Part II - Higher Education Innovative Programs for Community Service

42 USC 12561 - Higher education innovative programs for community service

(a) Purpose 
It is the purpose of this part to expand participation in community service by supporting innovative community service programs carried out through institutions of higher education, acting as civic institutions to meet the human, educational, environmental, or public safety needs of neighboring communities.
(b) General authority 
The Corporation, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, is authorized to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, institutions of higher education (including a combination of such institutions), and partnerships comprised of such institutions and of other public or private nonprofit">nonprofit organizations, to pay for the Federal share of the cost of
(1) enabling such an institution or partnership to create or expand an organized community service program that
(A) engenders a sense of social responsibility and commitment to the community in which the institution is located; and
(B) provides projects for participants, who shall be students, faculty, administration, or staff of the institution, or residents of the community;
(2) supporting student-initiated and student-designed community service projects through the program;
(3) strengthening the leadership and instructional capacity of teachers at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels, with respect to service-learning, by
(A) including service-learning as a key component of the preservice teacher education of the institution; and
(B) encouraging the faculty of the institution to use service-learning methods throughout their curriculum;
(4) facilitating the integration of community service carried out under the program into academic curricula, including integration of clinical programs into the curriculum for students in professional schools, so that students can obtain credit for their community service projects;
(5) supplementing the funds available to carry out work-study programs under part C of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) to support service-learning and community service through the community service program;
(6) strengthening the service infrastructure within institutions of higher education in the United States through the program; and
(7) providing for the training of teachers, prospective teachers, related education personnel, and community leaders in the skills necessary to develop, supervise, and organize service-learning.
(c) Federal share 

(1) Share 

(A) In general 
The Federal share of the cost of carrying out a community service project for which a grant or contract is awarded under this part may not exceed 50 percent.
(B) Calculation 
Each recipient of assistance under this part shall comply with section 12529 (a)(2) of this title.
(2) Waiver 
The Chief Executive Officer may waive the requirements of paragraph (1), in whole or in part, as provided in section 12529 (b) of this title.
(d) Application for grant 

(1) Submission 
To receive a grant or enter into a contract under this part, an institution or partnership described in subsection (b) of this section shall prepare, submit to the Corporation, and obtain approval of, an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Corporation may reasonably require. In requesting applications for assistance under this part, the Corporation shall specify such required information and assurances.
(2) Contents 
An application submitted under paragraph (1) shall contain, at a minimum
(A) assurances that
(i) prior to the placement of a participant, the applicant will consult with the appropriate local labor organization, if any, representing employees in the area who are engaged in the same or similar work as that proposed to be carried out by such program, to prevent the displacement and protect the rights of such employees; and
(ii) the applicant will comply with the nonduplication and nondisplacement provisions of section 12637 of this title and grievance procedure requirements of section 12636 (f) of this title; and
(B) such other assurances as the Chief Executive Officer may reasonably require.
(e) Priority 

(1) In general 
In making grants and entering into contracts under subsection (b) of this section, the Corporation shall give priority to applicants that submit applications containing proposals that
(A) demonstrate the commitment of the institution of higher education, other than by demonstrating the commitment of the students, to supporting the community service projects carried out under the program;
(B) specify the manner in which the institution will promote faculty, administration, and staff participation in the community service projects;
(C) specify the manner in which the institution will provide service to the community through organized programs, including, where appropriate, clinical programs for students in professional schools;
(D) describe any partnership that will participate in the community service projects, such as a partnership comprised of
(i) the institution;
(ii) 
(I) a community-based agency;
(II) a local government agency; or
(III) a nonprofit">nonprofit entity that serves or involves school-age youth or older adults; and
(iii) a student organization;
(E) demonstrate community involvement in the development of the proposal;
(F) specify that the institution will use such assistance to strengthen the service infrastructure in institutions of higher education; or
(G) with respect to projects involving delivery of service, specify projects that involve leadership development of school-age youth.
(2) Determination 
In giving priority to applicants under paragraph (1), the Corporation shall give increased priority to such an applicant for each characteristic described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (1) that is reflected in the application submitted by the applicant.
(f) National service educational award 
A participant in a program funded under this part shall be eligible for the national service educational award described in division D of this subchapter, if the participant served in an approved national service position.
(g) “Student” defined 
Notwithstanding section 12511 (29) of this title, as used in this part, the term student means an individual who is enrolled in an institution of higher education on a full- or part-time basis.