California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New York Selected for Inaugural Cohort to Strengthen & Expand Service Year Opportunities in States
WASHINGTON, DC (November 3, 2025) - Service Year Alliance today announced California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New York have been selected as the first cohort of states to receive support from the Center for State Service Innovation. Launched in September 2025 by Service Year Alliance with philanthropic backing from Carnegie Corporation of New York and Einhorn Collaborative, the Center for State Service Innovation works with state leaders nationwide to unlock non-federal resources to further strengthen and expand state-based service year programs.
The four states in this inaugural cohort represent diverse approaches to addressing critical state needs through service years while providing young people with meaningful opportunities to help their communities and develop career-ready skills.
"The most exciting innovation in national service right now is happening at the state level," said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. "California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New York are proving that states can be both nimble and bold when it comes to expanding service opportunities. We're thrilled to partner with leaders in this inaugural cohort who share our vision for a future where service years become a common opportunity and expectation for all young Americans.”
Each state team in the cohort will be supported by the Center in ways that are tailored to their specific goals and strategies for expanding service years in their state, such as policy advisory services, technical assistance, capacity building resources, and cross-sector collaboration and convenings. In partnership with the Center:
- Leaders in California, led by California Volunteers, will seek to maintain the current largest state investment in service year positions in the country.
- Leaders in Colorado, led by Serve Colorado, will work to secure new investments to support 400 new service year positions annually—positions that expand mental health services and talent pipelines through service year programming in the state.
- Leaders in Kentucky, led by Serve Kentucky, will aim to secure private and philanthropic funding for new service year positions that are critical to addressing workforce and talent pipelines in communities throughout the state.
- Leaders in New York, led by the State University of New York (SUNY) and aided by enhanced data collection impact analysis, aim to secure new investments to expand the Empire State Service Corps to 1,500 annual service positions.
Together, these efforts begin a multiyear effort by the Center for State Service Innovation to create 3,000 new state-based service year positions annually. The investment in service years also comes at a critical moment for young Americans. A rapidly changing workforce, increased social isolation, and political polarization and disenfranchisement are all cited by young people as roadblocks to achieving the American dream. Service years stand apart as an early career pathway that uniquely meets these challenges. Research from Service Year Alliance released in August identified service years as a high‑impact, scalable strategy for workforce development, increased education, building relationships across differences, and civic engagement.
“California continues to advance civic innovation through its commitment to service," said Josh Fryday, Director and California Chief Service Officer, GO-Serve. "Each year, thousands of young Californians contribute to strengthening communities and fostering meaningful change. Support from the Center for State Service Innovation and the California Volunteers Fund sustains this important work and engages program alumni as advocates for service. Together, we are demonstrating how service can play a vital role in addressing the state’s most significant challenges."
“National service and volunteerism are critical to helping address local needs while also supporting workforce development across sectors,” said Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. “With Serve Colorado and support from the Center for State Service Innovation, we are expanding opportunities for Coloradans to serve locally, strengthen communities, and create lasting positive impact across our state. Colorado continues to serve as a national leader in the utilization of national service with new and innovative ways to produce significant community outcomes.”
“Kentucky is proud to partner with Service Year Alliance to expand meaningful service opportunities that lead to good jobs and healthier communities” said Joe Bringardner, Executive Director, Serve Kentucky. “Service is how Kentuckians solve problems together – and we’re committed to growing those pathways across the Commonwealth. This partnership strengthens Kentucky’s capacity to meet local needs while opening doors for Kentuckians to learn, earn, and serve.”
“The Empire State Service Corps program is providing empowering, real-world opportunities for SUNY students to make a difference in their communities,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “SUNY’s selection by the Center for State Service Innovation is a strong endorsement of our efforts to implement Governor Hochul’s plan to increase civic engagement opportunities for students. We will continue to work with Governor Hochul, the State Legislature, and the Center for State Service Innovation to meet the growing demand for service opportunities in New York State, so our students can continue to enrich their communities and gain important career skills.”
To learn more about the Center for State Service Innovation and explore partnership opportunities, visit serviceyearalliance.org/stateinnovation.
About Service Year Alliance
Service Year Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to make a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. We envision a future in which national service is an integral part of growing up in America, with one million young people serving their communities each year. Learn more at serviceyearalliance.org.
About California Volunteers, Office of the Governor
California Volunteers, under GO-Serve, empowers Californians to take action to improve their communities. California Volunteers is the state office tasked with recruiting Californians to engage in public service.
About Serve Colorado
Serve Colorado, housed in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, partners with AmeriCorps and community organizations to tackle Colorado’s toughest challenges through the power of service. By creating opportunities for individuals to make a difference, gain valuable skills, and strengthen their communities, Serve Colorado helps build a more connected and resilient future for all Coloradans. Learn more at servecolorado.colorado.gov.
About Serve Kentucky
Serve Kentucky, formerly the Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism and Service, administers AmeriCorps programs while also supporting additional community service initiatives across the Commonwealth. Since 1994, more than 17,000 Kentuckians have contributed approximately 26 million hours of service through AmeriCorps, earning Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards worth more than $66 million.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
For media: Please contact Nick Zevely, [email protected]
