The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) have partnered to create the Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps funding opportunity. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations to recruit, train, and manage AmeriCorps members during a defined term of service.
This AmeriCorps funding opportunity provides grants to programs that help youth who have been adjudicated in the juvenile justice system, convicted in the criminal justice system, or identified as “at-risk” for incarceration, to serve as AmeriCorps members. Youth will have the chance to participate in a national service program and receive meaningful mentoring while they serve.
Public or private nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, local or state governments, veterans’ service organizations, labor organizations, and other partnerships/consortia are all eligible to apply for this funding. Proposed programs should meet the following goals:
- Establish and maintain mentoring relationships between experienced members and disconnect Youth AmeriCorps members.
- Evidence of collaboration with entities that provide reentry or reentry-related activities.
A Letter of Intent is due Monday, April 20th. The full application is due Wednesday, May 20th.
Recipients of the Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps grant will need to enroll new AmeriCorps staff members to provide mentoring and coaching to at-risk youth. Recruitment should involve finding individuals who have mentoring experience and/or applicable life experience to serve as mentors and coaches to support the successful participation of youth in the program, and position them for success after their service ends. For more information, click here.
Transform Consulting Group has successfully helped programs apply for AmeriCorps grants in the past, including the United Way of Central Indiana. Interested in how AmeriCorps staff members could improve your organization’s impact? Contact Transform Consulting Group today to learn more.
