History of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service

1990A renewed focus on encouraging volunteering in America led to the passage of the National and Community Service Act of 1990. This legislation, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, created a new independent federal agency: the Commission on National and Community Service.

1993 The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 created the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) by merging the work and staffs of two agencies: ACTION and the Commission on National and Community Service. Three Corporation administered programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America were charged with connecting Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to their communities and their nation. The newly created CNCS invited governors to create state commissions to guide and oversee national service programs in their state.

1994 Governor Terry E. Branstad established the Iowa Commission for National and Community Service by Executive Order 48 in February 1994 “to assist in the development and implementation of a comprehensive, statewide plan for promoting volunteer involvement and citizen participation in Iowa, as well as serve as the state’s liaison to national and state organizations which support the Commission’s mission”. The Governor’s Office was designated as the lead agency for administration of the commission. Additional support was to be provided by the Department of Education, the Board of Regents, the Department of Employment Services, and the Department of Economic Development.

1998 Executive Order Number 64 officially changed the agency’s name to “Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service”.

2002 In his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush announced the creation of the USA Freedom Corps. Chaired by the President, USA Freedom Corps is a coordinating council that works to strengthen our culture of service and help find opportunities for every American to serve. In April of 2002 the President unveiled the Principles and Reforms for a Citizen Service Act to reform and enhance AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and other programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

2005 Governor Thomas J. Vilsack signed House File 478 that officially established the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS) as a state agency “to serve as an administrative vehicle which conforms with federal guidelines detailed in the federal National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993”. This legislation also charged the ICVS with administering the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and enabled the commission to receive state, federal, and private funds and in-kind services.

View the Administrative Rules governing the operation of the ICVS

History of National Service in the United States