AmeriCorps Policy & Operations

1. AmeriCorps Policy & Operations

2. Peg Rosenberry, Director of Grants Management Kristin McSwain, Director of AmeriCorps OGM Updates

3. Overview • Unexpended Funds in Formula Grants • The New Federal Financial Report and Program Income • Common Audit Findings

4. Managing Unexpended Funds in Formula Grants • Commissions and CNCS need to ensure unexpended funds do not build up in formula grants. • Commissions must monitor fund usage closely. • Undrawn funds at HHS affect the Corporation’s financial audit.

5. Carryover of Unexpended Funds • Commissions will report unexpended funds on FFRs. Grants officers will review FFRs and compare with amounts drawn from HHS. • Commissions should incorporate unexpended funds in the next year’s budget;……. • Or, confirm with Grants and Program Officers the amount of unexpended funds to deduct from the next award.

6. Unexpended Funds • CNCS staff will work with commissions to identify funds to re-distribute to other states……OR….. • Commissions will incorporate unexpended funds into the current year’s application …..AND…. • Commissions can carry over funds into the next year…..BUT…. • Excessive amounts will be questioned and considered in making competitive decisions.

7. Threshold of Unexpended Funds Allowed as Carryover Without Question • Year 1: Not applicable • Year 2: 30% • Year 3: 25% • Year 4: 20% • Year 5: 10% • Year 6: 5%

8. Supplemental Requests • We will continue to make unrequested and unexpended funds available to states that can use them. • Current criteria for accessing supplemental funds apply.

9. New Financial Report • Commissions may start using it for the Admin, PDAT and Disability reports due January 30 • Grantees will continue to use eGrants to submit the FFR • Grantees will start reporting excess program income, in addition to program income reported as match.

10. What is Program Income? • Any revenue earned as a direct result ofactivities supported under the grant. • Program income must be used as stipulated in the grant provisions. Most grantees use it to meet matching requirements. • Fees for service are program income. • A foundation grant received to support the program is not program income. • Program income FAQs are on the Corporation’s website.

11. Common Audit Findings • AmeriCorps member timekeeping is not accurate. Members are credited with hours they did not serve or staff make mathematical errors. • Staff members do not maintain timesheets or timekeeping is not adequate. • General ledger numbers do not match the FSR. • Subgrantee monitoring systems are inadequate or not implemented effectively. • Match is not properly recorded and tracked, particularly in-kind donations. • Costs not in the approved budget.

12. Questions?

13. AmeriCorps Policy & Operations Policy Update with Amy Borgstrom

14. WBRS Transition • My AmeriCorps and your systems • Current timeline • Q and A

15. Policy Update • Application Instructions • AmeriCorps Rule • Single State EAPs • CCRAA Update  • HEART Act • New Policy FAQs and Best Practice FAQs     • Dates to Remember

16. Application Instructions • Single match • New fields • Clarification Information • Continuation Changes • Evaluation requirement • Labor Union concurrence • New MSY factors • eGrants will be open late September

17. AmeriCorps Rule • Member evaluations • Performance measurement • National service insignia • False or misleading statements • State service plans • IG access to records • Definition of same project • Member = participant • Voter registration drives prohibited • Living allowance disbursement • Living allowance waiver • Civil rights • State commission membership

18. Single State EAPs • Starts with recompeting programs in 2010: MA, NC, NY, TX, WI, • 2011: AZ, MS, NM • We will be working with each commission with single state EAPS to ensure a smooth transition

19. CCRAA Update • College Cost Reduction and Access Act • AmeriCorps service is considered an eligible public service position • Offers Income-based Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness • FAQs available on Communication Center and Resource Center

20. HEART Act • Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 signed June 16. • Excludes AmeriCorps benefits from being counted as income to determine eligibility for SSI. • All AmeriCorps now aligns with VISTA. • Does not extend to SSDI.

21. New Policy FAQs & Best Practice FAQs • Thirty-six new Policy FAQs derived from real Q and A. • Seventeen new Policy FAQs derived from AmeriCorps State and National Updates. • Twenty-two new Best Practice FAQs derived from the Program Director’s Handbook.

22. Dates to Remember • November 4, 2008: Admin/PDAT/Disability reports and applications due • December 1, 2008: Grantee Progress Reports due • January 13, 2009: Application deadline • May 9-16, 2009: AmeriCorps Week • June 22-24, 2009: National Conference on Volunteering and Service • September 2009: Grantee Meeting in Washington D.C.

23. AmeriCorps Policy & Operations Update on The Portal with Kristin McSwain

24. AmeriCorps Policy & Operations Grant Application Review Process with Lenny Teh

25. A Look at GARP in ’09? • Funding Availability • Process Flow • Formula Submission • Supplemental A-P-D

26. Analysis of Funding Availability • Large and extremely competitive year • Approx. $40M available • Board target of 15% for new programs • Current pool of $45M excluding disaster • Anticipate funding gap < $11M

27. Process Flow Applications Compliance Review Peer Review Staff Review Clarification Period Recommendation for Funding Final Funding Decision Award

28. Applications Compliance Review Peer Review Continued

29. Intent to Apply • Why do we ask this? • Impact on the review process

30. Applications Compliance Review Peer Review Continued

31. Staff Review Clarification Period Continued

32. Clarification Period • April 13th – May 15th(5 week process) • Resolution of issues • Negotiation of performance measures • Critical that commission staff be available to resolve clarification issues

33. Recommendation for Funding Final Funding Decision Award

34. Final Funding Decision • Important for programs to indicate accurate start and end dates • Decisions will be based on the resolution of matters identified and corrected during clarification • Target award date for grantees will be June 30th

35. Formula Deadline • No later than Tuesday, July 7th, 2009, 5PM EST

36. Supplemental A-P-D • Guidance expected in the Fall • Awards made in late-March/early-April

37. Questions?

38. AmeriCorps Policy & Operations T/TA and the role of CNCS POs and TOs with Mikel Herrington & Ralph Morales