DRAFT

SerVermontCommissionMeeting

4December20191:00p.m.-4:00p.m.

StoweflakeResort&ConferenceCenterConferenceRoom

MembersinAttendance:ChristyGallese,JasonGosselin,MeganMcKeever,NicoleWhalen,KateLaRose,DanNoyes,SusanCheeseman(ex-officio),DougKievit-Kylar(alsofromCNCSRegionalOffice:LizRonandCarolSchneider)MembersinAttendanceViaPhone:GuyIsabelleStaffinAttendance:PhilipKolling,SharonHearne,RobynBaylor(attendedtoConferencedetails)Agenda

- Welcome- ApproveMinutes-October2019- PublicComment- NewData:UpdatingtheNumbers- Partners&Plans

- AmeriCorpsCompetitionanddeterminewhichapplicationsgetsubmittedtoCNCScompetition- BREAK- DiscussionwithCNCSrepresentative(tentative)- Upcomingevents:January2020Meeting- Adjourn

1:00pm Welcome,IntroductionsPhilwelcomedeveryoneandleadround-tableintroductions(whoareyouandwhatconstituencydoyourepresent?).ItwasnotedthatthiswouldbethelastmeetingforJasonandDougastheirtermsexpired.ThankswereexpressedfortheircontributionsasCommissioners.1:15pm ApprovalofMinutesPhilopeneddiscussionandsoughtapprovalofMeetingMinutesforOctober2019.Dougmadeamotiontoapprovetheminutesaspresented.Jasonsecondedthemotionandtheminutesweregivenunanimousapproval.1:20pm PublicCommentPeriodNonenoted. 1:35pm NewData:UpdatingtheNumbersPhilsharedwiththegroupatabledescribingCurrentYearResouceUtilization(seeonfollowingpage).

DuplexedonProcessedChlorine-FreeRecycledPaperWith100%Post-ConsumerContent

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PhilremindedCommissionersthatCEDOhadbeenright-sizedwithregardtoMSYowingtodifficultyenrollingmembers.Assuch,CEDOwasworkingtoimplementaCorrectiveActionPlanthatspecifiedthat100%ofthefull-timeslotsawardedshouldbefilledbyNovemberORthataspecificplanbedevelopedforhowtofillsuchvacanciesandthathalf-timeslotsbefilledbyFebruary.CEDOisnowat77%enrollment.Admittedly,recruitmentisachallengebothlocallyinVermontandnationally.Additionally,LyndonState(VYDC)wasofferedanadditional10MSY(andgivenlatitudeinthe90%enrollmentstandard).SimilarlyVHCBwasgiventheoptiontoexpandtheirprogram.1:45pm Partners&Plans(AmeriCorpsCompetitionanddeterminewhichapplicationsgetsubmittedtoCNCScompetition)ConflictofInterestformsweretenderedtoSharon.PhilnextreviewedtheAmeriCorpsfundingrequestsfor2020-2021.Asynopsisofthisdiscussionispresentedintabularform,below:

PhilnotedthatCEDOisaheadoflastyear’stotalalready,andmeetingtheadditionalbenchmarksintheirgrant.CEDOwasonlyat28%atthispointlastyear.ALSO:

• VYCCenrollslate.• LEAPhas10extraMSYaddedintotheirgrant,sostaffwillbewatchingtheirprogresswiththatinmind.• ECOissameasthistimelastyear.

Othersarebehindlastyear:• VYDC61%lastyearto45%thisyear• VHCB86%lastyearto79%thisyear• ReSource74%lastyearto67%thisyear

WithCommissionershavingconductedtheirownpersonalreviewofgrantapplicationsPhildescribedtheprocesstodateandthensoughttosolicitCommissionercomments.PhilexplainedthatSharonhadcarefullyreviewedallofthebudgetsandthatsheandPhilhadreviewedandnotedchangesthatneededtobemadetothenarratives.Commissionerswerethenchargedwithdecidingwhichofthegrantapplicationtomoveforwardandwhich(ifany)wouldnotbeforwardedtoCNCSfortheirconsideration.

ItwasnotedbyPhilthatLEAPandCEDOhadnotreceivedcompetitivefundingwithinthepastfive(5)years-thatbothprogramshadbeenfundedwithFormulamonies.SharonofferedthatCEDO,sinceimplementingtheCorrectiveActionPlan,hassubmittedeverymonthlyreport,thatenrollmenthasimproved,andthatthemonitoringshehaddonealsoindicatedimprovement.PhilnotedthatCEDOwascurrentlybeinginvestigatedbyOIG.NicollesuggestedthatCommissionersfirstdealwiththethree(3)competitivecontinuationapplications(ECO,ReSource,andVHCB).ShemovedthatthegrantapplicationsforECO,ReSource,andVHCB(withstaffandCommissionersuggestionsforeditingmade)besubmittedforCNCSconsideration.ThemotionwassecondedbyChristyandthemotionwasunanimouslyapproved.KatesuggestedthatCommissionersnexttakeupfordiscussionandconsiderationthefour(4)new(new/previousgranteeorrecompete)applications(LEAP,CEDO,VYCC,andVYDC).VYDC:PhilnotedforCommissionersthattheprogramisexperiencingacash-flowchallenge,althoughtheprogramitselfisconsideredtobesustainable.KateleadoffthediscussionbynotingthatthesectiondescribingtheTheoryofChangewasabitweakandshouldbestrengthened.PhilsaidthatsuchtrainingwasbeingplannedbyCNCS.Also,itwouldlikelybebeneficialiftrainingwasprovidedforcurriculumdesign.Megannotedthattheapplicationwasorganizeddifferentlythanotherapplicationsandquestionedwhetherthiswasagoodorabadthing.Katesharedthatshethoughttheproblemstatementwasneitherfocusedorclear(andthatitwastoobroadlystated/comprehensive).BecausetheapplicationfocusedonopioidmisuseitwasquestionedwhetherthiswasanissuethatCNCSstillvaluedforfunding.Philsaidthathebelievedthat,inparticular,CNCSwouldlikelylookfavorablyuponsustainingpre-existingprogramstoaddressopioidmisuse.Itwasnotedalsothatevidence-basedinterventionsforopioidmisusearewidelyavailable.Itwasrecommendedthatstaffcrosscheckthestaffingsectionwiththenarrativesectionforconformance(theNarrativeincludedONLYtheprogramdirector).WithregardtothesectiondetailingCulturethatValuesLearningitwasdecidedthatinessencethesectionshouldexplainhowanorganizationutilizesdataforlearninganddecision-making.Therewaswidespreadagreementthatnoneoftheapplicationssubmitteddidthissectionadequatejustice.NicolleposedthequestiontoPhil,"WhatistheriskofsubmittingALLofthegrantapplicationsforCNCSconsideration"?PhilexplainedthatCNCSpreferedthatCommissionersprovidearobustreviewprocessofgrantapplicationsBEFOREsubmittingforCNCSconsideration.NicollemovedthatthegrantapplicationforVYDC(withstaffandCommissionersuggestionsforeditingmade)besubmittedforCNCSconsideration.ThemotionwassecondedbyMeganandthemotionwasunanimouslyapproved.Phil,lookingaheadintothefuture,notedforCommissionersthat:

1. WiththeexpirationoftwoCommissioner'stermstherewillbetheneedtorecruitnewCommissioners,2. SerVermontstillisobligatedtofinalizeanewStateServicePlan,and3. Commissionersneedtoconsideranddeterminenextsteps.

Afterabriefdiscussionregardinghowtosolicittrulynewgrantapplicationsitwasnotedthatoftenacatalystforapplicantsisachampion--oftenanAmeriCorpsalum--toadvocatedfornewprograms.Thisbeingthecase,itmaybeworthwhiletoreachouttoalumnifornewgrantapplications.Itwasalsonotedthatstatedatacouldbeusedtotargetidentified"needs"thatcouldthenbeconsideredforapplicationofAmeriCorpsmemberinvolvement.VYCC:Itwasnotedthattheinterventionsincludedintheapplicationwouldbestrongeriftheyfocusedonlearningandskilldevelopment.DouginquiredabouttherobustmatchandPhilexplainedthatheandSharonwerelookingintowhatitwastheyincludedasmatchandwhetheritwasappropriate.Phildescribedthedifferencesbetweenbudgetedandstatutorymatchesandnotedthattheorganizationneededamoresustainablematchsituation.HeandSharonwillbefollowingthroughonthis.KatemovedthatthegrantapplicationforVYCC(withstaffandCommissionersuggestionsforeditingmade)besubmittedforCNCSconsideration.ThemotionwassecondedbyDanandthemotionwasunanimouslyapproved.LEAP:Kateexplainedwhyitwasshethoughtthatmoreinformationregardingtherolesofstaffmemberswasneeded.Philnotedbrieflythattheprogramutilized(SerVermont)staffinputandassistanceearlyindraftingthegrantapplication.

ChristymovedthatthegrantapplicationforLEAP(withstaffandCommissionersuggestionsforeditingmade)besubmittedforCNCSconsideration.ThemotionwassecondedbyKateandthemotionwasunanimouslyapproved.CEDO:MegannotedthatshefeltthattheapplicationfromCEDOthisyearwasanimprovementovertheprevioussubmittal,but...agreedwithKateandothersthattheProjectDesignwasweakandneededimprovement.AsuggestionwasmadethattheapplicationwasweakenoughtopossiblywarrantbeginningoveragainstartingwiththeLogicModelbeingcleareronwhatitwasthattheymeasuredandwhytheymeasureitasthemeasuresincludeddon'tseemtologicallyaddressstatedprogramgoals.Itwassuggestedthatitmightbehelpfultoreadtheapplicationaloudinaroomofpartners/peersinordertosolicitimprovementsbeginningwith"Whatdoweneedtoaccomplishinourcommunityandwhatinterventionsdoweneedinordertodothis"?Itmaybehelpfultolookathuman-centereddesignideas.Itwasfeltthattheinnterventionsasspecifiedmaynothavetheintendedoranticipatedoutcomes.PhilnotedforCommissionersthatshouldtheydecidenottosubmittheapplicationforcompetitivefundingtherewasampleTTAmoniestoinvestincapacitybuildingandthatshouldtheydecidenottosubmittheprogramwouldneedtoresubmitbyApril.Itwasstatedthat"It'snotthatwedon'twanttosupportCEDObut,rather,thatwedon'tfeelthatthegrantapplicationisstrongenoughtocompetesuccessfully".Also,itwasmadeclearthatCNCSdidn'twanttoconsiderseriouslydeficientgrantapplications--whichshouldbeweededoutattheStatelevel.ItwaslikewisenotedbySharonthatAmeriCorpsmemberslargelyreporthavinghadagoodandvaluableexperience.ThereseemedtobewidelysharedsupportforSerVermontinterventionstostrengthentheprogram...thatincludedconversationandjointplanningwithprogrampartners(inordertobuildgreaterbuy-inbyallinvolved).KatemovedthatthegrantapplicationforCEDOnotbesubmittedforCNCSconsideration.ThemotionwassecondedbyDanandthemotionwasapprovedwithChristyabstaining.KatealsomovedthatSerVermontstaffapproachCEDOinordertoexplorewaystostrengthentheorganizationanditsgrantapplicationforfuturesubmittal;toallowsupportforsuchaneffortusingreallocatedcarry-forwardmoney--uptobutnotexceeding$100K;andthattheprocessprovideaper-diemtoincentivizeandallowprogrampartners/hostsites/memberstoparticipateintheeffort.ThemotionwassecondedbyNicolleandwasunanimouslyapproved.UpcomingEvents:

• January2020meeting• January21-MLKDay

4:00PM AdjournRespectfullySubmitted,DougKievit-KylarSecretary