RENO — The new 2010-11 AmeriCorps program year is set to begin in Nevada. This marks the 16th year Nevada Volunteers, as the state commission on national and community service, has awarded AmeriCorps grants to organizations statewide. Awards total $2,389,984, supporting a record 341 AmeriCorps members and includes two new initiatives: the Children’s Cabinet of Reno and the statewide Clean Energy Corps. It is the biggest Nevada AmeriCorps year yet.

Increased funding from the Kennedy Serve America Act provided Nevada Volunteers with the unique opportunity to award grants that will launch two new AmeriCorps programs this fall. The Children’s Cabinet of Reno has been awarded $314,109 to support 48 AmeriCorps members who will provide child and adolescent intervention services, mentoring and a parent education program. Additionally, Nevada Volunteers will launch a second new AmeriCorps program in collaboration with Great Basin Institute called The Clean Energy Corps. It will be supported by a $272,000 grant and 22 new AmeriCorps member interns who will create a unique collaboration of small, “green,” community-based organizations whose mission is to create and expand energy efficiency improvement models statewide.

The largest AmeriCorps program, Great Basin Institute’s Nevada Conservation Corps, operates statewide. Its $617,500 grant will support 125 AmeriCorps members providing environmental conservation/restoration crew services and research internships statewide.