What is a service year? What is the federal government's role in service years? Do Americans support it? All of this answered and more in our FAQs.
As the only privately-funded national organization dedicated to elevating national service and strengthening service years across programs, Service Year Alliance is uniquely positioned to be a powerful voice in support of a future where a year of service is a common expectation and opportunity for every young American.
FAQs for Policymakers
Serve America Together
Serve America Together is a campaign to make national service part of growing up in America. Led by a bipartisan cohort of prominent Americans and a groundbreaking coalition of civilian and military service organizations, the campaign is working to:
- Elevate national service as a key issue in the 2020 presidential election;
- Enact federal universal national service legislation; and,
- Advance policies that make national service a common expectation and opportunity for every young American.
The Service Year Policy Council
The Service Year Policy Council is a group of organizations working together to expand service year opportunities. Learn more about our collaborative work here.
Current members include:
Give AmeriCorps Members a Tax Break
Every year, tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members complete their service year having made an immeasurable impact in the communities they serve. In recognition of that service, AmeriCorps alums earn the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award that they can use to pay for higher education or pay off student loans. Unfortunately, unlike other scholarships and student aid, the education award is taxed as income. Learn more about the education award tax and how our advocates are taking action.