Corporation for National & Community Service,Missouri Community

Service Commission and AmeriCorps

The mission of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

The Corporation is the nation’s largest grant maker supporting service and volunteering. Through their Senior Corps and AmeriCorps programs, they provide opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to express their patriotism while addressing critical community needs.

Structure of Oversight of Programs

Federal Agency headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Corporation State Offices and State Service Commissions coordinate the resources of the Corporation at the state and local levels.

Corporation State Offices

VISTA and Senior Corps

AmeriCorps*Vista provides full-time members to community agencies to create and expand programs that build capacity and ultimately bring low-income communities out of poverty.

AmeriCorps*VISTA members spend at least one year in full-time service addressing the needs of low-income communities. All projects focus on building permanent infrastructure in nonprofit organizations to help them more effectively bring individuals and communities out of poverty.

Who Can Apply to become an AmeriCorps*VISTA sponsor?

Public, private, community or faith-based nonprofit organizations

Local, state, or federal agencies

Senior Corps

Through grants and other resources—including the energy and efforts of citizens age 55 and over—Senior Corps helps meet the needs and challenges of America’s communities. Grants administered through Senior Corps provide funding for three special programs:

Foster Grandparents connects volunteers age 60 and over with children and young people with exceptional needs.

The Senior Companion Program brings together volunteers age 60 and over with adults in their community who have difficulty with the simple tasks of day-to-day living.

RSVP offers "one stop shopping" for all volunteers 55 and over who want to find challenging, rewarding, and significant service opportunities in their local communities.

http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp

Michael Laverty Missouri State Program Specialist (816) 426-2079 MLaverty@cns.gov

State Service Commissions

State Service Commissions provide Corporation funding to AmeriCorps state programs in their states through annual grant competitions.

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps, our domestic Peace Corps, engages thousands of Americans of all ages and backgrounds in community service

They tutor and mentor youth, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, and help communities respond to disasters.

AmeriCorps*State

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.

Who May Apply for AmeriCorps*State?

State and local nonprofit organizations

Community and faith-based organizations

State, local, and higher education institutions

State and local governments

U.S. Territories

AmeriCorps*State Program

Types of projects include… Education Health Public Safety Environmental Homeland Security Other Unmet Human Needs

AmeriCorps*State Program

Examples. . . Tutoring and mentoring youth Fighting illiteracy Disaster relief Cleaning parks and streams Managing or operating after-school

programs Unmet human needs

AmeriCorps*State Program

Benefits to Communities AmeriCorps members serve in

communities in areas of education, health, public safety and environment. Citizens of communities benefit from receiving these services

Benefits to Applicants Projects that apply for AmeriCorps

funds benefit from the manpower or members that enable them to get the jobs done in their communities and neighborhoods.

Grant Period

Organizations selected through this funding round are generally granted a three-year project period. Applications should include proposed activities and a detailed budget for the first year of operation and program objectives for a one year period.

Funding for the second and third years of an approved program is contingent upon satisfactory progress in relation to the approved objectives, submission of proposed changes in activities or objectives and a detailed budget and budget narrative for the applicable program year, the availability of funds, and any other criteria established in the award agreement.

Grant Size Limitations

There is a minimum (as set by the Commission) of 5 Member Service Years (MSYs) for all programs and a maximum of 10 MSYs for new programs. The maximum of 10 MSYs is just for the first year of the 3 year cycle.

(Maximum $13,300 per MSY)

Match Requirements

Programs must provide and account for matching funds (24% for each of the first three years.) All programs are required to raise some funds from the private sector, e.g., corporations, foundations, individuals, local businesses, and non-profit organizations.

The match for member support costs (excluding health insurance) must be in non-federal cash. Programs may provide matching funds for operating costs in cash or in-kind, and may use non-Corporation for National and Community Service federal funds as match if permitted by the rules governing those federal funds.

Terms of Service

Full-time At least 1700 hours Half-Time At least 900 hours Reduced Half-Time At least 675

hours Quarter-Time At least 450 hours Minimum-Time At least 300 hours

AmeriCorps Member Benefits

Living Allowances: Generally, all AmeriCorps

programs must provide a living allowance as specified below. The living allowance is considered taxable for FICA and income tax. The allowance is between $12,100 and $24.200 per year for full-time members.

Child Care: Programs must make child care

available to any full-time eligible member who is eligible for and needs such assistance to participate.

The Corporation will fund child care directly and will pay 100%.

Member eligibility is based on need.

Health Care for Full-Time Members:

Programs must provide full-time members with a basic health insurance plan at the time of the members’ acceptance into the program if the member is not otherwise covered by a health insurance policy that provides the minimum benefits required.

If, as a result of participation, or if, during the term of service, a member loses coverage through no deliberate act of his or her own, such as parental or spousal job loss, the program must provide the member with a basic health insurance plan that meets the minimum benefits.

Programs may obtain health insurance for members through any provider, as long as the policy provides the minimum benefits and is not excessive in cost.

Health care benefits are for AmeriCorps members only (spousal or dependent benefits cannot be covered using Corporation funds).

AmeriCorps Education Awards: Most AmeriCorps members who

successfully complete a term of service will receive education awards for each of up to two terms of service.

1700 hours - $5,550

900 hours - $2,775

675 hours - $2,144

450 hours - $1,468

300 hours - $1,175

The education award may be used up to seven years from completion of service to pay for any combination of:

(1) the costs of attendance at a qualified institution of higher education;

(2) the costs of approved school-to-work programs;

or (3) the costs of repaying qualified student loans. The education award is considered taxable income for the year in which it is used.

Members who have outstanding qualified student loans may be eligible to receive forbearance on their payments while they serve, but they need to contact their loan holders to receive this benefit and submit the required forms to the National Service Trust.

The Corporation for National and Community Service will make payments for interest that accrues during the period of forbearance upon successful completion of a member's term of service.

Applications

Application materials will be available in November. There will also be an application webinar in November.

Concept papers will be due in December, with feedback in January.

Full application will be due in February.

Funding decisions will be announced in early May.

Training will be provided in June and July.

Programs may start between August 1 and September 30th.

Website

www.cns.gov

www.americorps.gov

www.movolunteers.org

Kevin W. Edwards Chief Program Officer Missouri Community Service

Commission 301 W. High Street, Suite 770 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 526-0464 Kevin.Edwards@ded.mo.gov