Volunteer Tennessee Awarded Nearly $400K from AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund

NASHVILLE, TN – Volunteer Tennessee, Tennessee’s Governor-appointed commission on volunteerism and service, announced today that it has received a Volunteer Generation Fund grant of $399,893 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. The grant will expand Volunteer Tennessee’s presence across the state, aiding the commission in improving infrastructure to support the engagement and participation of Tennessee citizens in volunteer activities and service-learning.
 
The Volunteer Generation Fund invests in organizations to increase both volunteer recruitment and retention to engage those who answer the call to serve. With this new funding, Volunteer Tennessee will partner with Hands On Nashville and Volunteer Memphis through the Tennessee Volunteer Generation Fund Coalition, an effort to increase volunteer recruitment and expand the use of volunteers and service-learning to remove inequities in the areas of education, healthy futures, and economic opportunity, and to provide pandemic response and community resiliency. 
 
The Coalition will provide capacity building services to 2,384 organizations across Tennessee and support approximately 92,000 volunteers. Volunteer Tennessee will also provide mini-grants for afterschool programs to implement service-learning projects that address inequities.
 
 “Volunteers play an important role in making positive change and improving lives of Tennesseans” said Jim Snell, Executive Director of Volunteer Tennessee. “These funds will provide critical support for expanding the capacity of organizations to engage more volunteers that will strengthen communities throughout the state.”
 
“Through national service and volunteerism, AmeriCorps invests in new and innovative ways to engage communities and foster a sense of action and belonging,” said Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps CEO.
 
Organizations and volunteers interested in learning more about the Tennessee Volunteer Generation Fund Coalition should sign up for Volunteer Tennessee’s newsletter at http://bit.ly/VolTN_Newsletter.

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Volunteer Tennessee, the Governor’s commission on volunteerism and service builds capacity and sustainability in Tennessee’s volunteer sector. Annually, Volunteer Tennessee provides more  than $6 million in AmeriCorps grants and volunteer center grants to local agencies throughout the state so they can engage volunteers to meet local needs in education, social services, health and wellness, public safety and the environment. The commission consists of a 25-member, bi-partisan volunteer citizen board appointed by the Governor and eleven State Government ex-officio positions. For more information, visit www.volunteertennessee.net or visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and national service, provides opportunities for Americans toserve their country domestically, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency invests more than $800 million in grants for local nonprofit, community, tribal, and state organizations; places more than 250,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more as volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.