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The America Forward Responsibility Agenda lays out a multi-faceted plan to engage Americans of all backgrounds—including those in the business sector—in solving community problems. The centerpiece of the Agenda is a call to action where all citizens are asked to serve the equivalent of a year of full-time service. National service is a powerful vehicle for solving community problems and improving citizens’ lives. One model is an expanded national service program based on AmeriCorps, but focused on solving specific challenges, including improving the education system, increasing access to the American Dream, and building environmental sustainability. The AmeriCorps track record demonstrates that its members make a difference in each of these areas.

National service has helped fuel social entrepreneurship. It has provided financial capital through grants and human capital in the form of AmeriCorps members and community volunteers. Many of the founders and staff of these innovative problem-solving organizations served in AmeriCorps and, as a result, were inspired and empowered to take action when their service term ended. A substantial new investment in national service would launch a new wave of social entrepreneurship and provide the human capital to expand those programs achieving the strongest results.

Specifically, we propose:

  • A tiered approach to AmeriCorps funding that reflects the stages of organizational development, including a tier that allows long-term successful programs to work in partnership with the Corporation to grow and reach new communities
  • Social entrepreneur start-up fellowships for national service alumni to enable promising AmeriCorps alums to put their ideas for solving community problems into action
  • Increased emphasis on social entrepreneurship in Learn and Serve America and Senior Corps programming