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About Serve Indiana

Serve Indiana is a division of the Department of Workforce Development for the State of Indiana.  The mission of Serve Indiana is to advance service and volunteerism by informing, connecting, and promoting opportunities and resources that enrich the lives of Hoosiers.  They accomplish this mission through several programs and initiatives including AmeriCorps State, Day of Service Grants, and the Awards for Excellence Ceremony. 

Staff

Executive Director - Stefonie Sebastian

Director of Grants - Cassandra Gillenwater

Director of Programs- Willie Brooks

Communications & Training Manager - Kim Woods

Employer Based Volunteer Manager - Kirstyn Nohlechek

Program & Compliance Manager- Viviana Ramos

History

**The State Service Plan has been extended through June 30, 2024.**
Learn how Serve Indiana and the Serve Indiana Commission were started, the responsibilities of the office, and the initiatives that drive us in our Serve Indiana State Service Plan 2019-2022.

Programs

AmeriCorps*State provides opportunities for individuals to make an intensive commitment to service with the goal of “helping others and meeting critical needs in the community.” This is a national program administered by AmeriCorps. In Indiana, the AmeriCorps*State grant is administered by Serve Indiana. Serve Indiana manages the grant application process for AmeriCorps*State, including issuing requests for proposals, conducting application reviews, and awarding grants. It also provides training and technical assistance to support sub-grantees and in turn, monitors programs, host-sites, and members to ensure compliance to federal and state grant requirements. The performance of each program is tracked and measured to established targets and outcomes.

Initiatives

Serve Indiana Awards for Excellence: The awards event is Serve Indiana’s opportunity to honor individuals in Indiana communities that volunteer or serve. There are seven categories – Volunteerism Award (18+), Youth Volunteer of the Year Award (Under 18 years old), Lifetime Achievement, National Service Member Award, Volunteer Program Award, Corporate Service Award, and Government Service Award. Applications are open to any person who would like to make a nomination. Nominations generally open in the spring and are due in the summer with the award ceremony happening in the fall or spring.

Serve Indiana Ambassador Program: The Serve Indiana Ambassador Program is a unique opportunity for AmeriCorps Alumni here in Indiana, to be celebrated as an esteemed AmeriCorps Alum and promote a term of service at the same time! Serve Indiana actively recruits AmeriCorps alumni and members to apply to become Serve Indiana (SI) Social Media Ambassadors. The Program seeks out community champions who have served in Indiana, or are connected to Indiana now, and features their community service stories on its digital social media channels.

Service Project Mini Grants: Mini-grants are offered to provide resources to coordinate Day of Service projects. The goal of the Mini-Grant program is to demonstrate the power of service as a solution to community needs. Serve Indiana encourages Day of Service projects that (1) demonstrate community connections and use of local resources, (2) build capacity of local volunteer centers and national service programs through regional networking and co-planning of activities, and (3) increase national service participant and volunteer understanding and commitment to national service and volunteerism.

Disaster Assistance: The Serve Indiana team collaborates with numerous state and federal agencies to help assist and support disaster relief efforts should the need for those efforts arise.