Communicating the scope and impact of national service is an important component of an organization's work. The service story is one we strive to tell daily, and CNCS is dedicated to helping members of the service community do so.

Recently, CNCS has published updated materials and resources to help nonprofits and grantees better demonstrate the impact that service has on communities across the country. Here are just a few of them:

State Profiles and Impact Reports

First, the 2011-2012 National Service State Profiles are now available on the State Profiles page of our website. These reports include data on sites, participants, and funding for all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. In addition to the current program year, you can also access the previous seven years of State Profiles.

We have also posted new State Impact Reports, which appear on the State Profile pages as well. These two-page summaries supplement the State Profiles and contain:

• Statistics on participants, programs and funding by state
• Impact data including at-risk youth tutored and mentored, frail elderly assisted, participant hours served, number of volunteers mobilized, and other data by state
• 4-6 impact stories about specific national service programs by state

Given the large number of CNCS grantees, subgrantees, and operating sights, and the constantly-changing nature of the data, State Profiles show available information at a snapshot in time, not the entire scope throughout the year.

They are a reminder of the vital support that CNCS provides to thousands of organizations and communities across the United States to help them tackle critical local challenges through results-driven service.

Fact Sheets and Issue Briefs

Recently updated fact sheets include:

Corporation for National and Community Service
Senior Corps
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps VISTA
Social Innovation Fund

Recently updated issue briefs include:

Americans with Disabilities in National Service
National Service and Mentoring
Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
National Service and Disaster Response

These and other fact sheets are on our Fact Sheets and Issue Briefs page.

February 10, we announced the 2012 Social Innovation Fund Grants Competition and we encourage all qualified grantmakers to consider applying. Applications will be due by Tuesday, March 27, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
 

Earlier this month an important meeting was held in Washington. It wasn't a meeting you would have heard about on the nightly news, but it was a meeting that addressed critical issues facing a core constituency of this nation – American Indians.
 

Last week the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) convened more than 200 leaders in the disability and service communities at the 2011 Symposium on Service and Inclusion. Our goal: to discuss strategies to recruit, engage, and support more people with disabilities in national service.
 

Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the tremendous sacrifices that military service members and families have made while protecting our nation.