§8303 Office of Volunteers for Prosperity

Summary

Runs programs that send skilled Americans to volunteer in developing countries to meet nine goals: ending extreme poverty; cutting hunger and malnutrition; improving safe drinking water; getting universal education; lowering child deaths and childhood disease; fighting preventable diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis; supporting girls’ education and women’s independence; creating sustainable business and jobs; and expanding access to information technology. The office runs a program called VfPServe that can give matching grants to help pay travel and living costs. It also finds and connects skilled volunteers with nonprofits, helps U.S. nonprofits recruit and manage volunteers, recognizes volunteers and host groups, helps nonprofits and companies find volunteer resources and start employee programs, and encourages skilled Americans to serve for global health and prosperity. The office may give matching grants to eligible organizations whose members have the needed skills if the organization provides a dollar-for-dollar match through the host group or by raising private funds. A nonprofit must certify it does not discriminate by race, religion, color, national origin, sex, political affiliation, or beliefs. Grant-funded service cannot directly benefit for-profit businesses, labor unions, partisan political groups, or religious groups for worship or proselytizing. The USAID Administrator must provide money Congress appropriates under section 8304 for this work, and the office may use funds for staff and program support under USAID supervision. The office must coordinate with other public and private efforts and send Congress an annual report.