National-Service Bill Clears Final Major Hurdle, Winning Senate Approval

The Chronicle of Philanthropy related that the Senate adopted the Serve America Act, which would more than triple the number of participants in AmeriCorps and create an array of new volunteer programs for people of all ages — with a bipartisan vote of 79 to 19.

Among its provisions, the Serve America Act — the first update of programs operated by the Corporation for National and Community Service since 1993 — would create:

• A Social Innovation Funds Pilot Program, which would provide “venture capital” to help nonprofit groups that have developed successful ways to tackle social problems expand their work. It would make $50-million available in 2010, growing to $100-million in 2014, with matching funds required from other sources.
• A Volunteer Generation Fund of $50-million in 2010, growing to $100-million in 2014. Money would go to nonprofit groups or state national-service commissions for programs to help charities recruit and manage volunteers.
• New service “corps” in the fields of clean energy, health, poverty, and services to veterans.
• Encore Fellowships and Silver Scholarships for people age 55 and above.

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