Government Grants for Volunteers
The U.S. Government offers a number of different kinds of grants for individuals who volunteer. Grants can be in the form of living allowances, education stipends, or general use stipends. Grants are usually awarded for national service work in the social or environmental sector; applicants entering some programs may need specialized training if they are interested in work in a particular sector, such as forestry, but if a would-be volunteer does not have a particular expertise in any one area government grants are still usually available for a volunteer position in a new focal area, thus allowing the volunteering programs to contribute to a volunteer’s professional development.
AmeriCorps volunteers who carry out community service work in the United States usually receive a living allowance from the government to cover expenses; in addition, volunteers who complete a term of AmeriCorps service receive an education award to pay education expenses at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training, or to repay student loans that qualify. You may claim this award up to seven years after your term of service is over. Grant amounts for the education award depend on circumstances of your term of service.
AmeriCorps
1201 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20525
Tel.: (202) 606-5000
www.americorps.gov
American citizens who commit to working abroad for a 27-month assignment through the Peace Corps Volunteer program receive a stipend to cover basic necessities: food, housing, expenses and local transport. Peace Corps pays for transport to and from your country of service, provides complete medical and dental care, and at the end of your term of service awards you a “readjustment allowance” for each month of service worth over $6,000 if you complete your full term of service.
The Peace Corps.
Peace Corps Headquarters.
1111 20th Street, NW.
Washington, D.C. 20526
Tel.: (800) 424-8580, ext. 1170
www.peacecorps.gov
The largest source of funding for service-learning, the Learn and Serve America grants program supports education and nonprofit organizations that provide opportunities for young people to serve while they learn. Annual support is provided to intermediaries to develop and sustain service-learning projects; the usual grant period is three years, renewable annually contingent on performance and availability of funds. According to Learn and Serve America, “service-learning programs allow schools, community groups and colleges to combine community service activities with educational, civic, or leadership objectives.”
Learn and Serve America
1201 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20525
Tel.: (202) 606-5000
www.learnandserve.gov