National Service Programs

AmeriCorps VISTA provides members full-time to community organizations and public agencies to create and expand programs that build capacity and ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty.

The Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant is used to develop and/or support community-based entities to recruit, manage, and support volunteers.  AmeriCorps seeks to fund effective approaches that expand volunteering, strengthen the capacity of volunteer connector organization to recruit and retain skill-based volunteers, and develop strategies to use volunteers effectively to solve problems.  VGF can be used to carry out the activities supported under the award or to carry out the activities by making subgrants to community-based entities, supporting volunteer generation at these entities.  The activities with subgrants will be for Civics in the Classroom initiative to engage more Illinoisians at an earlier age for volunteering in their communities.