Service & Afterschool in Economic Recovery Act

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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has allocated $201 million to the National Corporation for Community Service.  The funding provisions include $89 million for AmeriCorps and $65 million for AmeriCorps VISTA, to place approximately 13,000 additional Corps members in high needs communities that are hard hit by the economic recession.  AmeriCorps members currently help staff many afterschool programs, and many programs utilize VISTA members to build up their capacity.  Additional members from these two service initiatives could be a great resource for struggling afterschool programs.

Overview
AmeriCorps is a federally funded program that provides opportunities for people to serve their community while earning money for college tuition and to repay student loans.  The Corporation has received $89 million in ARRA funds to create an additional 10,000 new national and state AmeriCorps member positions.  The ARRA funds will be utilized to make additional awards to existing AmeriCorps State and national grantees and to provide adjustments to awards made prior to September 30, 2010.  Only current grantees can apply for a one-time “Recovery Grant” (see AmeriCorps website for listing).  Proposals are due by April 3, 2009.  Afterschool groups need to talk to existing grantees as soon as possible to see if afterschool positions can be included in the proposals. 
 

Programs can approach existing AmeriCorps grantees about having new Corps members placed in their afterschool programs, or to explore whether any current afterschool program staff could qualify as Corps members, and ease pressures to let go of staff due to tight budgets.  A website has been created by the Corporation for National Service on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  On the site, go to “National Service In Your State” to see existing AmeriCorps grantees in your area. 

AmeriCorps VISTA members serve as resources to help community organizations build up capacity.  VISTA will use the influx of ARRA funds to create an additional 3,000 non cost share member positions for new and existing sponsors.  VISTA members are committed to a one year term of service.  Applications for the one-time VISTA recovery grants will be accepted throughout the year and applicants encouraged to think about the FY10 funding cycle as well as ARRA.

Basic Facts - tools and materials about the programs as they currently operate, how they have been used to support afterschool, and the administration and application process.

• Fact Sheet on AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.
• AmeriCorps website for information on applying for program funding.
• From The Finance Project: Funding Note - Corporation for National and Community Service Funding Opportunities for Afterschool, January 2009.
• AmeriCorps Guidance on ARRA.
• AmeriCorps Recovery Act Implementation Plan.
• VISTA Guidance on ARRA.
• VISTA Recovery Act Implementation Plan.

Make the Case - Use these resources to help make the case and prioritize afterschool programs in the economic recovery package’s AmeriCorps. 

• Issue Brief: Afterschool, Community Service and Volunteerism
• Issue Brief: Afterschool and Service-Learning

Questions, Answers and Ideas - Read and share questions and strategies about tapping this funding stream in the ARRA on the Afterschool Alliance’s Economic Recovery Wiki.