42 U.S.C. § 12653 — Additional Corporation activities to support national service

(a) Methods of conducting activities The Corporation may run this section's activities itself (except as (g) says) or through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with other groups. (b) Innovation and quality improvement The Corporation may address urgent needs through summer programs and other activities, and may support service-learning and national service programs, including: (1) programs for rural youth under Division B or C; (2) programs for retired employees who volunteer; (3) programs connecting different generations; (4) programs where people with disabilities serve as volunteers; and (5) programs sponsored by state governors. (c) Conferences and materials The Corporation may hold conferences and publish materials to share information and improve program quality. (d) Research The Corporation may support research on national service, including service-learning. (e) Youth leadership The Corporation may support activities that help young people take on leadership roles in national service. (f) National program identity The Corporation may support materials -- including training materials -- and arrange uniforms and insignia meant to build a shared identity among programs funded under the national service laws. (g) Global Youth Service Day (1) The law designates April 24, 2009, and April 23, 2010, as "Global Youth Service Days." The President must issue a proclamation calling on Americans to mark the day with youth-led community service. (2) At the federal level, the Corporation and other federal agencies may organize and run youth-led service activities to observe the day. (3) The Corporation and other agencies may give grants to nonprofits able to carry out these activities. (h) Assistance for Head Start The Corporation may give grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to nonprofit and public agencies that already run the Foster Grandparent Program, for the purpose of getting more low-income people to serve children who take part in Head Start programs. (i) Martin Luther King, Jr., Service Day (1) The Corporation may give grants to help pay for planning and running service projects around the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. These projects should reflect his life and teachings -- things like racial cooperation, nonviolent conflict resolution, equal opportunity, and social justice. (2) Any entity otherwise eligible for national-service assistance may get one of these grants. (3) A paragraph formerly here was repealed by a 1998 law (Pub. L. 105-354). (4) A grant, combined with all other federal money spent on the project, cannot cover more than 30% of the project's total cost. (5) When figuring the non-federal share of costs, the Corporation may count in-kind contributions like facilities, equipment, and services. (j) Call to Service Campaign Within 180 days after April 21, 2009, the Corporation had to run a nationwide "Call to Service" campaign encouraging everyone -- regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, or income -- to take part in national or community service, public service, or volunteering. The Corporation could work with other federal agencies, State Commissions, governors, nonprofits, faith-based groups, businesses, colleges, and schools on this campaign. (k) September 11th Day of Service (1) At the federal level, the Corporation may organize ceremonies and activities -- which may connect to the broader Call to Service Campaign -- to mark the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance. (2) The Corporation may give grants and other support to community groups to help plan service, charity, and remembrance activities for that day. (3) The Corporation may consult with, and give grants or other support to, nonprofits that represent families of the September 11, 2001 attack victims and other affected groups, and that promote September 11th as an annual day of service.