Planning Grant Resources

AmeriCorps State and National

April 2023
Table of Contents

Overview...............................................................................................................................................2

Acronyms ..............................................................................................................................................2

Key Contacts.........................................................................................................................................3

Office of Regional Operations (ORO) ...........................................................................................3

AmeriCorps State and National (ASN) ..........................................................................................3

Office of Grant Administration (OGA)...........................................................................................3

Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE)......................................................................................3

Best Practices for Planning Grantees.................................................................................................4

Engaging Key Stakeholders ...........................................................................................................4

Leveraging Support and Guidance ...............................................................................................4

Designing Your Program ................................................................................................................5

Planning a Strategy..........................................................................................................................5

Using Resources...............................................................................................................................6

Benchmarks for Planning Grant Success...........................................................................................6

Month 1: Introduction to AmeriCorps...........................................................................................6

Month 2: Begin Program and Budget Development ..................................................................6

Month 3: Continue Program Development..................................................................................7

Month 4: Continue Program and Budget Development ............................................................8

Month 5: Finalize Program and Budget Development ...............................................................9

Month 6: Finalize Program and Budget Development ...............................................................9

Month 7: Draft Application.............................................................................................................9

Month 8: Finalize Application and Submit....................................................................................9

Month 9: Begin Program Planning ............................................................................................. 10

Months 10-12: Complete Program Planning ............................................................................ 10

Appendix A: Planning Grant Resources......................................................................................... 11

Attend the AmeriCorps State and National Symposium ......................................................... 11

Review AmeriCorps State and National Resources .................................................................. 11

Review Fiscal Management Trainings ........................................................................................ 11

Review Evaluation Resources ...................................................................................................... 12

Appendix B: ASN Planning Grant Checklist .................................................................................. 12

Purpose and Instructions ............................................................................................................. 12

Theory of Change and Logic Model........................................................................................... 12

AmeriCorps Budgets.................................................................................................................... 13

Service Partners ............................................................................................................................ 14
AmeriCorps Member Recruitment and Selection..................................................................... 15

AmeriCorps Member Supervision.............................................................................................. 16

AmeriCorps Member Training.................................................................................................... 16

Data Collection and Integrity ...................................................................................................... 17

Broader Community Engagement ............................................................................................. 18

Systems for Member Engagement............................................................................................. 18

Organization Systems................................................................................................................... 19

Appendix C: Resources for Education Programs.............................................................................0

Overview 

Congratulations on being awarded an AmeriCorps State and National planning grant. 

Planning grant award recipients spend one year developing components for an AmeriCorps 

program that would be described in an application to be submitted in a subsequent grant

competition. This document is intended to highlight grant requirements, where to find them, 

and provide you with helpful hints as a supplement to the Statutes and Regulations, Notice of 

Grant Award, and Program Specific and General Terms and Conditions. This resource 

document includes information specific to direct planning grantees. 

Acronyms 

• ASN: AmeriCorps State and National

• CNCS: Corporation for National and Community Service

• FFR: Federal Financial Report

• GARP: Grant Applications Review Process

• MSY: Member Service Year

• NGA: Notice of Grant Award

• NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity

• NSCHC: National Service Criminal History Check

• NST: National Service Trust

• OIG: Office of Inspector General

• OGA: Office of Grant Administration

• ORE: Office of Research and Evaluation

• ORO: Office of Regional Operations

• PD: Position Description

• PII: Personal Identifying Information

• PM: Portfolio Manager

• PPR: Project Performance Report

• SAM: System for Award Management

• SPM: Senior Portfolio Manager

• T&Cs: Terms and Conditions

• TTA: Training and Technical Assistance
Key Contacts 

Office of Regional Operations (ORO) 

 

Office Purpose: Responsible for providing support, technical assistance, and oversight to 

AmeriCorps State and National grantees; including: Planning grants, State Commission 

grants, National Direct grants, and Native Nations grants. 

Grantee Interaction: Primary point of contact, frequent direct communications and calls with 

assigned Portfolio Manager.

AmeriCorps State and National (ASN) 

Office Purpose: Responsible for assessing, creating, and implementing governance policies 

and procedures, managing grant competitions, and providing AmeriCorps State and 

National specific training and support to the Office of Regional Operations staff and grantees. 

Grantee Interaction:

Directly interacts by distributing policy and procedural email communications via 

ASNInformation@cns.gov, providing training sessions, distributing resources, and hosting 

monthly grantee and State Commission calls. Indirectly interacts by supporting Office of 

Regional Operations with planning grantee portfolio management. 

 

Office of Grant Administration (OGA) 

Office Purpose: Responsible for facilitating competitive grant application review processes; 

conducting pre-award due diligence, issuing all awards and AmeriCorps State and National 

grants, ensuring AmeriCorps’ compliance with governmentwide grantmaking requirements, 

and providing guidance and occasional training for grantee financial grants management 

activities (such as preparing Federal Financial Reports and closing out grants). 

Grantee Interaction: Limited direct interaction beyond participation in AmeriCorps State and 

National’s monthly grantee calls, sending occasional communications via 

AmeriCorpsOGA@cns.gov (this mailbox is not regularly monitored for incoming messages), 

and as requested by Portfolio Managers.

Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE)

Office Purpose: Responsible for conducting original and sponsored research and 

evaluations, supporting evaluations of grantees’ research and programs, and promoting

evidence-based service models.

 

Grantee Interaction: 

The ORE Technical Assistance team will communicate with AmeriCorps State and National 

and Portfolio Managers regarding grantee needs and will facilitate trainings through NORC 

at the University of Chicago, a third-party independent research institution. 
Best Practices for Planning Grantees 

The following are suggested best practices for a successful planning year. Implement the

practices that best meet the capabilities and needs of your program. 

Engaging Key Stakeholders 

Portfolio Manager: Portfolio Managers are equipped to clarify grant requirements, 

application instructions, etc. They can help think through the advantages and disadvantages 

of various program designs and specific program implementation plans and systems 

programs are considering or developing. 

 

Fiscal Staff: Involve your fiscal staff in the planning of the program and in preparing an 

AmeriCorps budget and developing strong funds management systems. Setting up 

appropriate policies, procedures, and financial systems can be challenging and time 

consuming, even for grantees that are already familiar with AmeriCorps requirements and 

federal standards for financial grants management, so it’s important to engage your 

accounting team and others who can help to ensure grant compliance.

 

Human Resources Staff: Engage your HR team in designing the screening, selection, and 

onboarding of AmeriCorps members and ensuring that all required AmeriCorps policies and 

procedures stated in the Terms and Conditions and federal regulations are implemented by 

your program. 

Research and Evaluation Staff: Utilize existing data and reports from your program to inform 

the design and development of your Theory of Change and program model.

State Commissions: Once you know the states where you would like members to serve, 

contact those State Commissions as soon as possible to discuss your plans, learn about 

collaboration opportunities, and ask for information on the state laws that would impact the 

members in those states. It can take some time and follow-up to get the information you 

need. This consultation process is a requirement for all applicants.

 

Community Stakeholders/Advisory Committee: Assemble a committee of community 

members and internal stakeholders to provide your program with input and feedback 

throughout the entirety of the planning process. 

 

Leveraging Support and Guidance 

• Participate in regular check-in calls with your Portfolio Manager

o Review resources and prepare questions in advance to get the most out of 

these discussions.

o Schedule these calls following the AmeriCorps State and National sponsored 

trainings, so that you can use the time to ask any follow-up questions or utilize 

your Portfolio Manager to review drafts of any deliverables you may create 

based on the trainings.

• Use the planning period to get input and buy-in from your community stakeholders in 
the development of the project. Begin the process of site recruitment and partner 

development early. 

• Review successful AmeriCorps State and National applications

o A list of all approved applications for new and recompeting applications will 

be published on AmeriCorps Funded Grants within 90 business days after all 

grants are awarded. Submitted program narratives, executive summaries, a 

blank template of the external review worksheet, a list of all external reviewers 

who completed the review process, and a summary of external reviewer 

comments for successful applications will be available upon request via email 

to AmeriCorpsOGA@cns.gov. Further information about funded grants and 

subgrants is also available in USASpending.gov.

• Ask individuals who are unfamiliar with your proposal to review your program grant 

application against the NOFO selection criteria. This way, you can get outsider 

opinions as to whether your plans are clear and compelling prior to submitting your 

application. AmeriCorps staff, including your Portfolio Manager, are not able to review 

or help you write your application.

Designing Your Program 

• Spend time getting to know the Regulations and annual general and program specific 

Grant Terms and Conditions. AmeriCorps grant requirements are complex even for 

grantees with prior experience with federal programs, and it is essential to keep 

AmeriCorps grant requirements in mind while planning the program. 

• Use the fiscal year AmeriCorps State and National Grants - Notice of Funding 

Opportunity (NOFO) and the Application Instructions to help guide the planning 

process. If you are utilizing a closed NOFO from a previous year for planning

purposes, note that there may be minor changes to future NOFOs.

• Dedicate sufficient staff time to the development of the program. Although many 

resources exist to help new programs, AmeriCorps is simply not an “off the shelf” or 

“out of the box” type of program to implement and manage. 

• Utilize your Portfolio Manager to connect with current AmeriCorps programs in your 

region to learn about their program designs, how they manage their projects, how 

they raise funds to support their programs, and whether there are opportunities for 

collaboration. Learning from a large variety of programs will support you in choosing 

or adapting a program design that will best meet your organization and community 

needs and will ensure that existing services are not being duplicated. 

o Visit the FY 2022 AmeriCorps State and National list of funded grantees to 

connect with programs outside of your region.

Planning a Strategy

Develop a planning timeline with specific benchmarks and deliverables and stick to it. 

The planning year will go by quickly and a detailed timeline will allow your program to be 
prepared in the final months leading up to the application submission deadline. 

Using Resources 

Take advantage of the resources and templates on AmeriCorps.gov as you build your 

program. See Appendix A, Planning Grantee Resources, for an overview of available 

resources.

Benchmarks for Planning Grant Success 

The following are suggested benchmarks for success during the planning year. Design a plan 

with your Portfolio Manager that best meets the capabilities and needs of your program. 

Month 1: Introduction to AmeriCorps

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for your kickoff meeting

✓ Setup your Litmos (AmeriCorps Learning Management System) account using the 

code “CNCS-Litmos”

✓ Take the Key Concepts of Financial Grants Management e-course (Litmos) and the 

National Service Criminal History Check required e-course (Litmos). Save a copy of 

your completion certificates

✓ In preparation for your kickoff meeting with your Portfolio Manager, review the 

following materials and prepare any questions for the meeting:

• AmeriCorps State and National General and Specific Grant Terms and 

Conditions

• AmeriCorps Regulations

• FY 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive NOFO and Instructions

• Key Concepts of Financial Grants Management e-course (Litmos)

• National Service Criminal History Check required e-course (Litmos)

✓ Check out the Payment Management System (PMS) and identify your PMS liaison 

contact info

✓ Assemble and begin meeting with an advisory committee and/or stakeholders who 

will be providing input on the planning process 

✓ Begin preparing your systems for planning grant implementation (payroll, financial 

management, time tracking, monitoring and oversight tools, etc.) 

Month 2: Begin Program and Budget Development 

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

Program 

✓ View Theory of Change resource video and Performance Measures Curriculum

(Module 2) and begin developing a program Theory of Change
✓ Review the ”How to Develop a Logic Model” resources and begin developing a 

program Logic Model to align with your Theory of Change:

• PowerPoint Presentation, Audio, Notes, and Example

✓ Review the AmeriCorps Evidence Exchange

• Determine what evidence-based intervention(s) can be utilized by AmeriCorps 

members to address a compelling community problem 

✓ Consider the number of AmeriCorps members needed, slot type, and service 

activities

• Review AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities and Nonduplication and 

Nondisplacement Requirements

✓ Start to identify your potential community partners and service sites, or at least the 

criteria by which they will be selected 

✓ Continue meeting with stakeholders to inform your planning 

Budget 

✓ View AmeriCorps State and National Best Practices in Budget Development

• Note: This training module was developed for the FY 2023 AmeriCorps State 

and National NOFO and requirements and guidance are subject to change

✓ Draft a program budget 

✓ Identify potential in-kind and cash resources to support your program 

Month 3: Continue Program Development

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

Program 

✓ View AmeriCorps State and National NOFOs Best Practices in Developing 

Performance Measures training module and the National Performance Measurement 

Core Curriculum

• Begin developing program performance measures

• Draft strategy to measure program impact, including consideration of 

performance measures and data collection and aggregation plans 

• Note: This training module was developed for the FY 2023 AmeriCorps State 

and National NOFO and requirements and guidance are subject to change 

✓ Review “How to Fully Describe an Intervention” AmeriCorps guide and start drafting a 

well-defined intervention description including a well-specified target population

✓ Define stakeholder roles for program implementation and continue meeting with 

stakeholders for program planning input

✓ Determine program staffing needs for the program

• Identify roles and responsibilities for each program staff member
• Develop an organizational chart for program staff

✓ Develop plans for member recruitment and selection

• Identify strategy for recruiting individuals from the communities your program 

will serve and from historically underserved, under-represented, and 

disadvantaged populations

• Review member eligibility criteria (45 CFR 2522.200) and National Service 

Criminal History Check (NSCHC) requirements

• Design member application and interview and selection processes

✓ If applicable, begin the consultation process with State Service Commissions of states 

where you plan to operate your program 

• Not required for Native Nations grantees

Month 4: Continue Program and Budget Development

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

Program 

✓ Design plan for host site recruitment and selection

• Create service site agreements

✓ Design member service position descriptions based on member service activities

✓ Develop detailed member training plan

• Identify topics, goals, and objects for member training, including orientation 

and ongoing training

• Determine cadence and timing of training

✓ Identify plan for member training and orientation

✓ Review the Overview of the Uniform Monitoring Package (UMP) and create a plan for 

compliance oversight to include:

• Host site orientation and training

• Plan for member supervision and regular supervisor training

• Site monitoring

• Staff and member timekeeping

• Member record keeping

Budget 

✓ Secure cash and in-kind resources for the planning grant and begin receiving 

commitments for the implementation of the program 

✓ Discuss member benefits with your Portfolio Manager and consider how you may be 

able to supplement member benefits in order to enhance the member service 

experience

• Connect with existing AmeriCorps programs regarding ideas for additional

member benefits 
Month 5: Finalize Program and Budget Development

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

Program 

✓ Finalize Theory of Change and Logic Model

✓ Develop a program sustainability plan 

Budget 

✓ Finalize a draft program budget

Month 6: Finalize Program and Budget Development

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

Program 

✓ Finalize your site selections 

✓ Complete a site training plan 

✓ Finalize all program plans 

Budget 

✓ Determine sources of match, both secured and proposed, to ensure you are prepared

to meet your minimum match requirement. experience

• AmeriCorps legislation permits the use of non-AmeriCorps federal funds for 

the grantee share of the AmeriCorps budget

• The United States Department of Education issued the approval for 

Department of Education funds to match AmeriCorps awards. You should 

check with your federal funder(s) for approval to use non-AmeriCorps federal 

funds for the grantee share of the AmeriCorps budget

Month 7: Draft Application 

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins.

Keep in mind your Portfolio Manager cannot review draft application materials or provide 

explicit information regarding the content of your application.

✓ Ensure your eGrants account is active and all necessary users for grant submission 

have created an account

✓ Complete at least one draft of your program grant application 

✓ Receive feedback on your application from stakeholders

Month 8: Finalize Application and Submit

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins.

Keep in mind your Portfolio Manager cannot review draft application materials or provide 

explicit information regarding the content of your application.
✓ Complete another draft of your grant application 

✓ Begin to input your application into eGrants. Make sure you have backup copies of 

your application content saved in case you encounter any technology issues in 

eGrants. 

• By the end of December, it is suggested that you have submitted your 

grant application (typically due to AmeriCorps in early-January; check 

the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the exact deadline) 

Month 9: Begin Program Planning

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

✓ Begin preparing your systems for program implementation (payroll, financial 

management, time tracking, monitoring and oversight tools, program evaluation 

tools, etc.) 

✓ Begin working on an AmeriCorps operational policies and procedures manual for 

your program

✓ Developed detailed member orientation and training plans 

Months 10-12: Complete Program Planning

Meet with your Portfolio Manager for at least two check-ins

✓ Complete work on forms and templates to support program implementation 

(member service agreement, site agreement, member timesheet, etc.)

✓ Finish preparing your systems for program implementation (payroll, financial 

management, time tracking, monitoring and oversight tools, program evaluation 

tools, etc.) 

✓ Develop an AmeriCorps policies and procedures operational manual for your 

program

✓ Develop detailed member orientation and training plans

✓ Create a staff transition plan 
Appendix A: Planning Grant Resources 

Attend the AmeriCorps State and National Symposium 

• Symposium is AmeriCorps State and National’s annual grantee convening which will 

be taking place in summer, 2023 in Washington, DC. Grantees will come together to 

receive training on key topics, network and share best practices, and receive updates 

on AmeriCorps policies.

Review AmeriCorps State and National Resources

• Select “Grantees and Sponsors” on the toolbar on AmeriCorps.gov and then select 

“State and National Direct Grantees.” This page provides a variety of resources and 

Agency updates. We recommend checking out the following pages in the Resources 

section:

o View Terms and Conditions: Links to General and Program Specific Terms and 

Conditions

o View Governing Authorities and Guidance: Read Agency statutes, regulations, 

and legislation 

o Access Program Tools: Program startup resources and training, including ASN 

New Direct Program Checklist and ASN New Direct Program Resource Guide

o Access eGrants Instructions: Instructions for setting up and managing your 

eGrants account 

o Recruit Members: Tools for creating your member service opportunity listing 

and spreading the word about your opportunity

o Manage Members: Templates for member position descriptions, member 

service agreements, service site agreements, timesheet outlines, and more!

o Establish Performance Measures: Resources for writing your performance 

measures and the agency’s AmeriCorps National Performance Measurement 

Core Curriculum

Review Fiscal Management Trainings 

• Learn managing your planning grant and funds management. Setup your Litmos 

(AmeriCorps Learning Management System) account using the code “CNCS-Litmos”.

o Fraud Awareness Training for AmeriCorps Grantees

o AmeriCorps Grantee Training: Ensuring Correct and Supported Salary 

Allocation

o

o Understanding Funds Management and the Unexpended Funds Process

o Federal Financial Report (FFR) Training for Grantees
Review Evaluation Resources 

• Access the AmeriCorps Office of Research and Evaluation page for resources

Appendix B: ASN Planning Grant Checklist 

 

This resource has been adapted from Serve Rhode Island’s Program Development and 

Planning Grant Checklist

Purpose and Instructions

The Planning Grant Checklist provides recommended activities and milestones for an 

AmeriCorps planning grant period or supports the development of an AmeriCorps program. 

Enter your target date for completing each milestone or activity. If you are not planning to 

conduct a particular activity, please put “N/A” in the anticipated completion date column. 

Utilize the “Status” column to detail progress or information to be shared. 

Theory of Change and Logic Model 

Activity or Milestone Target 

Date 

Status 

Identify the PROBLEM(s) you plan to 

address? 

Identify the data that supports the existence 

of this problem? Specific, recent, local data 

is best. 

Identify the resources and community 

assets that already exist to address the 

problem?

Identify the INTERVENTION (activities –

what is done, with whom and at what 

dosage) to be delivered by AmeriCorps 

members and/or community volunteers? 

Identify any, activities/services members 

perform in addition to the primary 

intervention.

Identify the number of and type (ex. Full 

Time 1700 hours, Minimum Time 300 hours 

etc.) of AmeriCorps positions.
Develop a rationale for utilizing 

AmeriCorps members (specifically) to 

deliver your intervention.

Describe the OUTPUT(s) from the 

INTERVENTION. Do they align with an 

AmeriCorps National Performance 

Measure? 

Describe the OUTCOME(s) (measurement 

of change) from the INTERVENTION. Do 

they align with an AmeriCorps National 

Performance Measure?

Write a one-page EVIDENCE statement on 

why this INTERVENTION will address the 

PROBLEM. Cite published evaluations if 

applicable.

AmeriCorps Budgets 

Activity or Milestone Target 

Date 

Status 

Determine the award type for your 

program (Cost Reimbursement, Fixed, 

Education Award Only, Professional Corps).

Estimate the size of the grant award 

referring to the NOFO instructions.

Determine the living allowance, if any, to be 

provided members.

Complete a draft budget, including

• Adequate personnel FTE to manage 

the program;

• AmeriCorps service gear;

• Consider member travel

• Member FICA
• Member healthcare ( for full-time

members)

Commonly overlooked costs: Background 

checks for staff and members, worker’s 

compensation, travel for members to 

training events, staff professional 

development, training for site supervisors, 

health care costs for FT members. Make 

sure these are included, as appropriate, in 

your budget.

Identify the SOURCE OF MATCH FUNDS. 

Agree as an organization whether the 

AmeriCorps program fits your overall 

budget and priorities.

Service Partners 

Activity or Milestone Target 

Date 

Status 

Form an Advisory Committee/Board. 

Define their mission/goals and their 

meeting schedule. 

Identify partners and host service sites.

• If using a site application process, 

develop an application, review 

process, and selection criteria.

Write a plan for replacing service sites that 

back out.

Identify the number of members for each 

site.

Determine how much financial support or 

in-kind valuation sites will contribute.

Write a list of responsibilities for on-site 

supervisors. 

Develop template service site agreement, 

MOU to outline responsibilities, or 

expectations, including AmeriCorps 
Prohibited Activities, AmeriCorps brand 

identity, Terms and Conditions, and data 

collection. 

Orientation and training plan for service 

site supervisors, including expectations, 

role in member discipline, role in member 

time tracking, role in data collection, and 

AmeriCorps prohibited activities.

AmeriCorps Member Recruitment and Selection 

Activity/Milestone Target 

Date 

Status 

Define minimum requirements and desired 

characteristics for members in your 

program. 

Write a Member Position Description. 

Write a member recruitment plan. Does the 

plan include how you will recruit diverse 

members into your program?

Identify reasonable accommodations that 

would allow members with disabilities to 

serve.

Design application materials. Do they 

include information about eligibility and 

National Service Criminal History Checks?

Develop a screening and interview process 

for all candidates.

Describe how members are placed at 

service sites.

Write policies and procedures for how you 

will complete National Service Criminal 

History Checks on applicants (and staff).
AmeriCorps Member Supervision 

Activity or Milestone Target 

Date 

Status 

Plan for bringing the members together 

regularly.

Plans for visiting member sites.

Written templates for mid- and end-of-term 

evaluations for members. 

AmeriCorps Member Training 

Activity or Milestone Target Date Status 

Specific training needs for your members, 

related to their service site (Examples: child 

development, construction, financial literacy 

education, etc.)

Member orientation schedule and training 

plan that includes the following:

• Rights and responsibilities

• Code of conduct

• Prohibited activities

• Drug Free Workplace Act

• Suspension/termination

• Grievance procedures

• Sexual harassment and discrimination

• Child and vulnerable populations 

protection if applicable

• National Service History and role of 

AmeriCorps

Training in AmeriCorps identity
Training in life after AmeriCorps, career 

development.

Establish a year-long training calendar.

System in place to assess training outcomes 

(members’ change in knowledge or behavior, 

member satisfaction, member confidence, 

etc.)

 

Tutoring Programs Only

• Has the program addressed 

requirements for recruiting/selecting 

tutors? 

• Have you ensured that your training 

curriculum meets the requirements for 

tutoring programs? 

• Have you defined tutoring standards? 

What are they? 

• Have you ensured that the supervisors 

meet the requirements for tutoring 

programs? 

 

Data Collection and Integrity 

Activity or Milestone Target Date Status 

Written data collection plan that identifies all 

data points needed for each performance 

measure. 

Data collection tools.

Training plan for staff and members on data 

collection and quality.

Establish a plan to ensure ongoing data 

integrity and storage as required by

AmeriCorps
Broader Community Engagement 

Activity or Milestone Target Date Status 

A public awareness campaign to educate the 

community about your program.

Developed a brochure or other outreach 

materials describing your program.

Plans to participate in National Days of 

Service, including MLK Day of Service, 9/11 

Day of Service, and AmeriCorps Week. 

Plan for non-AmeriCorps (community) 

volunteer generation. How will volunteers be 

managed, trained, and tracked?

Plan for integrating the AmeriCorps program 

into your agency’s overall mission/vision?

Plan for securing resources to increase your 

match in future grant years.

Systems for Member Engagement 

Activity or Milestone Target Date Status 

Member Service Agreement template.

• Position description

• Term type (minimum # hours) and

start/end dates

• Drug Free Workplace policy

• Discipline, suspension, and 

termination policies

• Specific terms about release for cause 

and for compelling personal 

circumstances

• Grievance procedure
• Nonduplication/nondisplacement

• Civil Rights and Harassment policy

• Background check clause (what will 

exclude members from service)

• Prohibited activities

A member handbook.

Identify a plan for conducting National Service 

Criminal History Checks-consider creating

Truescreen and Fieldprint accounts.

Review resources on the AmeriCorps member 

enrollment process.

Procedures in place to obtain necessary 

documentation for:

• Background checks

• Health care enrollment/waiver

• Child care benefits

• Media consent release

• Proof of meeting citizenship 

requirements

• W4 and Tax forms

Organization Systems

Activity or Milestone Target Date Status 

Position description developed for program 

staff.

Forms to document monitoring service sites.

Has a system been developed for monitoring 

and tracking financial aspects of the 

program? Systems should:
• Separate AmeriCorps records by 

grant year

• Document actual expenses/match, not 

budgeted amounts

• Ensure that unemployment is not paid 

for members

• Withhold income tax and FICA from 

member living allowance

• Cover members in worker’s 

compensation plan

• Distribute living allowance evenly and 

not on an hourly basis
 

Appendix C: Resources for Education Programs 

• The Superintendent's Toolkit provides examples of interventions and is a good 

example to share with potential partners/schools/districts that are unfamiliar with 

AmeriCorps.

• National Partnership for Student Success

• National Service 101 for Afterschool Providers

• The United States Department of Education issued approval for Department funds to 

match AmeriCorps awards

Produced and published at US taxpayer expense