CaliforniaVolunteers is the state agency charged with increasing the number and impact of Californians engaged in service and volunteering. CaliforniaVolunteers administers the state AmeriCorps portfolio in California, Citizen Corps and the Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning, and is designated as the state agency in charge of managing volunteers in times of disaster. In addition, CaliforniaVolunteers developed and maintains the largest online statewide volunteer matching network in the nation on CaliforniaVolunteers.org, and guides policy development to support the nonprofit and service fields. CaliforniaVolunteers is overseen by a bipartisan 25-member commission appointed by the governor. The first lady of California serves as the honorary chair of the commission. Programs AmeriCorps in California AmeriCorps is sometimes referred to as the “domestic Peace Corps.” Participants – known as AmeriCorps members – perform a year of service with a program that meets local community needs. AmeriCorps programs focus on the five issue areas of education, the environment, public safety, disaster preparedness and other human needs. In its role as the state service commission, CaliforniaVolunteers supported more than 5,500 AmeriCorps members in the 2006/07 program year via $32 million in grants to 60 programs statewide. CaliforniaVolunteers’ AmeriCorps grants provide funding for member living allowances, health benefits, childcare (for eligible members), AmeriCorps program staff, training, evaluation and other program operating costs. Recent grants have ranged from $158,132 to $1.5 million, with an average grant size of $516,637. The majority of that investment (52 percent) is in education-related programming. Members also receive an education award directly from the federal Corporation For National and Community Service Citizen Corps California's Citizen Corps Program's mission is to coordinate in-state volunteer activities to make communities better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. The program was established after the creation of the USA Freedom Corps by President George W. Bush. Existing disaster and public safety related volunteer programming was consolidated under the new Citizen Corps name. The program's mission is accomplished through a national network of state, local and tribal Citizen Corps Councils. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT): The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional