Learn and Serve America Reinvestment Act
The Learn and Serve America Reinvestment Act would permanently direct federal funding to the Learn and Serve America (LSA) program within the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and broaden who can participate. The bill provides an annual direct appropriation starting in fiscal year 2026, plus funding to hire additional CNCS staff to support program planning, design, and technology. It also expands eligibility to include local educational agencies (LEAs) and consortia of LEAs within a state, and it allows state-level entities with relevant experience to receive program awards to implement service-learning supports. On the administration side, the bill shifts terminology from “allotments” to “awards,” introduces competitive grant processes for certain recipients, and requires regular reporting to Congress on how funds are distributed and used. A set-aside for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and a focus on supporting state educational agencies, territories, and Indian tribes would be required starting in fiscal year 2026 and beyond. In short, the bill aims to secure dedicated funding for Learn and Serve America, expand who can participate (particularly at the local and state levels), modernize grant administration, and improve program coordination and accountability through CNCS and partner entities.
Key Points
- 1Direct appropriation for Learn and Serve America: $40,000,000 per year (fiscal years 2026 and later) from the Treasury, with at least 20% for Part I and at least 80% for Part II of subtitle B of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, plus funding to hire at least 10 additional CNCS staff to assist with planning, program design, and technology upgrades.
- 2Expanded eligibility: Local educational agencies (as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) and consortia of two or more LEAs in a state become eligible for Learn and Serve America.
- 3Special rule for eligible administration: A statewide entity with relevant experience (e.g., a community-based organization, a nonprofit provider of training, or the State Commission on National and Community Service) can receive and administer the program functions for a state educational agency under this part.
- 4Grants vs. allotments and new reporting: Replaces “allotments” with “awards” and allows competitive grants to be used by state educational agencies, territories, and Indian tribes to carry out the program. Requires an annual report to Congress detailing how funds were awarded and used, by grantee type.
- 52026 and beyond – funding governance: The bill reserves 2-3% of the funds for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and directs competitive grant awards to SEAs, territories, and Indian tribes. It also creates specific rules for awarding and reporting, and updates the program’s legislative text to reflect “awards” rather than “allotments.”
- 6Conforming changes: Various clerical and structural amendments to the National and Community Service Act to align terminology and tables of contents with the new “Awards” framework.