Quarterly Sponsor Call
Thank you for joining us for our final sponsor call of the year, which was hosted on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The recording and presentation slides are available on the AmeriCorps VISTA sponsor page. The call included:
- Updates on the program budget, the member assistance program, and the member housing policy.
- A review of the resources that are available to members in the aftermath of an emergency.
- A discussion with Antoine Richards from the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, who shared how Americorps members serving with the organization are helping to ensure equity in disaster response.
Join us for the next sponsor call hosted on *Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m. ET. This will be an exciting call, as we will kick off the celebration and recognition of the AmeriCorps VISTA program's 60th anniversary. We will share everything you need to know to participate in the festivities, including a communications toolkit and important dates to remember.
Webinar ID: 161 025 4452
Passcode: 614205
Dial-in Number: 833-568-8864 (toll free)
*Beginning in February, the time for the sponsor calls will be increased by 30 minutes. The calls will begin at 3 p.m. ET and will end at 4:30 p.m. ET. This will allow more time to share information and answer questions.
AmeriCorps VISTA: Member Connector
Today, we launched our new monthly member message! Each month, AmeriCorps VISTA members will receive a message that includes stories highlighting members' service and staff in the field, program updates, member resources, and more. Please encourage your members to read the message and submit their stories to VISTANews@americorps.gov.
Member Assistance Program
Members now have access to a member assistance program delivered by Acentra Health.
Acentra Health provides confidential counseling sessions for a number of issues members may experience in their work or personal lives. Life coaching, legal assistance, financial consultation, and other work-life consultations are available through this service.
Members received a message from AmeriCorps VISTA with detailed information about these new benefits and how to access them on Wednesday, Oct. 23. For questions or concerns, members can call 800-869-0276. Please review the program brochure for more details and information on supporting members at your sites via Acentra Health.
Housing Policy Update:
Sponsors May Provide Reimbursable
Housing Support Directly to Members
To reduce the administrative burden placed on sponsors that choose to support members with additional financial housing assistance, the AmeriCorps VISTA program is removing the requirement that housing support must be paid directly to a landlord or leasing agent. This policy is effective as of Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024.
A sponsor may, at its discretion, provide support for housing for AmeriCorps members serving in the VISTA program. While there is no maximum threshold set for the amount of assistance, it should be based on the actual costs members paid for housing (reimbursable costs) and should be consistent with the member’s commitment to live among and at the economic level of the people served. Moreover, a sponsor’s support for housing must be offered equally to all AmeriCorps members at the site who are serving in the VISTA program.
Support for housing can be provided in the form of a one-time security deposit and/or as housing reimbursement support. All housing support must be provided as a reimbursable expense directly to a member or paid directly to the landlord or leasing agent.
Financial or in-kind support for members may be provided under the following conditions:
- Support is offered and available equally to all members.
- Reimbursable expenses, in the form of cash or checks, can be given directly to the member. Cash or checks that are non-reimbursable expenses may not be given directly to the member.
- Support offered does not violate AmeriCorps VISTA’s legislation that mandates members must, to the maximum extent practicable, make a commitment to live among and at the economic level of the people being served.
Housing support may impact a member's reportable income. For more information, please see the Income Disregard letter (2023).
Refer to the AmeriCorps VISTA Sponsor Handbook for additional supplemental benefits sponsors may provide to members.
Please note that you will not see this policy change reflected in the current version of AmeriCorps VISTA’s Sponsor and Member Handbooks. The policy change will be reflected in the next iteration of handbooks.
Request for Concept Papers
The AmeriCorps VISTA program's fiscal year 2025 Request for Concept Papers funding opportunity is now open. AmeriCorps will be accepting concept papers for new projects twice in fiscal year 2025. The Request for Concept Papers page provides additional details. The deadline submissions are included below.
- Cycle 1: December 6, 2024
- Cycle 2: March 27, 2025
The fiscal year 2025 Annual Program Guidance is also available. This guidance, which is for potential and existing sponsors, outlines the national programming priorities for this fiscal year. Current sponsors are encouraged to review this guidance to stay informed of AmeriCorps VISTA’s programming priorities. Please contact your designated region office staff for questions.
AmeriCorps Recruitment Call
Join AmeriCorps' next recruitment call, “Recruiting Older Adults.” The AmeriCorps Centralized Recruitment Unit will share tips and tactics for recruiting older adults.
Recruiting Older Adults
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2 p.m. ET
Explore our schedule of upcoming recruitment calls. Interested in sharing your recruitment best practices during an upcoming call? Email join@americorps.gov.
Member Service Gear
All new AmeriCorps members serving in the VISTA program should receive an invitation to order their AmeriCorps gear no later than two weeks after each member orientation. Members need to access their account within 30 days and are eligible to receive a polo shirt, t-shirt, hoodie, winter hat, water bottle, journal, and lapel pin.
If members cannot find their invitations or need more assistance with ordering their gear, contact VISTAGear@americorps.gov.
AmeriCorps VISTA Sponsor Toolkit
Do you need help telling your AmeriCorps VISTA story? With the AmeriCorps VISTA Sponsor Toolkit, you can share your AmeriCorps story and encourage more individuals to meet the urgent needs of their communities. You can find messaging, recruitment resources, social media graphics, and more in the toolkit.
AmeriCorps VISTA is Social
Follow us on the platforms below to join the conversation and to see how AmeriCorps VISTA partners - like you - are making a difference.
Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram
Order Your Recruitment Kit
Recruitment promotional items are now available to support your recruitment and outreach efforts. To place an order:
- Create an account on the AmeriCorps promotional items website
- Use Item Name or SKU Number to easily search for each item:
In the Order Justification box, please include the following: Name of your organization + SPONKITFY25.
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