By: Sue Carter, LCC Assistant Director

Last month, our Local Conservation Corps’ AmeriCorps program was notified by CaliforniaVolunteers that the grant application submitted in December was accepted into the State’s AmeriCorps portfolio and will be passed on to compete at the national level. The grant is for a three-year cycle beginning in 2010-2011.

CaliforniaVolunteers is the state commission responsible for the administration of AmeriCorps funds awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Over 60 programs in the state of California competed for admission into the State’s AmeriCorps portfolio and only 48 made it through the application, peer review, interview and revision process.

The AmeriCorps application process is a strenuous, multi-step process that takes several months to complete and includes a panel interview with CaliforniaVolunteers in Sacramento. Last month’s two-hour long interview was attended by Agency staff – including Associate Executive Director Salam Nalia, Senior Accountant Sid Khamyongsa, LCC Director Shawn Riggins, LCC assistant Director Sue Carter, and LCC AmeriCorps Program Manager Elisa Sgambellone – and community program partners Kathy Isaksen of Light and Life Urban Ministries and Derek Abbott of Encourage Tomorrow. The interview was the final step to be accepted into the CaliforniaVolunteers portfolio for national competition.

LCC’s current AmeriCorps program, Fresno Safe and Proud Neighborhoods which focuses on public safety and emergency preparedness, is in the final year of its current grant cycle. If awarded, the program will change its name to Central Valley Leadership Corps as well as a change in focus to mentoring and community service activities for economically disadvantaged youth.