Q&A Session: Connecting Office of Research 

& Evaluation Research Grantees with 

AmeriCorps NCCC and VISTA Programs

June 18, 2019
Introductory Remarks

Connecting ORE Research Grantees with AmeriCorps NCCC and VISTA Programs

Dr. Andrea Robles

Research and Evaluation 

Manager, Office of Research 

and Evaluation, CNCS

arobles@cns.gov
AmeriCorps NCCC

Amanda Cochran 

Tanya Gipson-Nahman
AmeriCorps NCCC Structure
AmeriCorps NCCC

Direct service: Extra people power!

Team based: 8-12 members, 18-24 years old

Short term: 6-12 week projects

Areas of Service

• Natural and Other Disasters 

• Environmental Stewardship and 

Conservation

• Energy Conservation

• Infrastructure Improvement

• Urban and Rural Development
Project Sponsors

Who can apply for a team?

• Nonprofits

• Faith-Based Organizations

• Government (federal, state, and local)

• Public schools, colleges and universities 

• Tribal Councils and Native Corporations 

How do I apply for a team?

• Coordinate with your region’s Program Office 

staff to develop a project

• Submit a Project Concept Form as the first step, 

based on the timeline provided by the campus

• The campus will then provide you with the full 

application to complete 
Teams Are Provided With

AmeriCorps NCCC Provides:

• 15-Passenger Van 

• Food & laundry budget

• Camping and cooking gear

• Limited hand tools, if needed 

• Personal Protective 

Equipment

• Worker’s Compensation 

Coverage

Sponsors Provide:

• Orientation and training

• On-going supervision

• Tools and materials

• Housing 

• Enough meaningful work

• Service learning
NCCC Regional Campus’ Contact Information

Pacific Region: NCCCPacific@cns.gov

AK, WA, OR, CA, NV, UT, ID, MT,, HI

North Central Region: NCCCNorthCentral@cns.gov

IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI, PA, NY, ME, NH

Southern Region:NCCCSouthern@cns.gov

AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV, CT, DC, VT, NJ, MA, RI, MD, 

DE, USVI, PR

Southwest Region: NCCCSouthwest@cns.gov

AR, AZ, CO, KS, MO, WY, NM, OK, TX

National Request for Applications Document: 

https://nationalservice.gov/documents/2016/national-request-proposaldeadlines

www.americorps.gov/nccc
Recruiting for AmeriCorps NCCC

Member Eligibility

Youth between the ages of 18-24

Team Leaders can be 18+ and must have a valid 

U.S. Driver’s License

U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident

Willing to relocate and serve for 10 

consecutive months on a variety of service 

projects, both indoors and outdoors

No work experience, education, or skillsbased requirements. Selection is weighted 

towards an applicant’s motivations, 

references, and leadership potential. 
AmeriCorps VISTA

Craig Kinnear

Melissa McNeily
AmeriCorps VISTA

Volunteers in Service to America

Core Principles

• Ending poverty

• Empowering communities

• Building capacity

• Creating sustainable solutions
VISTA Sponsor Application Process

Step 1- AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Paper

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. 

Step 2- AmeriCorps VISTA Project Application

If CNCS approves the Concept Paper, the 

organization submits an AmeriCorps VISTA 

Project Application based on the approved 

Concept Paper.
Member Recruitment

 Service Opportunity Listings and VISTA Assignment Descriptions

 VISTA marketing materials

 Promote the benefits of service 

 Professional development

 Post opportunities on: 

• job sites and local job boards (Idealist, LinkedIn, Indeed, 

SimplyHired, etc.)

• social media (Facebook Groups, Twitter, etc.)

• community or organization’s bulletin boards and newsletters 

 Reach out to partners and develop recruitment contacts
Benefits

Members: 

Living Allowance

Receive a modest bi-weekly living allowance to cover 

basic expenses.

End of Service Award

Choose between a Segal Education Award ($6,095, as of 

October 2018) to pay for a range of education expenses 

or a cash stipend ($1,800).

Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE)

NCE is a unique hiring path which makes it easier for 

federal agencies to hire you.

Healthcare Benefit

Choose between reimbursement for healthcare or a 

healthcare plan. Dental and vision are also included.

Sponsoring Organizations:

Capacity

VISTA Members will build and increase the capacity of antipoverty programs and organizations.

Volunteers Leveraged

VISTA members will assist with recruiting, training and 

developing volunteer management systems.

Potential Increased Funding 

VISTA members may assist with grant-writing and fundraising 

for your project.

Partnership Development

VISTA members will identify potential partners and maintain 

existing relationships with organizations and community 

members. 

Program Expansion 

VISTA members may conduct outreach to new clients.
Making the Invisible 

Visible: A CBPR Study 

with High School Youth 

Scientists

Jennifer Willett, PhD

Jenniferwillett@unr.edu

Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Reno

School of Social Work

With Introduction by Melissa Gouge, PhD, Office of 

Research and Evaluation, CNCS
Research Team
Area of Work: 

Slow Violence

• Hidden environmental problems that occur in historically marginalized 

or vulnerable communities

• The youth scientists lives in these communities

• Areas of focus, as determined by the youth:

o Winter flooding on homeless populations

o Lake flooding an elementary school

o Inadequate garbage collections

o Comparisons with wealthy neighborhoods

o Wildfires

o Historic mining pollution

o Ditches, flooding, and no sidewalks
Sun Valley

• An unincorporated (no local government) area 3 miles north of Reno

• Working class

• High Latino population

• Mobile homes are common

• Lack of “normal” infrastructure 

• Weak non-profit community
Ditches and No Sidewalks

• Ditches replace “typical” 

drainage systems that are 

underground

• No sidewalks

• Residents must walk or bike 

in the street

• Residents fall in ditches, 

especially when full of 

water during floods

• Car/pedestrian accidents 

are common

Photo by Adan Albarran Ayala
Ditches and No Sidewalks

Photo by Najeh Abduljalil
Developing a Partnership

• Site visit with ORE, NCCC, and Nevada Volunteers

• Amanda, NCCC, 

came back a few 

weeks later to figure

out how to work 

together to find 

solutions
Advancing Solutions

• AmeriCorps NCCC built sidewalks in another Nevadan community

• AmeriCorps NCCC and the Nevada team met with a County 

Commissioner who was supportive

• We presented to the Sun Valley General Improvement District, who 

were supportive

• We met with resources who may be able to provide housing for an 

AmeriCorps team
Benefits for Research Team

• Easier to get in skeptical communities with the AmeriCorps resource

• Helpful for youth scientists to work on tangible solutions when 

environmental problems can be difficult to see on a daily basis

• Communities want to do more research with us to find solutions

• It’s fun!
Q&A

Connecting ORE Research Grantees with AmeriCorps NCCC and VISTA Programs

Questions?