HELP WHERE YOU ARE NEEDED THE MOST!
As an AmeriCorps member, you have the opportunity to serve in a variety of programs focused on areas of education, public safety, the environment and human needs.

Nevada is looking for AmeriCorps members to:      

• mentor kids
• build hiking trails in the mountains and across the desert
• outreach to homeless people
• recruit volunteers
• restore/conserve fragile public lands
• implement disaster preparedness plans
• create service learning projects
• give social and support services
• help make our neighborhoods a little safer

ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

Volunteers like you can make all of these thing happen.  If you are up to the challenge, we can help you make a difference and change your life forever. 

When you contribute your energy and hard work, you gain new skills while receiving specialized training in a wide variety of areas including:

• Leadership
• Team building
• Community outreach
• Disaster preparedness and more

You will meet people that you’ll never forget and learn a lot about yourself in the process.

Become an AmeriCorps Member!

As an AmeriCorps member you’ll also receive a small living allowance roughly equal to minimum wage.

Upon successful completion of your term of service, you receive an education award of $4725 for each year of full-time service and $2362 for each year of part time service.  This money can be used directly toward tuition or to pay off existing student loans.

Make a Difference… with your leadership, your passion and your community spirit!

READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?  

To serve with an AmeriCorps program in Nevada and help implement local community service initiatives, apply online at  www.americorps.org

Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

Nevada Volunteers prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran. 

Get Involved - As an Organization

BRING AMERICORPS TO YOUR COMMUNITY
We are beginning the process of selecting local grants for submission to the Corporation for National Service for 2009-2010 AmeriCorps funding.  We invite innovative, collaborative and high-quality community service program proposals for consideration. 

We have condensed the most vital information regarding the structure and goals of successful AmeriCorps programs.  This summary may help you determine if AmeriCorps members would be a valuable resource for helping you achieve your agency’s goals.  This is meant only as an informal self-assessment tool and should not preclude any organization from reviewing the full application or submitting a formal application.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, school districts, tribes and state and local governments are eligible to apply for AmeriCorps funds through Nevada Volunteers.

HOW DO I GET AN APPLICATION?
Applications are available on line at www.nevadavolunteers.org. during August and September of each year. Please be sure to download the complete AmeriCorps application packet.
 
IS MY ORGANIZATION READY FOR AMERICORPS?
AmeriCorps is a national service program established by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993.  As a network of local, state, and national service programs it connects more than 75,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country’s critical needs in education, environment, public safety, disaster preparedness and other human needs. There were over 185 AmeriCorps members in Nevada last year providing service through 5 programs.

Programs are funded by federal grants and administered by eligible nonprofit organizations, schools, tribes or governments.  Grantees recruit, train and manage their own AmeriCorps members.  Members provide community service either full-time or part-time.  In return for successfully completing a one year term of service, whether full-time or part-time, members  receive an education award.   A full-time service term is defined as 1700 hours, to be completed in a 12 month period; a part-time service term is defined as 900 hours, to be completed in 9 months to one year.  In some cases, part-time members may have up to two years to complete their term of service.  Education awards are given in the amounts of $4,725 for full-time service and $2,363 for part-time service to be used for post-secondary education or re-payment of outstanding student loans.

Full-time AmeriCorps members receive small living allowances, health care benefits and child care benefits (if eligible).  Part-time members receive small living allowances.
Please carefully review the Nevada  AmeriCorps NOFO  for complete information and instructions.

WE RECOMMEND YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS BY ANSWERING THESE PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS:

• What critical unmet needs does your AmeriCorps program address?  How?
• What is your plan to recruit, train, supervise and retain AmeriCorps Members?
• Who are the potential community partners in collaboration with your program?
• How will you meet the matching requirements for a federal grant? (first year single match requirement is 24% cash or in-kind).   Average amount for the cash portion is generally $30,000 per grant.
• How will you measure your program’s outputs and outcomes?

Once you have a clear vision of these answers, you should be ready to address the more specific aspects of the AmeriCorps application.

HOW MANY MEMBERS CAN MY PROJECT SUPPORT?

Proposals should be designed to support at least 10 members managed by a full time Program Director.  Rural applicants may apply for a smaller number of members and a part-time AmeriCorps Program Director.  Please contact our office for further information.

HOW WILL YOUR MEMBERS BE PLACED? 

Programs should partner with other nonprofit organizations or agencies in their communities to support member placements.  Such partners might include schools, volunteer centers, faith-based organizations, local or state governments, service organizations or colleges and universities.  As you design your program, make sure to think about what organizations in your community may want to host your AmeriCorps members.  Some programs have members at just one site. Nevada Volunteers funds innovative collaborations that encourage interagency cooperation and viable partnerships that are sustainable.   

IS TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE?

Yes.  We can provide proposal and grant writing consultation, federal grant and financial management training as well as the technical assistance webinars that are required before organizations apply for funding.

WHAT ARE THE AMERICORPS FUNDING PRIORITIES IN NEVADA?

Provided the applicant makes a strong statement of need either through a community needs assessment or independent research and documentation, Nevada Volunteers would consider funding any high-quality program that addresses education, environment, public safety, disaster preparedness or other human needs.  All Nevada AmeriCorps programs must develop and ethic of civic responsibility in those who participate and strengthen communities by actively recruiting and managing volunteers.

WHAT ARE THE FUNDING PRIORITIES OF NEVADA’S STATE SERVICE PLAN?

Developed with input from Nevada Volunteers, Corporation for National and Community Service, Nevada Department of Education and local representatives, the  State Service Plan (SSP) outlines our statewide strategy and priorities for implementing service and volunteer programs:

Ensure a brighter future for all Nevada's youth by engaging them in service and volunteering, connecting them with caring adults such as mentors or tutors and supporting positive youth development programs.

Harness the talents and experience of baby boomers to meet Nevada’s critical social challenges by recruiting them to volunteer. 

Mobilize more volunteers through grantees and support programs that build or strengthen volunteering infrastructure and generate volunteers.

Engage students in communities and support service learning education initiatives that promote an ethic of service among Nevada’s K-University students.

Support innovative collaborations and partnerships to create new solutions for local unmet needs.
 
Support disaster preparedness initiatives statewide.

Create opportunities for ALL Nevadans including persons with disabilities to volunteer or provide community service.   

Nevada Volunteers encourages new AmeriCorps grant applications that create innovative collaborations to meet local needs.