NOTE to PRESS SECRETARY: Below Is a Sample Press Release Announcing a Fiscal 2009 Americorps

NOTE TO PRESS SECRETARY: Below is a sample press release announcing the 2017 AmeriCorps grants for [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY], as well as sample tweets. Details about the grants are in the accompanying fact sheets. For a profile of current AmeriCorps programs in your state, click here. If you’d like more information, please contact the CNCS Press Secretary, Samantha Jo Warfield at (202) 606-6775 or [email protected].

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: DATE: PHONE & EMAIL:

Senator [NAME] Announces [DOLLAR FIGURE] in AmeriCorps Funding for [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE] today announced that [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY] has received [DOLLAR FIGURE] in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs.

“AmeriCorps members are an indispensable resource for nonprofits, communities, and the individuals they serve,” said [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE]. “Citizen service is an essential part of the solutions to many of the challenges [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY] faces, and AmeriCorps members are able to bring the country together by uniting individuals behind a common goal. I congratulate [ORGANIZATION NAME] for receiving this grant, and thank all those who serve in AmeriCorps for their dedication and determination to ‘get things done’ and respond to the needs in their communities.”

The federal investment includes [NUMBER] grants totaling [AMOUNT] million, which will support [NUMBER] AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps members will tackle some of the toughest problems in [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY] including [DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES MEMBERS WILL UNDERTAKE, FROM FACT SHEET.]

CNCS will also provide up to $[AMOUNT] 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 $[AMOUNT] million in local support to increase community impact and return on federal investment.

The federal investment announced today also includes $[AMOUNT] million for [NAME OF COMMISSION], the Governor-appointed state service commission. Later this summer, [NAME OF 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. Below is a listing of 2017 AmeriCorps competitive grants in [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY]:

 [NAME OF PROGRAM]: [two sentence description] ([NUMBER]AmeriCorps members)  [NAME OF PROGRAM]: [two sentence description] ([NUMBER]AmeriCorps members)

Organizations are currently recruiting for AmeriCorps members to begin service this fall. AmeriCorps members typically receive a modest living stipend and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, or scholarship, upon completion of their service. The award can be used to pay for future education costs or to pay back student loans. Those interested in serving can learn more by visiting americorps.gov/join.

Last fall, AmeriCorps celebrated a major milestone when the program surpassed one million members pledging to “Get Things Done” for America. AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 members in intensive service annually to serve through nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations at 21,600 locations across the country. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.

Since 1994, more than 1 million men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.4 billion hours of service and earning more than $3.3 billion in scholarships to pay for college, more than $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student loan debt.

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads volunteer initiatives for the nation. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov .

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Tweets (Twitter):

 [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY] is proud to receive new funding from @nationalservice that will support [NUMBER] @AmeriCorps members. #AmeriCorpsWorks

 $[AMOUNT] in @AmeriCorps funding will strengthen communities & improve lives in [STATE/DISTRICT/CITY]! #AmeriCorpsWorks

 Congrats to [ORGANIZATION NAME OR TWITTER HANDLE] for receiving an @AmeriCorps grant from @NationalService! #AmeriCorpsWorks

 [ORGANIZATION NAME OR TWITTER HANDLE] just received a [DOLLAR AMOUNT] @AmeriCorps grant from @NationalService. Congrats! #AmeriCorpsWorks Fast Facts:

 [AmeriCity/AmeriState]  [VCLA Rank – if top 10]  [VCLA data – Number of volunteers, economic value, activities, and organizations]