AmeriCorps is a national service program, which engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in community service to meet critical needs in the areas of disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families.

For Individuals

For Nonprofits, Government Agencies, and Schools

General Information

How do I serve?

For individuals who want to make a big difference through personal service in their communities, AmeriCorps offers the opportunity of a lifetime. During a year of service, AmeriCorps members receive powerful professional training, work with dedicated and smart teams of service leaders, and help change the life of a community. In exchange for their commitment, members receive a living stipend and an educational benefit (equal to the Federal Pell Grant) along with a transformational life experience. There are 75,000 opportunities available each year across the country.

After viewing the video above, your next stop is the AmeriCorps portal. To watch a video on how to use the portal, click here. Then you can head over to my.americorps.gov and get started.

Where can I serve in Maryland?

AmeriCorps*State

Anyone over 17 that is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident may apply to serve at one of 15 programs in Maryland funded by the GOSV. These programs support activities in every county in Maryland. Each program conducts its own unique selection process. To apply, please contact the program directly.

AmeriCorps*National

U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, 17 or over, are also eligible to serve in larger programs that operate in multiple states and are not funded by the GOSV. The service activities are just as diverse as the AmeriCorps*State programs. To find a program in this stream of service, visit My AmeriCorps.

AmeriCorps*NCCC, Perry Point

18-24 year olds can apply to the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program operated in Perry Point, Maryland. This stream of service engages young people in a variety of projects around the region. Members live on campus and are sent on "spikes" of service at different locations during their 9-month term of service. Learn more about NCCC.

AmeriCorps*VISTA

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency. VISTA members generally do not provide direct services, such as tutoring children or building homes. Instead, they focus their efforts on building the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of organizations that fight illiteracy, improve health services, foster economic develop, and otherwise assist low-income communities. VISTAs develop programs to meet a need, write grants, and recruit and train volunteers.

For more information about VISTA service in Maryland, contact Crystal Biles at 410-962-4443 or cbiles@cns.gov.

For Adults 55+

There is no maximum age for AmeriCorps members, but Marylanders over 55 are also eligible to participate in another stream of national service called Senior Corps. Learn more about Senior Corps.

How do I get AmeriCorps members at my organization?

For nonprofit organizations, AmeriCorps offers funding to recruit, train, and supervise part-time or full-time adults, called AmeriCorps members, to work on local community issues and projects. AmeriCorps members are funded through AmeriCorps program operating grants, available to nonprofits, government agencies, and schools. Competitively awarded, AmeriCorps grants are designed to target this resource in the most effective ways possible for our citizens. Click here to learn more about bringing AmeriCorps to your community.

How do I learn more about the AmeriCorps grant?

I don't want to run a program, but I would like AmeriCorps members to help at my organization.

Some organizations do not have the capacity to manage, nor the need to manage, a team of 10 or more AmeriCorps members for an entire year. There are opportunities to connect with AmeriCorps service without holding an AmeriCorps grant.

AmeriCorps*State

Many programs funded by the GOSV operate satellite service sites. These locations have the same focus as the main program, but instead of overseeing a federal grant and a team of members, they receive a member to serve at their site. Please contact our grantees directly to inquire about service site opportunities.

AmeriCorps*NCCC

The National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a program that engages young adults in service. During a term of service, the full-time members work as part of a team to complete service projects in areas of need. Learn more about becoming a service site for an NCCC project.

AmeriCorps*VISTA

AmeriCorps VISTA members spend one year in full-time service to address the needs of low-income communities. All projects focus on building permanent infrastructure in organizations to help them more effectively bring individuals and communities out of poverty. For more information about VISTA service in Maryland, contact Crystal Biles at 410-962-4443 or cbiles@cns.gov.

How many AmeriCorps members serve in Maryland?

More than 1,900 citizens serve as AmeriCorps members in Maryland each year.
There are over 600 national service projects across the state each year.
Since 1994, more than 18,000 Marylanders have completed an AmeriCorps year of national service.

For more information on AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov.

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