[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 88 (Friday, May 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21662-21663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10831]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Notice Inviting Preliminary Informal Public Input

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service

ACTION: Notice inviting preliminary public input.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On April 21, 2009, President Obama signed the bi-partisan 
Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act (the Act). The Act takes effect on 
October 1, 2009 and calls upon the Corporation for National and 
Community Service (``the Corporation'') and its partners to expand 
opportunities for all Americans to serve, to focus on important 
national outcomes, to be a catalyst for social innovation, and to 
support the nonprofit sector. In achieving these goals, the Corporation 
must look for new ways to build on the assets of federal and private 
programs while reducing unnecessary burdens.
    The Serve America Act authorizes the Corporation not only to expand 
existing programs but to add several new programs and initiatives, 
ultimately expanding the core mission of the agency. Implementation of 
this historic legislation and strategic planning for the future will 
require the best ideas and thoughts from around the country.
    The Corporation is inviting preliminary informal input from the 
public concerning the implementation of the Serve America Act. We will 
accept input in writing, as described below, or in person at one of six 
listening sessions we will hold across the country in May. We will also 
be holding several conference calls, to be scheduled at a later date. 
Please see Supplementary Information for some topics to consider when 
formulating input. The Corporation will not respond individually to 
those providing input, but will consider the input in drafting any 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, in developing the agency's strategic 
plan, and in otherwise developing guidelines around new and existing 
programs. The public will have a separate opportunity to provide formal 
comment on any proposed rule the Corporation publishes for comment in 
2009 or thereafter.
    Please note that this Notice does not request comments on 
individual application forms used under the various programs of the 
Corporation. The Corporation periodically publishes separate requests 
for comments concerning such application forms.

DATES: Please submit written input to the Corporation as soon as 
possible. We will consider input as we begin drafting proposed 
regulations and as we develop our new five-year strategic plan. In 
addition, the Corporation will hold six public input meetings across 
the country, and conference calls to seek in-person input under this 
Notice. See Supplementary Information for public input meeting 
information. Conference calls will be scheduled at a later date; 
additional information can be found at http://www.nationalservice.gov/serveact.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written input to the Corporation by any of 
the following methods:
    (1) Electronically via e-mail to [email protected].
    (2) By fax to (202) 606-3467, with attention to Amy Borgstrom, 
Docket Manager.
    (3) By mail sent to: Amy Borgstrom, Docket Manager, Corporation for 
National and Community Service, 1201 New York Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20525.
    (4) On the Corporation's Serve America implementation Web site, 
visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/serveact.
    Members of the public may review copies of all communications 
received at the Corporation's Washington, DC headquarters. Input 
submitted on the Serve America implementation Web site is available for 
review online.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Borgstrom, Docket Manager, 
Corporation for National and Community Service, (202) 606-6930, TDD 
(202) 606-3472. Persons with visual impairments may request this rule 
in an alternate format.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For more information on the Corporation and 
its programs, please visit our Web site at http://www.nationalservice.gov.
    The Corporation is inviting preliminary informal input from the 
public concerning the implementation of the Serve America Act. We will 
accept input in writing, as described below, or in person at one of six 
listening sessions we will hold across the country in May. We will also 
be holding several conference calls, to be scheduled at a later date. 
The Corporation will not respond individually to those providing input, 
but will consider the input in drafting any Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, in developing the agency's strategic plan, and in otherwise 
developing guidelines around new and existing programs. The public will 
have a separate opportunity to provide formal comment on any proposed 
rule the Corporation publishes for comment in 2009 or thereafter. When 
providing in-person or written

[[Page 21663]]

input on the issues outlined above, please consider the following 
questions:

Expanding Opportunities To Serve

    How can CNCS and its partners attract people of all ages to serve? 
How should the Corporation and its partners identify and nurture new 
programs that can host additional AmeriCorps slots? What are some 
promising approaches to promoting more service programs focused on 
education, healthy futures, clean energy, veterans and economic 
opportunity? What do State Commissions, national intermediaries, and 
other partners view as the best strategies for reaching and developing 
new program sponsors? What kind(s) of assistance do grantees need to 
continue delivering high quality programs and to expand? Should the 
Service Corps outlined in the Act (education, healthy futures, clean 
energy, veterans and economic opportunity) be focus areas within 
AmeriCorps or programs with their own identity? How should CNCS and its 
partners manage the growth of service brands?

Combining Assets for Greater Impact

    How can CNCS and its programs capitalize on the diversity of our 
programs while also coordinating efforts creatively and effectively for 
maximum impact? How can the Corporation stimulate new partnerships, 
both within the government sector and with businesses and foundations, 
to combine our assets for greater impact?

Demonstrating Impact

    In what ways can service produce the greatest impact? How do we 
better demonstrate impact, and as we move to more standardized 
performance measures, how do we preserve the diversity of programs and 
localized nature of solutions? What is the best way to identify program 
models that work? How should the Corporation transition from the 
current practice of self-nominated performance measures in AmeriCorps 
to standardized measures? For example, the Act sets forth standard 
measures for each of the five Service Corps. In education, the 
legislation includes performance measures such as: Student engagement, 
student attendance, student behavior, and student academic achievement. 
What support do grantees need to implement these new measures? Should 
the Corporation establish standard national performance measures in 
VISTA, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve? If so, how? Should there be a 
few measures that apply to all Corporation programs?

Spurring Innovation and Supporting the Nonprofit Sector

    The Act calls on the Corporation to become a hub of innovation and 
support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. How should the Corporation 
implement that goal? What does the sector need that CNCS can provide 
with expanded service opportunities? How should the Social Innovation 
Fund operate in order to provide seed money and scale-up capital for 
innovative and evidence-based programs? How should the Volunteer 
Generation Fund operate to ensure we are maximizing its potential to 
support the recruitment and management of volunteers? How should the 
Nonprofit Capacity Building Program be implemented to provide training 
and technical assistance to small and mid-sized non-profits? How should 
the Serve America Fellows and Encore Fellows programs be implemented? 
How much capacity is required of commissions to launch the Serve 
America Fellows program? How should we develop the list of qualified 
eligible organizations? How can we effectively spur innovation in 
service-learning? How should the new Innovative Service-Learning funds 
be utilized in Learn and Serve America? How should the Silver 
Scholarships program be implemented? How should the Summer of Service 
program be implemented?

Achieving Growth Through Simpler Grantmaking

    How can we make it easier and more attractive for non-profits to 
work with CNCS? What are ways to reduce burden, avoid duplication and 
increase efficiency? How can the Corporation consolidate the 
application process most effectively? How can the Corporation reduce 
reporting requirements while still ensuring appropriate use of federal 
funds? The Corporation intends to implement fixed amount grants for 
programs in which the cost of running the program is substantially more 
than the amount received in the grant. To accomplish this, the 
Corporation must know the costs of each type of program in order to set 
the ``fixed'' grant amount. From the grantee perspective, what are the 
known costs for programs with part-time members? What are the 
operational benefits/challenges from the grantee perspective of fixed-
amount grants? How do we structure fixed-price grants so that they 
realize the promise of a reduction in burden, while at the same time 
providing better information about impact?

Conference Calls and Public Input Meetings

    The Corporation is planning six public input meetings across the 
country and will also be scheduling conference calls. The public input 
meetings have been scheduled as follows:

May 13, 1-4 p.m.--Springfield, MO
May 14, 1-4 p.m.--Columbia, SC
May 20, 12:30-2:30 p.m.--Washington, DC (During public comment segment 
at conclusion of Public Board Meeting).
May 22, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.--Boston, MA
May 27, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.--Salt Lake City, UT
May 28, 1-4 p.m.--New Orleans, LA

    Please check our Web site at http://www.nationalservice.gov/serveact for further information on the times, locations, and other 
relevant information regarding these meetings and conference calls.

    Dated: May 5, 2009.
Frank R. Trinity,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E9-10831 Filed 5-7-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-$$-P