Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§4992 Authority to establish and operate special volunteer and demonstration programs

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 66— - DOMESTIC VOLUNTEER SERVICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - NATIONAL VOLUNTEER ANTIPOVERTY PROGRAMS › Part Part C— - Special Volunteer Programs › § 4992

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Director may run special volunteer and demonstration programs or give grants or contracts to public or nonprofit groups to run them. These programs must get more people to volunteer full-time, part-time, or for short periods to fight poverty and find groups in poor communities who would benefit from volunteer and other anti-poverty work. The Director sets yearly priorities and rules for grants and contracts. Any grant or contract over $100,000 must be awarded through a competitive process that publicly announces the funding, explains the basic selection rules, and describes how to apply and how applications will be reviewed. Volunteer pay or living allowances are set by the Director but cannot exceed the support in section 4955; unpaid volunteers can also be used.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §4992

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Director is authorized to conduct special volunteer programs for demonstration programs, or award grants to or enter into contracts with public or nonprofit organizations to carry out such programs. Such programs shall encourage wider volunteer participation on a full-time, part-time, or short-term basis to further the purpose of this part, and identify particular segments of the poverty community that could benefit from volunteer and other antipoverty efforts.
(b)The assignment of volunteers under this section, and the provision of support for such volunteers, including any subsistence allowances and stipends, shall be on such terms and conditions as the Director shall determine to be appropriate, but shall not exceed the level of support provided under section 4955 of this title. Projects using volunteers who do not receive stipends may also be supported under this section.
(c)In carrying out this section and section 4993 of this title, the Director shall establish criteria and priorities for awarding grants and entering into contracts under this part in each fiscal year. No grant or contract exceeding $100,000 shall be made under this part unless the recipient of the grant or contractor has been selected by a competitive process that includes public announcement of the availability of funds for such grant or contract, general criteria for the selection of recipients or contractors, and a description of the application process and application review process.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1993—Pub. L. 103–82 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions which related to: in subsec. (a), youthful offender incarceration alternatives, veterans educational opportunities, drug abusers counseling, assistance to victims of domestic violence, periods of service, and identification of segments of poverty community which could benefit from volunteer and other antipoverty efforts; in subsec. (b), assignment of volunteers, and terms and conditions; in subsec. (c), allowances, supports, services, and stipends for part-time and full-time volunteers; in subsec. (d), establishment of criteria for grants and contracts, competitive process, maximum amount, and multiple grants or contracts; and in subsec. (e), prohibition on use of funds for certain State offices. 1989—Subsec. (d)(3), (4). Pub. L. 101–204, § 301(a), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101–204, § 301(b), added subsec. (e). 1986—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 99–551, §§ 6(a), 10(d), inserted “(including Indian reservations)” and substituted “offenders, a program” and “veterans, a program” for “offenders; a program” and “veterans; a program”, respectively. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–551, § 10(i)(4), substituted “the Director” for “he” before “shall prescribe”. 1984—Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 98–288, § 30(b)(2), substituted “4953(f)” for “4953(d)”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–288, § 12, added subsec. (d). 1979—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–143, § 7(a), (b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted “in urban and rural areas” after “volunteer programs” and “, a program of assistance to victims of domestic violence, a program to provide technical and management assistance to distressed communities, a program designed to provide personal and group financial counseling to low-income and fixed-income individuals (utilizing volunteers with specialized or technical expertise), and a Helping Hand program” after “drug abusers”, inserted provisions authorizing the Director to provide for the recruitment, selection, and training of volunteers in carrying out programs authorized by this part, and added par. (2). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–143, § 7(c), inserted provisions permitting support payments to part-time volunteers enrolled for at least 20 hours of service per week for at least 26 consecutive weeks and provisions applying section 4953(b), (d), 4954(d), and 4955(a) of this title to full-time full-year volunteers whose service is similar in character to that of VISTA volunteers. 1976—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–293 inserted provision authorizing the Director to undertake and support volunteer service programs, and recruit, etc., volunteers to carry out this part.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1993 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–82 effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 392 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 4951 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–551 effective Oct. 1, 1986, except as otherwise provided, see section 11 of Pub. L. 99–551, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 4950 of this title. Report on Programs, Activities, Grants, and Contracts Resulting From Amendment by section 7 of Pub. L. 96–143 Pub. L. 96–143, § 7(d), Dec. 13, 1979, 93 Stat. 1076, directed Director of ACTION Agency, not later than 18 months after funds were first made available to carry out activities under the

Amendments

to this part made by section 7 of Pub. L. 96–143, to submit to appropriate committees of Congress a report on programs, activities, grants, and contracts so carried out.

Executive Documents

Executive Order No. 12034 Ex. Ord. No. 12034, Jan. 10, 1978, 43 F.R. 1917, which provided for appointment of ACTION Community Volunteers to the Civilian Career Service, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12608, Sept. 9, 1987, 52 F.R. 34617.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 4992

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73