Whenever AmeriCorps denies a FOIA request, it will inform the requester of the reasons for the denial and of the requester's right to appeal the denial to the FOIA Appeals Officer.

(a) What a requester may appeal. A requester may appeal:

(1) The withholding of a document or part of a document;

(2) Denial of a fee waiver request;

(3) The type or amount of fees they were charged;

(4) Any other type of adverse determination under the FOIA; or

(5) A failure by AmeriCorps to conduct an adequate search for the requested records.

(b) What a requester may not appeal. A requester may not appeal the lack of a timely response.

(c) When appeal is required. A requester must generally submit a timely administrative appeal before they seek court review of the Agency's adverse determination.

(d) Requirements for making an appeal. A requester must:

(1) Make the appeal in writing;

(2) Transmit or postmark the appeal within 90 calendar days after the date of adverse determination;

(3) Clearly identify the assigned request number and the Agency determination they are appealing;

(4) Mark the subject line of the appeal email, or letter and envelope, with “FOIA Appeal.”

(e) Where to file an appeal. A requester may file an appeal by sending an email to [email protected] to the attention of the FOIA Appeals Officer, or a letter to: FOIA Appeals Officer, AmeriCorps, 250 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20525. There is no charge for filing an administrative appeal.

(f) Adjudication of appeals. (1) The FOIA Appeals Officer will conduct de novo review and make the final determination on appeals.

(2) An appeal ordinarily will not be adjudicated if the request becomes a matter of FOIA litigation.

(g) Decisions on appeals. The FOIA Appeals Officer will provide the decision on any appeal in writing within 20 days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) from the date the FOIA Appeals Officer received the appeal. The FOIA Appeals Officer's determination of an appeal constitutes the Agency's final action.

(1) If the FOIA Appeals Officer's decision upholds the Agency's determination, the decision will:

(i) State the reasons for the affirmance, including any FOIA exemptions applied;

(ii) Notify the requester of their statutory right to file a lawsuit; and

(iii) Inform the requester of the mediation services offered by OGIS as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation.

(2) If the FOIA Appeals Officer's decision remands or modifies the Agency determination, either in whole or in part, they will notify the requester of that determination in writing. Thereafter, AmeriCorps will re-process the FOIA request in accordance with that determination and, if applicable, promptly send the releasable records to the requester, unless a reasonable delay is justified.

[87 FR 55309, Sept. 9, 2022; 87 FR 57643, Sept. 21, 2022]