Sponsors
The bill provides predictable annual funding, new grant opportunities for schools and community organizations, and added administrative capacity and transparency, but increases ongoing federal spending and shifts more awards to competitive processes that may reduce predictability and disadvantage smaller or under-resourced applicants.
Nonprofits and community-service programs receive a dedicated $40 million per year with at least 80% directed to the programs in Part II, giving predictable, ongoing grant funding for community service activities.
Local educational agencies (LEAs) and LEA consortia can directly compete for Learn and Serve grants, increasing K–12 schools' access to service-learning funding and opportunities for students.
Authorizes hiring at least 10 full-time Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) staff to improve planning, program design, technology, and oversight, which can strengthen program effectiveness and administration.
Taxpayers and the federal budget must absorb a recurring $40 million annual appropriation, increasing ongoing federal spending obligations.
Shifting some funding from formula-only allotments to competitive grants could reduce predictable funding and disadvantage smaller or under-resourced LEAs that lack grant-writing capacity.
The mandated funding split (at least 80% to Part II) limits flexibility to reallocate funds if needs change over time, potentially misaligning funds with evolving local priorities.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Provides $40M/year to CNCS starting FY2026, hires staff, expands Learn and Serve grantee eligibility to LEAs/consortia, permits competitive grants, reserves small tribal/BIA set‑asides, and requires annual reporting.
Introduced September 11, 2025 by Herbert C. Conaway · Last progress September 11, 2025
Appropriates $40 million a year beginning in fiscal year 2026 to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support subtitle B programs of the National and Community Service Act, requires at least 10 new CNCS full-time staff, and sets a minimum split of 20% to part I and 80% to part II of subtitle B. It also expands the Learn and Serve America program to allow local educational agencies (LEAs) and LEA consortia to receive grants, permits States to designate a broader set of statewide entities, creates authority for competitive grants alongside traditional allotments, reserves a small percentage of funds for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribes/territories, and requires annual reporting to Congress on how funds are distributed and used. The bill changes program definitions to include a cross-reference definition of LEA, adjusts award language throughout to permit either allotments or competitive grants, and tasks CNCS with setting grant amounts and reporting program funding breakdowns by grantee type and use. Effective actions begin in fiscal year 2026 and continue in succeeding years.