The iowa commission on volunteer service (volunteer iowa), administers 28 americorps programs that address the state's needs in the areas of capacity building, disaster services, economic opportunity,…

The iowa commission on volunteer service (volunteer iowa), administers 28 americorps programs that address the state's needs in the areas of capacity building, disaster services, economic opportunity, education and environmental stewardship. The iowa commission on volunteer service (ICVS) sees service as a resource that builds community. Service directly improves ecological, human and economic capital. And service, no matter its end result, inherently builds social capital, the connections between and among networks in a community, through the relationships people develop while serving. A healthy community is one that has high levels of social, ecological, human and economic capital, the combination of which may be thought of as community capital. Service benefits all aspects of community capital, making iowa a better place. In support of this notion, ICVS endeavors to increase volunteering and service in our state. We manage and support several programs, including the volunteer generation fund, iowa mentoring partnership, rsvp (state funding), statewide volunteer recognition programs, the iowa national service corps (iowa reading corps, iowa green corps, refugeeriseamericorps among others), and a statewide americorps vista intermediary project. In addition, on behalf of the governor's office, we have lead several important initiatives designed to strengthen volunteerism and service in iowa like future ready iowa volunteer mentoring, give back iowa and the employer volunteer initiative. We are requesting our full allotment of $265,000 in this grant request.