Volunteer Iowa has received a Volunteer Generation Fund grant of $331,976 from the Corporation for National and Community Service to help support local organizations in recruiting and retaining volunteers. According to a news release announcing the grant award, Volunteer Iowa plans to use the money to focus on two main approaches. The first is to strengthen the state’s volunteer infrastructure and enhance statewide and local resources for increasing volunteer engagement. The second is to create new initiatives to meet emerging needs around disaster response, and empower youths as the state’s newest volunteer force, according to the release. “Volunteer Iowa is thankful to receive this … grant … so that we can continue to develop local volunteer infrastructure and resources, and build the capacity of communities to create a culture of volunteerism,” said Adam Lounsbury, executive director with Volunteer Iowa. The Corporation for National and Community Service awarded 22 VGF grants to state service commissions across the country, totaling more than $6 million.