The Service Starts At Home Act would create grants for paid internships in local government for high school and college students. It would also fund scholarships for students who complete volunteer service and recognize schools and colleges for community service.
Eligible high school seniors and college students could apply for scholarships if they complete at least 100 hours of qualifying volunteer service in a year. Awards would range from $1,000 to $3,000 and could be used only for college costs. Students could receive awards for up to four academic years. Students could also apply for paid local government internships through funded programs. The programs must seek reasonable accommodations for interns with challenges such as childcare or transportation needs.
The bill authorizes $50 million per year for internship grants and $100 million per year for scholarships in fiscal years 2026 through 2030. These are authorized amounts, not a statement that the funds have been provided. The Secretary of Education could reserve up to 20% of scholarship funds for a federal supplemental scholarship program. No funding amount is specified for the community service recognition program.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.