42 U.S.C. § 12653c — Silver Scholarships and Encore Fellowships

(a) Silver Scholarship Grant Program (1) Establishment: The Corporation may give fixed-amount grants, under section 12581(l), to community-based groups to run a Silver Scholarship Grant Program. In this program, people age 55 or older who complete at least 350 hours of service in a year on national-need projects earn a Silver Scholarship -- a $1,000 national service education award. The Corporation sets the rules for what kind of service qualifies. (2) Term: Each funded program runs for 3 years (which may include 1 planning year), with a possible 1-year extension if the program hits its performance targets and meets any other Corporation criteria. (3) Applications: To get a grant, a community-based entity must (A) apply to the Corporation as the Chief Executive Officer requires, and (B) be a listed organization as described in subsection (b)(4). (4) Collaboration encouraged: The Corporation encourages grant recipients to work with Title II Domestic Volunteer Service Act programs. (5) Eligibility for fellowship: A person qualifies for a Silver Scholarship once the community-based entity certifies to the Corporation that the person completed at least 350 hours of service in one year. (6) Transfer to trust: The Corporation must send the right amount of money to the National Service Trust to pay for each silver scholar's education award. (7) Support services: A grant recipient may use part of its grant to give participants transportation help so they can take part in the service project. (b) Encore Fellowships (1) Establishment: The Corporation may award 1-year Encore Fellowships letting people 55 or older (A) carry out service projects addressing national needs, and (B) get training to move into full- or part-time public service jobs in nonprofits or government. (2) Program: The Corporation must (A) keep a list of eligible organizations for Encore Fellow placements and share it with fellowship recipients, and (B) when a recipient asks, (i) decide whether the recipient can meet a listed (or requested) organization's service needs, and (ii) if so, award the fellowship and place the recipient with that organization. (3) Eligible recipients: (A) To apply, a person must (i) be 55 or older and want to move into full- or part-time nonprofit or government public service, and (ii) submit an application describing the area of national need, the applicant's relevant skills, and the region where the applicant wants to serve. (B) In choosing recipients, the Corporation must select no more than 10 people per state and give priority to people with skills that are in high demand in the nonprofit and government sectors. (4) Listed organizations: To get listed, an organization must (A) be a nonprofit, and (B) apply describing its usual work, the national need it wants to address, the work it plans for the fellow, the skills an Encore Fellow would need, the training and leadership development it will provide, and proof of its financial stability. (5) Placement: (A) To be placed with a listed organization, a recipient applies to the Corporation. (B) A recipient may instead ask to serve with a nonprofit that is not on the list, by submitting a detailed application about that organization, the services the recipient would provide, and a letter of support from the organization's leader covering its need for help, its financial soundness, and its promise to provide training and leadership development. (C) If the Corporation decides the recipient can meet the organization's needs, it (i) approves the placement, (ii) awards a 1-year Encore Fellowship and designates the recipient an Encore Fellow, and (iii) pays the organization $11,000 to cover the fellow's living expenses for the year. (6) Matching funds: The host organization must provide at least $1 in non-federal funds for every $1 of federal Encore Fellowship money it gets, to cover the fellow's living expenses. (7) Training and assistance: The host organization must train, develop, and assist the Encore Fellow, and oversee the fellow's service. (8) Leadership development: Each year, the Corporation must bring together current and former Encore Fellows to discuss their experiences and ways to build more leadership and careers in public service. (c) Evaluations The Corporation must independently evaluate both the Silver Scholarship and Encore Fellowship programs and widely share the results and improvement recommendations, including through the Corporation's Resource Center or a clearinghouse.