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OFBCI > For Organizations > Resources for Organizations Resources for Organizations

 

AmeriCorps*State

AmeriCorps helps your organization implement those projects or ideas that require special funding or assistance. Through programs and grants, the Corporation for National and Community Service provides human capital—people power—to help you address emerging needs in your community.

Each year, national and community service participants and grantees recruit hundreds of thousands of volunteers, who donate millions of hours of service to their communities. AmeriCorps*State programs focus on direct service to the community with limited fundraising duties.

- Interested?

If you are interested in starting an AmeriCorps program or partnering with another organization to host AmeriCorps members it is important to learn as much as you can about the program and process. 

AmeriCorps is about:

  • Meeting the needs of our communities
  • Building relationships and partnerships
  • Strengthening civic engagement
  • Developing members' skills and experience
  • Providing carefully planned, well managed and important projects  
  • 'Getting Things Done'

AmeriCorps is not about:

  • 'Busy work'
  • Temporary solutions
  • Employee/volunteer replacement or displacement

AmeriCorps programs must have:

  1. Successful recruitment and placement strategies
  2. A clear structure for members to serve within
  3. Integration of service learning principle.
  4. Provision of training and learning opportunities for both staff and members
  5. Ongoing support and supervision of members and service sites
  6. Leadership, teamwork, and diversity opportunities

Member Minimum

If you are only looking for 2-4 members to join your organization you may consider partnering with another organization. There is a 10 member minimum for all AmeriCorps grants.

- Examples of Appropriate Service Activities for AmeriCorps*State Members

 

- Unique Program Models

All Programs should impact one of these six key areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families.  Below are some additional areas to consider.  For further information about the programs add-on's below contact us.

Encore Programs
Programs that engage a significant number of participants 55 years or older may be eligible to obtain funding for an Encore Program.  Approximately 10% of AmeriCorps funding is set aside by Congress to support these programs.
Professional Corps
Places AmeriCorps members as teachers, health care providers, police officers, engineers, or other professionals in communities where there is an inadequate number of such professionals.

- Is Your Organization Ready for AmeriCorps?

  1. Visit the Resources for Grantees page to get a glimpse of the complexity of the program requirements and learn about allowable and prohibited activities.
  2. Determine whether your organization has the capacity to conduct your own AmeriCorps program by taking this readiness assessment or if it would be better for you to partner with another organization. You can also find some answers in the AmeriCorps FitFinder.
  3. Sign up for OFBCI’s newsletters so you can be notified when funding announcements are posted.
  4. Consider applying for a planning grant to help your organization apply for an operating grant the following year.
  5. Attend appropriate webinars and/or training events for potential programs, which can be found on our News & Events page.  

- Starting the Process to become an AmeriCorps Site

If you have completed the steps above and believe your organization is ready for an AmeriCorps program, keep an eye out for the “Request for Proposals” and “Notice of Funding” which will provide details for starting the grant application process. 

- Saying it Right

Sometimes people ask us, “What is the proper way to spell AmeriCorps and how is it pronounced?”

Always spell AmeriCorps with a capitalized “C” and no space between the “i” and the “C”. When speaking about the AmeriCorps program, the “p” and the “s” are silent (i.e. sounds like “A-mer-i-Core”).

Keep in mind that AmeriCorps participants are called “members,” because they are not employees of the organizations they serve. 

 

 

National Service programs are available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or, in most instances, religion.

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