PACC*VISTA Host Site Application Available

Posted by Pennsylvania Campus Compact on October 5, 2015

16-17 PACC*VISTA Host Site Application is Available!

See http://www.paccompact.org/applyforvistahostsiteproject

In partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Pennsylvania Campus Compact (PACC) is pleased to announce the availability of up to thirty (30) AmeriCorps*VISTA projects to our member institutions for the 2016-2017 academic year. In exchange for a full-time PACC AmeriCorps*VISTA serving a 12-month term, host sites are required to be members of PA Campus Compact and pay a nonrefundable AmeriCorps VISTA program fee of $5,000 by Friday, July 8, 2016. PACC is accepting host site project applications now through Monday, November 30, 2015 at 12 noon.

These are competitive awards through PACC, approved by CNCS, and will be granted based upon the quality of the project and its alignment with the mission of AmeriCorps*VISTA and the goals of the PACC*VISTA program. All projects are contingent on CNCS funding.

The purpose of the AmeriCorps*VISTA program is to enable organizations and low-income communities to expand their capacity to work on eliminating the root causes of poverty. PACC*VISTA projects should be developed around a three-year timeline for completion that builds community capacity and ultimately leads to a project that is self-sustaining.

The project and PACC*VISTA member’s work must explicitly address the following program goals:

1. To develop or enhance campus-community efforts to address one of the identified project focus areas;
2. To create, develop, or sustain reciprocal, mutually beneficial partnerships between the campus and community organizations, leaders, and members;
3. To foster PACC*VISTA members as professionals and emerging leaders in the fields of community development, civic engagement, and/or higher education.

For the 2016-2017 program year, PACC*VISTA members will be assigned to member campuses with projects in one of the following focus areas:

1. Economic Opportunity: Safe and affordable housing for vulnerable families, enhanced financial literacy, and employment training and access.
2. Education: Improved school readiness and academic performance in K-12 schools, increased graduation rates, and post-secondary success.
3. Healthy Futures: Improved access to nutritious food and connecting economically disadvantaged individuals to preventative primary health services.
4. Veterans and Military Families: Engaging veterans in services, providing service to veterans and military families.

Consistent with the 2016 AmeriCorps VISTA Program Guidance, we are particularly interested in projects that support:

Note: Click link to find out more about CNCS 2016 Program Guidance: http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/page/AmeriCorps%20VISTA%20Program%20Guidance%20Fiscal%20Year%202016.pdf

· The My Brother’s Keeper initiative (http://www.whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper)
· Rural Community Development
· New Americans/Immigrant and Refugee Integration
· Data Collection and Management for Results
· Community Resilience
· Environmental Stewardship, particularly focusing on energy efficiency, clean energy, and projects that make alternative energy technologies available to low-income communities to reduce utility costs and/or provide the necessary skills for “green jobs.”

To complete an application, review and complete the following documents:

For Year 1 Projects—Intent to Apply Workshops and Calls:

PACC is now requiring all potential new projects to participate in an individual “Intent to Apply Call” or an “Intent to Apply Workshop.” Please find the list of Intent to Apply Workshops below and either confirm your attendance at a workshop with Sarah Garnitz or schedule a call with Sarah Garnitz by clicking the link below. The “Intent to Apply Call” or “Intent to Apply Workshop” must be completed by all potential new projects by Tuesday, November 17, 2015 and prior to submitting your application.

Click Here to Schedule your Intent to Apply Call or Workshop
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oC_JSmzwPqDub6ZjBcvxSuwdHuVPu5LfPqnGjkLPk8Y/viewform

· Virtual Intent to Apply Workshop-Thursday, October 8th: 10am-11am
· Philadelphia Intent to Apply Workshop-Tuesday, October 20th: 1pm-2pm
· Harrisburg Intent to Apply Workshop -Thursday, November 5th: 10am-11am
· Pittsburgh Intent to Apply Workshop -Tuesday, November 17th: 11am-12pm

Supplementary Document (to review):

· Host Site Application Program Overview & Requirements

Application (to complete and save as Word Document):

· Cover Sheet
· Host Site Application

o Part A: Narratives

o Part B: VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)

Application (to complete and save as PDF):

o Part C: Data Collection & Performance Measure Agreement

o Part D: Financial Commitment

· Supporting Document: Letter of Support from College/University President
· Supporting Document: Letter(s) of Support from at least one community partner
· Supporting Document: Resume of Supervisor

Please note that Year 1 projects must complete all portions of the application. Year 2 and Year 3 projects are required to update the application as appropriate. This means that some sections in Part A (Narrative Section) only require cutting and pasting from the 15-16 application unless updates need to be made to reflect changes, while other sections will require new narratives.

Technical Assistance Conference Calls:

If you would like more assistance in the process of filling out the application, you can join us on a conference call: Tuesday, October 13, 2015; 1pm – 2pm. Contact Sarah Garnitz for more information about this conference call.

Application Deadline: Monday, November 30, 2015 by 12 noon.

Please Contact Sarah Garnitz, PACC Program Manager, by email at sgarnitz@paccompact.org or by telephone at 717-460-6333 if you have questions, need additional information, or want to take part in the technical assistance conference call.

Please click this link to schedule an Intent to Apply Workshop or Intent to Apply call: Schedule a Call or Confirm Workshop Attendance.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oC_JSmzwPqDub6ZjBcvxSuwdHuVPu5LfPqnGjkLPk8Y/viewform

Please submit the Cover Sheet, Executive Summary, Part A: Narratives, and Part B: VAD as one (1) word document. Submit Part C: Data Collection & Performance Measure Commitment Agreement, Part D: Financial Commitment, and Supporting Documents as one (1) PDF document. Both components of the application should have your institution’s name and the word “VISTA16-17” as the title. Submit the Word component and PDF component via email to sgarnitz@paccompact.org.