---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 12653p"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "12653p"
heading: "Volunteer generation fund"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/12653p"
units:
  - "Chapter 129 — National and Community Service"
  - "Subchapter I — National and Community Service State Grant Program"
  - "Division H — Investment for Quality and Innovation"
  - "Part IV — National Service Programs Clearinghouses; Volunteer Generation Fund"
---

# §12653p. Volunteer generation fund

- (a) **Grants authorized—** Subject to the availability of appropriations for this section, the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) may make grants to [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commissions and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations for the purpose of assisting the [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commissions and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations to—
  - (1) develop and carry out volunteer [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) described in [subsection (c)](#c); and
  - (2) make subgrants to support and create new local community-based entities that recruit, manage, or support volunteers as described in such subsection.
- (b) **Application—**
  - (1) **In general—** Each [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commission or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) may reasonably require.
  - (2) **Contents—** Each application submitted pursuant to [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall contain—
    - (A)
      - (i) [^1] a description of the [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that the applicant will provide;
    - (B) an assurance that the applicant will annually collect information on—
      - (i) the number of volunteers recruited for activities carried out under this section, using funds received under this section, and the type and amount of activities carried out by such volunteers; and
      - (ii) the number of volunteers managed or supported using funds received under this section, and the type and amount of activities carried out by such volunteers;
    - (C) a description of the outcomes the applicant will use to annually measure and track performance with regard to—
      - (i) activities carried out by volunteers; and
      - (ii) volunteers recruited, managed, or supported; and
    - (D) such additional assurances as the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) determines to be essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.
- (c) **Eligible volunteer programs—** A [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commission or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization receiving a grant under this section shall use the assistance—
  - (1) directly to carry out volunteer [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) or to develop and support community-based entities that recruit, manage, or support volunteers, by carrying out activities consistent with the goals of the subgrants described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2); or
  - (2) through subgrants to community-based entities to carry out volunteer [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) or develop and support such entities that recruit, manage, or support volunteers, through 1 or more of the following types of subgrants:
    - (A) A subgrant to a community-based entity for activities that are consistent with the priorities set by the [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1)’s national service plan as described in [section 12638(e) of this title](/usc/42/12638.md?p=e), or by the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2).
    - (B) A subgrant to recruit, manage, or support volunteers to a community-based entity such as a volunteer coordinating [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) resource center, a volunteer training clearinghouse, an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/12626.md?p=7), or a collaborative partnership of faith-based and community-based organizations.
    - (C) A subgrant to a community-based entity that provides technical assistance and support to—
      - (i) strengthen the capacity of local volunteer infrastructure organizations;
      - (ii) address areas of national need (as defined in [section 12653b(a) of this title](/usc/42/12653b.md?p=a)); and
      - (iii) expand the number of volunteers nationally.
- (d) **Allocation of funds—**
  - (1) **In general—** Of the funds allocated by the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) for provision of assistance under this section for a fiscal year—
    - (A) the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) shall use 50 percent of such funds to award grants, on a competitive basis, to [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commissions and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations for such fiscal year; and
    - (B) the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) shall use 50 percent of such funds make[^2] an allotment to the [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commissions of each of the several [States](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1), the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico based on the formula described in subsections (e) and (f) of [section 12581 of this title](/usc/42/12581.md), subject to [paragraph (2)](#d-2).
  - (2) **Minimum grant amount—** In order to ensure that each [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commission is able to improve efforts to recruit, manage, or support volunteers, the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) may determine a minimum grant amount for allotments under [paragraph (1)(B)](#d-1-B).
- (e) **Limitation on administrative costs—** Not more than 5 percent of the amount of any grant provided under this section for a fiscal year may be used to pay for administrative costs incurred by either the recipient of the grant or any community-based entity receiving assistance or a subgrant under such grant.
- (f) **Matching fund requirements—** The [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) share of the cost of carrying out a [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that receives assistance under this section, whether the assistance is provided directly or as a subgrant from the original recipient of the assistance, may not exceed—
  - (1) 80 percent of such cost for the first year in which the recipient receives such assistance;
  - (2) 70 percent of such cost for the second year in which the recipient receives such assistance;
  - (3) 60 percent of such cost for the third year in which the recipient receives such assistance; and
  - (4) 50 percent of such cost for the fourth year in which the recipient receives such assistance and each year thereafter.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. No cl. (ii) has been enacted.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be preceded by “to”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 198P, as added Pub. L. 111–13, title I, § 1808, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1573.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 4950 of this title.