FROM YOUTHBUILD TO YOUTHBUILD AMERICORPSPolicies and Procedures

Introduction

City Year AmeriCorps MemberColumbia, SC

Heller School for Social Policy and

ManagementWaltham, MA

Learning Goals

• What can I do on AmeriTime?• What can’t I do on AmeriTime?

• What’s the Education Award?• How can I explain the Education Award to my members?

• How is AmeriCorps Impact measured?

You Are Here!

Want to finish here!

Time

AmeriTime

Advoca

cy

Most Education Time

SomeEducation Time

Service

Training

Case m

anagement

Primary Service

Secondary

Service

Service Project Fundraising

Pro

gram

fu

ndra

isin

g

Timekeeping

• What counts towards AmeriCorps hours?

• Construction/Healthcare/Digital Divide

• Other Service Projects• Outside member service• No maximum

Primary and Secondary Service

• Classroom time• Leadership

development• Training• 20% Max

Training Service Project Fundraising

• Limited to funds for direct service activities

• Cannot be general operating funds

• 10% Max

Prohibited Activities• Political Activities• Religious Activities• Labor Activities• Providing a benefit to for-profit, political, or religious organizations

• Displacing or duplicating staff duties

Trivia - Is It AmeriTime?

Fund-Raising! Yes!

Trivia - Is It AmeriTime?

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are serving with Habitat for Humanity to

construct low-income housing

• Primary service activity with a non-profit partner

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are conducting a voter registration drive in a

low-income community on MLK Day to raise awareness and encourage civic engagement.

• Voter registration is considered a political activity and is prohibited

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are serving at a church food kitchen, which is

open and available to the public

• This is allowable because the service is open to the public and not exclusive to the church congregation

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are volunteering at the program’s annual

fundraiser to raise general funds for the organization

• The fundraising is for general funds not for specific program activities

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are in a math classroom learning about Algebra

• So long as the member has not exceeded the 20 percent cap, these hours can count

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are in a meeting planning for their 9/11 service

project

• Planning for service counts as service.

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are serving at a church building new pew

benches for the parishioners

• This would be providing a direct benefit to a religious institution and is prohibited

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are holding a bake sale to raise money for a

Global Youth Service Day Project

Fund-Raising! Yes!

• Since this is fundraising for a program service activity, it would be allowable

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are participating in an urban gardening project

sponsored by Starbucks

• Members can serve with for profit organizations, so long as the activity itself it directed to benefit the community

Is It AmeriTime?• Members are in the construction lab building benches for

a community park as a learning project

• It counts as service because there is a product that will benefit the community

Questions?

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The AmeriCorps Education Award

The Education Award is: • A “scholarship” that can be used for post-

secondary education or qualified student loans

AmeriCorps members can earn it by:• Successfully completing service

Education Award Values 2015-2016

Term of Service HoursAward Value

15-16Award Value

14-15

Full Time 1700 $5,730 $5,645

Half Time 900 $2,865 $2,822

Reduced Half Time 675 $2,183 $2,150

Quarter Time 450 $1,515 $1,493

Minimum Time 300 $1,212 $1,195

Inspiration for the Education Award

• The GI Bill Signed by Truman in 1944

• Allowed for federal funds for service members to go to school

• Service open the doors to education

Education Award Facts

The Education Award• Is managed by the National Service Trust• Can be divided up and used over multiple years• Is subject to income tax for the year it’s used• Can be versatile

Members• Must earn a GED or H.S. Diploma to use the award• Have 7 years to use the award

The AmeriCorps Education AwardCan be used for:• Cost of Attendance for degree or certificate programs of study at qualified institutions of higher education (Title IV Schools)

• Educational expenses for non-degree courses offered by qualified schools (continuing education)

• Repaying qualified student loans (Loans backed by the government under Title IV)

Accessing the Education Award

• AmeriCorps Members and Alumni have personalized online accounts at: https://my.americorps.gov.

• To use the award, members MUST register on the “My AmeriCorps” site

• We have a video to walk members through the process:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8EEVCh2dRM

Questions?

Roleplay – scenario 1

• One person as a staff member

• One person as an AmeriCorps member

Roleplay – scenario 2

• One person as an AmeriCorps member

• One person as a staff member

Questions?

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AmeriCorps Impact – Quarterly Performance Summary

Grant Requirements

• Full Enrollment

• Enrolling/Exiting in eGrants within 30 days

• Timely and accurate DYB submissions

Connection to National Service

• Participation in National Days of Service

• Non-AmeriCorps volunteers generated

• Non-AmeriCorps volunteer hours generated

Member Outcomes• Education Award

Attainment

• Members who find employment

• Members enrolling in PSE

• Members able to earn a GED/H.S. Diploma

• Members receiving Green Training/Certification

Community Outcomes• Housing units repaired

• Housing unites developed

• Housing units made safer

• Computers refurbished

• Computers distributed

Questions?