Sponsors
The bill directs new, targeted federal funding and administrative capacity to expand national service and service‑learning—benefiting students, tribes, and community partners—while increasing federal spending and introducing allocation rules and uncertainties that could disadvantage smaller districts and reduce flexibility for administrators.
Young adults, students, and national service participants receive sustained federal support via a new $40 million annual appropriation for subtitle B programs beginning in FY2026.
Local education agencies (LEAs), consortia, teachers, and students gain increased access to federal service‑learning funds because LEAs and consortia can apply directly for Learn and Serve grants.
Indian tribes and Bureau of Indian Affairs programs receive predictable, reserved support through a 2–3% set‑aside and targeted competitive grants.
All taxpayers may face higher federal spending because of the $40 million annual appropriation plus additional staff costs associated with implementation.
Smaller and rural LEAs could be disadvantaged by the shift to competitive grants and away from fixed allotments, making it harder for them to secure service‑learning funding.
Reserving 2–3% of funds for BIA/tribal payments reduces the pool available to other applicants, potentially lowering grants for schools and community groups.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Provides annual funding to CNCS for Learn and Serve America, expands LEA eligibility, authorizes allotments or competitive grants, and reserves 2–3% for BIA/tribal/territory grants starting FY2026.
Introduced September 11, 2025 by Herbert C. Conaway · Last progress September 11, 2025
Provides an annual direct appropriation to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) beginning in fiscal year 2026 to fund the Learn and Serve America program, including $40,000,000 for subtitle B of title I of the National and Community Service Act and additional sums to hire at least 10 full‑time CNCS staff for planning, program design, and technology. Expands who can receive funds by allowing local educational agencies (LEAs), consortia of LEAs, and statewide entities designated by State educational agencies to get allotments or competitive grants, and creates a reserved competitive-grant program and a 2–3% reservation for payments/competitive awards related to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, territories, and Indian tribes starting in FY2026. Requires CNCS to shift statutory language to allow either allotments or competitive grants, set grant amounts at its discretion, and report annually to Congress on allocation percentages and uses by grantee type.