Housed and supported by the Rhode Island Department of Education, ServeRI is the Governor-appointed Rhode Island Commission for National and Community Service. Its mission involves awarding AmeriCorps grants to organizations addressing local needs, enhancing the capacity of programs and agencies through training and technical assistance, and fostering Rhode Islanders' engagement in volunteer service.
The Rhode Island Department of Education offers funding through ServeRI to recruit AmeriCorps members for paid community service in schools, non-profits, or government agencies across Rhode Island. The grant aims to utilize AmeriCorps positions strategically to address community needs while supporting participants' educational or career development. Available grants include 3-year program grants and 1-year planning grants. Priorities for this competition focus on municipal partnerships for education, service-to-career pathways, extending reach to underserved communities, and volunteer recruitment and management, stressing evidence of collaboration, career development integration, service in diverse and underserved areas, and volunteer management capacity enhancement.