AmeriCorps VISTA for Project Sponsors

Link

https://www.americorps.gov/grantees-sponsors/vista

Deadline

Application Deadline: Dec 6, 2024

Sponsor

AmeriCorps

Purpose

Provides nonprofits, state and local public agencies, schools, and Native American tribes with an opportunity to engage AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members in anti-poverty projects at local, regional, and national levels. Sponsor organizations are responsible for recruiting, training, and managing VISTA members who commit to 1 year of full-time, volunteer service. Projects focus on building capacity, sustainability, and community empowerment to help people raise their standard of living and emerge from poverty.

For fiscal year (FY) 2025, AmeriCorps VISTA prioritizes projects in 5 focus areas:

• Economic Opportunity: Addresses poverty and provides opportunities for persons with low-income related to workforce training, education, and other employment skills, including:
  • Housing
  • Employment or workforce development
  • Federal benefit access
• Healthy Futures: Seeks to meet the health needs of economically disadvantaged individuals in the community being served, including:
  • Access to healthcare
  • Food security
• Education: Improves access to services and resources focused on improving educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged children, specifically targeting projects in communities with large populations of students from families with low-income. Priority areas include:
  • School readiness and learning recovery
  • K-12 success
  • Career and technical education
  • College access and success
• Veterans and Military Families: Supports veterans and military families with low-income. Priority areas include:
  • Economic opportunity
  • Education
  • Healthy Futures
• Environmental Stewardship: Supports initiatives to address environmental stewardship and climate change for populations with low-incomes. Priority areas include:
  • Energy efficiency
  • Awareness and stewardship

Within the focus areas described above, AmeriCorps VISTA encourages new FY 2025 project development with specific populations and geographic areas in:

• Rural communities
• Native nations and tribal communities
• Areas experiencing deep poverty, which is defined as household income below 50% of the federal poverty line.

Amount of Funding

Sponsoring organizations provide funds for local operating and logistical costs such as office space, computers, equipment, and training for VISTA members. AmeriCorps provides VISTA members with a modest living allowance and other important benefits, including:

• In-person and virtual professional development training opportunities
• Segal Education Award or end-of-service stipend upon successfully completing their service obligation
• 1 year of non-competitive eligibility for federal employment after successfully completing the service obligation

Who Can Apply

Private or public nonprofit organizations, Native American tribes, tribal organizations, public and nonprofit schools, and state, and local government agencies are eligible to apply to be a VISTA Project Sponsor.

Sponsors must operate and direct the project, recruit and supervise AmeriCorps VISTA members, and complete the necessary administrative support activities to meet the project goals. Sponsors must also develop and implement projects with meaningful involvement of project beneficiaries.

Organizations with a principal purpose or activity that includes electoral activities, voter registration, or transportation to polls are not eligible.

Only current sponsors are eligible to participate in the Summer Associates program, pending the availability of resources. To be considered a current sponsor, a memorandum of agreement with any new organization must be in place by March 31, 2025.

Geographic Coverage

Nationwide

What This Program Funds

Capacity Building

Application Process

Program guidance, requirements, and other information can be found on the program website.

Applicants must complete a 2-step process to apply to become a VISTA sponsor agency:

• Step 1: Applicants must submit an AmeriCorps VISTA concept paper describing the proposed VISTA project. Concept papers are a preliminary screening tool used to determine if the organization would be appropriate for potential VISTA sponsorship and resources. Concept papers must be submitted electronically through the eGrants web-based management system.

Instructions for concept papers

• Step 2: If the concept paper is approved, applicants are then invited to submit a full AmeriCorps VISTA project application.

Project application instructions

Concept papers are accepted at 2 times during the fiscal year, with the following deadlines:

• December 6, 2024
• March 27, 2025

Applicant webinar recording and slides

Contact

For program questions, technical assistance, or project support:
Contact your Regional AmeriCorps office

vista@americorps.gov

Topics This Program Addresses

Community Planning and Coalition Building • Health and Wellness • Health Education for Community and Patients • Housing and Homelessness • Vocational Training, Education, and Employment