National Service

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing societal problems, from food insecurity, homelessness, learning loss, unemployment, and wage stagnation to eroding public trust and civic engagement. While a variety of policy interventions are necessary to address each of these distinct challenges, a national community service program has great potential to make a positive impact across the board. In particular, this type of programming is proven to improve long-term employment outcomes for participants while simultaneously meeting urgent community needs.

In addition to state and local recovery aid, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) allocates $1 billion to national service programming through AmeriCorps and its many programs. National service is designed to address unmet community needs, particularly among marginalized communities. Infusing local nonprofits with motivated, service-minded young people helps organizations build capacity and expand their reach, while building a talent pipeline for the next generation of nonprofit leaders.

By supplementing this national service funding with additional ARP state and local recovery funds, state and local governments can support and expand national service year programming by putting young people to work in community organizations focused on immediate short-term, emergency-response needs. ARP funds can also be used for smaller-scale pilot projects focused on longer-term recovery needs, serving as a catalyst for more widespread programming in the future.

With estimated costs of roughly $25,000 per service member per year, policymakers can expect a return on investment of $11.80 for every dollar spent. Through a program designed to prioritize underserved communities, national service year models will advance equity in unmet community needs, employment in well-paying jobs, and build capacity within community organizations to expand their reach.