Learn and Serve - Michigan is part of the Learn and Serve America grant program supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The MCSC currently has funds to support the development and implementation of high-quality service-learning programs in K-12 schools.  Service-learning is a way of teaching that connects meaningful service to the community with classroom learning.  It helps young people gain a deeper understanding of what they are learning, acquire new knowledge, and engage in service to others.

Learn and Serve - Michigan promotes and supports community and school partnerships that provide service-learning opportunities for youth.  The goal of Learn and Serve - Michigan is to develop skilled, knowledgeable, personally responsible, and civically active youth.  This goal is reached by involving them in service-learning activities.  Programs elevate the role of youth and enhance the influence of youth in meeting their own needs and the needs of their community.  Effective service-learning programs involve communities, schools, and youth in identifying community needs and implementing projects that combine service and learning. 

School-Based Grant Opportunities

The MCSC distributes a Request for Proposals (RFP) that enables school districts to apply for grant funds to develop sustainable high quality service-learning initiatives. The ultimate goal of funding is to assist applicants in establishing sequential service-learning opportunities so that, at a minimum, all students will have at least one service-learning experience at the elementary, middle, and high school level. In order to meet the varying needs of school districts. Three types of grants are available:

• Planning Grants are for school districts that have never received Learn and Serve - Michigan funding to enable them to incorporate service-learning throughout the district. 
• Implementation Grants are provided to expand and sustain the practice of quality service-learning throughout the district.
• Institutionalization Grants are provided to schools that have implemented service-learning for three years or more to enable them to sustain the practice of quality service-learning throughout the district.

If you would like to receive notice of the MCSC's most up-to-date funding opportunities and other information about the MCSC, sign on to the MCSC-News listserv by clicking here.

For more information about Learn and Serve-Michigan contact Angelia Salas at (517) 335-3407 or salasa@michigan.gov.