Orlando was selected through a competitive grant process to receive this award and is one of only 20 cities total selected for this grant. Orlando joins other major cities announced today including Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Pittsburgh, PA; and Richmond, VA.

The two-year Cities of Service Leadership Grant, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies, will allow the City to appoint a Chief Service Officer – a senior city official dedicated to developing and implementing a citywide plan to increase volunteerism and target volunteers.

“The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to continue our long tradition of supporting innovative solutions for urban communities through the Cities of Service Leadership Grants,” said Rockefeller Foundation president Judith Rodin. “As a former University president, I saw firsthand how integral service can be in creating opportunities for communities to be involved in solving problems and finding innovative ideas on a local level. During this difficult economic time, the strongest leaders are guided by the deep understanding that community involvement can change neighborhoods, cities and a state, and the Rockefeller Foundation is thrilled to be a partner in fostering and supporting these efforts."

As part of the grant, Mayor Dyer has identified two priority areas where increased service can have the most significant impact - youth crime prevention and youth educational enhancements. The focus and dedication of these areas build on Mayor Dyer’s existing service programs including the Community Service Work-Alongs and the Mayor’s Matching Grant program, which provides funding to local organizations who involve volunteers to implement or expand programs that engage youth in positive activities and educational opportunities including mentoring, creative arts, culture, career exploration and athletics.

With the new grant, the City will develop a comprehensive plan and coordinated strategy that matches volunteers with youth crime prevention and education programs.
The City will work to increase awareness of volunteer opportunities through the creation of a dedicated webpage, marketing efforts and social media outlets. In addition, the City will streamline the volunteer process, making it easier for residents to donate their time and talent.

Through the grant, a Mayor’s Service Advisory Council made up of key community partners and stakeholders will be created to provide feedback, make recommendations and assess progress throughout the program. Mayor Dyer is expected to launch the program in early 2011.

"The Cities of Service Leadership Grant will allow us to engage more residents in volunteer service that will directly benefit some of our community’s greatest needs,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “This grant will further allow us to showcase our City's commitment to volunteerism and to serve as a national model for service in our country. On behalf of our citizens, I thank the Cities of Service and the Rockefeller Foundation for this generous grant and tremendous support."

COMMUNITY PARTNERS:
The City of Orlando has initially partnered with the following organizations as part of the grant:

• UCF
• Orlando Magic
• Orange County Public Schools
• Heart of Florida United Way
• The Community Foundation

About Cities of Service
Founded in New York on September 10, 2009 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the mayors of 16 other cities, Cities of Service is a bipartisan coalition of mayors who have answered the historic Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act’s call to action. Representing millions of Americans in hundreds of cities, all coalition members have signed a “Declaration of Service,” committing to work together to lead a multi-year effort to expand community service and volunteerism by:

• Developing a comprehensive service plan and a coordinated strategy focused on matching volunteers and established community partners to the areas of greatest local need;
• Working with other mayors and elected officials to advance strategies and best practices that accelerate the service movement and produce measurable results;
• Encouraging other mayors to join this national effort to engage our citizens; and
• Ensuring that the voice of cities is heard in federal legislative, policy, and program discussions related to service, which will help the country achieve the ambitious goals of the Serve America Act.

The Cities of Service coalition includes the following cities: Akron, OH; Albany, NY; Allentown, PA; Annapolis, MD; Arlington, TX; Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Baton Rouge, LA; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Bowling Green, KY; Brownsville, TX; Buffalo, NY; Catoosa, OK; Chandler, AZ; Charleston, SC; Chattanooga, TN; Chicago, IL; Chula Vista, CA; Cincinnati, OH; Corpus Christi, TX; Davis, CA; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Dublin OH; El Paso, TX; Eugene, OR; Flint, MI; Fort Wayne, IN; Fresno, CA; Grand Prairie, TX; Grand Rapids, MI; Harrisburg, PA; Hattiesburg, MS; Honolulu, HI; Houston, TX; Irvine, CA; Jackson, MS; Jacksonville, FL; Kalamazoo, MI; Kansas City, MO; Lancaster, CA; Lexington, KY; Los Angeles, CA; Meridian, MS; Mesa, AZ; Miami, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Muskegon, MI; Nashville and Davidson County, TN; New Bedford, MA; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Oakland, CA; Omaha, NE; Orlando, FL; Palm Bay, FL; Panama City, FL; Pawtucket, RI; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Placerville, CA; Portland, OR; Providence, RI; Reading, PA; Riverside, CA; Roseville, CA; Sacramento, CA; Salinas, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; San Antonio, TX; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Santa Cruz, CA; Santa Fe, NM; Santa Rosa, CA; Savannah, GA; Seattle, WA; Somerville, MA; Springfield, MA; St Louis, MO; St Paul, MN; St Petersburg, FL; Stockton, CA; Syracuse, NY; Toledo, OH; Topeka, KS; Trenton, NJ; Tucson, AZ; Utica, NY; Vancouver, WA; Ventura, CA; Vicksburg, MS; Virginia Beach, VA; Washington, DC; West Palm Beach, FL; Little Rock, AR; Richmond, VA.


About Cities of Service Leadership Grants
Ten cities were selected to receive a $200,000 grant over two years, funded jointly by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies, to hire a Chief Service Officer – a senior city official who will develop and implement a citywide plan to increase volunteerism and target volunteers to address their city’s greatest needs.

Applications to the Cities of Service Leadership Grants program were limited to members of the Cities of Service coalition, to cities that have more than 100,000 residents, according to the 2008 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, and to cities that have at least one community college or four-year public or private university.

The first round of Cities of Service Leadership Grant winners were announced in January 2010. The selected cities, which have all appointed Chief Service Officers, were Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Los Angeles, CA; Nashville, TN; Newark, NJ; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Sacramento, CA; Savannah, GA; and Seattle, WA. These ten cities are already working towards launching comprehensive service plans this fall to address problems of critical in need in their communities. To identify those problems, Chief Service Officers in the ten cities surveyed more than 3,300 individuals and included more than 200 stakeholders and leaders in the non-profit community on advisory councils. The cities have engaged 72 colleges and universities as a part of their service plan and are working with over 300 non-profit organizations.