CaliforniaVolunteers.org

Jargon Key

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

America's Promise-Alliance for Youth: The organization led by (then) General Colin Powell to carry out the goals of the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, convened by the living Presidents and Mrs. Reagan in April 1997.

America Reads Challenge: Issued by President Clinton in the 1990s, the America Reads Challenge seeks to ensure that all children read well and independently by the end of the third grade.

AmeriCorps: The "domestic PeaceCorps" is a national service program that provides thousands of Americans of all ages and backgrounds with education awards in exchange for a year or two of community service.

AmeriCorps Alums, Inc.: The private, nonprofit organization for alumni and supporters of AmeriCorps, with the mission of ensuring that AmeriCorps is a year, in a lifetime of service.

AmeriCorps* NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps): A residential national service program that provides opportunities for young Americans (ages 18-24) to meet critical needs in various communities throughout the United States. The Corps focuses on projects that protect and conserve natural resources, promote public safety and help meet the educational and human needs of people in the community, and is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America): Part of the AmeriCorps national service program. VISTA brings more than thirty years of history mobilizing resources in low-income communities nationwide. AmeriCorps*VISTA provides a one year, full-time opportunity for members to build capacity in communities. It also empowers low-income residents to solve problems for themselves and face challenges with renewed strength and hope. AmeriCorps*VISTA is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

AmeriCorps*National Direct: AmeriCorps programs administrated directly by the Corporation for National and Community Service. AmeriCorps national direct programs are typically multi-state programs run by national nonprofit organizations.

AmeriCorps*State: AmeriCorps program funding received from a state commission, such as CaliforniaVolunteers.

AmeriCorps*USA: A federal national service program that consists of a network of local service programs, it is designed to address some of the nation's most critical and persistent social problems, and is comprised of AmeriCorps*State and National Directs. Local programs engage Americans of all abilities and backgrounds in "getting things done" throughout the nation's urban and rural communities.

CaliforniaVolunteers: Strives to promote service and volunteerism throughout the state, as well as provide funding to support AmeriCorps, Citizen Corps, and CERT programs.

CalServe: An initiative of the California Department of Education, funded by Learn and Serve, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, to infuse K-12 service-learning in school districts throughout California.

CERT: Acronym for Community Emergency Response Team.

Community Emergency Response Team: A training program that prepares neighborhood organizations to take a more active role in planning for and reacting to disasters and other emergencies.

Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning: Grant program administered by CaliforniaVolunteers to support K-12 student involvement in service in recognition of Cesar E. Chavez.

CILTS: Acronym for Commission on Improving Life through Service; the name of CaliforniaVolunteers from 1994-2001.

Citizen Corps: Builds on existing crime prevention, natural disaster preparedness, and public health response networks and is managed by Citizen Preparedness Councils.

Citizen Corps Councils: Organized on a local level Councils consist of emergency response personnel and concerned citizens. They develop action plans for communities to follow in case of disaster as well as try to educate the public on various Citizen Corps issues.

Collaborative: A joint effort.

Commission on Improving Life Through Service: Former name of CaliforniaVolunteers (1994-2001).

Commissioner: A person appointed by the Governor to serve on the CaliforniaVolunteers commission on a bipartisan, non-paid, appointee basis, to work in support of CaliforniaVolunteers.

CBO: Acronym for Community Based Organization

Community Based Organization: A non-profit organization that provides services to meet local community needs.

CLASP: Acronym for California Local Area Service Partnership.

California Local Area Service Partnerships: Locally defined public-private partnerships that must include a minimum of three organizations.

CNCS: Acronym for Corporation for National and Community Service.

Corporation for National and Community Service: Organization providing federal funding for service related programs and initiatives that engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in community-based service.

DHS: Acronym for Department of Homeland Security.

Department of Homeland Security: Protects United States borders against acts of terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security also protects the rights of American citizens and enhances public services, such as natural disaster assistance and citizenship services.

Direct Service: Activities making a demonstrative impact on identified community needs.

Educational Awards: AmeriCorps benefit that may be used to pay for college tuition and/or vocational training, as well as to repay existing college loans.

FAQ: Acronym for Frequently Asked Question.

FEMA: Acronym for Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Federal Emergency Management Agency: A part of the Department of Homeland Security, seeks to lead America to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. FEMA oversees the implementation of the Citizen Corps program as well as CERT.

Foster Grandparents: Volunteers of the Foster Grandparents Program. These volunteers provide invaluable aid to more than 80,000 children and youth with exceptional needs. They help children who have been abused or neglected, mentor troubled teenagers and young mothers, and care for premature infants or children with physical disabilities.

GO SERV: Acronym for Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism.

Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism: Former name of CaliforniaVolunteers (2001-2004).

Grant: Funding awarded via a contract to support activities outlined in a grant application.

Grantee: Program that receives a grant award.

Healthy Families: The California program that implements federal child health insurance program legislation. Healthy Families provides low cost health insurance for children who live in families with an income level well below the federal poverty level.

Healthy Start: A program through the California Department of Education that helps bring social and health services to K-12 students and their families on or near school campuses.

Learn and Serve America: Funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, this organization supports service-learning programs in schools and community organizations that serve nearly one million students from kindergarten through college to meet community needs, while improving their academic skills and learning the habits of good citizenship.

Living Allowance: AmeriCorps members receive a modest living allowance during their term of service. This is a benefit in addition to the education award available to members who successfully complete their terms of service.

Martin Luther King Day of Service: Day of service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Encourages the development of service projects that bring people together in pursuit of common objectives that are of value to the community, with particular emphasis on projects with and for young people.

MRCP: Acronym for Medical Reserve Corps Programs.

Medical Reserve Corps Program: An organized local group of health care workers, active and retired, who would volunteer their services during a major emergency where a large number of health care workers would be needed.

Members: Reference to AmeriCorps members.

Mentoring: A relationship over a prolonged period of time between two or more people where older, wiser, more experienced individuals assist youth through the human development process by providing constant, as needed support, guidance, and concrete help to a minor whose at-risk environment increases their chance of exposure to teen pregnancy, academic failure, gangs and violence, use of alcohol and drugs and other at-risk behaviors.

National Civilian Community Corps: See Americorps*NCCC

National Senior Service Corps: Funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, NSSC is a network of more than a half a million seniors (ages 55 and over) who make a difference through the Foster Grandparents Program, the Senior Companion Program, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. Volunteers in each of the Senior Corps programs are committed to sharing their life experience in order to solve critical local problems in the areas of education, public safety, the environment, and other human needs.

National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993: Created AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service. The act authorizes funding appropriations for AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve programs, and the Points of Light Foundation.

NCCC: Acronym for National Civilian Community Corps.

NWP: Acronym for Neighborhood Watch Program.

Neigborhood Watch Program: Focuses on teaching local neighborhoods how to spot, watch for and effectively report suspicious behavior.

Operational Area: An Operational Area is a defined map area used to designate where Citizen Corps grants can be issued. In the state of California each County is a separate operational area and all California Tribal Nations are included in one operational area.

Peace Corps: A federal program with three goals: to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women; to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served; to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

Points of Light Foundation: A nonprofit organization whose mission is to engage people more effectively in volunteer community service that helps solve serious social problems.

Public-Private Partnerships: A partnership between any non-governmental entity such as a business or nonprofit agency, and a government entity.

RFA: Acronym for Request for Application.

Request for Application: The document issued by CaliforniaVolunteers that outlines the policies and procedures for a particular grant opportunity, including instructions on how to apply.

RFP: Acronym for Request for Proposal.

Request for Proposal: Another phrase often used interchangeably with Request for Application.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program: Part of the National Senior Service Corps Network, this organization is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Among other activities, volunteers (55 and older) organize neighborhood watch programs, tutor teenagers, renovate homes, teach English to non English speakers, program computers, and help people recover from natural disasters.

Senior Companion Program: Part of the National Senior Service Corps network funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Provides assistance and friendship to seniors who have difficulty with daily living tasks, helping them retain their dignity and independence rather than being forced to move to institutionalized care.

Senior Companions: Volunteers of the Senior Companion Program.

Senior Corps: Short for National Senior Service Corps.

Service: Employment in work for another meant to encompass community involvement activities, typically associated with mutual benefits such as educational awards.

Service-Learning: Service-learning is a teaching method that integrates community service into the K-12 school or higher education curriculum.

SEVAC: Acronym for Statewide Emergency Volunteer Advisory Committee.

Statewide Emergency Volunteer Advisory Committee: Functions as the statewide coordinator for volunteer activities during disasters.

Stipend: A living allowance given to an AmeriCorps member.

Train the Trainer Course: A three-day class developed by FEMA, which trains local emergency response personnel, in how to teach local community members to set up Community Emergency Response Teams in their areas.

Tribal Nation: California's indigenous people are organized into separate nations, which are overseen by their respective tribal government. All tribal nations are organized into one operational area for purposes of grant funding for Citizen Corps.

Tutoring: Providing additional academic support and instruction.

UIS: Acronym for United in Service.

United in Service: Annual training conference for national service program staff in California.

USA Freedom Corps: Offers service opportunities to Americans of all ages who are looking for ways to serve their community, their country and the world through the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn and Serve America, and Citizen Corps.

VISTA: Acronym for Volunteers In Service To America.

VIPS: Acronym for Volunteers in Police Service.

Volunteers in Police Service: Provides funds to local law enforcement agencies so they can train citizen volunteers to assist them with law enforcement on a local level, allowing the law enforcement professionals to better respond to major emergencies.

Volunteer: A person who performs or offers a service of his or her own free will meant to encompass community involvement activities in which the provider does not receive a living allowance or other benefits beyond reimbursement for mileage or other incidental expenses.

Volunteers in Service to America: Reference to AmeriCorps*Vista