Peters Announces $11.4 Million in Support for Michigan AmeriCorps Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters today announced that Michigan has received $11.4 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs.

“Citizen service is an indispensable resource for nonprofits, communities and the individuals they serve, and essential to solving problems that face Michigan and the United States,” said Senator Peters. “The AmeriCorps funding provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service will help support programs that bolster education, public safety and health care across our state.”

The investment includes 14 grants totaling $4.6 million, which will support 671 AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps members will tackle some of the toughest problems in Michigan, including preparing and responding to disasters, reducing homelessness, improving financial literacy, and providing academic services to disadvantaged youth.

Below is a listing of 2017 AmeriCorps competitive grants in Michigan:

• American Red Cross of Grand Rapids: Together We Prepare: AmeriCorps members will improve community disaster preparedness and response capabilities in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo, and Traverse City. (33 AmeriCorps members)
• AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program: AmeriCorps members will implement proven strategies to improve public safety throughout the City of Detroit. (170 AmeriCorps members)
• Michigan Campaign To End Homelessness AmeriCorps Program: AmeriCorps members will serve at least 1,000 economically disadvantaged individuals at homeless service agencies. (23 AmeriCorps members)
• Michigan Financial Opportunity Corps: AmeriCorps members will lead financial literacy trainings. (20 AmeriCorps members)
• Public Allies Metro Detroit Leadership Academy: AmeriCorps members will develop community outreach and engagement strategies to increase the number of Detroit residents participating in Metro Detroit financial literacy, foreclosure abatement, and workforce development programs. (40 AmeriCorps members)
• Huron Pines AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps members will engage in public land conservation projects such as trail building, road and stream crossing improvements, and wildlife habitat enhancement, and provide environmental education to youth and adults. (30 AmeriCorps members)
• Trinity Health, Community Health Coordinators: AmeriCorps members will actively engage in community health transformation activities. (50 AmeriCorps members)
• Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps Project: AmeriCorps members will educate 1,000 youth about healthy eating strategies, provide 3,000 community members with access to healthy foods, and increase food security through adult nutrition throughout Ingham County. (22 AmeriCorps members)
• MARESA AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps Members will provide focused one-on-one and small-group tutoring using evidence-based reading interventions in elementary schools across the Michigan Central Upper Peninsula including Alger, Delta, Marquette, Menominee and Schoolcraft counties. (12 AmeriCorps members)
• B-H-K Child Development Board: AmeriCorps members will provide evidence-based education services to pre-kindergarten through third grade at-risk rural students in nine schools and five pre-kindergarten sites. (20 AmeriCorps members)
• Flint Community School Corps: AmeriCorps members will provide academic support, physical activities, conflict resolution, college preparation, and access to social services during and after school for K-12 grade students in all 11 Flint Community Schools. (22 AmeriCorps members)
• AdviseMI: AmeriCorps members will serve as full-time college advisers dedicated to providing college access services to over 30,000 students and their families. AmeriCorps members will reach more than 80 high schools in partnership with 16 higher education partners. (88 AmeriCorps members)
• City Year Detroit: AmeriCorps members will provide academic and school engagement services to students in 11 public schools in Detroit. (71 AmeriCorps members)
• Teach For America Detroit – AmeriCorps members will serve as full-time teachers in 20 high-need schools in Detroit. (70 AmeriCorps members)

CNCS will also provide Michigan with up to $3.1 million in education scholarships for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants to help pay for college, vocational training, or pay back student loans. The federal investment is projected to generate an additional $14.1 million in local support to increase community impact and return on federal investment.

The funding also contains $3.7 million for the Governor-appointed Michigan Community Service Commission.  Later this summer, the Michigan Community Service Commission will make additional grants to support AmeriCorps programs in the state.

This year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, with a continuing level of strong demand by nonfaith and faith-based organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources. The 2017 competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, governor and mayor initiatives, veterans and military families, disaster services, and initiatives to build safer communities.