Serve Wisconsin announces $12.8 million in federal funds for 29 Wisconsin AmeriCorps programs / planning grants 

Serve Wisconsin proudly announces that Wisconsin received $12.8 million in grant funding from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and community volunteerism, to support 29 AmeriCorps programs and planning grants across the state.

"This funding will put 875 AmeriCorps members on the ground at over 200 service sites throughout the state to help make a difference and improve the lives of people across Wisconsin," said Jeanne Duffy, Executive Director of Serve Wisconsin.  

"As AmeriCorps celebrates the 30th anniversary of its first members serving across the nation and here in Wisconsin, we look forward to our new AmeriCorps members continuing and expanding the service legacy of those that have served before them. They will build upon the previous service of over 31,000 Wisconsin AmeriCorps members, whose combined efforts amount to an astonishing 47 million service hours and have undeniably and positively shaped the lives of Wisconsin's citizens," Duffy continued. "Throughout their service, these new AmeriCorps members will help tackle some of our toughest problems by addressing the achievement gap and educational challenges, public health and healthcare access, opioid and substance abuse, economic opportunity and housing availability, conservation and environmental sustainability, and other concerns impacting communities across the state."

Governor Evers described the impact AmeriCorps members and programs have in Wisconsin when addressing over 200 AmeriCorps members in May at the Governor's Service Awards when he stated that "the success of our state has always relied on the service and sacrifice of individuals and organizations like yourselves. AmeriCorps has served Wisconsinites well over the past three decades, and for that, we are very grateful. As AmeriCorps members, you truly embody what we mean in Wisconsin when we say that we value helping our fellow neighbors."

For a description of each of the 29 programs and planning grants receiving AmeriCorps funding for the 2024-2025 program year, please go the following funding announcement:

Serve Wisconsin Announces $12.8 Million in AmeriCorps Funding for Wisconsin.

Green Bay Conservation Corps AmeriCorps members providing habitat areas for endangered bumblebee as they help create the Green Bay Pollinator Corridor

The Green Bay Conservation Corps (GBCC), in partnership with the Green Bay Botanical Gardens, recently completed their second large-scale planting project this summer. GBCC AmeriCorps members and volunteers planted over 5,000 native plants at Danz Century Grove and planted 3,000 native plants as part of a sun garden at Perkins Park in June.

These efforts are part of a broader initiative to promote environmental stewardship by creating the City of Green Bay's Pollinator Corridor. This is a collaborative project across multiple entities with the vision of creating a network of "stepping stones" for pollinators, with the plantings strategically placed to allow pollinators to roam freely throughout the city. These pollinator-friendly habitats support several species of bees, butterflies, and other vital species.

The Rusty Patched Bumblebee, a critically endangered species, has become a focus of GBCC’s biodiversity efforts. Known for its distinctive rusty patch, this bee faces severe threats from habitat loss across the country. The Pollinator Corridor project will help protect this species and support its recovery. Over 60% of the city’s documented Rusty Patched Bumblebee sightings have been by GBCC AmeriCorps members, which includes an additional four new sightings in the last month. The Green Bay Conservation Corps continues to survey potential habitats to protect this vital species, as well as identify areas of concern or improvement needs throughout the city as they continue their service in Green Bay's parks and other outdoor spaces.

MCHS Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps AmeriCorps members attend national conference for local health department leaders and public health professionals

Sixteen AmeriCorps members with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) - Community Corps and Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) - Recovery Corps were awarded full scholarships to attend the NACCHO360 national conference in Detroit near the end of July. The NACCHO360 conference is organized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and is the largest convening of local health department leaders and public health professionals in the United States.

MCHS Community Corps AmeriCorps member Miranda Golberg described that “attending the NACCHO conference was a great opportunity for development. The program brought AmeriCorps members across the nation together for networking, and through sessions and other opportunities there was time to connect and network with other health officials.”

The MCHS Community Corps and MCHS Recovery Corps AmeriCorps members were joined by approximately 90 additional Public Health AmeriCorps members serving at sites nationwide, which offered the opportunity for the participants to learn, network, and share experiences and best practices with health-focused professionals from across the country.

 “This conference provided great insight on the array of opportunities and career paths inside of public health,” continued Golberg. “The sessions were informative and intriguing, going past the statement ‘here is the issue” and focusing on what the organization did successfully and how one can implement or take this with them. I definitely walked away feeling proud of the service I do and the impact it creates! It was fulfilling talking to thousands of other individuals who share the same fiery passion.”

MCHS Community Corps AmeriCorps members serving with Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes lead a group of scouts on an overseas adventure

When Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) - Community Corps AmeriCorps members Sigourney Vandeveer, Miranda Schomberg, and Lauren David started their service last year at the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, they had little idea it would lead them to an overseas adventure this summer to chaperone a group of girls to Italy, Austria, and Germany in addition to all of their planned service activities.

MCHS Community Corps AmeriCorps member Lauren David explained that “I knew it was an option to chaperone a trip when I interviewed for Girl Scouts last summer. What I didn’t know is that it would be an international trip.” Reflecting on the opportunity, Lauren described that “I had always wanted to go to Europe, but it wasn’t feasible to take a trip there myself…I was so excited to be a part of this trip and to take in the cultures as much as I could.”

Over the course of nine days, they helped lead the participating girls through their travel and helped open their eyes to the world during their exploration of Rome, Pisa, Florence, Innsbruck, Munich, and the Dachau concentration camp. “I loved getting to know the people in my chaperone group and in the overall tour group. Watching them open up to new experiences was amazing,” said Lauren. “It was definitely one of the highlights of my service term and I will always be grateful to AmeriCorps and Girl Scouts for allowing me the chance of a lifetime.”

This sentiment was echoed by her fellow AmeriCorps members, with Sigourney Vandeveer beginning her detailed reflection on each element of the trip by stating that “it is appropriate that I begin by thanking with every fiber of my being the following: Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, Marshfield Clinic Health Systems, AmeriCorps, Community Corps, EF Tours, and all the friends, family, and community members who helped me prepare for my first journey across the Atlantic. It was nine days to remember, though it peeled past, or maybe through me like lightning.” The trip provided her with the opportunity to visit many of the sites she had previously studied as a humanities major. Thinking back on her overall journey following their visit to Dachau on the final day before returning home, Sigourney explained how she “silently thanked my teachers, professors, mentors, and all the others in my life who’d taught me well and given me an appetite for learning and seeing the world as its true, beautiful, ugly, heartbreaking self.”

For more about Sigourney's service this year before the trip, check out the episode of The S-Files podcast featuring her service: Finding Joy Providing Opportunities through the Girl Scouts while serving with MCHS Community Corps

Service story from Green Bay Conservation Corps AmeriCorps member

August episode of The S-Files podcast

This month on The S-Files, we explored the service story of AmeriCorps member Morgan Westlund, who served over the last year terms with the Green Bay Conservation Corps. Check out this month's episode below. You can access all of the episodes on The S-Files podcast series website.

Serving with the Green Bay Conservation Corps while completing High School

In this episode of The S-Files, we are exploring the service done by AmeriCorps member Morgan Westlund, who has been serving over the last year with the Green Bay Conservation Corps (GBCC). Morgan discusses the service she has done so far this year in the City’s parks and other outdoor spaces, serving part-time during the school year while completing high school and then full-time this summer following her graduation. She describes how much of her service over the winter was focused on restoration and removing invasive species, while her service over the last several months has featured a variety of projects and plantings. Morgan also highlights how her participation in the leadership pathway program with GBCC and the experience she gained earlier in the year led her to lead one of their three crews this summer, leading the crew based at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary. Listen in to learn about how serving with the Green Bay Conservation Corps while completing the classes for both her high school diploma and an associate degree has opened up several opportunities for Morgan and how she hopes to build upon this experience as she continues her studies in college while majoring in environmental science.  (listen to the episode here)

Take our Community Input Survey to provide information about local needs in your community to help

Serve Wisconsin develop our 3-Year State Service Plan

Serve Wisconsin is seeking input for our next three-year State Service Plan. The State Service Plan is our strategic plan that will assist us in focusing our efforts to to promote service, provide training, and allocate resources to programs and organizations that enrich lives and communities through service and volunteerism. Our 2022-2024 State Service Plan can be found on the Serve Wisconsin website.

We can use your help to to best understand the needs that currently exist throughout our state. Please complete our Community Input Survey to help shape AmeriCorps and our support of volunteer service here in Wisconsin.

• Click to Complete the Community Input Survey

Serve Wisconsin releases Request for Proposals (RFP) for 2025-2026 AmeriCorps Program Grants

Serve Wisconsin has released the 2025-2026 AmeriCorps State Competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) for AmeriCorps Program Grants!

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.

Organizations will need to submit a mandatory notification of intent to apply form by September 20 and applications are due by October 11.

Links to the RFP, the Notification of Intent links, technical assistance, and other resources are available on the Serve Wisconsin website at https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/americorps-competitive-program-rfp

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

AmeriCorps NCCC holding webinars for organizations interested in partnering with NCCC for projects in 2025

Does your organization need extra assistance meeting critical needs in your community? AmeriCorps NCCC is hosting a series of webinars this August or September to learn about how they could be a resource to your community by sending a team of young adults for 6-8 weeks to assist nonprofit and government agencies in their work addressing critical needs.

You can find more information about the individual webinars and register for the sessions at this site: AmeriCorps NCCC North Central Region Upcoming Webinars

Below is a schedule of their upcoming themed webinars with registration links:

• Food Security - Wednesday, September 4 at 10:00am CT (register here)
• General Overview - Tuesday, September 17 at 10:00am CT (register here)
• Youth Programming - Wednesday, September 18 at 10:00am CT (register here)
• Environmental - Wednesday, September 18 at 2:00pm CT (register here)

For nonprofit organizations and government agencies interested in working with an AmeriCorps NCCC team in 2025, the first deadline for submitting a concept form is November 5 for partnering with a team between March 5 and April 24, 2025. Information on the application process for this upcoming period or for late spring, summer, and fall 2005 is available in their Request for Proposal (RFP) for 2025 service dates.

Volunteer on 9/11 Day of Service

September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance (9/11 Day) is a chance to help others in tribute to those killed and injured on September 11, 2001, as well as first responders and the countless others who serve to defend the nation’s freedom at home and around the globe.

To honor those we lost and the heroes who helped us persevere, join AmeriCorps and 911Day.org to unite in service and do good. 

For those interested in either volunteering or creating a 9/11 Day project that others can join, please use the information below to find a service opportunity or help add your act of service to this effort.

Find a Volunteer Opportunity

• Use the AmeriCorps Volunteer Search to find an opportunity near you. For volunteer opportunities for September 11, please enter #911 in the search box.
• You can also search for local projects through the Volunteer Wisconsin website

Create a project for others to join

• You can create a free project listing through one of these three organizations Idealist, JustServe, or VolunteerMatch, making sure to use #911 in the title of the project for it to be discoverable in search results for 9/11 Day

For those interested in taking an active role in promoting national service and volunteerism in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board has two vacancies for a board member for the following appointment type:

• A representative of local labor
• A service program representative between the ages of 16 and 25

Those interested in serving must complete an application to the governor for the appointment. The online application for a board position can be found HERE, with additional information on the application process found at Apply to Serve - Governor Tony Evers. If you are interested in serving on the board and have any questions, please contact Serve Wisconsin Executive Director Jeanne Duffy at jeanne.duffy@wisconsin.gov.

Serve Wisconsin | servewisconsin.wi.gov | AmeriCorps

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