Silver Scholarships and Encore Fellowships

The Corporation may award fixed-amount grants (in accordance with section 12581(l) of this title) to community-based entities to carry out a Silver Scholarship Grant Program for individuals age 55 or older, in which such individuals complete not less than 350 hours of service in a year carrying out projects of national need and receive a Silver Scholarship in the form of a $1,000 national service educational award. Under such a program, the Corporation shall establish criteria for the types of the 11 So in original. service required to be performed to receive such award. Each program funded under this subsection shall be carried out over a period of 3 years (which may include 1 planning year), with a 1-year extension possible, if the program meets performance levels developed in accordance with section 12639(k) of this title and any other criteria determined by the Corporation. To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, a community-based entity shall— A community-based entity awarded a grant under this subsection is encouraged to collaborate with programs funded under title II of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 [42 U.S.C. 5001 et seq.] in carrying out this program. An individual is eligible to receive a Silver Scholarship if the community-based entity certifies to the Corporation that the individual has completed not less than 350 hours of service under this section in a 1-year period. The Corporation shall transfer an appropriate amount of funds to the National Service Trust to provide for the national service educational award for each silver scholar under this subsection. A community-based entity receiving a fixed-amount grant under this subsection may use a portion of the grant to provide transportation services to an eligible individual to allow such individual to participate in a service project. The Corporation may award 1-year Encore Fellowships to enable individuals age 55 or older to— In carrying out the program, the Corporation shall— at the request of a Fellowship recipient— An individual desiring to be selected as a Fellowship recipient shall— be an individual who— submit an application to the Corporation, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Corporation may require, including— In determining which individuals to select as Fellowship recipients, the Corporation shall— To be listed under paragraph (2)(A), an organization shall— submit an application to the Corporation at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Corporation may require, including— a description of— To be placed with a listed organization in accordance with paragraph (2)(B) for a service project, an eligible Encore Fellowship recipient shall submit an application for such placement to the Corporation at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Corporation may require. An eligible Encore Fellowship recipient may apply to the Corporation to serve the recipient’s Encore Fellowship year with a nonprofit organization that is not a listed organization. Such application shall be submitted to the Corporation at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Corporation shall require, and shall include— an identification and description of— a letter of support from the leader of the organization, including— If the Corporation determines that the eligible Encore Fellowship recipient is able to meet the service needs (including skills and experience to address an area of national need) of the organization that the eligible fellowship recipient requests under subparagraph (A) or (B), the Corporation shall— An organization that receives an Encore Fellow under this subsection shall agree to provide, for the living expenses of the Encore Fellow during the year of service, non-Federal contributions in an amount equal to not less than $1 for every $1 of Federal funds provided to the organization for the Encore Fellow through the Encore Fellowship. Each organization that receives an Encore Fellow under this subsection shall provide training, leadership development, and assistance to the Encore Fellow, and conduct oversight of the service provided by the Encore Fellow. Each year, the Corporation shall convene current and former Encore Fellows to discuss the Encore Fellows’ experiences related to service under this subsection and discuss strategies for increasing leadership and careers in public service in the nonprofit sector or government. The Corporation shall conduct an independent evaluation of the programs authorized under subsections (a) and (b) and widely disseminate the results, including recommendations for improvement, to the service community through multiple channels, including the Corporation’s Resource Center or a clearinghouse of effective strategies.