AMES, Iowa -- Last year more than 500 youth and adult volunteers contributed more than 3,000 hours to their communities through the Iowa's Promise Youth program. Their projects, with a total cost of more than $41,000, ranged from filling and distributing back-to-school backpacks to running literacy programs at libraries.

This year Iowa community and youth groups have a chance to do it all over again. The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, in cooperation with Iowa State University Extension 4-H Youth Development, is accepting applications for grants up to $250 to qualifying groups. To be eligible, two or more local groups must cooperate in a community improvement or community service project. One group must be a youth group such as a 4-H club, Scouts, church group or school group.

Applications and grant descriptions are available at Iowa State University Extension offices and may be downloaded from http://www.volunteeriowa.org/promise.html. Grant applications are due Feb. 1, 2005. For more information, contact Sue Bogue at (515) 294-1533 or suebogue@iastate.edu.

-30-