1990

National and Community Service Act of 1990 – passed to provide federal national service demonstration and service-learning funding for states and national organizations.

1990

Youth Service California – started as a statewide grassroots collaboration of youth service and service-learning advocates and practitioners to work together and to help inform planning and implementation around federally-funded programs in California.

1990

CalServe Initiative – created as a special initiative of the California Department of Education to advance service-learning in K-12 public schools and to administer federal service-learning funding.

1990s

California Regional Service-Learning Network – developed by CalServe and Youth Service California to provide leadership and infrastructure for expanding service-learning through all regions of the state.

1993

National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 – set up the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to administer AmeriCorps, the National Senior Service Corps, and Learn and Service America. It also included the requirement for state-level service commissions to administer AmeriCorps funds and to link service and volunteerism at the statewide level.

1994

California’s first state service commission, California Commission on Improving Life through Service (CILTS) – established by executive order and appointed by the Governor as the first statewide commission representing California’s broad range of interest and activity around service and volunteering. First Lady Gayle Wilson serves as honorary chairperson.

1995

Youth Service California – incorporated as an independent 501(c)3 organization.

1996

California Mentoring Initiative – created by the Governor to promote mentoring at the statewide level and at the local level through mentoring coalitions.

1997

State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Service-Learning Task Force – brought together a broad range of service-learning advocates and practitioners to develop recommendations for increasing service-learning in California’s K-12 public schools.

1997-1998

California’s First Unified State Plan (USP) – called for stronger statewide and regional coordination, joint training efforts, and joint initiatives such as the America Reads effort sponsored by CILTS, California Department of Education, and CNCS.

1997

State Network Leadership Team (SNLT) – established as a result of California’s USP as the networking and coordinating vehicle for statewide entities involved in service and volunteerism in California.

1998

California Service Communities Initiative – established as a result of working closely with the SNLT, CILTS began to provide support through the initiative to local and regional partnerships of Volunteer Centers, schools, colleges and universities, CNCS programs, nonprofit organizations, and businesses that worked at the regional level to promote and coordinate service and volunteer activities.

1998-1999

Irvine Foundation Statewide Dialogue on Service and Volunteerism – convened by The James Irvine Foundation, this effort brought together California’s diverse service and volunteer sectors to strengthen their connections, make recommendations for state policy and action, and to advance the ethic and practice of service and volunteerism in California.

1999

Charting the Course for Service-Learning – developed through Youth Service California as recommendations for expanding service-learning in California.

1999-2000

Governors’ Call to Service for California’s Higher Education Institutions – resulted in recommendations and actions by California’s three public higher education systems (California State University, University of California, and California Community Colleges) to increase service-learning and community service opportunities for college students.

2000

Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning – created by state legislation to honor the legacy and values of Cesar E. Chavez with a state holiday and a K-12 service-learning grant program that involves schools, colleges, community and faith-based organizations and close collaboration between CILTS and the California Department of Education.

2001

Governor’s Mentoring Partnership – established as a continuation of the work done by the previous California Mentor Initiative.

2001

Senior Service Planning Study – assessed service opportunities for older adult volunteers through a collaborative planning effort guided by CILTS, the Corporation for National and Community Service California State Office, Civic Ventures, AARP and other service programs; developed recommendations and the final report, The Giving Years: Engaging the Time, Talent and Experience of Older Californians in Intergenerational Service.

2001

Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism (GO SERV) – established by executive order to replace the initial state service commission. First Lady Sharon Davis is named honorary chairperson of the GO SERV Commission.

2002

Faith and Communities Engaged in Service (FACES) – California designated as a FACES champion state by CNCS to expand its efforts to engage faith-based and community-based organizations.

2002

Citizen Corps – GO SERV designated as state lead for a new federal initiative called Citizen Corps, and forged new connections with state, county and local agencies, nonprofit organizations and groups that see volunteering as a resource for homeland security and community safety.

2002

California AmeriCorps Alliance – formed as a member-run association of California AmeriCorps programs.

2002

California’s Second Unified State Plan (USP) – completed California’s second USP, a Blueprint for Unified Action for Service and Volunteering in California, 2003-06, that calls for stronger connections, communication and policy to advance service and volunteerism in California.

2003

CaliforniaVolunteers – established by executive order to replace GO SERV. First Lady Maria Shriver is named as the honorary chair of CaliforniaVolunteers.