CHICAGO — There’s a new effort to increase volunteerism in cities nationwide.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley joined Rockefeller Foundation President Judith Rodin Monday to announce grants of $200,000 apiece to 10 cities.

They say the money can be used to hire senior city officials dedicated to developing citywide plans to increase volunteerism under the new Cities of Service Coalition.

The coalition is an outgrowth of a New York City program Bloomberg founded last April in response to President Barack Obama’s call for increased civic service.

Grant cities are: Chicago; Detroit; Los Angeles; Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.; Newark, N.J.; Omaha, Neb.; Philadelphia; Sacramento, Calif.; Savannah, Ga.; and Seattle.