America Forward champion Shirley Sagawa offers an insightful analysis of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in a piece published yesterday by the Center for American Progress. President Obama signed the groundbreaking legislation, which expands service opportunities and fosters social innovation, on Tuesday, April 21. Sagawa calls the historic bill-signing, “a critical step toward changing the way we take action in America.” Sagawa writes:

Two years ago, the Center for American Progress called for service to be focused on priority problems and populations in its “National Service Agenda.” This groundbreaking legislation does both. It also provides a new way for the federal government to leverage private-sector social innovation, and it paves the way for the Corporation for National and Community Service to fulfill its potential as a “Small Business Administration” for the nonprofit sector.

Sagawa commends the passage of the legislation, but also cautions legislators and champions of service and innovation alike against growing complacent. “As bumpy and long as this road has been, however, the hard work is just beginning,” she warns. Sagawa offerd comprehensive advice on how to fully realize the bill’s potential.

To get off to a strong start, the president should put in place a team at the corporation with expertise in the substantive areas—such as education and energy conservation—addressed by the act. Program leadership should work across program areas . . . Similarly, if the corporation is to take on President Obama’s plans for a social entrepreneur agency, manage the Social Investment Fund Network, and implement the new nonprofit capacity building program, it will need to build a broader base of expertise in nonprofit management.

America Forward echoes Sagawa’s excitement about the passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and we join her in looking forward and identifying ways to maximize the impact of this important legislation.

Read Sagawa’s article in its entirety here.