Statement from the Franklin Project, ServiceNation, and Service Year Exchange

We are thrilled to share with you that the Franklin Project, ServiceNation and the Service Year Exchange (incubated by the National Conference on Citizenship) have merged into a new, single organization.  The organization will be a joint venture between Be The Change, Inc. and The Aspen Institute, with Stan McChrystal serving as Chair of the board.

We’ve merged because the stakes are too high to continue working individually. By officially joining forces, each of our organizations’ individual priorities will be significantly enhanced through greater capacity, more resources, and a comprehensive overall strategy. For those who are partnering with us in various ways, most of our existing programmatic commitments will continue as we implement the merger.  As you know, it is extremely rare for three organizations to become one in order to better serve a cause.  We are excited to see what we can all now do together and we hope you share our excitement.

This new organization will be known as the Service Year Alliance in the short term while we develop a robust branding and communications strategy in the months ahead. The brand of ServiceNation will initially continue as a campaign of the Service Year Alliance. Starting this week, our staffs have begun operating as a single organization. Over the next few months, we’ll be reaching out to many partners to help us chart a new course: what our goals will be, what our initiatives will look like, and how we’ll all -- collectively -- build a bold future for our movement.

This plan has been a long time in the making and is a huge step towards realizing our shared vision: to make a service year a common expectation and common opportunity for all young Americans.  In 2015, we raised and invested over $1 million to undergo an intensive process to merge our organizations and develop a comprehensive plan to achieve our shared vision. We look forward to working with you in the coming months and years to take big steps in pursuit of the big idea: one million annual national service positions (more than a 10-fold increase) and when a service year is an expected part of growing up in America.

The vision and goal aren’t new, but because of this merger our ability to achieve them is. The new plan – to be released in mid-2016 – is the first time this level of detail, breadth, and collaboration has been devoted to reaching a vision of this magnitude.

Importantly, we’ll continue working closely with Voices for National Service, which will remain an independent field-led advocacy and policy coalition focused on expanding the federal investment in and building the case for national service. Voices will co-lead the Service Year Alliance’s policy and advocacy team to ensure continued success together.

Thanks for helping us get this far through your partnership and friendship. We can’t wait to share more with you soon, to get your feedback, and to continue working together toward a vision that our nation so deeply needs.

 
Service Year Alliance Team:
Aly Bullock - Communications Manager
Amy Baker - Managing Director, External Affairs
Amy Kincaid – Senior Advisor, Learning
Cameron Blossom - Communications Associate
Diane Ty – Senior Advisor
Eleanor Prisco - Program Associate
Erin Finucane - Managing Director, Movement Building
Jay Mangone - Chief Operating Officer
Jenna Dell - Learning Manager, Higher Education
Jennifer Matson - Managing Director, Operations
Jonas Kane - Program Associate Manager
Kristen Bennett - Managing Director, Service Year Exchange
MacKenzie Moritz - Managing Director, Partnerships
Mayo Sonko - Partnerships Associate
Rachael Weiker - Community Manager
Rachel Guyn - Development Associate

Sam Jones - Graphic Designer 
Sandie Quinn - Chief Technology Officer
Shirley Sagawa - President and CEO
Tara Maller - Director, Strategic Communications
Tim Smith - Director Communications
Yasmeen Shaheen-McConnell - Director, Alliance
Zach Maurin - Executive Director

Service Year Alliance Board
Stanley McChrystal, Chair
Alan Khazei, Vice Chair
John Bridgeland, Vice Chair
Deb Jospin, Secretary
Namita Khasat, Treasurer
Elliot Gerson
Rob Gordon
Shirley Sagawa, President and CEO