[Federal Register: May 8, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 88)]
[Notices]
[Page 21662-21663]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08my09-47]
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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Notice Inviting Preliminary Informal Public Input
AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service
ACTION: Notice inviting preliminary public input.
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SUMMARY: On April 21, 2009, President Obama signed the bi-partisan
Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act (the Act). The Act takes effect on
October 1, 2009 and calls upon the Corporation for National and
Community Service (``the Corporation'') and its partners to expand
opportunities for all Americans to serve, to focus on important
national outcomes, to be a catalyst for social innovation, and to
support the nonprofit sector. In achieving these goals, the Corporation
must look for new ways to build on the assets of federal and private
programs while reducing unnecessary burdens.
The Serve America Act authorizes the Corporation not only to expand
existing programs but to add several new programs and initiatives,
ultimately expanding the core mission of the agency. Implementation of
this historic legislation and strategic planning for the future will
require the best ideas and thoughts from around the country.
The Corporation is inviting preliminary informal input from the
public concerning the implementation of the Serve America Act. We will
accept input in writing, as described below, or in person at one of six
listening sessions we will hold across the country in May. We will also
be holding several conference calls, to be scheduled at a later date.
Please see Supplementary Information for some topics to consider when
formulating input. The Corporation will not respond individually to
those providing input, but will consider the input in drafting any
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, in developing the agency's strategic
plan, and in otherwise developing guidelines around new and existing
programs. The public will have a separate opportunity to provide formal
comment on any proposed rule the Corporation publishes for comment in
2009 or thereafter.
Please note that this Notice does not request comments on
individual application forms used under the various programs of the
Corporation. The Corporation periodically publishes separate requests
for comments concerning such application forms.
DATES: Please submit written input to the Corporation as soon as
possible. We will consider input as we begin drafting proposed
regulations and as we develop our new five-year strategic plan. In
addition, the Corporation will hold six public input meetings across
the country, and conference calls to seek in-person input under this
Notice. See Supplementary Information for public input meeting
information. Conference calls will be scheduled at a later date;
additional information can be found at http://www.nationalservice.gov/
serveact.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written input to the Corporation by any of
the following methods:
(1) Electronically via e-mail to ServeAmericaAct@cns.gov.
(2) By fax to (202) 606-3467, with attention to Amy Borgstrom,
Docket Manager.
(3) By mail sent to: Amy Borgstrom, Docket Manager, Corporation for
National and Community Service, 1201 New York Ave., NW., Washington, DC
20525.
(4) On the Corporation's Serve America implementation Web site,
visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/serveact.
Members of the public may review copies of all communications
received at the Corporation's Washington, DC headquarters. Input
submitted on the Serve America implementation Web site is available for
review online.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Borgstrom, Docket Manager,
Corporation for National and Community Service, (202) 606-6930, TDD
(202) 606-3472. Persons with visual impairments may request this rule
in an alternate format.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For more information on the Corporation and
its programs, please visit our Web site at http://
www.nationalservice.gov.
The Corporation is inviting preliminary informal input from the
public concerning the implementation of the Serve America Act. We will
accept input in writing, as described below, or in person at one of six
listening sessions we will hold across the country in May. We will also
be holding several conference calls, to be scheduled at a later date.
The Corporation will not respond individually to those providing input,
but will consider the input in drafting any Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, in developing the agency's strategic plan, and in otherwise
developing guidelines around new and existing programs. The public will
have a separate opportunity to provide formal comment on any proposed
rule the Corporation publishes for comment in 2009 or thereafter. When
providing in-person or written
[[Page 21663]]
input on the issues outlined above, please consider the following
questions:
Expanding Opportunities To Serve
How can CNCS and its partners attract people of all ages to serve?
How should the Corporation and its partners identify and nurture new
programs that can host additional AmeriCorps slots? What are some
promising approaches to promoting more service programs focused on
education, healthy futures, clean energy, veterans and economic
opportunity? What do State Commissions, national intermediaries, and
other partners view as the best strategies for reaching and developing
new program sponsors? What kind(s) of assistance do grantees need to
continue delivering high quality programs and to expand? Should the
Service Corps outlined in the Act (education, healthy futures, clean
energy, veterans and economic opportunity) be focus areas within
AmeriCorps or programs with their own identity? How should CNCS and its
partners manage the growth of service brands?
Combining Assets for Greater Impact
How can CNCS and its programs capitalize on the diversity of our
programs while also coordinating efforts creatively and effectively for
maximum impact? How can the Corporation stimulate new partnerships,
both within the government sector and with businesses and foundations,
to combine our assets for greater impact?
Demonstrating Impact
In what ways can service produce the greatest impact? How do we
better demonstrate impact, and as we move to more standardized
performance measures, how do we preserve the diversity of programs and
localized nature of solutions? What is the best way to identify program
models that work? How should the Corporation transition from the
current practice of self-nominated performance measures in AmeriCorps
to standardized measures? For example, the Act sets forth standard
measures for each of the five Service Corps. In education, the
legislation includes performance measures such as: Student engagement,
student attendance, student behavior, and student academic achievement.
What support do grantees need to implement these new measures? Should
the Corporation establish standard national performance measures in
VISTA, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve? If so, how? Should there be a
few measures that apply to all Corporation programs?
Spurring Innovation and Supporting the Nonprofit Sector
The Act calls on the Corporation to become a hub of innovation and
support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. How should the Corporation
implement that goal? What does the sector need that CNCS can provide
with expanded service opportunities? How should the Social Innovation
Fund operate in order to provide seed money and scale-up capital for
innovative and evidence-based programs? How should the Volunteer
Generation Fund operate to ensure we are maximizing its potential to
support the recruitment and management of volunteers? How should the
Nonprofit Capacity Building Program be implemented to provide training
and technical assistance to small and mid-sized non-profits? How should
the Serve America Fellows and Encore Fellows programs be implemented?
How much capacity is required of commissions to launch the Serve
America Fellows program? How should we develop the list of qualified
eligible organizations? How can we effectively spur innovation in
service-learning? How should the new Innovative Service-Learning funds
be utilized in Learn and Serve America? How should the Silver
Scholarships program be implemented? How should the Summer of Service
program be implemented?
Achieving Growth Through Simpler Grantmaking
How can we make it easier and more attractive for non-profits to
work with CNCS? What are ways to reduce burden, avoid duplication and
increase efficiency? How can the Corporation consolidate the
application process most effectively? How can the Corporation reduce
reporting requirements while still ensuring appropriate use of federal
funds? The Corporation intends to implement fixed amount grants for
programs in which the cost of running the program is substantially more
than the amount received in the grant. To accomplish this, the
Corporation must know the costs of each type of program in order to set
the ``fixed'' grant amount. From the grantee perspective, what are the
known costs for programs with part-time members? What are the
operational benefits/challenges from the grantee perspective of fixed-
amount grants? How do we structure fixed-price grants so that they
realize the promise of a reduction in burden, while at the same time
providing better information about impact?
Conference Calls and Public Input Meetings
The Corporation is planning six public input meetings across the
country and will also be scheduling conference calls. The public input
meetings have been scheduled as follows:
May 13, 1-4 p.m.--Springfield, MO
May 14, 1-4 p.m.--Columbia, SC
May 20, 12:30-2:30 p.m.--Washington, DC (During public comment segment
at conclusion of Public Board Meeting).
May 22, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.--Boston, MA
May 27, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.--Salt Lake City, UT
May 28, 1-4 p.m.--New Orleans, LA
Please check our Web site at http://www.nationalservice.gov/
serveact for further information on the times, locations, and other
relevant information regarding these meetings and conference calls.
Dated: May 5, 2009.
Frank R. Trinity,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E9-10831 Filed 5-7-09; 8:45 am]