Nominations Open for 2025 Governor's Service Awards

Nominations Due on March 17

Serve Wisconsin is pleased to open nominations for the 2025 Governor’s Service Awards. The award ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 15, at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison.

The Governor's Service Awards honor outstanding national service members, volunteers, and programs. Those honored by these awards will have made significant contributions to Wisconsin through their service, with their generous service impacting the lives of countless Wisconsinites. Awards will recognize outstanding national service by individuals and programs serving through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors and the tremendous impact volunteers make throughout the state by honoring a Volunteer of the Year from multiple categories of volunteer service.

When honoring the recipients of the 2024 Governor's Service Awards, Governor Tony Evers told the 2024 honorees that "so much of our local impact rests on the shoulders of dedicated volunteers and organizations such as yourselves, and we could not have the reach or influence that we do in this state without partners like all of you. Whether you have been doing this work for two years or twenty years, rest assured, the work you are doing is truly making our state a better place for Wisconsin kids, families, and communities everywhere."

Jeanne Duffy, Serve Wisconsin's Executive Director, echoed the Governor’s sentiments, emphasizing the profound impact of the honorees’ efforts, stating that "these individuals have gone above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others. They are assisting homeless youth, offering compassion and care to our vulnerable seniors, and ensuring our youth have the necessary resources, education, and love to thrive. Their selfless efforts have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless fellow community members."

Nominations for the awards are due on Monday, March 17, with the 2025 nomination form and information on past recipients available on the Serve Wisconsin website at https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/governors-service-awards, with specific resources listed below.

• Nominations Overview for 2025 Governor’s Service Awards - includes information on nomination categories, award eligibility, the questions/prompts on the nomination form, submitting supporting materials, and the scoring process
• 2025 Nomination Form - nominations can be submitted by completing the online form available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WI2025GSA

The nomination categories for this year are listed below, with descriptions on the nomination form.

• Volunteer of the Year (multiple categories for nomination by service type)
• AmeriCorps Member of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Program of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Alumni of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer of the Year 
• AmeriCorps Seniors Lifetime Impact Volunteer
• AmeriCorps Seniors Program of the Year 
• Marty Stein Friend of National Service Exemplary Supporter

Please contact kyle.clower@wisconsin.gov with any questions regarding the nomination process or for any additional information.

Lt. Governor Rodriguez and Attorney General Kaul participate in MLK Day of Service project with multiple Milwaukee AmeriCorps programs

Over 220 volunteers came together for a Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service project organized by City Year Milwaukee this year at Siefert Elementary School. This was the fifteenth year that City Year Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools came together for a project to honor Dr. King’s legacy.

Participants included Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, their fellow AmeriCorps members from Milwaukee Justice Center AmeriCorps Milwaukee Justice Center AmeriCorps and LibraryCorps through the Milwaukee Public Library, and numerous volunteers from local businesses and the community as a whole.

The project was designed to help act as a catalyst to reinvigorate Seifert Elementary School's sense of school pride and culture and to support the needs of students and the community. To do this, the project participants spent the day painting 48 new murals on the school walls, assembling 200 hygiene kits, packing 100 school supply kits, and creating 90 fleece blankets.

Media Coverage of City Year Milwaukee MLK Day of Service project

• WDJT-TV CBS 58 - Volunteers paint murals at Siefert School for annual MLK Jr. Day of Service
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service event at Siefert Elementary in Milwaukee

Green Bay Community Corps holds numerous activities to bring community together on MLK Day

In recognition of the importance of service on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service, AmeriCorps remains committed to fulfilling Dr. King’s dream of building a Beloved Community. As part of this year's celebration, the Green Bay Conservation Corps (GBCC) hosted a day of events focused on building a beloved community in Green Bay.

While below-zero temperatures required restructuring part of the event, GBCC AmeriCorps members found ways to continue offering opportunities for community members, shifting their outdoor snowman-building competition to an “upcycled” snowman craft inside the Triangle Sports Area. Before and during the event, GBCC also ran a donation drive to restock the clothing closet at We All Rise: African American Resource Center, gathering four large boxes of clothing valued at $1350 to be provided to those in need.

The event concluded with a social hour with activities followed by a panel discussion. Some of the panelists included State Representative Amaad Rivera-Wagner, who helped create the Green Bay Conservation Corps, and Charles Caston from the We All Rise: African American Resource Center, who shared during the event that “we are planting trees here that we may not get to see the shade of, but we keep planting anyways.”

Media Coverage of Green Bay Conservation Corps MLK Day of Service project

• WGBA-TV NBC 26 - Green Bay Conservation Corps Martin Luther King Day Celebration

College Possible Wisconsin serves at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin for MLK Day of Service

To honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the College Possible Wisconsin team participated in a day of service at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. To help distribute food and resources to those in need, their AmeriCorps members and staff packed over 5,296 meals. In keeping with Dr. King’s powerful words, “we cannot walk alone,” they were committed to making a collective impact on the community.

That week, College Possible Wisconsin was also raising funds for their Direct Student Aid, which provides one-time grants to students facing urgent financial setbacks. Whether it’s a car that breaks down, leaving a student unable to get to class, or an emergency medical bill that forces them to pause their studies, they hope the funds from the donations they raise will help make a difference in keeping their students on track. 

414 Fellows AmeriCorps collect and restore books for Next Door - Milwaukee students on MLK Day

The AmeriCorps members, with 414 Fellows at Marquette University, came together for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service project to benefit the students at their service site, Next Door - Milwaukee. In advance of the project, 414 Fellows had been hosting a book drive from late November until the middle of January, collecting 345 books appropriate for ages preK-5-year-olds. On MLK Day, 414 Fellows AmeriCorps members organized and restored the donated books and created bookmarks to be distributed at Next Door in the following days.

WAFCC assembles mental health care packages for first responders and teachers on MLK Day

The AmeriCorps members with the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (WAFCC) came together to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a day of service, reflection, and unity. As part of their day, they dedicated their time to assembling mental health care packages for the first responders and teachers who serve their communities every day. They packed over 100 mental health care packages filled with thoughtfully selected items to promote self-care and well-being.

Easterseals Wisconsin distributes books on MLK Day

The AmeriCorps members with Easterseals Wisconsin served on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service this year to expand access to books for children. Easterseals Wisconsin partnered with the Book Deal of Madison and traveled around the county to distribute children's books to Little Free Libraries.

WisCorps Member Reflects on Full Circle Journey to Providing Environmental Education

The AmeriCorps members serving with WisCorps at The Nature Place in La Crosse maintain The Nature Place Blog highlighting the environmental education they provide to the public.  The following blog post was written by WisCorps AmeriCorps member Emma Ehlers, who is currently serving as a Community Program Educator.

A Full Circle Mission

Why I love the outdoors –

My inspiration to serve our environment started at a young age. As a student of an art-focused charter elementary school, my love and dedication for nature evolved throughout years of hands-on, nature based exploration. From handling creatures to standing amongst trees of the Hixon forest to experiencing the wind whip through the Kickapoo Valley, my relationship with the Earth grew with every chance I had to be myself within the presence of nature.

Through befriending our 2nd grade classroom pet, a tortoise named Sandwich, I conquered the universal childhood fear of feeling afraid. Having that useful life skill under my belt, there was only fascination and exploration to experience by 4th grade. This year was pivotal in my life, because it brought a very special teacher, Mary into my life. 

Mary inspired us to build authentic connections with nature and always incorporated empowering approaches to understand how we could protect the natural world, even as 4th graders. She really believed in us and her ability to demonstrate love through teaching and communicating how important our environmentalism is has stuck with me.

I felt my bond with nature truly come to life through our classroom pet, Humphry. Mary prioritized time for her students to connect with the snake throughout the year, however my deeper connection formed after traditional school hours, because my mom worked at the school. Humphry would wrap himself around my arm while I read books while waiting for my mom to complete her work. Some of my fondest memories were just sitting together quietly in the classroom.

Humphry made me feel very comfortable. That confidence allowed me to encourage other students to interact with him more, showing them how harmless and easy it was to hold him. He helped me show other students how not to be afraid, and that’s when it really clicked how nature has the ability to help us in so many ways.

In coming back to The Nature Place –

After completing my B.S. in Environmental Biology, the opportunity to serve first as an Environmental Educator then as an Community Program Educator with the Community Programs team felt like coming back to something that I’d been missing. Upon meeting the critters for the first time, I was immediately drawn to one of the snakes. Instantly, it felt like I’d re-connected with an old friend. As it turned out, it was my old friend. Mary had given Humphrey to another teacher when she retired and that teacher had donated Humphrey to The Nature Place.

The Nature Place is special like that. It’s a place where everyone belongs and there is intention built into everything we’re doing. Serving the greater La Crosse community has opened up so many opportunities to re-engage with and inspire people of all ages to connect with nature and develop relationships with our natural world. I am grateful for people like Mary who inspired me at a young age to pursue my passion, which is why I am here today, helping inspire more people to do the same.

Service story from AmeriCorps alumnus and current program director from Wisconsin Reading Corps

January episode of The S-Files podcast

This month on The S-Files, we explored the service story of AmeriCorps alumnus Randy Schneider, who served for four terms as an AmeriCorps member with Wisconsin Reading Corps and has been one of their program managers over the last three years. Check out this month's episode below. You can access all of the episodes on The S-Files podcast series website.

Supporting Student Success and the Service of AmeriCorps Members with Wisconsin Reading Corps

In this episode of The S-Files, we are exploring the service done by AmeriCorps alumnus Randy Schneider, who served for four terms as an AmeriCorps member with Wisconsin Reading Corps and has been one of their program managers over the last three years. Randy describes his service as a literacy tutor working with kindergarten through third grade students over four years at Longfellow School in Milwaukee, including in-person tutoring sessions and modifying to virtual sessions for a portion of his service during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also discusses serving as a lead tutor for his final three terms, gradually expanding the number of fellow AmeriCorps members he supported during his time with the program. Randy then describes his transition to becoming a program manager with Wisconsin Reading Corps and Wisconsin Math Corps and how he has continued providing support to their AmeriCorps members in this new role, as well as the advice he would give to those interested in AmeriCorps service or those already serving. Listen in to learn about the significant impact that serving with AmeriCorps has had for Randy as a physically disabled cancer survivor, who has gone from struggling to make ends meet to thriving thanks, in no small part, to the doors opened by his AmeriCorps service. (listen to the episode here)

Serve Wisconsin to release RFP for 2025-2026 AmeriCorps program grants the week of February 5

Serve Wisconsin will release its 2025-2026 AmeriCorps State Formula Request for Proposals (RFP) for AmeriCorps Program Grants and AmeriCorps Planning Grants the week of February 3.

Nonprofit organizations, state and local units of government, institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, and Indian Tribes looking to address a community need through AmeriCorps programming are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Interested organizations will need to submit a mandatory notification of intent to apply by February 24 and applications are due by March 17.

Links to the RFP, the Notification of Intent links, technical assistance, and other resources will be available on the AmeriCorps Grants page of the Serve Wisconsin website.

Please direct any questions regarding the RFP process or application to servewisconsin@wisconsin.gov.

Wisconsin National Service Participants coming together for AmeriCorps Day at the Capitol on March 19

Serve Wisconsin is coordinating AmeriCorps Day at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 19. AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and staff from AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs throughout Wisconsin will participate in the event. Attendees will staff informational tables from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the First Floor Rotunda, which will be filled with program banners and information about service throughout the state. Event participants will meet with Wisconsin Senate and Assembly members or their staff to highlight the impact that AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors have on communities throughout Wisconsin.

If you are interested in participating in AmeriCorps Day at the State Capitol on March 19, please complete the RSVP form. If you have any questions about this event or to let us know about your participation, please contact Kyle Clower at kyle.clower@wisconsin.gov or 608-576-5373.

Deadline for AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Papers for Projects beginning by August 2025 is March 27

Does your organization address poverty and need assistance building its capacity to serve more people or increase efficiency? We are looking to expand in Wisconsin and AmeriCorps VISTA could be the resource you need!

March 27th is the deadline for nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in sponsoring an AmeriCorps VISTA project to submit a concept paper. Applicants with a successful concept paper will submit a full application for a three-year project period of approximately August 2025-July 2028. Resources, training, upcoming webinar dates, and other information on the application process are available on the AmeriCorps website.

The AmeriCorps North Central regional office team is able to assist you as you develop your concept paper and application. Projects must be developed in accordance with the AmeriCorps VISTA’s core principles: anti-poverty focus; community empowerment; sustainable solutions; and capacity building. Some examples of activities are building a volunteer recruitment and management system, conducting fundraising or select grant writing activities, researching, and building a data collection system, streamlining internal processes (such as intake, client tracking, data collection and reporting), providing data analysis, and more! If it is a capacity building activity, VISTA may be able to help.

Your application will outline the specific activities and goals of the VISTA members and project. If you are awarded a VISTA project, you will work to recruit a team of at least 3-8 VISTA members who will serve in a full-time capacity for one year. (We have a national recruitment platform and recruiters to help with this.) You will provide the supplies, equipment, and oversight for the VISTA members and we will provide them with a stipend and health care benefits. And you’ll report to us on the VISTA member accomplishments. We’ll be here to support you throughout the process. If you have questions or would like to sponsor an AmeriCorps VISTA project, please contact the AmeriCorps Regional Office at WI@americorps.gov. 

Deadline for NCCC AmeriCorps Concept Papers for Projects in July-September 2025 is February 27

Does your organization need assistance meeting critical needs in your community?

The deadline for submitting a concept form is February 27 for nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in working with an AmeriCorps NCCC team next year between July 11 and September 5, 2025. Information on the application process is available in the AmeriCorps NCCC Request for Proposal (RFP) for 2025 service dates.

AmeriCorps NCCC teams are 18-26 year-olds traveling regionally to help communities meet their critical needs by completing projects that typically last 6-8 weeks. NCCC partners with a variety of nonprofit organizations, government entities (federal, state, or local), educational institutions, neighborhood associations, Native American Tribal Councils, and community-based or faith-based organizations to complete projects that address compelling community needs. These projects address five main service areas: natural and other disasters, energy conservation, environmental stewardship and conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development.

As an example, the Maple 7 AmeriCorps NCCC team served at the YMCA of the North Camp St. Croix in Hudson, WI, from September 14 through November 12. The AmeriCorps NCCC team’s work will preserve and build on the camp’s natural resources to allow for hands-on, engaging environmental education, create easier access for people of varying abilities to experience a natural and agricultural setting, improve the climate-resilience of trails, prairie, and forests, and other initiatives. While serving at the camp, they contributed to project goals through trail-building assistance in a ravine area, assisted with tree planting to expand the maple syrup program, raspberry planting to create a pick-your-own patch, fence building and repair for farm/garden, greenhouse maintenance, forest management, invasive plant removal and outdoor and indoor maintenance tasks on their 100 buildings.

Serve Wisconsin | servewisconsin.wi.gov | AmeriCorps

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