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CNCS is conducting a study to better understand how AmeriCorps grantees are working in their communities. As an AmeriCorps grantee your responses will make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the role that AmeriCorps play s in the communities that it serves
. **Part I. Volunteers / Volunteer Recruitment** In this section, we will ask about how y our AmeriCorps funded program may utilize volunteers. 1. Within your organization , d o you rel y on volunteers for an y component of your program’s services or activities? Yes_____ No____ If no , s kip to Part II 2. Which of the following methods does your organization use to recruit volunteers? Check all that apply
. Passive recruitment, through w ord of mouth and referrals from current volunteers Media o utreach recruitment, through newspapers, bulletins, and Web sites Active recruitment , using a volunteer recruiter or manager and planned volunteer drives Other (please d escribe)
3. Over the past 12 months, approximately how many

individuals voluntee red for your organization ? 0 ___ 1
- 10___ 11
- 20___ 21
- 30___ 31
- 40___ 41
- 50___ 50+___ 4. Over the past 12 months, approximately h ow many new volunteers did your AmeriCorps m ember s r ecruit? 0 ___ 1
- 10___ 11
- 20___ 21
- 30___ 31
- 40___ 41
- 50___ 50+___ 5. Over the past 12 months, approximately how many volunteers did your AmeriCorps members manage? Manage includes train, assign work, supervise. 0 ___ 1
- 10___ 11
- 20___ 21
- 30___ 31
- 40___ 41
- 50___ 50+___2

6. Approximately

what percentage of y our volunteers are from: 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% The c ommunity

where you provide direct services Communities outside of where you provide direct services 7. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in recruiting volunteers from the community

where you serve? (Open

- ended response) 8. Volunteers can be engaged for different schedules of service . Approximately what percentages of your volunteers are engaged at the following frequencies ? Volunteer Frequency Percentage Daily Weekly Several times per month Once per month Less than once per month 9. Thinking about how volunteers fit into your program, please select your reason(s) for us ing volunteers ( s elect all that apply). In crease program’s capacity to deliver services Provide targeted program services for unmet community needs Access underserved populations Develop the communit y ’s capacit y and resources for solv ing problems Develop community

support for program services Provide opportunity

for community and neighborhood restoration and development ( crisis response /block watch/block clean

- up) Other: 10. Of those you selected which are the 2 most important reason s ?

________________________________________________________ 11. Thinking about how volunteers work in your program, please select the tasks y our volunteers perform (select all that apply). Service delivery Management and administrative support Consulting services Program guidance/Administrative decisions Program design and promotion3

Volunteer recruitment/retention/training/management Community

outreach Intake/screening and referral Other
12. What are the skill levels required b y the tasks your volunteers perform? Check all that appl y. Non
- technical skills (neighborhood clean

- up, food service / distribution) Specialized training (mentoring, tutoring, intake, screening) Technical skills (IT, graphic design, spreadsheets) Managerial skills ( training, supervision, project management) Administrative support (office management Program a dministration ( Board of directors/Committee Chair/Fund Development. 13. Of these skill levels, which is the most common skill level required b y your program?

______________ 14. On average, how frequently do you provide training to volunteers (excluding on

- the

- job training)? No formal training One time only Twice per year Quarterl y Monthly
15. On average, how prepared were your volunteers to carry out their assigned tasks, BEFORE any training was provided? Not prepared Somewhat prepared Moderatel y prepared Well prepared 16. Thinking about your program operations and services, how important are volunteers to your success? Not important Somewhat important Important Very important Extremely

important 17. To what degree do your volunteers link your organization to the community? 18. Not at all A little Somewhat To a large degree 19. To what degree do your volunteers become leaders in the community? Not at all A little Somewhat To a large degree 20. Can you give an example?4

**Part II. AmeriCorps Members**  This section asks y ou questions about the AmeriCorps members in y our program. 21. Approximately

what percentage of y our AmeriCorps members are from: 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% The community

where you provide direct services Communities outside of where you provide direct services 22. Thinking about how AmeriCorps members fit into your program, please select y our reason(s) for appl yi ng for an AmeriCorps grant (select all that apply). Enhance program/service development and implementation In crease organizational capacit y (planning, research, fund raising) In crease capacity

to provide direct service. Engage community

resi dents Enhance volunteer recruitment, management and training Other: 23. Of those you selected which is your most important reason?

________________________________________________________ 24. What activities are your AmeriCorps members directly involved in (select all that apply) : Development and implementation of program/service Planning, research, fundraising Direct service provision Engaging community

residents to identify

or address community

needs Volunteer recruitment, management and training Develop partnerships with other organizations in the community Connect community

decision

- makers and residents Advocacy

on behalf of local issues or concerns Other:
25. If your AmeriCorps member engages in an y volunteer activity , o n average what percentage of the member’s time is spent recruiting volunteer? 0 25% 50% 75% 100% 26. If your AmeriCorps member engages in an y volunteer activity , on average what percentage of the member’s time is spent training volunteers? This includes explicit training activities as well as on

- the

-

job training. 0 25% 50% 75% 100%5

27. If your AmeriCorps member engages in an y volunteer activity , on average what percentage of the member’s time is spent managing volunteers? Managing includes assigning activities, supervising, or handling other administrative tasks associated with the volunteers. 0 25% 50% 75% 100% 28. On average, how prepared were your AmeriCorps members to fulfill their assigned tasks, BEFORE an y training was provided? Not at all prepared Somewhat prepared Moderatel y prepared Well prepared 29. Which of the following ty pes of skills does y our program provide AmeriCorps members? Leadership skills Problem

- solving skills Conflict resolution skills Technical skills in specific field Safety skills 30. Thinking generall y about your AmeriCorps members, state your level of agreement with the following statements. Don’t know Strongl y

disagree Disagree Neither

agree nor disagree Agree Strongl y

agree AmeriCorps members have been given education opportunities they

otherwise would not have had. AmeriCorps members have been given emplo ym ent opportunities they

otherwise would not have had. Following participation as AmeriCorps members, approximately what percentage of your former me mbers have continued to be engaged in your community ? Don’t know None 20% 40% 50%...100%6

**Part III . Partnerships**  In carrying out their tasks, AmeriCorps members may collaborate with other organizations in the community

wher e they

serve. This section asks you questions about how your members may collaborate with these organizations. **For the purposes of this survey, a community partnership is a formal or informal collaborative relationship between organizations that enhance**  **s either their**  **ability to identify**  **a need in the community**  **, or enhances their ability to respond to**  **needs.** 31. Does your organization currentl y collaborate with partner organizations or individuals in the community you serve ? Yes___ No___
32. D o your AmeriCorps members collaborate or work with other organizations in the communities they

serve? Yes___ No___ Alternate wording: Does your organization currentl y collaborate with partner organizations or individuals in your community related to yo ur AmeriCorps grant? Related to means the partner either was formed as a result of your grant or your AmeriCorps members collaborate with the partner. Yes___ No___ If no, skip to part IV. 33. H ow do y our AmeriCorps members work with other organizations ( select all that apply) ? Coordinat e services (intake, referral, case management, case review) Collaborating with partners to conduct needs assessment s or participate in research on a local issue. Participate in short and long range planning Collaborat e with partners on existing service delivery Collaborat e with community partners to expand existing services Collaborat e with partners on the development/implementation of new services S erv e on or lead professional associations , ad hoc committees or work groups with partners or provider organizations Collaborat e on fund raising are Members allowed to fund raise? , program promotion, public relations campaigns Share technical skills or resources and administrative tasks Organi z e community projects or community advocacy

work (communit y gardens, block watches etc.)7

Other collaborative activity : If 26 =y es and 2 7 =y es , answer 29 and skip 30
. 34. Please list up to three organizations that you have maintained a partnerships with for one ye ar or longer related to your AmeriCorps grant
.

Organization #1 Organization # 2 Organization # 3 Organization Name: Contact Individual: Email address: Phone: If 26 =y es and 27 =no , answer 30 35. Please list up to three organizations that yo u have maintained a partnerships with for one y ear or longer. Organization #1 Organization # 2 Organization # 3 Organization Name: Contact Individual: Email address: Phone:
36. Please check the primary area(s) of collaboration that y ou share with each partner Organization #1 Organization #2 Organization #3 **Fiscal and management duties** (e.g. f unding projects, p urchasing of services agreements, sharing f

acility space , record keeping and managing information sy stems ) **Organizational tasks**  (e.g. d eveloping programs or services , p rogram evaluation , s taff training , promotion, c ollaborative w orkshops and c onferences **Service functions** (e.g. client services

– screening, evaluation/assessment, shared intake forms, service plan development, case conference or reviews, referrals **Administrative Tasks** (e.g. formal/informal agreements contracts, legally

mandated collaborative relationships, interagency committees, advocacy
37. Have your AmeriCorps members helped your organization develop new partnerships or strengthen existing ones ?8

Yes_____ No_____ If 31=y es 38. What impact have your AmeriCorps members had on your capacity to form new community partnerships? None Some impact Moderate impact Strong impact 39. What impact have your AmeriCorps members had on developing your existing community partnerships? None Some impact Moderate impact Strong impact If 32 or 33>None 40. Please briefl y describe some of the ways that your AmeriCorps members contribute d to forming new partnerships:

_________________________ 41. Please briefl y describe some of the ways that your AmeriCorps members contributed to strengthening existing partnerships:

___ ______________________ **Part IV . AmeriCorps Program in General**  42. What, if any

thing, makes the AmeriCorps program a resource for y our community ? 43. If you were to change how the AmeriCorps program operated , what is one thing y ou would do to improve the program?
**Part VI . Organizational Background**  Now we would like to ask y ou some background information about you and the organization you work with. 44. What is your role in your organization? 45. What is your role in your organization’s AmeriCorps grant? 46. How l ong have you been at your organization? 47. How man y years has yo ur agency /organization been in operation? I f less than one y ear, please indicate the number of months ____ Years ____ Months9

48. Please indicate the NUMBER of staff members in your organization. (If yo u don’t have an exact number a rough estimate would be appreciated.):
49. Approximately

how many

paid staff members are involved in the regular operations of AmeriCorps

- funded program’s work? ___1

– 5 ___6
- 10 ___11

– 15 ___20 or more