Transcript AC*State Administrative Standards Review

2015 AmeriCorps Informational Session
Christine Williams, Senior Program Officer
Serve Alabama: The Governor’s Office of
Faith-Based and Volunteer Service (GFBVS)
Alabama State Service Commission
8 Commerce Street, Suite 1000/10th Floor
Montgomery, Alabama 36104
334.954.7440
www.ServeAlabama.gov
Grant Writing Essentials
Beyond Funding to Sustainability &
AmeriCorps Informational Session
The Mission of Serve Alabama
The mission of Serve Alabama is to build the capacity
of individuals and organizations to serve and
transform the communities in which they live and to
serve as a bridge between government and
community.
Serve Alabama Works to:
•increase an ethic of service and volunteerism in the
State of Alabama.
•strengthen the capacity of Alabama’s faith and
community-based organizations.
•promote collaboration among individuals and
organizations striving to meet some of the greatest
needs in our state.
The Primary Functions of Serve Alabama
Alabama State Service Commission
*AmeriCorps State Programs (Formula, Competitive, Competitive-Fixed and FormulaFixed)
Disaster Preparedness and Response
*Volunteer and Donation Coordination for the State of Alabama Emergency Operations
Plan/Annex I
*Ready Alabama, a public preparedness multi-media campaign, uses movie slides, public
service announcements, billboards, printed materials and outreach via www.Ready.gov.
*Be Ready Camp, an innovative program offering children an opportunity to learn about
disaster preparedness, participate in a full scale mock disaster and meet peers from
across the state
Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund
*Designed to provide assistance to individuals and organizations with recovery costs
that are a direct result of a disaster or emergency
Agenda
•Learn about AmeriCorps
•Discuss the grant
•Explore the application process
•Consider the budget
AmeriCorps on the National Level
• Administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
• Establised in 1993 www.nationalservice.gov
•Serve America Act – 2009 – Increased funding for programs (AmeriCorps in
addition to others)
•Programming includes VISTA, State/National, and NCCC
•85,000 AmeriCorps members serve nationwide each year!
AmeriCorps Fast Facts
800,000
Number of people who have served as AmeriCorps members since 1994.
1 Billion
Total number of hours served by AmeriCorps members since 1994.
5.2 Million
Number of disadvantaged youth tutored, mentored or served by AmeriCorps member in fiscal 2011.
4 Million
Number of community volunteers managed or mobilized by AmeriCorps members in fiscal 2011.
$480 Million
Value of cash and in-kind donations leveraged by AmeriCorps members in fiscal 2010.
15,000
Number of AmeriCorps service locations in 2012.
$2.4 Billion
Total amount of Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards earned by AmeriCorps members since 1994.
Alabama AmeriCorps Summary
2014-2015
•1.9 million awarded Formula Funds
•7 Programs / 2 fixed grants
•300+ members
Serve Alabama AmeriCorps Sub-grantees
•Anniston Community Education Foundation - Anniston
•AL Network of Family Resource Centers (ANFRC
AmeriCorps) - Montgomery
•Butler County Board of Education - Greenville
•City of Selma - Selma
•Impact Alabama - Birmingham
•Teach for America-Alabama - Birmingham
•YWCA Central Alabama - Birmingham
What is AmeriCorps?
National Service Program
“Domestic Peace Corps” – opportunity to serve in US
SIX Areas of Focus:
Disaster Services
Education
Environmental Stewardship
Healthy Futures
Opportunity
Veterans and Military Families
What is AmeriCorps?
Getting Things Done. AmeriCorps helps communities meet needs in the areas of
education, public safety, the environment, and other human needs through direct and
demonstrable service.
Strengthening Communities. AmeriCorps builds the capacity of community
organizations and other institutions to more effectively engage community volunteers
to improve our communities.
Encouraging Responsibility. Through service and civic education, AmeriCorps members
become agents of community solutions and develop an ethic of lifelong service.
Expanding Opportunity. AmeriCorps helps those who help America. Members
develop professional skills, gain invaluable experience and receive education
awards for education or job training.
Purpose of AmeriCorps Funding
• Awarded to eligible organizations
• Proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based
/informed interventions to strengthens community
AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities
Attempting to influence legislation
Organizing or engaging in protests, strikes, petitions or boycotts
Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing
Any political activities
AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities
Engaging in religious instruction, proselytization, worship activities
Administrative duties (i.e. acting as your agency’s receptionist, clerical
work, etc.)
Constructing or maintaining a facility inherently devoted to religious
instruction or worship
Providing a direct benefit to a for-profit organization, labor union,
political party, or religious organization
Examples of Appropriate Service Activities
*Tutoring at-risk youth
*Recruiting volunteers
*Teaching conflict resolution skills
*Environmental conservation activities
*Assisting crime victims
*Building homes
*Restoring parks
*Mentoring at-risk youth
*Teaching computer skills
*Running after-school programs
*Other direct service or capacity-building
activities…
About Fundraising:
AmeriCorps members can devote 10% of their service
time to fundraising activities.
Members may:
Raise funds that benefit your organization’s
service activities
Members may not:
Raise funds for living allowances or for your
organization’s general operating expenses
Write a grant application to CNCS or any other
Federal agency
AmeriCorps Key Words
not a job or typical volunteer position, it is …Service
do not hire employees, apprentices, or typical volunteers,
programs enroll AmeriCorps Members or participants
is not a wage, salary, or paycheck, it’s a… Living Allowance
Is not a work site or job site, it’s a…Service Site
Member Terms of Service
Full time (1,700 hours)
= $5,730 ed award
Half Time (900 hours)
= $2,865 ed award
Reduced Half Time (675 hours)
= $2,183 ed award
Quarter Time (450 hours)
= $1,516 ed award
Minimum time (300 hours)
= $1,213 ed award
Members must complete term of service within grant contract timeframe.
Members can serve up to four terms in AmeriCorps State/National but can only receive
the equivalent value of two full time education awards.
Member Eligibility Recruitment and Selection
Members are recruited, selected, and trained by
each individual program.
Must be at least 17, possess high school diploma /
GED or equivalent, and be a U.S. citizen or legal
resident alien.
Meet any additional qualifications as determined by
the program.
Member Benefits
Living Stipend
Full-Time (min./max.) $12,530 - $25,060
Half-Time living stipends prorated
Health Care (FT Only)
Child Care (FT Only)
Training/Development
Loan Forbearance/Forgiveness
Education Award
Programs Must Have
*Successful recruitment and placement strategies
*A clear structure within which members serve
*Provision of training and learning opportunities for
both staff and members
*Ongoing support and supervision of members and
service sites
*Leadership and teamwork opportunities for
members
PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS
All AmeriCorps programs:
*Measure and account for impact
*Are inclusive (include individuals with
disabilities)
*Partner with faith-based and/or communitybased
organizations
*Generate volunteers
Programmatic Requirements:
*Quarterly Progress Reports
*Monitoring Reviews/Responses
*Periodic Conference Calls/Webinars
*Monthly expense report
*Federal Financial Reports bi-annually
*Annual closeout
About the Grant – Who Can Apply?
CNCS and Serve Alabama seeks to fund programs that can
demonstrate community impact and solve community
problems through an evidence-based approach.
Eligible Applicants
Public or private non profit organizations including
Faith-based and Community-based organizations
Institutions of Higher Education
Government/State Entities and Territories
Indian Tribes
Partnerships/Collaborating entities
Types of Grants
New Applicant
Those eligible organizations that have:
Not previously operated an AC*State program
Not operated a program in more than five years
Recompete Applicant
Organizations completing their third year of
operating an AC State program
Continuing Applicant
Organizations in their first or second year of operating
an AC State program
Source of Funds
COMPETITIVE FUNDS:
Must compete successfully at state level
National competition with other applications
Corporation for National and Community Service makes final
decisions
FORMULA FUNDS:
Must compete successfully at the state level
Serve Alabama awards funds
Informs the Corporation of its decisions
Priority for State of Alabama: 6 Focus Areas (environmental
stewardship, economic opportunity and veterans & military families),
South AL, Black Belt, Veterans and military families and Health
Education
-Programs must request a minimum of 5 Member
Service Years (MSY)
-Target average federal cost per MSY should not
exceed $13,730.
-Grant size is determined by size of the program.
-Grant size may be limited based on funding
availability.
-Minimum of 24% match required, except for Fixed
-3 year grant cycle; renewable in year 1-2
-Operate on annual program year schedule
Performance Measures
Required as part of your application
How will you measure your program’s impact?
National Performance Measures
Funding priority given to programs that opt into these preexisting measures
If your program fits, it’s required
Self-Nominated Measures
Permitted…if your program does not fit a national measure
Narrative Elements
Maximum Number of
Characters
(including spaces and
punctuation)
A. Program Design (50%)
Logic Model Required – Worksheet required
B. Organizational Capability (25%)
15 Double Spaced
Pages (Executive Summary,
Cover Page, and Sections A,
B, and C)
C. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy
(25%)
Budget (Cost Effectiveness and Budget
Adequacy) - 25%
Cost Effectiveness - Member Service Year (MSY)
*MSY must not exceed $13,730
*Costs are reasonable, allocable and justifiable
Budget Adequacy –
*include non-CNCS funding and resources for the
project (have diverse funding/multiple streams)
*includes sufficient resources to carry out the
program
*must be able to meet minimum match/show proof of
match during application process
When Writing the Narrative
Lead from your program strengths
and be
explicit
Do not try to relate your program to every strategic
priority or special initiative
Be clear and succinct
No jargon, boilerplate language, rhetoric, etc.
Don’t make assumptions
Do not assume the readers know anything about you or
your program
Use an impartial proofreader
Application Process
RFP and NOFO, AmeriCorps Application and Funding
Presentation Instructions to be posted on Serve Alabama
website
Includes specific deadlines for the grant process
Submit Notification of Intent to Apply
Submit Financial Assessmemt
Serve Alabama AmeriCorps Application Instructions
Draft and submit AmeriCorps State Grant Application
Submit through the eGrants system (DUNS #)
Review Process
Competitive and Thorough Process
Grants reviewed by
•Staff
•Community Reviewers
•Commissioners (Board)
•Commission Program Committee
Commission Program Committee makes a funding recommendation to
the full board of commissioners
Is AmeriCorps Right for My Organization?
Would this program support my organization’s mission and strategic plan?
Does my organization address compelling needs in the priority areas?
Does my organization have the organizational, technological, and fiscal
capacity to manage a federal grant (take Readiness Assessment)?
Does my organization have the resources to match the federal funds (cash
and in-kind)?
Are we seeking funds for a program that would recruit 5,10, 15, or more fulltime members or equivalent?
Do we have the resources to manage a program for 30-60 days before
receiving reimbursement?
More information about AmeriCorps
www.ServeAlabama.gov
www.NationalService.gov
Consultation Appointments are available upon request
334-954-7446
Serve Alabama Contacts
Jon Mason, Director
Lisa Castaldo, Deputy Director
334.954.7444 - [email protected]
Christine Williams, Senior Program Officer
334.954.7446 - [email protected]
Ronica Faire, Serve Alabama Accountant
334.954.7443 - [email protected]