In-kind grants of volunteer support to USA nonprofit organizations, government agencies, Tribes, and schools for projects that serve low-income communities and address problems related to poverty. Focus areas include racial equity; veterans and military families; Indian Country, rural communities, and areas of deep poverty; food security and access to healthcare; education, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship.

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.

Through this opportunity, AmeriCorps seeks concept papers for the AmeriCorps VISTA program from outcome-driven organizations that share the AmeriCorps VISTA mission.

AmeriCorps VISTA supports efforts to address poverty by providing opportunities for Americans, 18 years of age and older, from a diverse range of backgrounds, to dedicate a year of full-time service with a sponsoring organization (“sponsor”) on a project that will create or expand programs designed to empower individuals and communities in overcoming poverty.

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. Projects 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.

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.