Governor Perdue Announces Hands On Challenge Grants

Communities across Georgia to mobilize local volunteer efforts

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the availability of challenge grants to communities who wish to implement community-based volunteer recruitment and management programs.  Each community is required to match the grant money with locally raised funds, dollar for dollar, bringing the leveraged amount to $200,000.

"Year after year, Georgians demonstrate outstanding generosity and a great spirit of volunteerism," said Governor Perdue.  "These grants will help communities harness and focus volunteer efforts that already exist across the state."

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs has partnered with Hands On Georgia to distribute grant funds to local governments that partner with community agencies, using volunteers to transform communities and engage citizens in service. 

"Volunteers can provide many services to local agencies, schools and individuals, thus allowing local governments to allocate their resources to the most critical needs," said Mike Beatty, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and member of the Hands On Georgia Board.

Eric Tanenblatt, board chairman of Hands On Georgia added, "Georgians across the state understand the importance of helping their neighbors.  These Challenge grants will help to build infrastructure for sustainable programming to recruit, train and manage volunteers in local communities."

Hands On Georgia Challenge Grants were awarded to 16 communities in the last two rounds of grants: Coastal Georgia (Glynn and McIntosh Counties), Columbus, Cook County, Cordele, Dalton, Dodge County, Eatonton, Forsyth County, Harlem, Macon, Milledgeville, Rome, Savannah, Statesboro, Thomas County and Wayne County.

Hands On Georgia is a statewide network that supports innovative volunteer approaches to meeting Georgia’s critical needs through service and civic engagement.  Hands On Georgia calls upon the citizens of Georgia to help tackle tough issues in our state through volunteer service and engaged citizenship.  Hands On Georgia currently has 17 affiliates, including the communities of Adairsville, Athens, Atlanta, Columbia County, Columbus, Dooly County, Forsyth County, Hall County, Liberty County, Macon, Milledgeville, Northwest Georgia, Rome/Floyd County, Savannah, Statesboro, Thomas County and Wayne County. 

Georgians interested in applying for a Hands On Georgia and Georgia Department of Community Affairs Challenge Grant can download the application from the Hands On Georgia website at www.handsongeorgia.org.  For more information about Hands On Georgia please send an email to info@handsongeorgia.org or call 404.979.2910.