2015 Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps: Grant Information Webinar

April 28, 2015Presented by:

Marisa Petreccia & Kate PisanoServe Rhode Island

Session Objectives

• Review the Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps application process– Serve Rhode Island RFP – CNCS Notice of Funding Opportunity– Budget Considerations

• Determine whether or not the Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps funding is the right fit for your organization

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Serve Rhode Island (SRI)

• Established in 1994, as the Rhode Island Service Alliance, SRI is the State Commission for National & Community Service. – Administers and manages all AmeriCorps State

programming.• Merged with Volunteer Center of RI in January

2009. • RI’s leading resource for volunteerism and

service.

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Applying for an AmeriCorps grant• Applicants must demonstrate:– A commitment to recruit, train, support and develop

AmeriCorps members.– Understanding the unique status of AmeriCorps

members (one-year term, not employees).– The capacity to administer and monitor a federal grant. – Describe and demonstrate an Evidence-based or

informed AmeriCorps intervention

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Organizational CapacityManaging an AmeriCorps grant is not for every organization.There are many requirements to meet:

– Sound Federal Grant Management and Oversight• Administrative Program Management – member files,

recordkeeping, collect and analyze data• Fiscal reporting and documentation

– Extensive Regulations and Provisions– Significant Reporting Requirements– Fiscal Requirements – meeting match percentage

If AmeriCorps is the right fit, a dedicated team can be a great resourceto your organization to meet unmet community needs.

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AmeriCorps Basics

Corporation for National & Community Service

• Federal agency created in 1993 through the signing of the National and Community Service Trust Act – The nation’s largest grant-maker supporting service and

volunteer activities

• Engages millions Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through: – AmeriCorps– Senior Corps – Social Innovation Fund– Volunteer Generation Fund

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AmeriCorps• AmeriCorps is a federally funded National Service

program engaging approximately 85,000 full and part-time volunteers in intensive service to meet unmet local community needs.

• AmeriCorps members receive a modest living allowance, a post-service Education Award and extensive training and professional development.

• AmeriCorps is made up of three main programs.

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AmeriCorps Programs

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Largest AC arm, includes AC State (through state commissions, AC National Directs. Members perform a range of DIRECT service activities in local communities

VISTA programs administered through State CNCS offices, VISTA members engaged in poverty-alleviation efforts through INDIRECT/CAPACITY BLDG efforts to organizations

National Civilian Community Corps, full-time, 10-month, team-based residential program for men and women ages 18 to 24, engaged in disaster response and envt’l restoration efforts across the county.

AMERICORPSFederally funded national service programs to support 80,000 individuals/year through 3 main programs

Est. in 1994

AmeriCorps*VISTA• AmeriCorps*VISTA and AmeriCorps State and National

have distinct program differences:– VISTA focus on poverty-alleviation, capacity-building

activities (compared to direct service). – VISTAs are usually individual placements to an organization

as opposed to a team of members. – VISTA members cannot hold outside employment during

service.• For more information contact RI CNCS Director:

Vin Marzullo: 528-5426 or vmarzullo@cns.gov

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AmeriCorps in RIAmeriCorps funds are distributed by two agencies: • the State CNCS Office (federal office) and • the State Commission, which can either be a stand alone

501(c)3 non-profit or part of the state or municipal government offices. – National Directs apply and are administered by CNCS.

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State CNCS OfficeAdministers:

AmeriCorps*VISTA and

Senior Corps

Serve Rhode Island:State Commission

Administers:AmeriCorps State programs

andVGF Grant

AmeriCorps State & National• Provides funds to local and national organizations that

address the six Focus areas identified in the Kennedy Serve America Act (SAA):

• Disaster Services • Economic Opportunity• Education• Environmental Stewardship• Healthy Futures• Veterans and Military Families

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2015 Youth Opportunity AmeriCorpsGrant Process

Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps• Partnership between CNCS and DOJ Office of Juvenile Justice

and Delinquency Prevention

• Grant funding and member slots will be awarded to successful applicants to enroll Disconnected Youth, specifically individuals who are at least 17 but under 25 years old who have been:– adjudicated in the juvenile justice system, – convicted in the criminal justice system, – or identified as at-risk of incarceration, to serve as AmeriCorps

members. – Recipients will also need to enroll additional members to provide

mentoring and coaching to the Disconnected Youth members throughout their service.

Refer to page 3 of CNCS NOFO for further Program Objectives

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Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps• CNCS defines “disconnected from school or work” as

unemployed, underemployed, and not in school for at least six months prior to service. This program is specifically targeting Opportunity Youth that have been adjudicated in the juvenile justice system.

• Disconnected Youth is defined as individuals at least 17* but under 25 years old who have been adjudicated in the juvenile justice system, convicted in the criminal justice system, or have been identified as at risk of incarceration.

• Grants generally cover a two-year period

*Unless grantee/recipient has an approved program design that engages 16 year olds as well.

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SRI Grant Process• SRI is charged with administering RI’s Youth Opportunity

AmeriCorps process. One RFP to solicit proposals that will be considered for submission to the national competition.

• SRI RFP Dates supersede CNCS NOFO dates. SRI must review any application prior to submission to national competition.– May 11: proposals due to SRI via eGrants– May 15 & 18: Clarifications with applicants– May 19: notifications to applicants– May 20: SRI prime application to CNCS

• Any eligibleapplicant seeking to apply for Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps funds must respond to this RFP and all related deadlines

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Eligible Applicants• Eligible Applicants:

Tribal governments; local governments of U.S. cities, counties or towns; school boards; and quasi-governmental organizations such as Councils of Governments and non-profit regional development authorities including park, housing, or economic development authorities may apply.

Please see Page 6 of SRI RFP for full description

• Ineligible organizations:– Convicted of a federal crime– 501(c)(4) status – engaged in lobbying activities

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SRI Grant Timeline Highlights

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Date ItemApril 24 Intent to Apply email – by 12:00 PM

May 11 Proposals due in eGrants – by 12:00 PM

May 15 & 18 SRI clarifications with applicants

May 19 Notifications to applicants

May 20 SRI prime application submission to CNCS

August 31 Expected CNCS Decisions

NOTE: Please refer to page 5 of the SRI Request for Proposals for details,SRI’s RFP must be read with the CNCS NOFO

Application RequirementA complete application includes the following:1. Narratives: maximum 15 pages (printed out in eGrants)

a. Facesheetb. Executive Summaryc. Rationale and Approach/Program Design

2. Logic Model (worksheet template provided), max 3 pages

3. Budget4. Performance Measures

NOTE: Applicants should refer to both CNCS Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

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Evidence-Based Approach• AmeriCorps grants are awarded to organizations proposing

to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions.– Please refer Page 14-15 of CNCS NOFO

• Organizations must have the ability to collect data and analyze data to prove results.

• Clearly describes and demonstrates the AmeriCorps intervention.

• Applicants classifying their evidence as Moderate or Strong must submit up to two studies, evaluation reports, briefs, or peer-reviewed articles cited in this section as separate attachments

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Successful Applicants

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• Meet specific criteria outlined in NOFO engaging Disconnected Youth• Have processes in place to identify, recruit, screen, and support

Disconnected Youth as AmeriCorps members. • Have processes in place to identify individuals with experience in

mentoring and/or appropriate life experience to serve as AmeriCorps members.

• Will engage both Disconnected Youth AmeriCorps members and mentor AmeriCorps members in high-quality evidence-based or evidence-informed service interventions that will result in intended solutions to community problems.

• Will have clear sources of data to address performance indicators and will seek and obtain appropriate access to such data

Performance Measures

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• CNCS has outlined specific required Performance Measures on pages 6-7 of its NOFO

• In addition to these required measures, applicants must also select at least one performance measure (output and outcome) from one of CNCS’s six focus areas that is aligned with the primary service intervention and reflects the community impact of the program.

• Performance Measure resource: – http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/performance-

measurement/americorps

CNCS Focus Areas

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• In order to carry out Congress’ intent and to maximize the impact of investment in national service, CNCS has the following focus areas: :– Disaster Services– Economic Opportunity– Education– Environmental Stewardship– Healthy Futures– Veterans and Military Families

AmeriCorps Member Requirements and Benefits

AC Member Requirements• Must be at least 17 years of age• Documentation of being a U.S. citizen, national, or legal

permanent resident alien of the U.S. • High school diploma or equivalent, or agree to obtain

before using Education Award • Undergo a National Service Criminal History Check –

enhanced for those with access to vulnerable populations (FBI Fingerprint, State BCI and National Sex Offender Registry)

• Each program determines other eligibility requirements– Experience, skills, etc.– Educational background

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AC Member Benefits• Living Allowance

– Minimum of $12,530 for full-time– Only full-time members are required to receive a living

allowance • Loan Forbearance on qualified student loans• Health Coverage - required to offer for full-time only• Child Care, if eligible (full-time only)• Personal and Professional Development• Education Award – Post service benefit

– Seven years from end of service to use Ed Award– Qualified school expenses or repay qualified loans

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AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities• Attempting to influence legislation; • Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; • Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing; • Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements; • Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of

an election to any public office; • Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or

against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials;

• Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship

• Providing a direct benefit to: a business organized for profit; a labor union; a partisan political organization; a nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3)

• Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive;

• Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; and • Such other activities as the Corporation may prohibit.

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AC Prohibited ActivitiesBy law AmeriCorps members (and staff) are strictlyprohibited from engaging the following activities while on AmeriCorps time:• Fundraising for general operations and own support costs• Displace or supplant any staff or volunteers of the agency• Management of any administrative aspects of the

AmeriCorps grant or program not related to actual programming

• Supervision or management of other members• All prohibited activities outlined in the AmeriCorps

Regulations/Provisions (§2520.65).

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AmeriCorps: what it is

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AmeriCorps Is AmeriCorps Is Not

A year of stipended service An actual earned hourly wage

A team of individuals meeting an identified compelling need

Cheap labor to supplant, displace other full-time or volunteer positions

A way to leverage local, state and federal resources

A direct funding source for your organization

Direct service program to the community, with an evidence-based intervention

General support to your organization, results that cannot be attributed to the AmeriCorps team

AmeriCorps Budget Considerations

AC Budget Basics• Solely for AC program expenses and not for general

organizational expenses.

• Provide partial funding to support AmeriCorps projects/programs. Grant recipients must contribute cash or in-kind match funds (unless opting for a Fixed Amount).

• Budgets include costs such as: member living allowance and benefits, member and staff training, personnel costs, supplies, and evaluation.

• Must have administrative capacity to manage fiscal reporting and administration.

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Budget ItemsRequired:• Living allowance for FT members ($12,530)• Health insurance for FT members• Criminal history checks for ALL members and any staff on grant

(CNCS or match funds)• 1% Commission Fee

Not required:• Unemployment or TDI for members (unallowable)• Education award – separate benefit paid by Trust• Child care (for eligible FT members) – separate benefit paid by CNCS

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Budget Considerations• Member Service Years (MSY) are not equivalent to FTE. For

example, 4 Minimum-time ≠ 1 Full Time.

• Min Living Allowance = $12,530• Max cost per MSY = $13,730 for cost reimbursement grants.

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Type MSY Hours (Min)

Full-time 1.00 1700

Half-time .500 900

Reduced Half-time .381 675

Quarter-time .265 450

Minimum-Time .212 300

Match Requirements• In Years 1, 2 and 3 match requirement = 24% minimum. Beyond

that match increases incrementally

NOTE: If your organization has not received AC funds for 5+ years, you begin matching at Year 1 level

• Combination of In-kind and cash match sources. CNCS does not prescribe percentages. Applicants will list out in Source of Funds section.

• Examples of match may include: Staff time, office space, transportation

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Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10

26% 30% 34% 38% 42% 46% 50%

ResourcesCorporation for National & Community Service

Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps NOFO and related materials (detailed instructions)

National Service Knowledge District: Performance Measures Home

Results of CNCS Grants Competitions

Serve Rhode Island – 401-331-2298

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Questions?