[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 40 (Tuesday, February 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10774-10775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4792]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Request for Input on Grants for Outreach to Individuals with a 
Disability

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Request for input.

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SUMMARY: Section 129(d)(5) of the National and Community Service Act 
authorizes grants to public or private nonprofit organizations to pay 
for the Federal share of conducting outreach to individuals with a 
disability concerning national service programs. The Corporation for 
National and Community Service (``Corporation'') requests input from 
the public on how we might best support this type of outreach. We will 
use this input in developing a notice of funds availability to be 
published in the Federal Register later this year.

DATES: Please submit your written comments by March 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Thea Kachoris, Corporation for National 
Service, 1201 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20525 or preferably 
via electronic mail at: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Talbot, (202) 606-5000, ext. 
470. T.D.D. (202) 565-2799. If you need this notice in an alternative 
format, please contact Ms. Talbot.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Corporation for National and Community Service (the 
Corporation) was established in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages 
and backgrounds in service to their communities. The Corporation's 
national and community service programs provide opportunities for 
participants to serve full-time and part-time, with or without stipend, 
as individuals or as part of a team. AmeriCorps*State, National, VISTA, 
and National Civilian Community Corps programs engage thousands of 
Americans on a full, or part-time basis, at over 1,000 locations to 
help communities meet their toughest challenges. Learn and Serve 
America integrates service into the academic life or experiences of 
nearly one million youth from kindergarten through higher education in 
all 50 states. The National Senior Service Corps utilizes the skills, 
talents and experience of over 500,000 older Americans to help make 
communities stronger, safer, healthier and smarter.
    AmeriCorps*State and AmeriCorps*National programs, which involve 
over 40,000 Americans each year in results-driven community service, 
are grant programs managed by: (1) state commissions that select and 
oversee programs operated by local organizations; (2) national non-
profit organizations that act as parent organizations for operating 
sites across the country; (3) Indian tribes; or (4) U.S. Territories. 
Learn and Serve America grants provide service-learning opportunities 
for youth through grants to state education agencies, community-based 
organizations, and higher education institutions and organizations. The 
National Senior Service Corps operates through grants to nearly 1,300 
local organizations for the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP), Foster 
Grandparent (FGP) and Senior Companion (SCP) programs to provide 
service to their communities.
    In addition, the Corporation supports the AmeriCorps*VISTA 
(Volunteers in Service to America) and AmeriCorps*NCCC (National 
Civilian Community Corps) programs. More than 6,000 AmeriCorps*VISTA 
members develop grassroots programs, mobilize resources and build 
capacity for service across the nation. AmeriCorps*NCCC provides the 
opportunity for approximately 1,000 individuals between the ages of 18 
and 24 to participate each year in ten-month residential programs 
located mainly on inactive military bases.
    For additional information on the national service programs 
supported by the Corporation, go to 
http://www.nationalservice.org.

Outreach Grants

    Section 129(d)(5) of the National and Community Service Act 
authorizes grants for two purposes related to increasing the 
participation of individuals with disabilities in national service: (1) 
grants to support the placement, reasonable accommodation, and 
auxilliary services for AmeriCorps members serving in what are commonly 
known as subtitle C AmeriCorps State competitive and National Direct 
programs; and (2) grants for outreach to individuals with a disability. 
This notice concerns only the second category. Outreach grants are 
available for public or private nonprofit organizations to pay for the 
Federal share of conducting outreach to individuals with a disability 
concerning national service programs. The Federal share may not exceed 
75 percent of the cost of carrying out the activities under each grant. 
A grantee must provide a 25 percent match, either in cash or in kind. 
Under section 129(d)(5), outreach grant funds may support
     providing information about national service programs to 
individuals with a disability who wish to participate;
     undertaking other promotional activities that educate the 
public about opportunities for individuals with a disability to 
participate in national service programs;
     enabling individuals with a disability to participate in 
activities carried out through national service programs;
     assisting national service programs in developing ways to 
increase the participation of individuals with a disability in national 
service programs.
    Based on past appropriations and allocations of funding, and 
projections for the future, we estimate that the total amount of funds 
available each year for these outreach grants will be between $2 
million and $4 million.
    We are particularly interested in receiving input on the following 
questions:
    1. What are the most common and most significant barriers to 
greater participation by individuals with disabilities in national 
service programs?
    2. What types of outreach activities would be most effective in 
increasing the participation in national service of persons with 
disabilities? Should we tailor grants to specific types of outreach 
activities or make grants for the general purpose of outreach?
    3. Given the large number of potential applicants for these funds, 
how should we set priorities in making outreach grants?
    4. How should we distribute funds? Should we rely on State 
Commissions and State Education Agencies as a principal conduit?


[[Page 10775]]


    Dated: February 24, 2000.
Gary Kowalczyk,
Director, Office of Planning and Program Integration.
[FR Doc. 00-4792 Filed 2-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-U