National service programs united behind AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors identities
Today, the Corporation for National and Community Service released a new brand strategy for the future, announcing it will now operate as “AmeriCorps,” as part of a larger effort to grow awareness of service opportunities for all Americans. Along with the new name, the federal agency also revealed a new visual identity for the agency and all its programs, the first major update for the agency since it was created 25 years ago. While the agency’s operating name is “AmeriCorps,” its legal name will remain the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The changes announced today unite all national service programs under the name AmeriCorps. Organizations and members funded through the AmeriCorps VISTA, NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), and State & National programs, as well as the Volunteer Generation Fund, will operate and be promoted as AmeriCorps. The agency’s three programs that cater exclusively to volunteers 55 years and older under the Senior Corps name – Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and RSVP – will now operate and be promoted under the banner of AmeriCorps Seniors.
As the nation continues to grapple with the challenges of COVID-19 and other disasters, the demand for volunteers is growing. Across the country, many are asking: how can I help? These new changes are designed to help connect those Americans to service opportunities in areas of critical need: education, public health, food insecurity, and economic uncertainty.
“When called upon, Americans have always been there to help. Today is no different, and this spirit of service is needed now more than ever,” said Barbara Stewart, CEO of AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service. “That’s why we’re redoubling our efforts to be sure all Americans know about their opportunities to serve through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors. We’re committed to strengthening the role of service and volunteering in our country for the next century, building on a long history of national service.”
A multi-year effort, the brand refresh is officially part of the agency’s Transformation and Sustainability Plan, which was announced in 2018. As part of this plan, the agency conducted an extensive brand review that included external research and the engagement of branding experts to help develop a clearer and more compelling brand architecture and narrative. To support its brand development, AmeriCorps solicited combined fee-based and pro bono offers from contractors. AmeriCorps selected brand consultancy Brandpie to assist with the branding project. AmeriCorps is among a limited number of federal agencies which has legal authority to accept gifted services.
Along with a new name and brand strategy, the agency also unveiled a refreshed logo, which pays tribute to the iconic AmeriCorps brand, while updating it for the digital age. This logo blends the letter ‘A’ with an American flag to symbolize the way AmeriCorps members and volunteers inspire and improve communities through service, creating a visual representation of the agency’s role in uniting Americans. A redesigned americorps.gov website is on the horizon for next year, with a preview launched today that reflects AmeriCorps’ new brand architecture, messaging, and look.
Within the next three years, AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors grantees will update their materials to reflect the new identity, using tools provided by the agency to help them recruit AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to respond to the unique challenges within their own community.
For more than a quarter century, AmeriCorps has demonstrated how Americans can come together to help each other and their country prosper. Each year, more than 270,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations, working in more than 40,000 locations nationwide to tackle the nation’s most pressing challenges, including preparing students for success, rebuilding communities and revitalizing cities, supporting veterans, fighting the opioid epidemic, responding to disasters, preserving public lands, fostering economic opportunity, and more.
AmeriCorps also remains poised to respond as the nation faces unprecedented natural disasters alongside a public health and economic crisis, with teams of AmeriCorps members currently deployed to Hurricane Laura relief efforts, wildfire response, and Midwest storm recovery. Even as they address these rising challenges, AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors maintain a sustained effort to fight hunger, keep communities safe, and facilitate youth education in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges, through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.
