Request for 2017-18 VISTA Project Proposals
Host Site Grant Application Guide
New York Campus Compact is now accepting VISTA project proposals for funded projects beginning July/August 2017 focused on developing effective and sustainable campus-community partnerships. NYCC will give priority to project proposals in the areas of Education, Healthy Futures, Community and Economic Development, Environmental Stewardship, Veterans and Military Families; with particular focus on STEM education outreach programming to low-income/high need K-12 schools, pre-K literacy programming to low-income/high need pre-schools, climate sustainability/resiliency education, or other high priority educational programming requested by the community partner.
Special consideration will be given to faculty led projects that have the potential to generate new knowledge and models of success for addressing critical issues in vulnerable communities.
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE APPLICATION GUIDE BEFORE COMPLETING THE RELEVANT APPLICATION TO HOST A VISTA.
CONTENTS
2017-18 VISTA Host Site Application Process……………………………………………………………………………… / 2Introduction & Background………………………………………………………………………………………………………… / 3
VISTA Member Guidelines…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. / 4
Program Development……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. / 7
Host Site Guidelines…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… / 8
Application Guidelines……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. / 9
2017-18 VISTA Host Site Application Process
Application Process Snapshot
Submission Instructions
New Project Intent to Apply due November 1, 2016
The Campus Sponsor should submit a brief intent to apply notice via email to . This email is non-binding and will simply enable NYCC to better assist in the application process by providing technical assistance conference calls, application workshops, or site visits.
Hard Copy Submission post-marked by January 6, 2017
Application Cover Page, with original signatures, is the only component required in hard copy, postmarked by the due date. Note: Other signed documents, such as letters from Institution presidents and community partners, can be scanned and sent electronically.
Electronic Submission due January 6, 2017
All other components are to be submitted electronically to . The Program Narratives should be in Word format, and signed letters of support in PDF format.
Tentative 2017-2018 NYCC VISTA Timeline
November 1, 2016January 6, 2017 / New/continuing project intent to apply due
Host Site applications due for new and continuing projects
February 12, 2017 / Site award notification- begin local & national recruitment
March 1, 2017
May-June / VISTA member recruitment
Supervisor training, deadline for selecting a VISTA nominee
June/July (TBD) / VISTA Pre-service orientation
Prior to VISTA Start Date / MOU and administrative fees due to NYCC
July - August / New VISTA members start
Introduction & Background
About New York Campus Compact
New York Campus Compact (NYCC) is a membership association ofcollege and university presidents committed to promoting “active citizenship as an aim of higher education.” NYCC provides statewide leadership in advocating for, supporting, and increasing student involvement in academic and co-curricular based public service, in order to strengthen the capacity of member institutions to serve society; to enhance student learning; and to develop in individual students the knowledge, values, skills, and habits of civic responsibility and democratic participation.
For more information about NYCC, go to http://www.nycampuscompact.org/.
About AmeriCorps VISTA
VISTA (VolunteersInServiceToAmerica) was founded in 1965 as a national service program to fight poverty in America. In 1993, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs under the umbrella of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). VISTA members challenge poverty’s root causes by mobilizing volunteers and local resources and by increasing the capacity of individuals in low-income neighborhoods to rely on themselves to make positive changes. More than 7,000 VISTA members annually devote a year of their lives to serve in some of the nation’s poorest urban and rural areas while earning a modest living allowance set at the poverty level of the region they serve in.
For more information about AmeriCorps VISTA, visit: www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp
Core Principals of AmeriCorps VISTA
All VISTA projects must demonstrate four key principles:
The purpose of VISTA is to build capacity of non-profit organizations and communities to help bring individuals and communities out of poverty. Projects should be responsive and relevant to the lives of community residents and engage them in project planning and evaluation. Activities should focus on building capacity of organizations or communities, rather than providing direct service to individuals. As short-term resources designed to create long-term solutions, VISTA must focus on sustainable improvements that will last beyond the VISTA term. Host site applicants should keep these key principles in mind as they consider their plans for a VISTA’s service.
Goals of the NYCC AmeriCorps VISTA
The NYCC AmeriCorps VISTA Program places VISTA members on campus and community host sites to create, expand, or enhance a campus-community project or partnership that fights poverty. Through their efforts, our VISTAs help develop sustainable campus-community connections while building the capacity of the project or partnership to address a specific poverty-related community need.
Projects should fall into ONE of three categories:
Education / School Readiness: School readiness for economically disadvantaged young children with an emphasis on pre-K literacy programming.K-12 Success: Educational and behavioral outcomes of students in low-achieving elementary, middle, and high schools with an emphasis on STEM education programming.
Post-secondary Success: Preparation for and prospects of success in post-secondary education institutions for economically disadvantaged students.
Healthy Futures / Obesity and Food/Food Resources: Improving access to nutritious food.
Access to Health Care: Connecting economically disadvantaged individuals to preventative and primary health care services.
Economic Opportunity / Financial Literacy: Improving access to services and benefits aimed at contributing to enhanced financial literacy
Employment: Improving employability that leads to increased success in becoming employed.
Environmental Stewardship / Matters regarding energy and water efficiency, renewable energy use, at-risk ecosystems, and behavioral change leading to increased efficiency.
Veterans and Military Families / Addresses unmet needs of veterans, members of the armed forces, and family members of deployed military personnel.
Provides service to or engage veteran students in community engagement on and off campus.
VISTA Member Guidelines
Value of VISTA Resource
The most recent value of volunteer time in New York State, set by the Independent Sector, is $26.86/hr for New York, making the estimated value of a full-time volunteer equivalent to approximately $54,794 per year.
Types of Service Performed by VISTAs
In determining whether the VISTA program is the right match for your organization’s needs, think about the kinds of activities you expect VISTAs to perform. The role of VISTAs is to build the capacity and sustainability of the project and community to address poverty and poverty-related issues. The table below outline some examples of the natural progression in the types of service performed by a VISTA. Except for discrete training purposes, VISTAs should NOT be involved in performing direct services such as tutoring, teaching, counseling, driving clients, painting, manual labor, or clerical work.
If the VISTA program does not quite meet your needs, you may consider other programs of the Corporation for National and Community Service, including AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), and Senior Corps. For more information on these programs, visit www.nationalservice.gov.
To see if a VISTA placement could be right for your organization, please review the online training
VISTA 101: Understanding VISTA prepared by the Corporation for National and Community Service or contact NYCC with any questions.
Recruit volunteers / Develop forms, volunteer assignments, trainings / Develop Volunteer Policy and Procedure Handbook
Train direct service providers / Write training curriculum or manual; train trainers / Develop training manual and train the trainer curriculum
Coordinate projects / Develop procedures and systems / Develop volunteer management system and procedural guide
Public speaking / Develop speakers’ bureau / Develop community partnerships
Write press releases / Develop press kits, media database / Secure media partners
Organize fundraising events / Grant writing; develop database / Secure project staffing and diverse revenue streams
Organize task forces/coalitions / Develop leadership structure of task force/coalition / Create infrastructure
Conduct outreach / Design brochures, posters / Create mechanism for project evaluation
Source: “VISTA 101: Understanding VISTA”
VISTA Member Qualifications
NY Campus Compact VISTA members traditionally are recruited nationally and have varying backgrounds, abilities and professional goals. Many are recent graduates, and most have had significant experience in college-level community service, have an interest in working with diverse populations and possess passion and dedication to service and the alleviation of poverty. The following are some specific qualifications we look for in all candidates:
Ø A Bachelor’s degree in any area or commensurate experience.
Ø A demonstrated commitment to and experience in community service or service-learning.
Ø Strong written and verbal communication, conflict resolution and public speaking skills.
Ø Strong skills in leadership, event planning, multi-tasking and time management.
Ø Individual host sites may establish other requirements as needed, such as access to personal vehicle, driver’s license, computer application experience, coursework in a particular field, etc.
VISTA Member Benefits as of 2016
In addition to the following benefits awarded to all VISTAs, NY Campus Compact VISTAs are provided with professional development opportunities, both in-person and via webinars, throughout the year from NYCC and the AmeriCorps VISTA Campus.
Ø A monthly living stipend of:
$987 (upstate)
$1,065 (Dutchess and Orange Counties)
$1,272 (Bronx, Kings, New York, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, and Rockland Counties)
$1,389 (Westchester County)
$1,462 (Nassau, Suffolk Counties)
Ø $5,775 Education Award (for qualified student loans) or $1,500 end-of-service cash stipend
Ø Health benefits including prescription drug coverage
Ø $550 Relocation allowance (if eligible)
Ø Relocation travel expenses (if eligible)
Ø $400/month childcare allowance (if eligible)
Ø Life insurance (optional)
Ø Workers compensation from the Corporation for National and Community Service
Ø Student loan forbearance (if receiving education award)
Ø Repayment of interest accrued on qualified student loans (if receiving education award)
VISTA Member Recruitment and Selection
AmeriCorps VISTA members are recruited nationally through the AmeriCorps website and on member campuses. NY Campus Compact is willing to attend career fairs at member campuses to assist with recruitment. The most successful VISTA member placements are generally a result of active recruitment involvement by the host campus. All candidates must submit an application through the AmeriCorps VISTA portal at http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/americorps-vista.
Please keep in mind that recruitment involves reviewing applications and conducting interviews between March and May, or at the end of the spring semester.
The following is the NYCC recruitment process:
Candidates submit application on the MyAmeriCorps Portal
NYCC staff screens applicants to ensure minimum qualifications
NYCC forwards qualified applicants to host sites
Host sites conduct web/phone/in-person interviews
Host sites select a suitable candidate and notify NYCC
NYCC checks references and offers the position to the Candidate
Candidate accepts the position
NYCC submits all hiring materials to CNCS
CNCS makes final hiring decisions and notifies and candidates.
All first time VISTAs attend pre-service orientation and begins service right after.
Limitations on VISTA Member Service
Federal law and the CNCS policy prohibit AmeriCorps programs and their members from engaging in certain activities. As of May 2015, VISTA members are allowed to hold a part-time outside employment with approval from host site supervisor. For detailed policy, please visit: http://www.vistacampus.gov/resources/outside-employment-policy.
VISTA Members are prohibited from:
Ø Providing direct service to the community
Ø Enrolling in full-time college courses (enrollment must be approved in advance by supervisor)
Ø Supervising full or part-time staff or any other AmeriCorps member
Ø Taking on responsibilities at their host campus outside of their VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)
Ø Involvement in any partisan/nonpartisan political activity while identifiable as a VISTA member
Ø Registering people to vote or driving people to the voting polls
Ø Engaging in any pro- or anti-labor organizing activities
Ø Involvement in lobbying, including any direct or indirect attempt to influence legislation
Ø Conducting religious instruction, worship, proselytizing or any other religious activity
Program Development
New Project Proposals: VISTA projects are typically designed for three years, with continuation in years two and three based upon successful progress toward meeting the project’s performance measures. Project proposals should be written with a three-year project life cycle in mind. However, greater detail will be required for outputs, outcomes, and VISTA activities description for the first year of the project.
Continuing Project Proposals: If you currently have a VISTA project in its first or second year, you must reapply for continuation funding. Continued funding will be based upon successful progress toward your first year goals, the level of detail in your proposal, and VISTA activities description for next year.
Eligible Projects
2017-18 NYCC/AmeriCorps VISTA projects must focus on at least one of the following program and measurement areas. All applications must include a completed model that demonstrates a logical, evidence-based project plan.
Potential VISTA sponsors must be able to demonstrate that they can direct the project, recruit and supervise the VISTA(s), and provide the necessary administrative and mentoring support to accomplish project goals. Sponsors must develop and manage projects with the involvement of the communities that will be served.
VISTA projects must leverage human, financial and material resources, especially those of the campus partner, to develop sustainable solutions to problems in low-income communities.
Three-Year Project Plan
From the beginning of the project planning process, the community organization and campus partner must think about sustainability and ways in which other resources and systems can be phased in to replace the VISTA project after three years. Overall goals remain the same over the full project period, but a new application must be submitted each year with updates and year-specific activities. Each project year’s objectives should fit this model to be considered for continued funding:
Year 1: Assessment & Program Planning
Ø Developing relationships with community partners
Ø Assessing the feasibility of program development or enhancement