Strategic Learning and Evidence 

Building Plan: Fiscal Years 2022-2026 

Office of Research and Evaluation 

March 2022 (Version 1.0) 

250 E Street SW 

Washington, D.C. 20525 

202-606-5000/ 800-942-2677
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agency Foundation 

AmeriCorps’ mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic 

engagement through service and volunteering. The agency’s purpose is to bring out the best 

in America. Every day in communities across the country, AmeriCorps members and 

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers work directly with national, regional or local not-for-profit 

entities to meet critical community needs. 

AmeriCorps is based on four pillars: unite, strengthen, impact, and lead. 

• Unite. The agency bridges divides by bringing people together: connecting 

individuals and organizations to help communities tackle their toughest challenges. 

• Strengthen. The agency provides resources and people power to organizations 

dedicated to the improvement of communities. 

• Impact. The agency enriches the lives of those served and those who serve. 

• Lead. AmeriCorps is the only federal agency for community service and volunteerism. 

The agency empowers an entire ecosystem committed to the betterment of 

communities across America. 

AmeriCorps Strategic Priorities and Goals 

To ensure agency resources are focused on addressing Administration priorities and the 

evolving needs of communities, AmeriCorps is aligning its planning and programming under 

a core set of priorities where national service can have the greatest impact. These strategic 

priorities are detailed in the AmeriCorps 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. The following strategic 

goals will guide how AmeriCorps focuses its resources and prioritizes its learning and 

evidence building opportunities. 

• Goal 1: Partner with communities to alleviate poverty and advance racial equity 

• Goal 2: Enhance the experience for AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors 

volunteers 

• Goal 3: Unite Americans by bringing them together in service 

• Goal 4: Effectively steward federal resources 

• Goal 5: Make AmeriCorps one of the best and most equitable places to work in the 

federal government 

The agency has also prioritized a set of objectives that will inform the strategies and tactics 

necessary for attaining agency goals. For example, objectives like “Prioritize Investments in 

Underserved Communities”, “Recruit Diverse Corps of Members & Volunteers”, and “Expand 

Education & Economic Opportunity” will guide the implementation of the agency’s strategic 

plan and inform its strategic learning and evidence building priorities. 

AmeriCorps’ Strategic Learning and Evidence Priorities 

As the country grapples with the social, economic, and public health crises generated by the 

COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps will respond with evidence-based national service 

interventions and systematically assess new initiatives. The agency will use its new strategic 

priorities and initiatives as learning opportunities to test and demonstrate ways to improve 

organizational, operational, and programmatic effectiveness. In alignment with the goals and 

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objectives of the agency’s five-year strategic plan, AmeriCorps will prioritize the following 

lines of inquiry: 

• How can the agency increase access and utilization of AmeriCorps resources in 

underserved communities1

? 

• How can national service and volunteering be used most effectively to expand 

educational and economic opportunity in underserved communities? 

• What new or improved organizational capacities are needed to achieve the agency’s 

strategic goals and objectives? 

The agency will systematically assess these lines of inquiry using the following principles. 

AmeriCorps’ Learning and Evidence Building Principles 

The agency’s emphasis on evidence is meant to support, not inhibit, innovation, 

improvement, and learning. Consistent with OMB M-21-27, the intent is to integrate the use 

of evidence and opportunities for further learning into all activities to improve agency 

processes. Where an evidence base is lacking, evidence will be developed through 

systematic analysis. Where evidence exists, it will be used to encourage replication and 

expansion of effective solutions. As a learning organization, AmeriCorps uses many types of 

evidence2 and understands that a culture of continual improvement relies on multiple 

sources of information. AmeriCorps uses the following principles to guide its evidence 

building activities3

: 

• AmeriCorps adheres to rigorous scientific and data standards. 

• AmeriCorps prioritizes relevant evidence. 

• AmeriCorps makes findings from its evidence building activities broadly available and 

accessible. 

• AmeriCorps protects the independence and objectivity of its evidence. 

1 As defined in the President’s Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved 

Communities through Federal Government (13985), and as also referenced in the President’s Executive Order on 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce (14035), the term “underserved 

communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that 

have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life. 

Communities denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social and civic life can include 

Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other 

persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) 

persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by 

persistent poverty or inequality. 

2 Evidence can be defined as the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition 

is true or valid as defined in the OMB Circular No. A-11 Section 200 page 13. Recent budget guidance (See OMB 

Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2020, page 59) further states “A 

portfolio (of evidence) can and should include many different types of evidence, including results from program 

evaluations, policy analyses, performance measurements, and statistical analyses.” See also M-21-27, specifically 

Figure 1: Using Evidence to Improve Agency Processes and Appendix A: Components of Evidence and Overview 

of Methodological Approaches 

3 Please refer to the agency’s Evaluation Policy for a more detailed description of these principles, available at 

CNCS Evaluation Policy | Americorps.gov 

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• AmeriCorps conducts its evidence building activities in an ethical manner and 

safeguards the dignity, rights, safety, and privacy of participants in these activities. 

The agency will also maintain its commitment to equitable research and evaluation practices. 

Participatory approaches to research ensure that community members are engaged as 

critical stakeholders in the learning and evidence ecosystem. More specifically, the agency 

will build on the successes of its participatory action research grant as well as its participatory 

program lifecycle evaluation project.

4 Participatory principles of inclusion and equity will 

guide the evidence building activities designed to assess the prioritized lines of inquiry 

highlighted in this plan. 

AmeriCorps’ Strategic Learning and Evidence Building Plan 

The agency’s learning and evidence building plan (see current Strategic Evidence Plan5) 

provides a roadmap for generating credible, relevant, and actionable information about 

organizational effectiveness, operational performance, and the outcomes of national service 

programs. The AmeriCorps learning agenda is designed to provide the agency’s senior 

leadership and staff with the information needed for strategic learning and decision making 

to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency and its programs. 

Evidence at the organizational, programmatic, and operational levels will maximize agency 

performance. Given limited resources, senior leadership will need to prioritize the agency’s 

most important information needs given current strategic goals. Based on the agency’s FYs 

2022-2026 strategic goals and objectives, the following questions will guide FYs 2022- 2026 

evidence building priorities: 

• How can the agency increase access and utilization of AmeriCorps resources in 

underserved communities6

? 

• How can national service and volunteering be used most effectively to expand 

educational and economic opportunity in underserved communities? 

• What new or improved organizational capacities are needed to achieve the agency’s 

strategic goals and objectives? 

4 Snapshot of AmeriCorps’ Research Grantee Activities | Americorps.gov 

5 CNCS Strategic Evidence Plan | Americorps.gov 

6 As defined in the President’s Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved 

Communities through Federal Government (13985), and as also referenced in the President’s Executive Order on 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce (14035), the term “underserved 

communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that 

have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life. 

Communities denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social and civic life can include 

Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other 

persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) 

persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by 

persistent poverty or inequality. 

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A robust set of evidence building activities can and will be built for each line of inquiry. 

Illustrative questions, theories of change, and empirical strategies are described next for each 

learning priority. 

How can the agency increase access and utilization of AmeriCorps resources in 

underserved communities? 

Related Questions Nested within this line of inquiry are a range of related 

empirical questions about organizational and  What organizational and individual access and utilization of AmeriCorps community capacities are resources in underserved communities. Existing needed to access and use evidence and experience offer insight into strategies agency resources? that may facilitate successful access and use of the  What evidence-based 

agency’s grant funds and program participant strategies can be used to 

benefits. increase capacity and 

access? 

More equitable grant making models have the  What strategies are most 

potential to increase access and use of the agency’s effective for increasing 

capacity and access? resources by removing various barriers often faced by 

community-based organizations working to advance 

racial equity and alleviate poverty in underserved communities. The agency has learned from 

various grant making strategies that involve a more collaborative, developmental, 

organizational-capacity building framework. Lessons learned from VISTA, the Social 

Innovation Fund7

, Community Conversations Participatory Action Research Grants, and State 

and National Planning Grants offer empirical evidence that building a National 

Service grantmaking pipeline of diverse community-based organizations 

in underrepresented communities is possible. In addition, American Rescue Plan Act funding 

has created opportunities to explore whether or not strategies such as waiving or replacing 

cash match grant requirements for organizations operating in less-resourced communities 

increase access and use of agency resources. Furthermore, engaging organizational leaders 

in underserved communities will require new partnership, outreach, and development 

strategies. 

Systematic assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of new outreach, partnership, 

development, and grant making strategies designed to increase the agency’s footprint in 

underserved communities that remove barriers to agency resources will rely on the use of 

relevant performance data and research. 

How can AmeriCorps The agency also seeks to increase opportunities for all ensure that 

those who serve in national service Americans to serve by reducing the socioeconomic 

programs represent all the barriers that can prohibit participation in AmeriCorps 

communities the agency strives to 

serve and increase the opportunity 

to volunteer for all interested? 

A i ? 

7 SIF Classic National Assessment | AmeriCorps 

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programs.8 Recruiting and retaining more representative and diverse participants to 

serve in AmeriCorps programs will require reimagining and recalibrating organizational, 

operational and programmatic practices. For example, 

dedicated What prevents and facilitates staffing, external expertise, and new 

participation in national service technologies will be needed to launch a sustained 

programs? outreach and recruitment effort tailored to different 

segments of the country’s population. Understanding 

what motivates different groups of citizens to apply for, and enroll in, a national service 

program – and what may prevent them from doing so despite a desire to do so - will be 

essential for increasing the representativeness and diversity of Americans who sign up to 

serve. For example, the American Rescue Plan Act has created an opportunity to increase 

living allowances and stipends. Assessing whether this may facilitate participation in national 

service programs for more Americans will be important. Similarly, systematically assessing 

how the agency redesigns and refines the service experience across AmeriCorps programs 

will provide evidence needed to strengthen and sustain a robust pipeline of diverse 

individuals committed to serving their country and their communities through national 

service. 

AmeriCorps has a strong body of evidence and data collection infrastructure to build on for 

these empirical efforts. Research on member motivations and outcomes indicate that those 

who serve do so for a variety of reasons but consistently report positive civic, educational, 

and employment outcomes both in the short term and over time.

9 Research also empirically 

demonstrates that older Americans who volunteer in national service programs, as compared 

to similar volunteers who do not do so through national service, report better health and 

well-being outcomes.

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Despite these consistent patterns of positive outcomes for members and volunteers who 

have served in national service programs to date, the agency will need to recalibrate its data 

collection strategy if it is to credibly and accurately 

What strategies are most effective for assess individuals’ journeys from initial interest to 

more customized outreach, alumni status across different segments of the 

recruitment, retention, and alumni population. Mapping a more robust data collection 

engagement? strategy to this “applicant to alumni” journey will allow 

the agency to better understand who persists and 

who does not in this journey and the reasons motivating these various decision points. For 

8 An analysis of the agency’s Request for Information (RFI) on Reducing Barriers to National Service suggests that 

the major barriers to participating in AmeriCorps programs are compensation (living allowance), the ability to 

access and utilize benefits, and issues related to the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award (also known as an Ed 

Award). The Office of Research and Evaluation will use the RFI responses and findings to inform more systematic 

data collection efforts for the agency. 

9 Tiger Prints | Long-term Impact of AmeriCorps Service for Diverse Groups of Members 

CIRCLE | Study: Does National Service Experience Improve a Young Person's Job Prospects? 

AmeriCorps Alumni Outcome Study | Americorps.gov 

The Morrison Institute for Public Policy | The AmeriCorps Experience: Transformation Through Service 

Service Delivery Implications and Health Benefits to Volunteers | Americorps.gov 

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example, the agency expects to collect additional demographic information as well as modify 

the types and timing of questions asked about the service experience and associated 

outcomes. Additional data collection points mapped more intentionally to individual interest 

and participation journeys will be developed. This will require dedicated staffing resources, 

new working relationships with partners responsible for different parts of individuals’ 

journeys, and new technology solutions. 

How can national service and volunteering be used most effectively to expand 

educational and economic opportunity in underserved communities? 

Empirical and experimental evidence confirms the effectiveness of various national service 

programs11 in improving the educational12, health13, and employment outcomes14 of those 

served by these programs . AmeriCorps has also demonstrated 

the effectiveness of innovative social interventions for improving What are the most effective 

the economic, social and health conditions for individuals living national service solutions for 

in underserved communities. In some cases, these interventions mitigating the 

have a national service component and in others, the disproportionate impacts of 

opportunity exists for integrating a national service component climate change on 

underserved communities? and evaluating the extent to which similar outcomes are 

achieved for those served by the programs. Furthermore, the 

evidence base for national service programs addressing environmental issues is growing15 

and the agency expects to build additional evidence for how national service can mitigate 

disparate environmental, social, and economic costs associated with climate change as 

priority initiatives are developed and implemented. 

Similar to the ways in which evidence generated How can AmeriCorps programs create by the AmeriCorps NCCC longitudinal study on stronger pathways to education, leadership development is expected to have employment and civic engagement for 

cross-program implications, evidence building those who serve in them? 

activities for initiatives like Public Health 

AmeriCorps may be informative for deepening 

agency understanding of how to develop effective workforce pathways for Corps members. 

Lessons learned about how to meet the training and professional development needs of 

Corps members, creating effective Corps member roles, recruiting members with relevant 

interests and entry level skills, and providing the needed supervision will be applied across 

programs as pertinent.16 

As another example of how the agency anticipates learning from priority initiatives, the 

AmeriCorps VISTA Food Security Initiative will provide an opportunity to assess the valueadd of a cohort model for VISTA sponsor organizations. It will be possible to explore how a 

11 Evidence of Effectiveness in AmeriCorps-Funded Interventions | AmeriCorps 

12 Evidence Brief: Effective CNCS-Funded Education Programs | AmeriCorps 

13 Evidence Brief: Effective CNCS-Funded Healthy Futures Programs | AmeriCorps 

14 Evidence Brief: Effective CNCS-Funded Economic Opportunity Programs | AmeriCorps 

15 Evidence Brief: Effective AmeriCorps-Funded Environmental Stewardship Programs | AmeriCorps; Return on 

Investment Study: Washington Conservation Corps | AmeriCorps 

16 A Promising Response To The Opioid Crisis: CNCS-Supported Recovery Coach Programs 

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cohort model may or may not enhance the collective success of tackling a specific issue like 

food insecurity. The Food Security Initiative can also be assessed for other programmatic 

improvement implications such as how the deployment of a cohort of VISTAs to a state, 

strategically partnering with state or local leaders in an issue area, and more intentionally 

integrating VISTAs into a service system or network may or may not more effectively address 

an issue like food insecurity. Findings may be relevant for other national service programs 

and could be used to make cross-program improvements. 

AmeriCorps Seniors (ACS) has a program-specific ACS Research Questions learning agenda that could generate information 

relevant for both national service programming and  How has older adult volunteering 

volunteering more generally. It is anticipated that new changed due to the pandemic? 

innovative interventions – activities in which volunteers 

 What was the experience of are meaningfully engaged and in which beneficiaries 

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers saw meaningful outcomes – will be identified as well 

during COVID-19? as new modalities for volunteers. The research will 

look to identify impactful interventions that can be 

 How did COVID-19 change shared broadly, with the goal of encouraging 

volunteerism at the volunteer replications and expansion of effective solutions. In 

station-level and what are the addition, some volunteering pivoted during the 

impacts of that change? pandemic to safe volunteering activities. The research 

will look to identify how safe volunteering practices 

during COVID-19 impacted volunteer’s health, 

feelings of depression, isolation, and volunteer satisfaction levels. AmeriCorps Seniors also 

seeks to catalogue and analyze the impact of the new ways that some grantees were able to 

pivot in their relationships with their community partners during COVID-19. 

Evidence generated by the AmeriCorps Seniors research will build the agency’s knowledge 

about volunteering among different age groups and may identify new promising practices 

for recruiting and managing older adult volunteers. Any positive findings will compliment 

recent research findings on effective volunteer recruitment and management practices as 

well as anticipated findings from a new evaluation of the agency’s Volunteer Generation 

Fund that will begin in FY2022. 

What new or improved organizational capacities are needed to achieve the 

agency’s strategic goals? 

The President’s Management Agenda17 articulates a vision for creating an effective, 

equitable, and accountable Government that delivers results for all. AmeriCorps will 

contribute to this whole-of-Government approach to improving how Government operates 

and performs. More specifically, the agency will prioritize foundational fact finding in the 

management areas of its Federal workforce and customer experience. 

Lessons learned from a systematic assessment of the agency’s reorganization during the 

first year of implementing a new organizational structure and staff positions reinforced the 

importance of investing in data-driven continuous improvement efforts. One action resulting 

17 President's Management Agenda | Performance.gov 

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from this internal evaluation and reinforced by staff feedback on how to create a more 

diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible workforce, was the agency’s decision to invest in 

an independently conducted workforce study. A workforce analysis will be conducted in 

FY2022 that focuses on organizational structure, staff workloads, staff diversity, work culture, 

and human capital practices. The agency will implement the recommendations from the 

workforce study to strengthen and empower the AmeriCorps workforce. 

AmeriCorps will also prioritize building evidence for whether or not the strategies 

implemented as part of its Strategic Plan (particularly for Goal 4) result in customers 

experiencing excellent, equitable and secure Federal services. To establish a baseline and 

measure progress over time, the agency will design, implement and administer a new 

AmeriCorps Partners survey to begin collecting regular feedback on the customer 

experience. 

Furthermore, initial stakeholder feedback18 on the agency’s strategic learning and evidence 

building plan suggests that centralizing and sharing data about national service participants’ 

experiences and outcomes as well as national and state volunteering statistics would 

enhance state and local efforts to make data-driven management decisions. In response to 

this feedback, the agency will prioritize resources needed to refine data collection across 

national service programs (as described on page 5 of this document) and share the 

information in user-friendly formats (e.g., via enhanced technology platforms). Related to this 

request to make key performance data more accessible is the agency’s commitment to reevaluate its grantee performance measures to align with the Strategic Plan. This commitment 

to simplification and standardized measures across programs where possible is expected to 

improve the customer experience. 

Evergreen learning and evidence building activities. 

In alignment with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-

435) and President Biden’s Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government through 

Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking, building and using empirical evidence 

is a central agency priority. Access and utilization of credible, actionable, and timely 

information about programmatic performance creates opportunities for innovation, 

improvement, and increased impact. The FY22-26 Strategic Learning and Evidence Building 

Plan builds on the agency’s core evidence building activities. These activities were designed 

to empirically assess whether or not AmeriCorps is achieving its mission and are described in 

more detail in the Appendix. 

18 The agency conducted a workshop in September 2021 at the AmeriCorps State and National Symposium 

dedicated to the learning agenda and learning opportunities available to grantees and conducted an all staff 

briefing in December 2021. The agency has an email inbox (Evaluation@cns.gov) that stakeholders can use to 

provide feedback on the plan at any time. 

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AmeriCorps maintains a robust evidence pipeline by using systematic inquiry and credible data to address 

the following evergreen learning goals: 

 Deepen understanding of who, how, and why individuals volunteer (and serve?) 

 Expand opportunities for all Americans to participate in national service programs and volunteer for 

community service projects by reducing socioeconomic barriers 

 Develop innovative national service strategies and interventions 

 Improve national service strategies and interventions 

 Demonstrate outcomes and impacts of national service strategies and interventions 

 Document the social and economic returns on investment in national service strategies and 

interventions 

See Appendix for more detail on evaluation questions and research strategies underway to address them. 

AmeriCorps commits to sharing what its learns with the public and to using it to better serve America [see Our 

impact | AmeriCorps]. 

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APPENDIX 

Evaluation Question Research Strategy/Source of Evidence 

People (Members/Volunteers) 

• How does AmeriCorps deepen the knowledge 

base about volunteering/civic participation 

behaviors and outcomes? 

• How does AmeriCorps translate this research into 

practice (e.g., the recruitment, development, and 

retention of volunteers for national service 

programs)? 

• Sponsor basic research in the fields of civic engagement and 

volunteering to advance the knowledge base for behaviors 

and associated social, economic, and health outcomes that 

represent the foundation of national service and the 

agency’s mission. (e.g., CPS CEV supplement, portfolio of 

research studies designed to examine these issues) 

• What are the common outcomes AmeriCorps 

want national service program 

members/volunteers to achieve? 

• Member exit survey administered to ASN, NCCC, and VISTA 

members – Revise this survey to capture additional 

outcomes of interest, shared and program-specific 

• NCCC Leadership Longitudinal Survey – What are 

AmeriCorps’ learning from this survey that could inform a 

revised exit survey across programs? 

• AmeriCorps Seniors (FGP, SCP) volunteer survey – Planning 

for another administration of this survey and developing a 

schedule for a more regular administration cadence 

• Alumni Outcomes Survey – Plan for another 

administration/develop a strategy for keeping alumni 

engaged for follow up surveys 

• Who is volunteering for national service programs 

and who isn’t? Why or why not? 

• Member exit survey - Update the motivation questions; 

Identify a way to systematically survey those who apply but 

decline to serve 

• Research grantee findings 

• How does AmeriCorps prepare and develop those 

who serve/volunteer to achieve desired outcomes 

(e.g., meaningful and lifelong contributions to their 

communities )? 

• Identify a way to assess the common experiences national 

service programs provide that would lead us to predict 

common civic and appropriate life course experiences and 

outcomes 

Service Projects (Interventions) 

• How can the agency develop evidence-based 

innovative national service strategies and 

interventions? 

Integrating research and evaluation at the early stages of a 

program’s development ensures that theories of change can be 

tested early and that any necessary adjustments or refinements 

can be made, increasing the likelihood of achieving desired 

results. 

• Sponsor community research teams that include a researchto-action component (e.g., research grant program/2018 

cohort – FY22 competition for 4th cohort of grantees) 

• Develop research strategies with program colleagues that 

can inform new or untested programmatic goals (e.g., 

NCCC’s research plan) 

• A multi-year contract was awarded in FY20 (Program 

Lifecycle Evaluation) to help evaluate new projects as they 

are developed and implemented. Two evaluations are 

underway. 

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Evaluation Question Research Strategy/Source of Evidence 

• Discuss how national service programs/grant making can be 

used to scale effective evidence-based interventions 

identified through the Social Innovation Fund initiative 

• How can AmeriCorps use evidence to improve 

national service strategies and interventions? 

Incorporate evidence into strategic and operational decisionmaking. Building and using evidence at the organizational, 

programmatic, and operational levels will maximize agency 

performance. 

• A multi-year contract was awarded in FY20 (Program 

Lifecycle Evaluation) to help evaluate how projects and 

initiatives being implemented can be improved. One builds 

on the agency’s exploratory evaluation of the opioid 

recovery coach model and one will focus on evaluating 

the Volunteer Generation Fund. 

• How can AmeriCorps use evidence to 

demonstrate the results of national service 

strategies and interventions? 

An infrastructure (staffing and contracts) has been built to identify 

and invest in what works. AmeriCorps has 32 consistently 

effective evidence-based program models that could be taken to 

scale with confidence. AmeriCorps has another ~50 that are 

promising and could be further tested. 

• A multi-year contract was awarded in FY20 (Program 

Lifecycle Evaluation) to help evaluate the effectiveness of 

programs replicated in different locations and to evaluate 

promising programs (reducing the burden on grantees to 

do so). Future evaluations may focus on the replication 

and adaptation of evidence-based interventions. 

• NCCC service project database and community impact case 

studies 

• How can AmeriCorps empirically document the 

social and economic returns on investment in 

national service strategies and interventions? 

• Conduct targeted return on investment analyses 

The agency has demonstrated positive economic and social 

returns on investment (ROI) for 4 national service programs. 

• A multi-year contract was awarded in FY20 to conduct 

annual targeted ROI analyses for different evidence-based 

national service interventions. 

• What is the most equitable and inclusive way to 

partner with communities to address local needs 

and create effective national service solutions? 

Engage all relevant stakeholders through participatory methods 

in the identification of issues and the development of solutions. 

o Participatory Action Research and Evaluation 

o Reliance on Field Working Groups 

o Commitment to Peer Collaboration like learning 

communities for staff and grantees participating in 

research and evaluation studies 

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