The Missouri Community Service Commission (MCSC) has announced the recipients of four new AmeriCorps planning grants and two new operational grants. As the organization responsible for overseeing AmeriCorps programs in Missouri, grants awarded by MCSC will strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.
“Our Missouri Community Service Commission team is helping Missourians prosper through its partnership with AmeriCorps,” said Michelle Hataway, Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. “Projects funded by AmeriCorps grants are positively transforming lives and Missouri communities. We’re grateful to AmeriCorps, Missouri volunteers, and the many organizations that partner with us to build a brighter future for our state.”
AmeriCorps planning grants support organizations in preparing to compete for an AmeriCorps program grant in the following grant cycle, while operational grants fund organizations ready to establish, operate, or expand an AmeriCorps program.
“These grants are changing lives through the power of service,” said Brittany Crabtree, Executive Director of the Missouri Community Service Commission. “Our team is proud to establish AmeriCorps programs at the local level to strengthen communities. We look forward to the positive impact these grants will provide to Missourians, especially those in rural areas.”
AmeriCorps Planning Grants Recipients:
- Missouri Humanities (Statewide)
- Expanding the capacity of rural historical societies and cultural institutions to promote and preserve local heritage.
- UNITEC Solar Training Program (Statewide)
- Developing a new vocational program that will train students in the understanding, installation, management, and maintenance of solar power systems.
- United Way of Southeast Missouri (Cape Girardeau)
- Eliminating barriers to economic mobility through increased transportation and childcare resources.
- Branches for the Lake (Osage Beach)
- Developing a multi-use recreational trail that will increase connectivity to schools, businesses, healthcare providers, and government services.
AmeriCorps Operational Grants Recipients:
- The Foodbank for Central and Northeast Missouri (Columbia)
- Addressing issues of food-insecurity and food access across a 32-county region in central and northeast Missouri.
- University of Missouri System – Disaster Preparedness AmeriCorps (Kansas City)
- Preparing older adults for potential disasters through mitigation, preparation, response and recovery.
Recipients of MCSC’s latest AmeriCorps planning and operational grants join 25 current grantees for a total of 31 grantees in the AmeriCorps Missouri portfolio. To learn more about AmeriCorps grants awarded by MCSC, visit showmeservice.org/americorps-programs/.
About the Missouri Community Service Commission (MCSC)
The Missouri Community Service Commission is a bipartisan commission appointed by the Governor and administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Its mission is to strengthen Missouri communities through volunteerism and service. Through its AmeriCorps and volunteer programming, MCSC invests over $43 million into Missouri communities annually.
For more information on MCSC, and to find a place to volunteer, visit ShowMeService.org.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps provides opportunities for Americans of all background to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. AmeriCorps members have the opportunity to serve in six key areas of their community - disaster services, education, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veteran and military families.
For more information on AmeriCorps, visit americorps.gov.
About the Missouri Department of Economic Development
The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) works to create an environment that encourages economic growth by supporting Missouri’s businesses and diverse industries, strengthening our communities, developing a talented and skilled workforce, and maintaining a high quality of life. As one team built around the customer and driven by data, DED aspires to be the best economic development department in the Midwest. Through its various initiatives, DED is helping create opportunities for Missourians to prosper.
For the latest updates on DED’s current or future programs and initiatives, visit DED’s website.