Recommendations by a state panel to cut or consolidate more than 100 administrative boards and commissions in Iowa could put more than $14 million in federal funding at risk to local nonprofits and public entities.
And it may hinder efforts across the state to identify issues, raise awareness and secure resources to provide safe and affordable housing at a time when homelessness in the state and across the country is on the rise, according to federal, state and local nonprofit leaders.
A state panel released recommendations at the end of August to cut or consolidate Iowa’s 256 existing boards and commissions. The action is part of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ state government reorganization plan, signed into law earlier this year.
Among the boards and commissions proposed to be eliminated is Iowa’s Commission on Volunteer Service, also known as Volunteer Iowa. The 19-member commission appointed by the governor is in charge of overseeing federal funding through the AmeriCorps program in Iowa.
A state panel tasked with reviewing Iowa's boards and commissions and recommending some for elimination or consolidation will hold its final meeting at 10 a.m. Monday. The meeting will be held in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at the Iowa State Capitol.
Members of public interested in attending virtually should email kollin.crompton@governor.iowa.gov to receive additional information.
The committee will discuss the draft report of its final recommendations to the governor and the state Legislature. The committee is required to submit its final report to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature by Sept. 30.
In the committee's preliminary recommendations, it proposed cutting or consolidating more than 100 state boards and commissions. Dozens of affected members and stakeholders showed up at a public hearing this month and argued against eliminating some boards.
Federal statute requires states to have a state commission to remain eligible for these funds, which are distributed to address “critical community needs,” from construction of low-income housing to after-school programming to local disaster response to local food pantries.
In May, the commission announced it was awarding 21 grants to AmeriCorps state programs in Iowa totaling $9.45 million in federal grants, including Habitat for Humanity of Iowa, Green Iowa AmeriCorps at the University of Northern Iowa, Disaster PrepWise at the University of Iowa and Iowa Afterschool STEM AmeriCorps.
The commission also announced $4.85 million in Segal Education Awards, which are given to former AmeriCorps members to pay back student loans or to pay for current education expenses.
Those federal funds — totaling $14.3 million — could be at risk if the commission is eliminated, said Rachel Bruns, chief engagement officer of America’s Service Commissions. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization represents and promotes state service commissions across the United States and its territories which oversee AmeriCorps.
The result would “create an unintentional and devastating impact on the nonprofit community across the state of Iowa,” Bruns wrote in a letter to Iowa’s Boards and Commissions Review Committee.
Bruns said members of the review committee have not responded to her requests to speak with them about the recommendation.
She said she has spoken with Volunteer Iowa board members and grant recipients who were caught off-guard by the recommendation to eliminate the commission, which has historically benefited from “strong bipartisan support.”
“There has never been any indication that there would be any reason to see a recommendation like this,” Bruns said.
Former longtime Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, established the commission in 1994. And Gov. Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg have been long-standing champions of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and regularly participate in their programs, including the Governor’s Volunteer Awards.
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And it may hinder efforts across the state to identify issues, raise awareness and secure resources to provide safe and affordable housing at a time when homelessness in the state and across the country is on the rise, according to federal, state and local nonprofit leaders.
A state panel released recommendations at the end of August to cut or consolidate Iowa’s 256 existing boards and commissions. The action is part of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ state government reorganization plan, signed into law earlier this year.
Among the boards and commissions proposed to be eliminated is Iowa’s Commission on Volunteer Service, also known as Volunteer Iowa. The 19-member commission appointed by the governor is in charge of overseeing federal funding through the AmeriCorps program in Iowa.
Boards and Commissions Review Committee to hold final meeting Monday
A state panel tasked with reviewing Iowa's boards and commissions and recommending some for elimination or consolidation will hold its final meeting at 10 a.m. Monday. The meeting will be held in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at the Iowa State Capitol.
Members of public interested in attending virtually should email kollin.crompton@governor.iowa.gov to receive additional information.
The committee will discuss the draft report of its final recommendations to the governor and the state Legislature. The committee is required to submit its final report to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature by Sept. 30.
In the committee's preliminary recommendations, it proposed cutting or consolidating more than 100 state boards and commissions. Dozens of affected members and stakeholders showed up at a public hearing this month and argued against eliminating some boards.
Federal statute requires states to have a state commission to remain eligible for these funds, which are distributed to address “critical community needs,” from construction of low-income housing to after-school programming to local disaster response to local food pantries.
In May, the commission announced it was awarding 21 grants to AmeriCorps state programs in Iowa totaling $9.45 million in federal grants, including Habitat for Humanity of Iowa, Green Iowa AmeriCorps at the University of Northern Iowa, Disaster PrepWise at the University of Iowa and Iowa Afterschool STEM AmeriCorps.
The commission also announced $4.85 million in Segal Education Awards, which are given to former AmeriCorps members to pay back student loans or to pay for current education expenses.
Those federal funds — totaling $14.3 million — could be at risk if the commission is eliminated, said Rachel Bruns, chief engagement officer of America’s Service Commissions. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization represents and promotes state service commissions across the United States and its territories which oversee AmeriCorps.
The result would “create an unintentional and devastating impact on the nonprofit community across the state of Iowa,” Bruns wrote in a letter to Iowa’s Boards and Commissions Review Committee.
Bruns said members of the review committee have not responded to her requests to speak with them about the recommendation.
She said she has spoken with Volunteer Iowa board members and grant recipients who were caught off-guard by the recommendation to eliminate the commission, which has historically benefited from “strong bipartisan support.”
“There has never been any indication that there would be any reason to see a recommendation like this,” Bruns said.
Former longtime Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, established the commission in 1994. And Gov. Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg have been long-standing champions of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and regularly participate in their programs, including the Governor’s Volunteer Awards.
Proposal to eliminate Iowa commission could put at risk $14 million in AmeriCorps funding
Recommendations by a state panel to cut or consolidate more than 100 administrative boards and commissions in Iowa could put millions in federal funding at risk to local nonprofits and public entities. And it may hinder efforts to provide safe and affordable housing at a time when homelessness...
www.thegazette.com
