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AmeriCorps Seniors
Nov. 14, 2024
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Notes From the Director's Desk:
November Edition
AmeriCorps Seniors thanks the many veterans who have served our country, and continue to serve through volunteering.
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Dear colleagues,
November is in full swing and there are lots of happenings going on this month for us to reflect on and be thankful for. We celebrated Veterans Day this week. I’m humbled to see so many veterans being served and continuing to use their skills and leadership to serve others through AmeriCorps Seniors programs. The dedication and compassion they bring to their communities are invaluable, and they exemplify the spirit of service.
November marks National Family Caregivers Month, a time to acknowledge and celebrate those who give their time and energy to caring for loved ones. I’m grateful for the projects and volunteers who offer respite and support to these caregivers. AmeriCorps is proud to be a part of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act Advisory Council to support the development and execution of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The progress made through this act will help create impactful strategies to recognize and support family caregivers. The collaboration between families, caregivers, and volunteers highlights our shared commitment to the well-being of older adults.
I want to remind you that the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service is in January. Although it’s two months away, you may want to start developing ideas now for activities to commemorate the day. As next year marks the 30th anniversary of the MLK Day of Service, let’s come together to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King by serving our communities through compassion and understanding.
I know that you and your volunteers will bring light and joy to those that need it during Thanksgiving, and you are appreciated for all you’ll do. I hope you will also spend quality time with friends and family during the holiday and have a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
In service,
Atalaya Sergi, Director
AmeriCorps Seniors
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Training Corner
Grantee Essentials Training and Technical Assistance Calls
Each month, we dive into specific technical assistance topics to help you build your skills while managing your AmeriCorps Seniors grant.
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Monitoring Self-Assessment Debrief, Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. ET
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Collecting and Reporting High Quality Data, Tuesday, Dec. 17, at
2 p.m. ET
Register for the Grantee Essentials TTA Calls
Missed our last Grantee Essentials TTA call? Check out the Grantee Essentials TTA learning path in Litmos. This learning path includes webinar recordings, presentations, and other materials.
Join our Upcoming Recruitment Webinars
Join the below calls to learn more about tips and tricks you can use to recruit more AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers. Please reach out to join@americorps.gov with any questions.
Monthly Spotlight on Training Resources
This month, we are highlighting Introduction to Monitoring from the October 2024 Grantee Essentials Training and Technical Assistance call.
During this call, we reviewed who at AmeriCorps is responsible for monitoring and compliance, how the monitoring process works, how to find the tools you need to complete a self-monitoring assessment, and common monitoring findings you can learn from.
Note: If you are using the direct link, you must first log in to Litmos, then click the link to the course.
For technical support, to request access, or if you need assistance accessing these pages using assistive technology, email: serviceresources@americorps.gov.
Data in Action
The 2024 Progress Report Supplement is now open. This will cover the reporting period from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. AmeriCorps Seniors grantees can complete their report in eGrants. Every year, AmeriCorps Seniors collects key data on all projects and volunteers through the Progress Report Supplement. Once finalized and compiled, AmeriCorps uses this data to report to elected officials and other stakeholders on our program’s success.
All Progress Report Supplements must be completed by Monday, Dec. 2.
Reports are now streamlined across AmeriCorps Seniors programs. We have eliminated several questions and reports are now significantly shorter.
Remember to update your volunteer station rosters in eGrants. Station roster information is used for AmeriCorps Seniors National Service Reports and Pathfinder Tool to provide a full picture of the impact of AmeriCorps Seniors and national service activities and to help potential volunteers find service opportunities in their community.
If you have any questions, please contact your portfolio manager. Thank you for your help sharing the positive impact AmeriCorps Seniors has on communities across the nation.
Cultural Learning Community
AmeriCorps' Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility has launched the Cultural Learning Community – a monthly course to foster a more inclusive and equitable community for all our valued partners. These courses will provide an invaluable opportunity to deepen understanding, enhance skills, and increase partner engagement.
View the training schedule and register for upcoming events.
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AmeriCorps Seniors Disaster and Emergency Response
Hurricanes Helene and Milton have left a destructive path across several states, and we know the clean-up and recovery will take years. We also know that this natural disaster may have significantly impacted grantees in the area and displaced volunteers. While the safety of grantees, volunteers, and community members is our first priority, we want to ensure all grantees are aware of the AmeriCorps Seniors Disaster and Emergency Response guidance that is included in Appendix A. 21 of each program's handbook. These handbooks are located on the program pages of the AmeriCorps website (Foster Grandparent Program, RSVP, Senior Companion Program, and Senior Demonstration Program). We encourage all grantees to review as this guidance not only outlines what program operations in the affected area should consider but also how projects in non-affected areas can help.
Notes from the Director’s Desk Direct Link
Each month, AmeriCorps Seniors sends out the Notes from the Director's Desk newsletter to all active project directors and authorized representatives in eGrants. We know that projects have multiple grant staff that are directly related to the day-to-day operations who may not be listed in eGrants, which means those individuals may be missing key project information and updates.
To address this, we have created a direct link for grant staff who are not listed in eGrants to sign up for the AmeriCorps Seniors Notes from the Director's Desk. You will be required to input your e-mail address and grant number to sign up. Please share this information with your grantees.
The Office of Inspector General Anti-Fraud Advisory: Why are Terms and Conditions Important?
The Office of Inspector General is pleased to announce the fourth volume in a series of anti-fraud advisories to advise AmeriCorps and its grantees of leading practices and strategies to mitigate the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse. Our second edition highlights ways to ensure grantees are aware of and compliant with grant terms and conditions, and the consequences of fraud, waste, and abuse in this area. You can access the fourth volume here.
Office of Monitoring Public Report
The Office of Monitoring Public Report is a review of the data collected through the work that the Office of Monitoring has conducted from 2020 to date. The tables in this report display the questions from the Uniform Monitoring Package with the highest number of non-compliant findings by program. Each section also includes linked references to the regulation that the question is based upon. Additionally, “Compliance Tips” for each finding are provided, offering general guidance on how to avoid non-compliance on the monitored question. AmeriCorps Seniors grantees are strongly encouraged to review the report and focus on the compliance tips listed.
Truescreen and Fieldprint Change Reminders
Thank you to all approved vendor users who have already updated their Truescreen accounts to order FBI checks through Truescreen. Remember that your standalone Fieldprint accounts will not take any new FBI check orders beginning Sunday, Dec. 1.
For applicants scheduling fingerprinting for FBI checks ordered in Truescreen - When you order an FBI check in Truescreen, the applicant receives their unique, personal Fieldprint code on the final page of their ApplicationStation form. They must use this unique code when scheduling their fingerprinting on Fieldprint's website. Do not provide the applicant your old organization-level Fieldprint code, as this will create a problem with the order.
Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service
The Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service will be observed on Monday, Jan. 20. This day is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream.
This year, we celebrate 30 years of MLK Day of Service and its impact as more Americans embrace the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities.
Looking for a way to participate? Check out he MLK Day of Service 2025 Toolkit. AmeriCorps works to elevate and amplify the impact of the day by sharing stories and projects. Share your story with AmeriCorps by filling out this short form.
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Elder Justice Corner
From our colleagues at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Debt Collector Scams
Getting a call from a debt collector saying you owe money can be a stressful situation. Even worse, scammers use deceptive tactics to trick people into thinking they are legit debt collectors to steal money from you. To determine if a debt collector is legitimate, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises asking for their name, company details, and license information.
Here are some warning signs that a debt collection call could be a scam:
- The debt collector threatens you with criminal charges.
- The debt collector refuses to give you information about the debt they say you owe.
- The debt collector doesn’t give you a mailing address or phone number.
- The debt collector asks for your personal financial information.
For more information, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
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Program Updates and Requirements
AmeriCorps Seniors Final Rule
Rule went into effect Tuesday, Oct. 1.
AmeriCorps has implemented a final rule to modernize AmeriCorps Seniors. These new changes make it easier for older adults to volunteer and help their communities. The final regulations include:
- Modernized Income Calculation
- Stipend Continuation During Administrative Leave
- Supplementing Stipends
- Consistency in Match Requirements
Please see the AmeriCorps Seniors Final Rule fact sheet for additional information on these changes.
Additional Resources: Watch the recording of the October Grantee TTA Call. Read the Operations Handbook update that were posted on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Operations Handbook Updates: On Thursday, Oct. 31, AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent, RSVP, Senior Companion, and Senior Demonstration Operations Handbooks were posted with the key update of the fiscal year 2025 Final Rule.
Reporting Requirements
For reporting deadlines, review your grant's program-specific terms and conditions (see the section titled “Reporting Requirements”):
Reports will be made available in eGrants 90 days before the due date. If the option to enter report data is not available in eGrants, please reach out to your portfolio manager.
Current Reports Due:
2024 Progress Report Supplement (for the reporting period from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024) Due: Monday, Dec. 2
Additional Resources
For instructions on the project progress report and federal financial report, visit your program's grantee resources section, select “submit a progress report” or “submit a Federal Financial Report” as the action, then click “apply” to show the resources.
AmeriCorps Seniors Operations Handbooks
Litmos Trainings for Reporting
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