Voices for National Service

Founding

Voices for National Service was founded in 2003 as the Save AmeriCorps Coalition after reductions in federal funding for AmeriCorps. Since its founding, the group grown to incorporate advocacy for other organizations such as Senior Corps, although most advocacy involves federal funding for these two groups. ^{2 3}

Voices for National Service took part in a campaign called Serve America Together, whose goal is advocacy to Congress and the White House. ⁴ It advocates for government officials to require a tenure of work at certain left wing organizations, such as Teach for America and AmeriCorps. ^{5 6}

Federal Advocacy

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act

In 2008, Voices for National Service advocated for the passage of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act, which would have eliminated the taxation of education grants provided by AmeriCorps. ⁷ Versions of the bill were reintroduced in 2008, May 2017 and May 2019 although no bill has yet been passed. ^{8 9 10 11}

Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

Voice for National Service helped create and pass the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act that was passed in 2009, which allocated federal funds to expand AmeriCorps membership four times over. The law also created official ties between the Corporation for National and Community Service and five federal agencies. Service Nation’s 2014 report on the progress of the Serve America Act notes that “national service members” can be taken from other organizations to serve under AmeriCorps. ¹²