---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 12657"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "12657"
heading: "Training and technical assistance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/12657"
units:
  - "Chapter 129 — National and Community Service"
  - "Subchapter I — National and Community Service State Grant Program"
  - "Division K — Training and Technical Assistance"
---

# §12657. Training and technical assistance

- (a) **In general—** The [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) shall, directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements (including through [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) Commissions), conduct appropriate training for and provide technical assistance to—
  - (1) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) receiving assistance under the national service laws; and
  - (2) entities (particularly entities in rural areas and underserved communities) that desire to—
    - (A) carry out or establish national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8); or
    - (B) apply for assistance (including subgrants) under the national service laws.
- (b) **Activities included—** Such training and technical assistance activities may include—
  - (1) providing technical assistance to entities applying to carry out national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) or entities carrying out national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8);
  - (2) promoting leadership development in national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8);
  - (3) improving the instructional and programmatic quality of national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8);
  - (4) developing the management and budgetary skills of individuals operating or overseeing national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), including developing skills to increase the cost effectiveness of the [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) under the national service laws;
  - (5) providing for or improving the training provided to the participants in [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) under the national service laws;
  - (6) facilitating the education of individuals participating in national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) in risk management procedures, including the training of participants in appropriate risk management [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19);
  - (7) training individuals operating or overseeing national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8)—
    - (A) in volunteer recruitment, management, and retention to improve the abilities of such individuals to use participants and other volunteers in an effective manner, which training results in high-quality service and the desire of participants and volunteers to continue to serve in other capacities after the [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) is completed;
    - (B) in [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) evaluation and performance measures to inform [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) to augment the capacity and sustainability of the national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8); or
    - (C) to effectively accommodate individuals with disabilities to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), which training may utilize funding from the reservation of funds under [section 12581(k) of this title](/usc/42/12581.md?p=k) to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities;
  - (8) establishing networks and collaboration among employers, educators, and other key stakeholders in the community to further leverage resources to increase local participation in national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), and to coordinate community-wide planning and service with respect to national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8);
  - (9) providing training and technical assistance for the National Senior Service [Corps](/usc/42/12626.md?p=3), including providing such training and technical assistance to [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) receiving assistance under [section 5001 of this title](/usc/42/5001.md); and
  - (10) carrying out such other activities as the Chief Executive Officer determines to be appropriate.
- (c) **Priority—** In carrying out this section, the [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) shall give priority to [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) under the national service laws and entities eligible to establish such [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that seek training or technical assistance and that—
  - (1) seek to carry out high-quality [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) where the services are needed most;
  - (2) seek to carry out high-quality [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) where national service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) do not exist or where the [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) are too limited to meet community needs;
  - (3) seek to carry out high-quality [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that focus on and provide service opportunities for underserved rural and urban areas and populations; and
  - (4) seek to assist [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) in developing a service component that combines students, out-of-school youths, and older adults as participants to provide needed community services.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 199N, as added Pub. L. 111–13, title I, § 1821, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1577.)

## 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.