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Norton Asks Federal National Service Corporation Not to Punish District with Loss of $3.5M Grant Funds Because of Technical Problems

April 8, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today urged the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to reconsider its denial of Serve DC's grant application needed for critical services for the District of Columbia in a letter to CNCS' Chief Executive Officer Barbara Stewart.

"The loss of $3.5 million in national service funds would threaten, through no fault of their own, critical services that D.C.'s children rely on," Norton said. "Children should not pay the price because of a technical issue. Every step should be taken to protect innocent victims, such as the 57 tutors from Reading Partners and the Literacy Lab who are funded through these grants. As a proud member of the Congressional National Service Caucus, I recognize how important CNCS is to our children and the important impact Serve DC's grantees make on the District."

After experiencing technical errors and repeatedly requesting assistance from the CNCS Help Desk, Serve DC submitted their grant application just a few hours after the application deadline. CNCS was fully aware that Serve DC's application would be coming.

The full letter can be viewed below:

April 8, 2019

Barbara Stewart

Chief Executive Officer

Corporation for National and Community Service

250 E Street SW

Washington, DC 20525

Dear Ms. Stewart:

Thank you for the letter from Chester W. Spellman, Director of AmeriCorps State and National, in response to my letter regarding Serve DC's sub-applications for the 2019 AmeriCorps State and National grant competition. However, I renew my request that the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) consider Serve DC's sub-applications inasmuch as Serve DC sought assistance in time and throughout the grant application process. Most importantly, I request CNCS consider Serve DC's sub-applications because the loss of $3.5 million in national service funds would have a direct impact on District of Columbia residents who rely on this funding and who would be hurt through no fault of their own.

The children who would not receive mentoring, for example, would needlessly pay the price if the District lost this funding for national service programs, and simply because of technical issues caused by user error. The only people being harmed by this decision are these students and others served by these programs. Every step should be taken to protect these innocent victims, including the 57 tutors from Reading Partners and the Literacy Lab and the 190 City Year members who provide essential mentorship and other services in high-need schools. Students should not be punished because of a technical glitch from Serve DC. I also am concerned that some service members may not be extended for a second year of service because of this lapse in funding, even if the organizations become grant recipients again in the future. Additionally, much of the funding D.C. sought was to continue existing programs, so it is not money that would be taken from other existing grantees across the country.

I appreciate that your decision was based on Serve DC's having missed the deadline for submitting its sub-applications. However, it was only late by a few hours and after Serve DC had made numerous requests for assistance through the CNCS Help Desk. Given that CNCS therefore knew the application would be coming, since it had assisted through the Help Desk, and because every state service commission would likely be applying for this grant program, CNCS was aware that Serve DC would be submitting sub-applications and was trying to submit them on time. Importantly, the deadline established in the Notice of Funding Opportunity was apparently not statutory. Loss of $3.5 million in funding because of a user error has consequences that overreach to unintended victims.

While I appreciate that Serve DC can use its future formula funding to allocate funds to the programs that would not be receiving grant funding through this AmeriCorps State and National competition, this does not respond to our concerns about losing approximately $3.5 million through this competition. If the $3.5 million is taken from future formula funds, that still leaves the District $3.5 million short for its national service programs for the year. I appreciate Mr. Spellman's recommendation that supplemental formula funds be made available. However, those funds should not be taken from programs, whether D.C.-based or not, that otherwise would have received them, to make up for this unnecessary loss due to technical error. We simply must find a solution to this issue.

Precisely because I recognize how important CNCS is and the tremendous impact Serve DC's grantees make on the District, I am a proud member of the National Service Congressional Caucus.

I appreciate your ongoing attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton