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Title: VISTA Request for Concept Papers Notice 

Date issued: 09/03/2021 

Date posted: 09/03/2021

Unique identifier: VISTA 002 

Topic: Request for Concept Papers 

Summary: This letter requests concept papers from organizations interested in becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA project. 

The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any 

way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or 

agency policies 

REQUEST FOR CONCEPT PAPERS (RFCP): Fiscal Year 2022 AmeriCorps VISTA State New Projects

IMPORTANT DATES 

Task Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4

Concept Papers 

Due Date

November 3, 

2021

January 26, 2022 March 23, 2022 June 1, 2022

Concept Paper 

Decisions Target 

Date* 

December 2021 February 2022 April 2022 July 2022

Application 

Award Target 

Date* 

January 2022 April 2022 May 2022 August 2022

OVERVIEW OF AMERICORPS VISTA 

Founded in 1965, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) is a federal anti-poverty national 

service program designed to provide resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies 

to address poverty and poverty-related problems in the United States. In 1993, VISTA was 

incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of national service programs, housed at AmeriCorps, 

formerly known as the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). 

Projects must be developed in accordance with four core principles: an anti-poverty focus; 

community empowerment; sustainable solutions; and capacity building. For a more in-depth 

description of our core principles, please review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Annual Program 

Guidance. 

ANTI- POVERTY FOCUS

All AmeriCorps VISTA service activities must be designed to support one or more specific antipoverty projects at a site. Applications must clearly define the anti-poverty initiative being 

created or enhanced.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

Prospective and current AmeriCorps VISTA project sponsors must engage people of the 

communities affected by the project in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the 

project. Each project must be responsive and relevant to the lives of community residents and 

must tap into inherent community assets, strengths, and resources.

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

AmeriCorps VISTA members serve as short-term resources to build the long-term sustainability of 

anti-poverty efforts. VISTA projects make a lasting difference through the commitment, energy, 
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and initiative that AmeriCorps VISTA members bring to the community. Projects must be 

developed with a goal to phase out the need for AmeriCorps VISTA members and have project

activities continue without VISTA resources.

CAPACITY BUILDING

AmeriCorps VISTA members create systems that remain long after their term of service ends. 

VISTA projects expand the scale, impact, and resource-leveraging ability of specific anti-poverty 

initiatives. AmeriCorps VISTA members must focus on building the capacity of specific antipoverty programs and interventions and not on general capacity building for the sponsor or its 

sites.

OVERVIEW OF AMERICORPS VISTA PROJECTS

An AmeriCorps VISTA project refers to a set of activities, as set forth in a project application, for 

which a federal award of VISTA resources is made. An AmeriCorps VISTA project is operated and 

overseen by, and the responsibility of, a sponsor. The duration of projects varies, but typically 

lasts for three to four years. Project activities are carried out by AmeriCorps VISTA members 

placed at project sites.

PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES/ PRIORITY POPULATIONS

• Economic Opportunity: Housing, Employment/Workforce Development, and Federal 

Benefit Access

• Education: School Readiness and Learning Loss, K-12 Success, Career and Technical 

Evaluation (CTE), College Access and Success, and STEM, including remote learning in all 

areas 

• Healthy Futures: Food Security and Access to Health Care particularly in response to the 

COVID-19 pandemic and opioid crisis, to include mental health services

• Veterans and Military Families: Economic Opportunity, Education, and Healthy Futures

• Environmental Stewardship: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Building 

Community Resilience, and Conservation and Habitat Preservation

• Priority Populations: Rural Communities, Indian Country, and areas of deep poverty. 

• Additional Priority Consideration: Projects that work in the above areas and populations 

that address issues of racial equity.

VISTA MEMBER BENEFITS AND LOGISTICS

AmeriCorps VISTA members serve at sponsoring organizations for approximately 40 hours per 

week and address issues that have been locally identified as community priorities. The project 

goals and activities are designed to build the sponsor’s capacity to serve low-income 

communities. AmeriCorps provides a modest living allowance depending on the county in 

which the VISTA member serves, health benefits, and childcare benefits (if eligible). Members 

also receive either the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or an end-of-service cash stipend 

upon successful completion of their full year of service.

SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS ELIGIBILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

Nonprofit organizations, Native American Tribes, and state and local government agencies are 

eligible to apply to be AmeriCorps VISTA sponsors. With regard to nonprofit organizations, 

sponsorship is not limited to those designated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) specifically as 

501(c)(3). Nonprofits with other IRS-designated 501(c) statuses that focus on anti-poverty 

outcomes are eligible to apply. Organizations that focus solely on advocacy or lobbying are 

not eligible. Sponsoring organizations may be local, statewide, or national and must be able to 

manage the project, recruit, supervise, and provide logistical support (e.g. supplies and 

materials, on-the-job training, mileage reimbursement or other transportation support) to the 
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AmeriCorps VISTA members. An AmeriCorps VISTA project may be continued on a year to year 

basis based upon available resources, performance, and AmeriCorps priorities. 

GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTIONS

This notice should be read together with the FY2022 AmeriCorps VISTA Program Guidance, 

AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Paper Instructions, AmeriCorps VISTA Project Application Instructions, 

AmeriCorps VISTA Standard Budget Instructions, and AmeriCorps VISTA Regulations (45CFR2556). 

These documents are available online at www.americorps.gov/vistarfcp. 

OTHER INFORMATION

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

AmeriCorps will host Request For Concept Paper Webinars to answer questions about the 

opportunity and eGrants. AmeriCorps strongly encourages applicants to participate in these 

sessions. The schedule and call-in information for the webinars is on the AmeriCorps website: 

www.americorps.gov/vistarfcp. 

Please note that local AmeriCorps Regional Offices may conduct additional webinars. To email 

staff handling programming in your state, email the two-letter state abbreviation followed by 

@cns.gov (e.g., MD@cns.gov or CA@cns.gov). 

For technical questions and problems with the eGrants system, call the AmeriCorps Hotline at 

(800)942-2677. AmeriCorps Hotline hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Eastern Time. Potential applicants can also use this link: eGrants Questions. Be prepared to 

provide the application ID, organization’s name, and the name of the Notice to which the 

organization is applying. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• General Information about AmeriCorps VISTA

• Sponsoring a VISTA Project

• Create and Manage an eGrants Account