make recommendations to State and local entities on quality controls to improve the quality of service-learning programs and programs offered under the national service laws;

(10) assist organizations in recruiting, screening, and placing a diverse population of service-learning coordinators and program sponsors;

(11) disseminate effective strategies for working with disadvantaged youth in national service programs, as determined by organizations with an established expertise in working with such youth; and

(12) carry out such other activities as the Chief Executive Officer determines to be appropriate.

(Pub. L. 101–610, title I, §198O, as added Pub. L. 111–13, title I, §1808, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1572.)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 12653o, Pub. L. 101–610, title I, §195O, as added Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, §1092(a)(1), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2532, which defined terms used in former part H of this subchapter, was renumbered section 166 of Pub. L. 101–610 and transferred to section 12626 of this title and subsequently renumbered section 165 of Pub. L. 101–610 by section 1516(1) of Pub. L. 111–13.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 4950 of this title.

§12653p. Volunteer generation fund

(a) Grants authorized

Subject to the availability of appropriations for this section, the Corporation may make grants to State Commissions and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of assisting the State Commissions and nonprofit organizations to—

(1) develop and carry out volunteer programs described in subsection (c); and

(2) make subgrants to support and create new local community-based entities that recruit, manage, or support volunteers as described in such subsection.

(b) Application

(1) In general

Each State Commission or nonprofit organization desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Corporation at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Corporation may reasonably require.

(2) Contents

Each application submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall contain—

(A)(i) ¹ a description of the program that the applicant will provide;

(B) an assurance that the applicant will annually collect information on—

(i) the number of volunteers recruited for activities carried out under this section, using funds received under this section, and the type and amount of activities carried out by such volunteers; and

(ii) the number of volunteers managed or supported using funds received under this section, and the type and amount of activities carried out by such volunteers;

(C) a description of the outcomes the applicant will use to annually measure and track performance with regard to—

(i) activities carried out by volunteers; and

(ii) volunteers recruited, managed, or supported; and

(D) such additional assurances as the Corporation determines to be essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.

(c) Eligible volunteer programs

A State Commission or nonprofit organization receiving a grant under this section shall use the assistance—

(1) directly to carry out volunteer programs or to develop and support community-based entities that recruit, manage, or support volunteers, by carrying out activities consistent with the goals of the subgrants described in paragraph (2); or

(2) through subgrants to community-based entities to carry out volunteer programs or develop and support such entities that recruit, manage, or support volunteers, through 1 or more of the following types of subgrants:

(A) A subgrant to a community-based entity for activities that are consistent with the priorities set by the State's national service plan as described in section 12638(e) of this title, or by the Corporation.

(B) A subgrant to recruit, manage, or support volunteers to a community-based entity such as a volunteer coordinating agency, a nonprofit resource center, a volunteer training clearinghouse, an institution of higher education, or a collaborative partnership of faith-based and community-based organizations.

(C) A subgrant to a community-based entity that provides technical assistance and support to—

(i) strengthen the capacity of local volunteer infrastructure organizations;

(ii) address areas of national need (as defined in section 12653b(a) of this title); and

(iii) expand the number of volunteers nationally.

(d) Allocation of funds

(1) In general

Of the funds allocated by the Corporation for provision of assistance under this section for a fiscal year—

(A) the Corporation shall use 50 percent of such funds to award grants, on a competitive basis, to State Commissions and nonprofit organizations for such fiscal year; and

(B) the Corporation shall use 50 percent of such funds make ² an allotment to the State Commissions of each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico based on the formula described in subsections (e) and (f) of section 12581 of this title, subject to paragraph (2).

(2) Minimum grant amount

In order to ensure that each State Commission is able to improve efforts to recruit, manage, or support volunteers, the Corporation may determine a minimum grant amount for allotments under paragraph (1)(B).

(e) Limitation on administrative costs

Not more than 5 percent of the amount of any grant provided under this section for a fiscal year may be used to pay for administrative costs incurred by either the recipient of the grant or any community-based entity receiving assistance or a subgrant under such grant.

(f) Matching fund requirements

The Corporation share of the cost of carrying out a program that receives assistance under this section, whether the assistance is provided directly or as a subgrant from the original recipient of the assistance, may not exceed—

(1) 80 percent of such cost for the first year in which the recipient receives such assistance;

(2) 70 percent of such cost for the second year in which the recipient receives such assistance;

(3) 60 percent of such cost for the third year in which the recipient receives such assistance; and

(4) 50 percent of such cost for the fourth year in which the recipient receives such assistance and each year thereafter.

(Pub. L. 101–610, title I, §198P, as added Pub. L. 111–13, title I, §1808, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1573.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 4950 of this title.

¹ So in original. No cl. (ii) has been enacted.

² So in original. Probably should be preceded by "to".