For the Chamber's October Non-Profit Roundtable we invited Commissioner Megan Smith from the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service to help Chamber Non-Profit members determine which AmeriCorps funding programs were right for them and how to write a competitive application.
1. Tapping Into AmeriCorps
Programming
Alicia Hartsfield, AmeriCorps Director
Alicia.hartsfield@nc.gov
Megan G. Smith, Commissioner
October 2012
2.
3. A Brief Timeline of
National Service Support
1933 – 1942 Civilian Conservation Corps
1961 – Peace Corps
1965 – VISTA
1965 – FGP
1971 – RSVP
1974 – SCP
1990 – Serve America (now called Learn and Serve)
1993 – AmeriCorps (VISTA becomes part)
1994 – Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service
2009 – Kennedy Serve America Act passed
4. Who has applied for a service grant?
I have applied for and/or managed a federal grant
I have applied for and/or managed a state grant
I have applied for and/or managed a local(?) grant
I have never applied for a grant
5. Who may apply for a service grant in
the near future?
I am already preparing (or intend to) an application
I do not plan on using this type of funding
I am unsure and still researching opportunities
6. AmeriCorps NCCC
Regional campuses – services are provided in states throughout
service area.
Denver, CO
Sacramento, CA
Perry Point, MD
Vicksburg, MS
Vinton, IA
Objective – strengthen communities and develop leaders
through direct, team-based national and community service.
Eligibility for members
Between18 and 24 years old
10 months of service
Direct service in support of community efforts in home region.
7. AmeriCorps NCCC
Benefits for Members
Monthly living allowance, housing, meals and limited medical
benefits
End of service term $5550 Education Award
Member Application deadlines (typically)
April 1st
July 1st
Eligibility for project sponsors
Local, state or federal agencies; public, private or faith-based
nonprofit organizations
Must submit project application to appropriate campus
8. AmeriCorpsVISTA
Volunteers in Service to America
Where serving – Low wealth communities
Objective
To help move people out of poverty through literacy
education, health assistance, housing programs,
bridging the digital divide, economic development
programming
Restrictions:
Projects must focus on capacity building for project
sustainability after VISTA resources are withdrawn
9. AmeriCorpsVISTA
Volunteers in Service to America
Eligibility for members
Must be at least 18 years old
One year of full-time service
Member effort is focused on capacity building rather
than direct service to agency clients/customers.
Benefits: Modest bi-weekly living allowance; at end of term
of service $5550 Education Award or may opt for $1500
cash payment.
10. AmeriCorpsVISTA
Volunteers in Service to America
Eligibility for sponsors: Local, state or federal agencies;
public, private or faith-based nonprofit organizations.
Must apply to establish a VISTA project and be able to
engage a minimum of three full-time members
(www.americorps.gov).
Cash match is not required. In-kind match will be
negotiated prior to project approval. Sharing a portion of
the cost may increase the availability of VISTA resources
to your agency.
Cost share is strongly encouraged for sponsors who are
approved member positions beyond three years.
11. Example of VISTA Programs
The North Carolina IDA and Asset Building
Collaborative uses an asset building approach to
address poverty at the community level. 12 VISTA
members placed throughout the state focus on: (1)
improving low income citizens' financial and savings
knowledge by recruiting and training volunteers to
provide financial education and serve as wealth
coaches in low-income communities (2) increasing
community engagement by creating a manual for
best practices in community-based asset building
across the state (3) forming regional Asset Building
Coalitions and (4) increasing the capacity of the local
site to deliver services to low income citizens.
13. AmeriCorps
State Formula
Where serving – In communities with established need
Objective
Engage members in providing direct service to address
unmet community needs. CNS priority areas:
Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity
Education, Environment al Stewardship
Healthy Futures, Veterans and Military Families
Restrictions
Members engaged primarily in direct service
14. AmeriCorps
State Formula
Eligibility for Members
≥17 years old (some programs 18yo)
Cleared by criminal history check
Benefits
Modest monthly living allowance
Student loan forbearance
Health insurance
End of term of service $5550 Education Award
Full-time, part-time, less than part-time and EAO positions
One year service term
Visit www.americorps.gov for AmeriCorps programs across
the county.
15. AmeriCorps
State Formula
Eligibility for sponsors: Local, state or federal agencies;
public, private or faith-based nonprofit organizations
Match required: Corporation requires a 24% cash or in-
kind match of the overall program operating costs. State
commissions may add additional match requirements.
After the first three years of funding the match will go up
incrementally, to a maximum of 50% match. (MSY
$13,300).
Fixed rate grants do not require a specific match but do
require that community financial support be a part of the
program’s funding plan. Currently available for fulltime
member programs only. (MSY $13,000).
16. Examples of AmeriCorps Programs
ACCESS Joblink
17 Full-Time and 6 Half-Time members serve at
JobLink Career Centers and assist individuals with
disabilities, at-risk youth, older adults, and former
offenders with reaching their employment goals. Job
search activities include assistance with resume
writing, cover letters, interviewing, transportation &
child care plans, success plans, financial literacy,
computer skills, employment applications, job
retention skills and skill building activities.
17. Examples of AmeriCorps
Programs
Project HEARTis an academic coaching program
that serves low performing students in 8 counties in
Eastern North Carolina. The program housed on the
East Carolina University campus, recruits Half-Time
college students and Education-Award-Only high
school seniors to serve as academic coaches for
more than 2,500 middle, high school, and first-year
college students. Fifty (50) Half-Time and 120
Education-Award-Only members provide tutoring,
homework, and study skills sessions. In addition,
coaches help students with time management,
organization and goal setting. These sessions will
help students succeed academically and graduate
from high school and college.
19. What type of National Service funding are
you most likely to apply for?
NCCC
VISTA
AmeriCorps State Formula
20. Steps in Submitting an Application
1. Determine need through community
participation
2. Develop community collaborations
3. Plan your project
4. Determine agency capacity
5. Identify and verify match dollars
6. Prepare the application
7. Participate in an AmeriCorps T/TA session
21. Determining Community Need
The Corporation for National and Community Service
requires that agencies consult their communities in
determining the need for specific projects.
You must be able to:
Verify the need through documentation.
Explain how the community was involved in determining
the need.
Detail the scope of the need in your community and
insure that this need is not already being met by another
agency.
22. Developing Community Collaborations
Identify other agencies in the community that are
interested in partnering in the identified need
area.
Develop relationships with these agencies in
order to strengthen programming and avoid
duplication of service.
Determine relative strengths and weaknesses of
each partner.
23. Planning Your Project
Utilizing information gained through partnership
development, create a project plan.
Refer to RFP to insure that all program requirements are
covered.
Utilize the expertise of commission staff to assist with
technical questions.
Insure that all partners have committed to the plan, both
programmatically and fiscally.
24. Determining Agency Capacity
Utilize organizational capacity checklist provided by
commission.
Program sponsor must be able to demonstrate experience
in grants management and strong fiscal controls.
Sponsor must dedicate a full time Program Director
Sponsor must dedicate a staff member to AmeriCorps
financial management.
25. Identifying Match Dollars
Determine what each partner will bring to the table in
terms of match. Match may be cash or in-kind.
Verify that match is committed.
Year
1,2,3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+
Share
24% 26% 30% 34% 38% 42% 46%
50%
26. Preparing the Application
Once the program is fully planned and funding is assured,
prepare the application.
Take care to answer every point raised in the RFP.
Be clear and concise. There is a page limit.
27. Preparing the Application
Attend the mandatory training and technical assistance
session.
Insure that minimum number of members are included.
Currently, the commission is asking that all programs plan
for at least 20 members.
Organizations targeting rural and economically distressed
communities may request 10 members
In the budget section, be sure not to exceed the average
cost per MSY in your request ($13,300 Formula).
28. Training and Technical Assistance Sessions
These sessions are intended for those completing an RFP
in order to address specific questions and details regarding
the application.
Four (4) sessions are typically held each year across the
state.
Seek technical assistance from commission staff where
requested information seems unclear.
Dates will be posted to the website after the new RFP is
posted.
30. Final Points
Organizational capacity and community collaboration are
key.
Utilize the technical expertise of commission staff along
the way.
Developing a strong AmeriCorps application may take a
year or more of planning. Most important is to develop a
program that truly meets the community’s need. Visit the
Commission’s website (www.volunteernc.org) for a list of
programs currently funded by the Commission.
2013-14 AmeriCorps Application and Instructions will be
posted on the Commission’s website soon.
31. For Further Information
CNCS State Office:
919-856-4731
www.nationalservice.gov
NC Commission Office:
800-820-4483
www.volunteernc.org
www.americorps.gov
Hinweis der Redaktion
The Corporation funnels more than $20 million in national service initiatives and support into the State of North Carolina each year. State Service Commissions administers these funds and services for the State of North Carolina. While Learn and Serve programming has ended nationally, Learn and Serve programs in NC will function for 2012.
AmeriCorps NCCC members perform team-based service projects in five different areas-- natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development-in communities in all 50 states and U.S. territories.Campuses are assigned randomly.
There are two deadline dates, one for the fall cycle (which typically falls on April 1st) and one for the winter cycle (which typically falls on July 1st). However, members are encouraged to apply early, because selection is continuous and the class may be filled before the application deadline date. Sometimes these deadlines may be extended. Please refer to My AmeriCorps for accurate listings.Sponsoring organizations request the assistance of AmeriCorps NCCC teams by submitting a project application to the regional campus that covers that organization’s state. The campuses provide assistance in completing the application, developing a work plan, and preparing the project sponsor for the arrival of the AmeriCorps NCCC team.
AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Authorized in 1964 and founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993. VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 45 years.
VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, strengthen community groups, and much more. With passion, commitment, and hard work, you’ll create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty
Public, private, and faith-based nonprofit organizations—as well as local, state and federal organizations—can benefit greatly from linking up with AmeriCorps VISTA. Applications for members are handled by Corporation State Offices. Project sponsors are not required to provide a financial match but must be able to direct the project, supervise the members, and provide necessary administrative support to complete the goals and objectives of the project.We have shared a document summary with you that outlines the objectives and includes priority areas.
AmeriCorps State works with Governor-appointed State Service Commissions to provide grants to public and nonprofit organizations that sponsor service programs around the country, including hundreds of faith-based and community organizations, higher education institutions, and public agencies. Grants assist these groups in recruiting, training and placing AmeriCorps members to meet critical community needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment.CHC= Sex Offenders’ Check, FBI and Statewide criminal registry check.
Local programs design service activities for a team of members serving full- time part-time, less than part-time or education award only (EAO) for one year or during the summer. Sample activities include tutoring and mentoring youth, assisting crime victims, building homes, and restoring parks.Visit the Commission’s website for a list of NC AmeriCorps programs. Individuals interested in applying must apply to the specific program of interest.
The organizations that receive grants are responsible for recruiting, selecting, and supervising AmeriCorps members to serve in their programs. Organizations seeking AmeriCorps funding to operate a program within only one state. State Service Commissions select which applications to fund or to forward to compete in a national pool.MSY Maximum Cost Per Member (MSY)
Request for Proposal (RFP) is the same thing as the 2012 AmeriCorps Application Instructions.
Organizational Capacity Checklist is provided to all organizations that register for T/TA sessions. We also plan to post the Checklist to our website.