AmeriCorps funding is used to provide partial operational support to eligible entities in leveraging a national service strategy to address community challenges. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions/practices to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. Upon successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust that members can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.  

Serve Connecticut is charged with administering two pools of federal AmeriCorps funding in Connecticut: the AmeriCorps*Connecticut Formula pool and the AmeriCorps*Connecticut Competitive pool.

AmeriCorps*Connecticut Formula federal funding is awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to Serve Connecticut, which then subgrants these funds to successful applicants in its Connecticut-based Formula grant application process. This is an annual process that is open to all eligible applicants as funding availability allows.

AmeriCorps*Connecticut Competitive federal funding is awarded by CNCS to successful applicants of its nationwide Competitive process, which is administered through Serve Connecticut’s competitive grant application process. This annual process is run by invitation only.

All awarded programs, whether funded through Formula or Competitive processes, become AmeriCorps*Connecticut programs. Grant awards are for one year; subgrantees submit continuation applications for up to three years of funding with awards contingent on performance. Serve Connecticut provides training, technical assistance, and oversight throughout the lifecycle of the awarded AmeriCorps*Connecticut program.