Nevada Volunteers, known previously as the Nevada Commission for National and Community Service, serves as the Governor’s commission to administer AmeriCorps programs throughout Nevada and as the state’s information and resource center for volunteer and service efforts.
Our mission is to enhance volunteerism and service through our AmeriCorps programs and our volunteer initiative. While funded primarily through federal funds for our AmeriCorps programs, we are required to have a state match that represents a small portion of our administrative budget. This funding, along with strong private support through sponsorships, in-kind, and grant funding, provides the base needed to have quality AmeriCorps programs, to maintain our interactive website for resource materials and public information about volunteer efforts, provide outreach and training, and support our electronic volunteer match system that connects volunteers with community needs.
Our History
In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the National and Community Service Trust Act, which established the Corporation for National and Community Service and brought the full range of domestic community service programs under the umbrella of one central organization.
The newly created AmeriCorps incorporated two existing national service programs: the longstanding VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program, created by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). The Corporation for National and Community Service and state commissions were charged with jointly administering AmeriCorps programs at the state level.
Governor Bob Miller established an advisory commission in Nevada, placed under the State Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) with a responsibility to raise matching funds. In 1997, recognizing that the relationship with DETR made it difficult to raise funds, which resulted in a deficit position, steps were taken to establish the commission as a independent non-profit 501 c (3) corporation.
In 1998, the governor, by executive order, gave full authority to the nonprofit organization and transferred the assets of the initial advisory commission. With hired staff, permanent offices, and its new status, the Nevada Commission for National and Community Service secured funding for four AmeriCorps programs.
In the years since 1998, funding levels increased and programs expanded brining our current total to over $2,900,000 annually. During our history, over 2,047 AmeriCorps members have served their communities in 15 programs around Nevada. Members have provided more than 2,547,637 hours of service and have earned $4,718,359 in education awards to pay college tuition and/or pay down existing student loans. In 2007, AmeriCorps programs contributed over 25,000 hours of service to Nevada and recruited over 3300 community volunteers who gave more than 23,000 hours of service.
On September 11, 2007, the Nevada Commission for National and Community Services, Inc., announced a broadening of the organization’s mission along with a name change to Nevada Volunteers. This new name captures the expanded mission
- To build a collaborative statewide infrastructure that supports existing volunteer efforts across the state;
- To increase and improve volunteer opportunities; and
- To improve volunteer management and retention
In June, 2008, Nevada Volunteers relocated offices to Reno to increase visibility and access to the public, programs, and activities. Please contact us for more information or to find out more about our AmeriCorps programs and our volunteer initiative |
