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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

Spring 2023

Request for Concept Papers

March 2, 2023

AmeriCorps VISTA
Spring 2023

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers Dial: 833-568-8864

Webinar: 160 203 2951

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Today’s Presenters

Jancy 

LaFollette

Program and 

Partnerships Specialist

AmeriCorps VISTA

Victoria 

Dauphinee

Portfolio Manager

ORO- Northeast 

Melissa 

Miller

Portfolio Manager

ORO- Midwest
Spring 2023

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Session Outcomes

• Describe what AmeriCorps VISTA is and 

identify what AmeriCorps VISTA 

members can and can't do for your 

organization

• Learn how to apply and connect with 

AmeriCorps staff and resources

• Review the Concept Paper submission 

process
Winter 2022

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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What is 

AmeriCorps 

VISTA?

Fighting Poverty

Empowering Low- Income 

Communities

Building Capacity for Communities 

and Organizations

Creating Sustainable Solutions
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Key Terms 

VISTA Project

Project Sponsor

Project Director

Supervisor

AmeriCorps 

Regional Office

VISTA Member

VISTA Leader

Summer Associate
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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What is 

AmeriCorps 

VISTA?

Fighting Poverty

Empowering Low- Income 

Communities

Building Capacity for Communities 

and Organizations

Creating Sustainable Solutions
Winter 2022

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Arizona 

Food Bank 

Network

This project utilizes 30 VISTA members to increase the 

capacity and sustainability of food pantries and bolster 

local food systems. 

• 30+ VISTA members serve at organizations 

throughout Arizona that align with AmeriCorps’ 

Healthy Futures focus areas 

• In FY20, VISTA members generated $330,000 in cash 

resources; $1.8 million in-kind resources 
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Housing 

Action 

Illinois

This project utilizes 20 VISTA members to increase the 

capacity of nonprofits and public agencies that serve 

families who are experiencing or are at risk of 

experiencing housing instability. The program has an 

emphasis on economic opportunity. In the past program 

year, VISTA members have: 

• Generated $516,862 in cash resources; $55,989 in-kind 

resources

• Developed partnerships, tracking systems, 

sustainable evaluation initiatives, and more
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

Winter 2022

AmeriCorps VISTA 

Project Sponsors
Winter 2022

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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VISTA Program Models

Single Site Model

• Supervisor

• VISTA Member(s)

Intermediary Model

• VISTA sub-sites are located in 

the state and may include sites 

in another state or cluster

• Sub-site supervisors

• VISTA members(s)
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Capacity Building

Direct Service

Capacity Building 

vs 

Direct Service

Tasks and activities to expand the 

scale, reach, efficiency or effectiveness 

of specific antipoverty projects

Providing services to the identified 

project recipients or clients of a project
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Responsibilities: Member Management • Recruit and place VISTA 

members

• Provide workspace, 

equipment and supplies

• Professional development 

and on-site orientation & 

training

• Assist VISTA members with 

community entry

• VISTA supervision and 

performance appraisals

• Sponsor Verification Form 
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

Winter 2022

AmeriCorps VISTA 

Members
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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The Basics 

• 18+ years of age

• U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents

• Must pass a criminal history review

• May have specific knowledge skills, or abilities 

required by the sponsoring organization

• Local or national recruits
VISTA Leaders

• Projects with eight or more VISTAs may have a Leader assigned to support the 

members

• Leaders guide data collection & interpret data (they do not perform the reporting)

• Coordinate, facilitate, and support the efforts of VISTA members (do not supervise)
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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What do 

AmeriCorps 

VISTA 

Members 

do?

Create Powerful Partnerships with businesses, 

community leaders, and other stakeholders

Expand current programs in demographic, 

geographic, and/or programmatic scope

Build volunteer management, leadership and 

training systems

Leverage both cash and in-kind resources by 

building development systems
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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What do AmeriCorps VISTA Members NOT Do?

• International Work

• Religious Activity

• Prohibited Political Activity

⚬ Hatch Act

⚬ Voter Registration

⚬ Union Organizing

• Supplanting staff or existing volunteers
Spring 2023

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Benefits for AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Living 

Allowance

End of Service 

Award 

Employers of 

National 

Service

Health 

Benefit

Professional 

Development

Noncompetitive 

Eligibility
Spring 2023

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Session Outcomes

• Describe what AmeriCorps VISTA is and 

identify what AmeriCorps VISTA members 

can and can't do for your organization

• Learn how to apply and connect with 

AmeriCorps staff and resources

• Review the Concept Paper submission 

process
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

Winter 2022

Beginning the 

Application Process
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Organizations submit an AmeriCorps VISTA Concept 

Paper. The Concept Paper is a preliminary 

screening tool used to evaluate whether the 

organization would be an appropriate sponsor. 

AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Paper 

If AmeriCorps approves the Concept Paper, the 

organization submits an AmeriCorps VISTA Project 

Application based on the approved Concept 

Paper.

AmeriCorps VISTA Project Application

VISTA Application Process
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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Characteristics of a Strong Concept Paper

• Aligns with AmeriCorps focus 

areas/VISTA programming priorities

• Addresses the needs of a low-income 

community

• Involves the community in project 

development and implementation

• Leads to organizational capacity and 

sustainability

• Generates public or private sector 

resources

• Promotes local volunteer service

• Be specific
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What Types of 

Programming 

Does VISTA 

Support?
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Economic Opportunity

• Housing

• Employment/ 

Workforce 

Development

• Benefits access 

Healthy Futures

• Access to Health 

Care

• Food Security

Education

• School Readiness/ 

Learning Loss

• K-12 Success

• Post Secondary 

Success:

• Higher education

• Career and 

Technical 

Education

• STEM

Focus Areas & Current Programming Priorities
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Veterans & Military 

Families 

• Access to Health 

Economic 

Opportunity

• Education

• Healthy Futures

Environmental 

Stewardship

• Energy Efficiency

• Awareness & 

Stewardship

Focus Areas & Current Programming Priorities
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Concept Paper Submission

Concept Papers are submitted in eGrants.

Create an eGrants account:

http://egrants.cns.gov NOT grants.gov 

• Click on: Don’t have an eGrants account? Create an account.

• Click on: Create a Grantee Account

• Click on: This is my first time. I want to create a new account 

with eGrants

You will need the following information:

• EIN Number

• DUNS Number (not required to create an account, but needed 

if your organization is awarded a grant)

• Your organization’s contact information

• Your contact information
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Executive Summary Template: 

[Organization Name]’s mission is [Mission 

Statement]. The proposed VISTA project 

aligns with the [Choose one or more 

AmeriCorps Focus Area] focus area(s). The 

VISTA project will seek to [enter goal(s)] and 

expects to benefit [enter type and 

estimated number of beneficiaries]. [Enter 

number of VISTAs] VISTA members will 

contribute to the goals of the project by 

performing activities such as [enter activities] 

over the course of [enter expected length of 

project]. 
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Clearly shows how the capacity building activities you are proposing directly 

ties into anti-poverty outcomes in the community you’re serving

Includes deliberate engagement of your beneficiary population and 

What makes an communities

AmeriCorps VISTA 

Project- and 

applicationSuccessful?

Is designed with the end in mind – when will your project become selfsustaining and how? With additional staff? Community volunteers? Partnerships 

with other organizations and agencies? 

Focuses not only on the project activities but on the development of members. 

VISTAs may be younger and in need of greater supervisor or they maybe 

retired community members that can work on their own. As a project director 

and VISTA Supervisor, you will have to flex your skills to adapt to the people you 

recruit. It will be worth it in the end!
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers Timeline Timeline

Task Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4

Concept 

Papers November 2, 2022 January 18, 2023 April 5, 2023 June 7, 2023

Concept 

Paper 

decisions

December 2022 March 2023 May 2023 July 2023

Application

decisions January 2023 April 2023 June 2023 August 2023
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Contacts and Resources

Contact Your 

Regional Office:

https://americorps.gov/contact/region-offices

Request for Concept 

Papers webpage

https://americorps.gov/vistarfcp

Concept Paper 

Instructions

AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Paper Instructions

Sponsor a VISTA member https://americorps.gov/partner/how-it-works/americorps-vista

FY23 Annual Program 

Guidance

FY 23 AmeriCorps VISTA Annual Program Guidance

eGrants https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp

AmeriCorps Hotline 1-800-942-2677; eGrants technical issues, option 3
Spring 2023

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

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VISTA History and 

Legacy Video

This video showcases 

stories of ordinary people 

meeting extraordinary 

challenges as VISTA 

members and describes 

the foundation of VISTA's 

legacy.

https://youtu.be/QfYCdd

yQw6E

1964 Presidential 

Address Highlighting 

VISTA

This video includes 

footage from 1964 when 

President Johnson 

declared the War on 

Poverty and proposed 

VISTA as part of this plan.

https://youtu.be/_ftv7wC

bMbg

What can VISTA do for 

you?

This video explains how 

VISTAs bring enthusiasm, 

experience and commitment 

to the organizations they 

serve, helping sponsors 

deliver better education, 

health, nutrition. and other 

services to people in need. 

https://youtu.be/zugQxvjgXA

w
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AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers

Spring 2023

Thank you.