Passionate about National Service? Join States for Service!

If you're passionate about national service, turn that passion into action by becoming a national service advocate as a member of the States for Service Coalition. States for Service is the privately funded public policy arm of America's Service Commissions.

What is States for Service?
Founded in 2017, the States for Service (S4S) Coalition is made up of state service commission staff and commissioners, AmeriCorps and Volunteer Generation Fund program staff, volunteer engagement professionals, and individual alums and champions who work to protect and expand service at the federal, state, and local levels in new and innovative ways. 

Over the past five years, in partnership with national service advocates across the country, S4S has:

• Built a network of more than 200 commissions, programs, and alums to advocate for national service at the federal and state level
• Secured yearly federal appropriations increases for AmeriCorps State and National to increase AmeriCorps living allowances and cost per MSY as well as the historic $1 billion investment in the AmeriCorps agency via the American Rescue Plan
• Increased annual appropriations for the Volunteer Generation Fund ($3.8 million to $6.56 million) and Commission Support Grant ($16.5 million to $19.1 million)
• Established the Commission Investment Fund to support commission training and technical assistance activities
• Established the 1,200 hour AmeriCorps member position
• Advocated for other policy and regulatory changes that make AmeriCorps more accessible and equitable for members and programs alike
• Organized and managed “Hill Days” to meet with Members of Congress about national service issues and funding
• Helped develop legislative proposals like the bipartisan CORPS Act (S.1165 & HR 4100)
• Established the State Service Caucus — a network of state legislators interested in advancing service and volunteerism strategies in their respective states
• Developed state policy toolkits, including one to remove state income taxes on the Segal Education Award

Why should you join S4S?
As an S4S member, you will have opportunities to:

• Support national and statewide efforts to preserve and expand national service programming and reduce barriers to service
• Receive timely updates on federal and state national service policy efforts
• Develop professional skills related to public policy and advocacy to advance your career
• Network with and learn from other national service advocates from around the country
• Participate in issue-specific working groups to dig-in on complex policy issues
• Earn the newly established national service advocate certification (Coming in 2023!) 
• Build new champions for national service, including elected officials, commission and program staff, and alums

Be a Leader of the S4S Coalition
The States for Service Coalition Leadership Council (S4S-CLC) is the advisory body for the S4S Coalition. With the arrival of our fifth anniversary, we’re looking for state and territorial service commission staff, commissioners, program staff, or alums to fill vacancies on the council. The council meets quarterly with committee work in-between and also works with State Service Leaders in their respective regions to engage advocates in various advocacy campaigns. Applications are due Monday, November 14 by 5pm ET.

Questions? Please email us.

About States for Service
States for Service is the privately funded, grassroots policy arm of America’s Service Commissions, the nonprofit association of the 52 state service commissions. The States for Service coalition works to reinforce the critical role state service commissions play in developing and advancing service in states to meet community and state needs. States for Service aims to influence policy, grant, and regulatory issues related to state service commissions, AmeriCorps State programs, and other state service programs such as AmeriCorps Seniors, AmeriCorps VISTA, and the Volunteer Generation Fund.