Diversifying Your PortfolioDiversifying Your Portfolio

Making an Investment in Making an Investment in National Direct Grant National Direct Grant andand

State Commission ProgramsState Commission Programs

Laura Keith, Deputy Director of Govt. Relations-City YearLaura Keith, Deputy Director of Govt. Relations-City Year

TaKesha Miles, Program Officer-Community HealthCorpsTaKesha Miles, Program Officer-Community HealthCorps

Jason Patnosh, Deputy Director-Community HealthCorpsJason Patnosh, Deputy Director-Community HealthCorps

CNCS FUNDINGCNCS FUNDING

For Fiscal Year 2004 the appropriations bill For Fiscal Year 2004 the appropriations bill set aside $314 million for State and set aside $314 million for State and National Grants and $130 million for the National Grants and $130 million for the Trust (education awards) for a total of Trust (education awards) for a total of $444 million.$444 million.

By Statute, at least By Statute, at least two-thirds two-thirds (annually, closer to three-fourths)(annually, closer to three-fourths) of of all CNCS funding must be distributed to all CNCS funding must be distributed to State Commissions. These funds will be State Commissions. These funds will be distributed between State Competitive and distributed between State Competitive and Formula grants.Formula grants.

State Formula GrantsState Formula Grants

Each state is allocated a set formula Each state is allocated a set formula of AmeriCorps funding based on of AmeriCorps funding based on population. Many states utilize this population. Many states utilize this money to fund their smaller money to fund their smaller programs and those who may only programs and those who may only cover a particular geographic region.cover a particular geographic region.

State Competitive GrantsState Competitive Grants

States will put forth their strongest States will put forth their strongest applications that generally have a applications that generally have a larger amount of AmeriCorps larger amount of AmeriCorps members and cover several members and cover several geographic regions of the state to geographic regions of the state to compete against other states for this compete against other states for this pool of funding.pool of funding.

National DirectsNational Directs

Approximately one-fourth of Approximately one-fourth of AmeriCorps grant funding goes AmeriCorps grant funding goes directly to regional and national directly to regional and national nonprofit organizations that operate nonprofit organizations that operate in more than one state. These in more than one state. These organizations compete nationally organizations compete nationally and, if selected, are responsible for and, if selected, are responsible for recruiting, selecting, and supervising recruiting, selecting, and supervising AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps members.

Other Programs in State/NationalOther Programs in State/National

Two other programs fall under Two other programs fall under AmeriCorps*State and National. AmeriCorps*State and National.

The AmeriCorps Education Awards The AmeriCorps Education Awards Program provides education awards and a Program provides education awards and a small administrative grant to organizations small administrative grant to organizations but not the living allowance or other but not the living allowance or other member benefits. member benefits.

AmeriCorps Indian Tribes and US AmeriCorps Indian Tribes and US Territories work with Indian tribes and Territories work with Indian tribes and programs in US territoriesprograms in US territories

In FY2004, there is "up to $55m is In FY2004, there is "up to $55m is available for national direct grants" - available for national direct grants" - effectively a cap on national direct effectively a cap on national direct programs. programs.

As a result, for national directs to As a result, for national directs to expand, they continue to look to other expand, they continue to look to other avenues to broaden their efforts.avenues to broaden their efforts.

Expansion MethodsExpansion Methods One effective method of expansion is One effective method of expansion is

through state commissions. through state commissions.

Programs of interest to state commissions Programs of interest to state commissions are those that will maximize impact in are those that will maximize impact in communities, are valued by their communities, are valued by their communities and build capacity. communities and build capacity.

Expansion requires programs to meet the Expansion requires programs to meet the states’ basic standards, address additional states’ basic standards, address additional staffing issues and reporting requirements.staffing issues and reporting requirements.

Additional Expansion MethodsAdditional Expansion Methods

AmeriCorps Education Award Only AmeriCorps Education Award Only ProgramsPrograms

AmeriCorps*VISTAAmeriCorps*VISTA Senior CorpsSenior Corps

When did you expand and what When did you expand and what have your levels of have your levels of

success been?success been?

City YearCity Year CommunityCommunity

HealthCorpHealthCorpss

The top 10 states receive 54% of The top 10 states receive 54% of State formula fundingState formula funding

0

20

40

60

80

100%

TotalAmeriCorps

State

NationalDirect

$312M

State funding

Formula

Competitive

$243M

By state

Top 10states

All others

$83M

CNCS press release: www.nationalservice.org/news/pr/093004a.html

The 10 states with largest CNCS The 10 states with largest CNCS State formula grantsState formula grants

CA$12.6

NY$5.9

FL$5.4

IL$3.9

PA$3.3OH

$2.6

MI$2.8

TX$2.8

GA$2.7

NJ$2.6

Getting Started: Preparing for Getting Started: Preparing for Expansion through State Expansion through State

Commission FundingCommission Funding Build a relationship with the Commission Build a relationship with the Commission

staff (parent and local program staff). staff (parent and local program staff).

Become familiar with their funding Become familiar with their funding priorities and aware of funding allocations.priorities and aware of funding allocations.

Be able to demonstrate a strong track Be able to demonstrate a strong track record and your service accomplishments. record and your service accomplishments.

Getting Started…ContinuedGetting Started…Continued

Be able to demonstrate a strong track Be able to demonstrate a strong track record and your service accomplishments. record and your service accomplishments.

Make sure they are on your mailing list for Make sure they are on your mailing list for newsletters, and invite them to your newsletters, and invite them to your events. events.

Add value to their portfolio by contributing Add value to their portfolio by contributing to their Unified State Plan, building to their Unified State Plan, building coalitions with other program. coalitions with other program.

What other items should programs What other items should programs do to get started with this process?do to get started with this process?

City YearCity Year CommunityCommunity

HealthCorpHealthCorpss

Additional Benefits of Expansion Additional Benefits of Expansion Through State CommissionsThrough State Commissions

Deepen relationships with the local Deepen relationships with the local community. community.

May be able to expand corps size, further May be able to expand corps size, further your mission, achieve more in service and your mission, achieve more in service and reach more people. reach more people.

Opportunity to learn from other Program Opportunity to learn from other Program Officers - they are a wealth of information Officers - they are a wealth of information and insight and insight

Transitioning sites to state funding will have Transitioning sites to state funding will have many benefits, but also has its costsmany benefits, but also has its costs

Financial BenefitsFinancial Benefits Free up fundsFree up funds

National Direct dollars National Direct dollars can be used to seed can be used to seed and rescue sitesand rescue sites

Diversify fundingDiversify funding

Financial RisksFinancial Risks Transitioning to state Transitioning to state

funding likely requires a funding likely requires a local office to support the local office to support the programs and grant. programs and grant.

Need to incorporate Need to incorporate AmeriCorps*State funds AmeriCorps*State funds availability into site availability into site selection processselection process

Need to be savvy about Need to be savvy about political climate in each political climate in each state and create a strategy state and create a strategy for developing for developing relationships with State relationships with State CommissionsCommissions

Additional Challenges of ExpansionAdditional Challenges of Expansion

Adapting to and learning state-specific Adapting to and learning state-specific policies and processes policies and processes

Greater level of external oversight of local Greater level of external oversight of local programsprograms

Staffing and building a “satellite” officeStaffing and building a “satellite” office

Process of reimbursement/cash flow Process of reimbursement/cash flow

Communication Communication

What has been the most What has been the most challenging aspect of working challenging aspect of working with both national direct and with both national direct and

state commissions?state commissions?

City YearCity Year CommunityCommunity

HealthCorpsHealthCorps

Top 5 Things To DoTop 5 Things To Do

1.1. Determine which of your programs would Determine which of your programs would be best suited for expansion to state be best suited for expansion to state commission fundingcommission funding

2.2. Determine how large of a program you Determine how large of a program you would need to have in a state to properly would need to have in a state to properly staff and have a “satellite” officestaff and have a “satellite” office

3.3. Ensure that relationships with State Ensure that relationships with State Commission are prime for expansionCommission are prime for expansion

Top 5…continuedTop 5…continued

4.4. Determine the funding cycle and process Determine the funding cycle and process for your chosen expansion statefor your chosen expansion state

5.5. Ensure your local programs are on boardEnsure your local programs are on board

This process could take 6 months beforeThis process could take 6 months before

submitting an application and 12-16 monthssubmitting an application and 12-16 months

before a program would even startbefore a program would even start

QuestionsQuestions

Thank you for listening today. All ofThank you for listening today. All of

our contact information is in theour contact information is in the

conference information.conference information.