National Service OverviewCongressman Takano Grants Workshop

September 7, 2013

Session Objectives

• CNCS and Mission

• CNCS Programs and Initiatives

• How to apply for Grants and Resources

• How to contact CNCS CA State Office

Improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through

service and volunteering

Our Mission

Our Primary Programs…

AmeriCorps Senior Corp Social Innovation Fund

Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service

9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance

National Days of Service

Participation…

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) engages 4 million Americans in result-driven service each year including:

80,000 AmeriCorps members, 400,000 Senior Corps volunteers, 2.2 million additional community volunteers mobilized and managed through the agency’s programs.

CNCS Agency wide Priority Measures

•Disaster Services

•Economic Opportunity

•Education

•Veterans & Military Families

•Environmental Stewardship

•Healthy Futures

AmeriCorps*State

AmeriCorps*State works with Governor-appointed State Service Commissions to provide grants to non-government and government entities to sponsor service programs.

The California State Service Commission was established in 1994 by Executive Order to administer AmeriCorps*State funding within California

California’s State Commission is called CaliforniaVolunteers (CV) and is led by Karen Baker, the nation’s first state cabinet-level Secretary of Service and Volunteering.

CV is funded by the CNCS to administer AmeriCorps funding and provide support to AmeriCorps programs.

• A National Service program that provides opportunities for Americans to provide intensive results-driven service.

• AmeriCorps grants support the efforts of nonprofits and public agencies to recruit, select, and supervise individuals enrolled in an intensive term of service and the volunteers with whom they serve to tackle unmet community needs.

• Grants are awarded to eligible organizations that engaged in evidence- based interventions

• An AmeriCorps project must enhance what an organization was able to do before the grant, and cannot duplicate or supplant pre-existing activities, staff or volunteers

What is AmeriCorps?

• AmeriCorps*State grantees use their grants to engage AmeriCorps members in service to help meet critical community needs in education, public safety, health and the environment

• AmeriCorps*State programs primarily engage AmeriCorps members in direct service to address unmet community needs.

• Programs design service activities for a team of members serving full-time or part-time for one year.

• Programs are responsible for recruiting, placing and training AmeriCorps members

How does AmeriCorps Work?

What can AmeriCorps Programs Do?

Address community needs in a variety of ways.

Examples include:

• Connecting the homeless with supportive services

• Providing access to health care services

• Building affordable housing

• Recruiting and managing volunteers

• Responding to natural disasters

• Cleaning parklands and managing natural resources

• Tutoring and mentoring youth

• Training the unemployed

• Grants provide partial funding to support AmeriCorps projects/programs; funds are not for general organizational expenses

• Grantees contribute match funding to support the project

• Grants include an allotment of AmeriCorps positions

• Funds are directly tied to a specific number of members and are solely for program expenses (e.g. member living allowance and benefits, member and staff training, supervision, supplies, and evaluation).

About AmeriCorps Grants

AmeriCorps GrantGrant BudgetBudget

Member Support Costs - living allowance and benefits;

Other Member Support Costs - training and education;

Staff - salaries, benefits, training;

Other Operating Costs - travel, supplies, other;

Evaluation;

Administration;

Grants require a community match = Cash or In-Kind

Who is an AmeriCorps Member?• An individual enrolled for an intensive term of service

(300-1700 hours per year) in an AmeriCorps program

• U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent resident alien of the U.S.

• At least 17 years of age (no upper age limit)

• Not a volunteer or a staff person

• Must clear required Criminal History Checks

• AmeriCorps members can earn an Eli Segal Education Award for successful completion of a term of service

• Full-time AmeriCorps members receive a living allowance stipend and are eligible for health and childcare benefits

How to Apply for an AmeriCorps GrantVisit www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org

orInterested entities should email Funding@CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov

to receive notification of the next funding opportunity

CV will provide the following information:

Request for Applications (RFA) Forms and Instructions Budget and Budget Narrative Frequently Asked Questions Training Curriculum Other resources

BOOTS ON THE GROUNDWorking with AmeriCorps NCCC

AmeriCorps NCCC

• Team-based, residential service program

• Teams of 8-12 NCCC members are deployed on short-term, intensive projects (2-8 weeks)

• Respond to needs that are identified by community-based organizations

Possible Projects

• Park Improvements & Public Area Beautification• Fuel Reduction• Disaster Preparedness & Recovery• Tax preparation assistance for low-income families• Community Center Improvements• Energy Conservation • Community Outreach & Education • Affordable Housing

AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Members

• 18-24 years olds of diverse backgrounds

• Pass background & TB screening

• Eager to serve

Who Can Apply to Host an AmeriCorps NCCC Team?

• Non-profits

• Faith-based organizations

• Local municipalities

• State governments

• Federal government

• National or state parks

• Indian Tribes

• Schools

Selected Los Angeles Area Project Sponsors

Examples of Local Government Project Sponsors

Expectations of Project Sponsors

Meaningful project work

Detailed daily/weekly work schedule

Site Supervision

Project related tools & supplies

Inclement weather plans

Housing

Housing Examples

Camping (NCCC provides all supplies)

Community centers (NCCC provides cots)

Community partners

City facilities

Rental apartments

Camps or retreat centers

Extended stay hotels

Faith-based organizations

Affordable housing

Not a grant program – we provide people power!

• Since 1965, AmeriCorps*VISTA has been helping bring communities and individuals out of poverty. 

• Today, nearly 10,000 AmeriCorps*VISTA members serve in hundreds of nonprofit organizations and public agencies throughout the country.

• AmeriCorps*VISTA members help organizations fight illiteracy, support youth aging out of foster care, increase job training opportunities, bridge the digital divide and much more.

• All projects focus on building permanent infrastructure in organizations to help them more effectively bring individuals and communities out of poverty

 

• VISTA members serve 40 hours per week in capacity building roles.

• Projects often focus on the following types of activities:

Resource Development (grant writing and fundraising) Volunteer Generation Outreach and Marketing Building Partnerships and Collaborations Program Development

• VISTA members may not provide direct services to clients or perform the regular work of agency staff.

How to Apply to Become a VISTA Project Sponsor

Next Application deadline is October 2013.

Contact the CNCS CA State Office at ca@cns.gov to request AmeriCorps*VISTA concept paper application guidance.

The CNCS CA State Office will provide technical assistance during the application process.  

 

VISTA Project Sponsor “Match”

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

Projects should provide:

• On-Site Orientation and Training

• Material Support-supplies

• Daily Supervision, Community Support

• On-Assignment Transportation reimbursement

• Projects may “cost share” - pay living allowance for member(s).

• RSVP is a network of close to 500,000 individuals age 55 or over who perform a wide range of volunteer services that meet community needs.

• RSVP is one of the largest volunteer efforts in the nation.

• RSVP offers a full range of volunteer opportunities with thousands of local and national organizations.

• Unlike FGP and SCP volunteers, RSVP volunteers do not receive a stipend and can volunteer anywhere from four to forty hours per week.

• With RSVP, volunteers choose how and where they want to serve and for what amount of time.

• RSVP volunteers tutor children, help organize neighborhood watch programs, help feed the elderly and homeless, and just help community organizations operate more efficiently.

• Foster Grandparents are low-income individuals, age 55 or over, who serve one-on-one with children and young people with special needs.

• Foster Grandparents serve 15 or more hours a week in schools, hospitals, juvenile correctional institutions, Head Start centers or anywhere else where there are children in need.

• These service sites are called stations.

• Foster Grandparents also serve as mentors to teen mothers, disadvantaged youth and children of inmates.

• Foster Grandparents receive an hourly stipend of $2.65 an hour.

• Senior Companions are low-income individuals, age 55 or over who serve one-on-one with frail elderly and disabled adults.

• Senior Companions serve 15 or more hours a week in their clients’ private homes, Adult Day Care Centers, Senior Centers or other locations where there are frail elders in need.

• They receive an hourly stipend of $2.65.

• Local nonprofit organizations and public agencies receive grants from CNCS to sponsor and operate their FGP, SCP and RSVP programs.

• As part of the Serve America Act, RSVP was competed for the first time in 2013. RSVP Funds will be competed based on locality every 3 years or when additional funds become available. FGP and SCP will begin being competed in 2014.

• Senior Corps will notify the public when new grant applications are being accepted by posting a notice at www.grants.gov  and www.nationalservice.gov.

• Local partners can also create roles and host Senior Corps volunteers in their organizations by becoming a Volunteer Station with an existing Senior Corps Program..

Senior Corps Program Funding and Partnership Opportunities

Questions?

For more information on CNCS programs please visit www.nationalservice.gov or

e-mail CA@cns.gov.

Thank you.

Greg Ericksen: gericksen@cns.gov