·          Developing a comprehensive service plan and a coordinated strategy focused on matching volunteers and established community partners to the areas of greatest local need;

·          Working with other mayors and elected officials to advance strategies and best practices that accelerate the service movement and produce measurable results;

·          Encouraging other mayors to join this national effort to engage our citizens; and

·          Ensuring that the voice of cites is heard in federal legislative, policy and program discussions related to service, which will help the country achieve the ambitious goals of the Serve America Act.

Cities of Service Leadership Grants
The coalition is now accepting applications for its second round of $200,000 grants, jointly funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The grants allow each recipient city to hire a Chief Service Officer, a senior city official dedicated to developing and implementing a citywide service plan. To be considered for the grants, a city's mayor must be a member of the Cities of Service coalition. Applicant cities must also have at least 100,000 residents according to the U.S. Census 2008 population estimate and be home to at least one college or university. Applications are due by April 9, 2010.

Visit citiesofservice.org to learn more.