Community Service Requirement
The Department of Education requires that participating institutions spend at least 7% of their annual FWS grant on Community Service activities. To document this effort, each employer participating in the FWS program must complete the on-line Community Service Information Form. This form should be submitted during March or April of each fiscal year, but no later than June 30th.
Definition of Community Service
Services designed to improve the quality of life for community residents (particularly low-income individuals) or to solve particular problems related to their needs including, but not limited to:
- Health Care
- Child Care
- Literacy Training
- Education (including tutorial services)
- Welfare
- Social Services
- Transportation
- Housing and Neighborhood Improvement
- Public Safety
- Crime and Prevention Control
- Recreation
- Rural Development
- Community Improvement
- Projects defined by the National and Community Service Act of 1990, Sec. 101
- Support Services to Students with Disabilities
- Mentoring: Tutoring, Educational and Recreational Activities, Counseling
- Civic Education and Activities
- Emergency Preparedness and Response
Work is not considered “in the public interest” or community service if:
- It primarily benefits the members of an organization with membership limits.
- It involves any partisan or nonpartisan political activity.
- A student's political support or party affiliation is taken into account in hiring.
Although it is not a requirement that community service jobs serve only low-income individuals, they should place a priority on the human, educational, environmental, and public safety needs of the community residents.