2013 New York State AmeriCorps Project Director Training & Annual Meeting Gideon Putnam Hotel

1. 2013 New York State AmeriCorps Project Director Training & Annual Meeting Gideon Putnam Hotel October 7-9, 2013 Saratoga Springs, New York www.NewYorkersVolunteer.ny.gov

2. WELCOME • Overview/ Program Staff Introductions • Agenda • Logistics

3. INTRODUCTIONS

4. State and Federal Updates • 20th Anniversary of AmeriCorps • State News • Federal News • Corporation Initiatives

5. 2013 Successes and Achievements

6. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 AMERICORPS MEMBERS • Number of individuals who applied to be an AmeriCorps member in New York State: • 14,060 • Number of individuals who served as AmeriCorps members in New York State: • 2,860

7. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update New York StateAmeriCorps 2012

8. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 • GEOGRAPHY • 46 AmeriCorps Programs • Members serving at 567sites across NY State

9. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 IMPACT • Number of volunteers recruited, coordinated, or supported by your programs • 1,150,925 • Number of disadvantaged children and youth served • 161,828 • Number of individuals mentored • 22,425

10. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 IMPACT cont. • Number of clients who received independent living services • 2,357 • Number of individuals affected by disaster who received assistance from members • 25,280

11. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION RATES • 2,860 Member Slots • Enrollment Rate 100% • Retention Rate 78%

12. New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 BEST PRACTICES • Partner with a national or local clothing company based in the area for donated member gear. • Engage local Colleges or Universities: • as a source of pro-bono member training; • as a source of community volunteer groups to augment AmeriCorps and agency initiatives; • to match a portion or all of the Member’s Education Award. • Program Directors and Staff develop “Life After AmeriCorps” resources to help members transition into a career after serving in AmeriCorps.

13. New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 BEST PRACTICES cont • If members do not serve in the same location: • hold trainings where members can share best practices, brainstorm ideas for service days, or develop solutions to program/member challenges. • hold bi-weekly or monthly conference calls with all AmeriCorps members and staff to keep a unified spirit among the team even though they may be serving in different locations. • To prevent losing members who find fulltime jobs; • tool was created to demonstrate the benefits of completing an AmeriCorps term versus ending an AmeriCorps term early for a full time position. • The tool includes living stipend/average salary of entry level position, taxes, insurance costs, and education award to show AmeriCorps stipend and an entry level full-time position are comparable. .

14. New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 BEST PRACTICES cont • Develop a Facebook page, Twitter account, and other social media” • members to share experiences about their service; • helps members promote AmeriCorps by blogging about their experience, market the mission of the agency; • engage community stakeholders, future members, alumni, and others through social media.

15. New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 BEST PRACTICES cont • Support Members in Service: • conduct monthly site visits to maintain constant communication; • hold monthly professional development trainings; • use monthly surveys to gauge needs and get suggestions for future trainings or member networking opportunities; • host social events to provide an opportunity for Members to enjoy the company of one another and to expose them to local entertainment, restaurants, etc.; • call local businesses to request free passes or discount coupons for your Members. This is an opportunity to celebrate your member’s service, and promote AmeriCorps among businesses in the community.

16. New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 COMMON CHALLENGES • The economy and the increasing cost of living has affected Member recruitment and retention. • Funding and/or program cuts among non-profit agencies are making it a challenge for programs to retain Host Sites where AmeriCorps members can be placed. This constant transition of Host Sites makes it difficult for AmeriCorps programs to develop a performance baseline, estimate appropriate performance measure targets, and maintain consistency. • AmeriCorps programs are experiencing constraints in the area of fund development, and rising costs reduce the availability of funding to support the AmeriCorps program. This is leading to the inability of some programs to meet their regulatory match on time or at all..

17. New York StateAmeriCorps 2012 COMMON CHALLENGES cont • AmeriCorps programs report challenges collecting information from youth beneficiaries that measure progress towards targeted outcomes. Specifically, many of these same programs expressed great difficulty developing the specific instruments (pre/post-tests, surveys) that are designed to capture enough information to meet reporting requirements with respect to young adults, without being too lengthy or complicated to implement. • AmeriCorps program staff has expressed that the increasing policy and procedure requirements from CNCS without additional resources to comply has made program operations and member management difficult to accomplish. • National Service Criminal History Check Rule is costly, time-consuming, and deters potential applicants from serving with AmeriCorps due to the lengthy and intrusive process.

18. AmeriCorps Funding Update

19. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update AmeriCorps Funding Update There will be significant changes to this year’s New York State Request For Proposal: • Draft Federal Notice of Funding Availability (NOFO) was released 8/30/2013. • DRAFT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS State and National Competitive New and Continuation – for 60 day public comment, was released 8/30/2013.

20. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update AmeriCorps Funding Update • Revised Federal NOFO was later released, September 27, 2013 • We project releasing the New York State Request for Proposal (RFP)in late October, 2013 • The due date is projected for late November, 2013.

21. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update AmeriCorps Funding Update • The New York State AmeriCorps Request for Proposal (RFP) may have differences to what is in the federal Corporation for National & Community Service AmeriCorps NOFO. • If you choose to start your proposal, using the federal NOFO and/or Application Instructions as your guide, be sure to cross reference requirements in the State RFP, once it is released.

22. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update AmeriCorps Funding Update • In particular, the due date listed in the federal NOFO only applies to multi-state applicants and State Commissions only. • Single-state applicants will have a due date much earlier than what appears in the federal NOFO.

23. 2014 AmeriCorps Funding Update AmeriCorps Funding Update • Competitive Clarification will occur in February and March 2014. • CNCS projects making their Competitive grant funding announcements in April 2014. • The New York State Commission projects making Formula funding announcements in May 2014.

24. AmeriCorps Funding Update IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: • The entire grant schedule deadlines are earlier than 2013-14 process. • Though we are projecting release of the New York State AmeriCorps Request for Proposal in late Fall 2013, a publication date has not been announced yet. Please check the New Yorkers Volunteer Website http://newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov / during this period for information regarding release of the RFP. • All currently operating programs must reapply for 2014 AmeriCorps funding!

25. Volunteer Generation Program

26. Super Storm Sandy Block Grant

27. Changes to AmeriCorps Provisions and Policies

28. 2013-14 AmeriCorps Provisions Change #1: Affiliation with the AmeriCorps National Service Program & Identification as an AmeriCorps Program or Member • AmeriCorps grantee agencies must identify themselves as an AmeriCorps program and members as AmeriCorps members. • All partnership agreements/MOUs related to the AmeriCorps program must state that the program is an AmeriCorps program and AmeriCorps members are the resources provided. • The AmeriCorps name and logo must be displayed on: • Websites • Service gear • Public materials

29. 2013-14 AmeriCorps Provisions 2013-2014 Provision Change #2 Change #2: AmeriCorps Member Death or Injury • The State Commission Office must immediately report any member deaths or serious injuries to the Corporation of National and Community Service • Grantee Incident Notification to State Commission Office • Appendix A-1 of NY State Contract: • Grantee shall notify ONCS of any unusual incident, occurrence or event that involves the staff, volunteers or officers of the grantee or AmeriCorps members. • July 22, 2011 Policy Memo • Grantee shall immediately notify State Commission Office if Prohibited Activities are detected.

30. 2013-14 CNCS Process Change CNCS Process Change #1 Process Change : Citizenship Verification Process • Individuals that cannot be automatically verified by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the AmeriCorps Portal will no longer receive an email from the National Service Hotline requesting documentation. • Instead, AmeriCorps grantees will receive an email notifying them that the individual's Social Security # (SSN) and citizenship could not be verified. What to do: Obtain and review copies of the required documentation to keep in the individual’s physical file.

31. CNCS Policy Update 2013-14 CNCS Policy Update CNCS Process Change #1 Policy Update: AmeriCorps Member Healthcare • CNCS is currently working with the Administration on the requirements that you will have for implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) starting on 1/1/14. • CNCS will be updating AmeriCorps provisions to address the ACA. • Grantees may continue to provide the same healthcare coverage that they are currently providing and that meets current AmeriCorps provisions through 12/31/13. • Questions may be directed to: memberhealthcare@cns.gov

32. IPERA Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (IPERA) • Signed by Obama in 2010 • The law requires federal agencies to periodically review and report on major programs that are susceptible to improper payment. • Testing a random sampling of payments made to CNCS grantees. • First phase randomly-selects payments charged to CNCS- grantees provide list of transactions. • Second phase randomly-selects payments from first phase- grantees provide back up for selected transactions.

33. THANK YOU

34. 2013 New York State AmeriCorps Project Director Training & Annual Meeting Gideon Putnam Hotel October 7-9, 2013 Saratoga Springs, New York www.NewYorkersVolunteer.ny.gov