Volunteer Florida, The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, is pleased to announce a request for proposals (rfp) funding for planning grants to operate an AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps programs support local community efforts to address education, environmental, homeland security, public safety or other human needs. Planning grants are provided a year before an organization actually applies for an AmeriCorps program. The purpose of planning grants is to provide an organization with some resources to build the capacity of the organization to effectively operate an AmeriCorps program. Proposal Grant Applications will be available on the Volunteer Florida website at www.volunteerflorida.org beginning September 4, 2009. Proposals are due in eGrants by October 27, 2009.

Volunteer Florida, The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service was established in 1994 by the Florida Legislature to administer grants under the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. The Commission grants funds to Florida AmeriCorps and National Service programs; encourages volunteerism for everyone from youths to seniors to people with disabilities; promotes volunteerism in emergency management and preparedness; and helps to strengthen and expand Volunteer Centers in Florida.

AmeriCorps is a program funded by the U.S. Congress under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 94.006. The national public/private partnership supporting AmeriCorps is the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). For more information about the CNCS and national AmeriCorps programs, visit www.americorps.org.

If you have any questions regarding the AmeriCorps Program or the funding process, please contact: amieko@volunteerflorida.org.