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Iowa College Corps AmeriCorps

ORIENTATION�

Seed Coalition

2025-26

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INTRODUCTIONS

Name & Role/Title

College or Institution

Number of AmeriCorps Members Serving at Your Institution

One Fun Thing You Did this Summer

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Iowa College Corps AmeriCorps Staff

CARLY BAHNSEN

Sr. Program Manager

RIAH COLEY

Program Manager

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AGENDA

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GRANT OVERVIEW

FINANCIAL OBLIGATION

MEMBER ACTIVITIES & MANAGEMENT

PROGRAM

SPECIFICS

NEXT STEPS

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GRANT & PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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AMERICORPS�

AmeriCorps: Local version of the Peace Corps
AmeriCorps members address critical needs such as literacy, health, education, economic development, and many other fields.
Its mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement.
Provides opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and their country through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups.

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IOWA College Corps AMERICORPS PROGRAM

Seed Coalition partners with AmeriCorps through Volunteer Iowa and our member campuses to address and achieve the goals of the program (retention and civic responsibility).

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25-26 Program Year

9 Host Sites

20+ SubHost Sites

55 Members

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PROGRAM PRIORITIES

Primary:

Address low retention rates of first-gen, low-income, and underrepresented students providing mentoring and career support.
The program will focus on the importance of civic engagement through training and experiences

Secondary:

Member activities should be helping their host site/sub-host site develop new organizational resources or systems, and/or provide direct service to the community through the organization.

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So about half of our members are serving to address our primary program priority, which is addressing low student retention rates. Our performance measures specifically target/measure retention rates of first-gen, low-income, and underrepresented students. The way AC members address this goal is through peer or close to peer mentoring on their college campus. The program also focuses on the importance of civic engagement training (like CAA - which is a student conference that we offer in Nov.) and other hands-on experiences.
The secondary program priority is to give students the necessary skills and experiences to be active and informed citizens in their communities. So the other half of our program consists of members serving at local nonprofit organizations (which we also refer to as sub-host sites). Members may also be serving directly at the college or university.

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FUNDING SOURCE & POLICY STRUCTURE

AMERICORPS

Federal agency
Creates rules & regulations around AmeriCorps projects
Supports community improvement projects
Awards grant funds to state & national service programs (commissions).

VOLUNTEER IOWA

Grant funder (state level)
Determines rules and policies at a local level
Part of a network of state service commissions
Dedicated to empowering Iowans through service to meet community needs

SEED COALITION

Program administrator
Determines program policies based on program purpose/focus
Nonprofit, membership-based org
We serve students, higher ed professionals, & community members

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FINANCIAL OBLIGATION

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COST SHARE

Host sites are required to pay a cost share (i.e. program fee) for positions that receive a living allowance.

All cost share payments go directly towards member living allowances or direct program expenses.

FT=$22,500
MT Paid = $2,250
MT Unpaid = $100

Cost share will be invoiced for position(s) that are successfully recruited.

If you are unable to recruit for a position, you will be invoiced for 20% of the cost share amount.

Cost share payments will be invoiced bi-annually.

At no point will a cost share payment be refunded to a host site.

Cost share is basically a buy-in from our host sites and sub host sites to help cover the cost of member living allowance (for paid members) or to help cover the cost of other program fees like running background checks, trainings, and other program resources. All AmeriCorps programs are required to obtain cost shares or host site fees to help support the grant.
Cost shares will only be invoiced if you have successfully recruited a member. Our host site agreement also outlines if you are unable to recruit for a position, it is at the program’s discretion to invoice 20% of whatever the cost share amount is. If you have any questions about the fee for unrecruited positions, I’m happy to schedule a call to talk about what that is, why we implemented it, and what it’s used for.
Cost share payments will be sent out twice throughout the program yr - once in September and once in February.
Cost share payments will NOT be refunded if a member drops out. However, if a member exits the program before the second cost share payment, we will not invoice for that second cost share.

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MATCH REQUIREMENTS

Host sites are not required (this year) to submit documentation for match or additional cash as match due to our new grant budget structure.

Match is any sort of financial resource or in-kind contribution outside of the direct program fee. Ex. Housing.

We may request documentation for the match your program provides, such as housing/meal plans.

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MATCH - FEDERAL WORK STUDY

Programs are required to provide official documentation of each member’s FWS Award, as well as semesterly updates on earnings.

All Federal Work Study eligibility will be used as match for the program, but only $1750 can be used toward the cost share.

Paid members will receive payments throughout their service term (one from Seed and one from their institution), until their Federal Work Study money is exhausted. Members will continue to receive their stipend from Seed until the end of their term.

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AMERICORPS POSITIONS & ACTIVITIES

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POSITION OVERVIEW

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ALLOWABLE SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Allowable activities are those that are AmeriCorps-approved and have been created by Seed Coalition staff specifically to support the program goals.

AmeriCorps member activities are outlined in the member position description and the member should only be performing the activities listed therein.

Activities can be modified/adjusted/added if needed with pre-approval from Seed Coalition program staff.

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All AmeriCorps service activities must be allowable and appropriate. So when I say allowable, I’m referring to lawful/permitted activities - and when I say appropriate, what I mean they should fit within the scope of our program goals, priorities, and performance measures. Most of our positions are filled with students, so again, when I say appropriate, that also means they should not fall outside of the capabilities of a new professional.
As you all know by now as we work through position descriptions, AC activities are carefully crafted and outlined on each member position description. Members should ONLY be performing the activities that are listed on the position description.
If there are major components or activities that need to be added at some point throughout the member’s term of service, that is allowed, but it must be approved by our staff and then made official with a signed agreement amendment from the member and supervisor.

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UNALLOWABLE SERVICE SITES

For-profit companies or organizations
Individuals not connected with an allowable organization (e.g., family members, neighbors)
Organizations that only focus on fundraising
Organizations that sell items and/or goods that go toward supporting overhead organization costs (e.g., staff wages, operations)
Partisan political organizations
Any organization that’s mission is clearly aligned with an AmeriCorps prohibited activity

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AmeriCorps members are only allowed to serve at approved service sites.
Members are not allowed to serve at organizations that are for-profit.�Members are also not allowed to serve with individuals who are not connected with an allowable organization - so for example, we can’t place an AC position with a family member, neighbor, friend, etc, who run some sort of side business.
AmeriCorps members are not typically permitted to do fundraising, so it is pretty unusual for a member to be placed at host sites that do only fundraising activities (ex. Organizations like Make-A-Wish-Foundation).
Other un-allowable service sites include:

Orgs that sell items or goods that go directly toward supporting overhead costs
Partisan political organizations
Or any organization that’s mission is clearly aligned with AmeriCorps prohibited activities.

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PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

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PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

While serving in the AmeriCorps position, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities associated with the AmeriCorps Program or CNCS, members and volunteers recruited by members are prohibited to engage in the following activities.

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Attempting to influence legislation
Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes
Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing
Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements
Engaging in partisan political activities or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office
Participate in or endorsing events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, platforms, candidates, proposed legislation or elected officials
Engaging in religious instruction; conducting worship services; providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship; constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship; maintain facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship; or engaging in any form of religious proselytization

So in Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations - there is a list of prohibited activities which states that while charging time to the AmeriCorps program; accumulating service or training hours; or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program, staff and members may not engage in the following activities: (I’m going to read through these kind of quickly, and I’ll provide some examples where I think they might be needed, but others are pretty self explanatory).�So the following activities are prohibited:

Attempting to influence legislation (contacting elected officials directly through calls, emails, or in person, attending public meetings, etc.)
Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes
Assisting, promoting or deterring union organizing
Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements (so actions that interfere with existing contracts)
Engaging in partisan political activities or activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office (so campaigning for a candidate, volunteering for a political party, etc.)
Members may not participate in or endorse events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, platforms, candidates, proposed legislation or elected officials
(Shortened up) Members may not engage in religious instruction, worship, or proselytization (so converting someone from one religion to another).

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PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES (CONT’D)

8. Providing a direct benefit to:

A business for profit;
A labor union;
A partisan political organization;
A non-profit entity that fails to comply with restrictions contained in section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 related to engaging in political activities or substantial amount of lobbying except that nothing in these provisions shall be constructed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative;
An organization engaged in religious activities as described above (7), unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities

9. Conducting voter registration drive or using CNCS funds to conduct a voter registration drive

10. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services

11. Other such activities as CNCS/ICVS may prohibit

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AmeriCorps members may not engage in the above activities directly or indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary purpose of engaging in one of the activities listed above.

8. Provide a direct benefit to:

A business for profit;
A labor union;
A partisan political organization;
A non-profit entity that fails to comply with restrictions contained in section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
Or an organization engaged in religions activities as described above in 7, unless corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities

9. Members cannot conduct voter registration drives

10. Provide abortion services or referrals there to

11. Or any other such activities as CNCS or Volunteer Iowa may prohibit.

Members should not engage in any of these activities listed directly or indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary purpose of engaging in one of the activities listed.

It should be duly noted though that as private citizens, members may participate in any of the activities as long as it is OUTSIDE of their AmeriCorps service time.

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NON-DUPLICATION

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Corporation assistance may not be used to duplicate an activity that is already available in the locality of a program.
Corporation assistance will not be provided to a private nonprofit entity to conduct activities that are the same or substantially equivalent to activities provided by a State or local government agency in which such entity resides.

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NON-DISPLACEMENT

An employer may not displace an employee or position, including partial displacement such as reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, as a result of the use by such employer of a participant in a program receiving Corporation assistance.
An organization may not displace a volunteer by using a participant in a program receiving Corporation assistance.
A service opportunity will not be created under this chapter that will infringe in any manner on the promotional opportunity of an employed individual.
A participant in a program receiving Corporation assistance may not perform any services or duties or engage in activities that would otherwise be performed by an employee as part of the assigned duties of such employee.
A participant in any program receiving assistance under this chapter may not perform any services or duties, or engage in activities, that— (i) Will supplant the hiring of employed workers; or (ii) Are services, duties, or activities with respect to which an individual has recall rights pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or applicable personnel procedures.
A participant in any program receiving assistance under this chapter may not perform services or duties that have been performed by or were assigned to any— (i) Presently employed worker; (ii) Employee who recently resigned or was discharged; (iii) Employee who is subject to a reduction in force or who has recall rights pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or applicable personnel procedures; (iv) Employee who is on leave (terminal, temporary, vacation, emergency, or sick); or (v) Employee who is on strike or who is being locked out.

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FUNDRAISING

AmeriCorps Members may raise resources directly in support of your Program's service activities. Examples of fundraising activities AmeriCorps Members may perform include, but are not limited to the following:

Seeking donations of books from companies and individuals for a program in which volunteers teach children to read;
Writing a grant proposal to a foundation to secure resources to support the training of volunteers;
Securing supplies and equipment from the community to enable volunteers to help build houses for low-income individuals;
Seeking donations of books from companies and individuals for a program in which volunteers teach children to read;
Securing financial resources from the community to assist in launching or expanding a program that provides social services to the Members of the community and is delivered, in whole or in part, through the Members of a community-based organization;
Seeking donations from alumni of the program for specific service projects being performed by current Members.

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AmeriCorps members are generally disallowed from fundraising activities, but they may raise resources directly in support of your program’s service activities. Examples of fundraising activities that AC member MAY perform include but are not limited to:

Seeking donations of books from companies and individuals for a program in which volunteers teach children to read;
Writing a grant proposal to a foundation to secure resources to support the training of volunteers;
Securing supplies and equipment from the community to enable volunteers to help build houses for low-income individuals;
Seeking donations of books from companies and individuals for a program in which volunteers teach children to read;
Securing financial resources from the community to assist in launching or expanding a program that provides social services to the Members of the community and is delivered, in whole or in part, through the Members of a community-based organization;
Seeking donations from alumni of the program for specific service projects being performed by current Members.

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FUNDRAISING LIMITATIONS

AmeriCorps Members may not:

Raise funds for their living allowance;
Raise funds for an organization’s operating expenses or

endowment;

Write a grant application for funding provided by a federal agency including AmeriCorps VISTA, Summer VISTA Associates, the Corporation for National Community Service grant proposals, and AmeriCorps grants.

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UNALLOWABLE SERVICE ACTIVITY EXAMPLES

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Post content or updates on social media and/or website.

WHY? Because this is something someone at your organization should be or is already doing - this is more of a management-level activity.

INSTEAD: Members can create social media content or an outreach strategy and can assess current website content, identify areas that need to be updated or improved, & provide recommended changes to the site supervisor.

Create flyers for resources at a host site that include abortion services.

WHY? Members are never allowed to provide abortion services or provide referrals of such services as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations

INSTEAD: Select a different service activity or a different service site.

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UNALLOWABLE SERVICE ACTIVITY EXAMPLES

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Recruit volunteers to tend the campus-community garden to sell produce at the local market.

WHY? Members can never work on a project where the goods will eventually be sold for a profit.

INSTEAD: If the only use for the garden is to sell items at a market, identify a new service site. If produce is donated to nonprofits as well as sold for a profit, ensure that the member is ONLY working on those donated, not-for-profit items. If you cannot guarantee this, then identify a different service site.

Create marketing materials for annual fundraiser.

WHY? OMB guidance states that “marketing” and “promotional” are words strictly identifiable with transfer of money. Additionally, annual fundraisers are generally held for nonprofits to raise funds for overhead costs, which are always unallowable.

INSTEAD: Change “marketing to another phrase. Ensure that the member does NOT record hours for any fundraiser where any portion of those funds are going toward overhead costs not directly traceable to the member’s service project.

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MEMBER MANAGEMENT & SUPERVISION

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ENROLLMENT & RETENTION

Host sites are expected to enroll 100% of their awarded positions.

Host sites are also expected to retain at least 85% of their AmeriCorps positions.

Program can elect to collect a fee of 20% of the total cost share per position for unrecruited members.

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SUPERVISION

AmeriCorps requires that all AmeriCorps members are assigned a site supervisor. The site supervisor might be on your campus, or it might be at a non-profit organization.

Contact information for each campus and/or site supervisor of your approved positions MUST be included in the Host Site Agreement.

If there is a change in supervision (either on campus or at the site), it is the responsibility of the host site to notify Seed Coalition staff right away.

If supervisor transition is not communicated to Seed Coalition staff prior to the supervisor change, then the host site is at risk for disallowment of positions.

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SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

AmeriCorps site supervisors are expected to:

Submit grant reports by the due dates
Ensure AmeriCorps members complete all necessary paperwork and documentation of the program
Notify program staff of member issues and concerns as soon as possible
Provide an on-site orientation for their AmeriCorps member(s)
Meet weekly or bi-weekly with their AmeriCorps members
Monitor and approve bi-weekly timesheets in OnCorps (timekeeping system)

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OTHER PROGRAM DETAILS

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TERM DATES

AmeriCorps positions are tied to specific term dates.

Only hours served between the start and end date can be counted for the member’s minimum hour requirement. Hours cannot be flexed before or after.
Members cannot start until AFTER they have completed all background checks.
Even if a member completes their minimum required hours before their end date, they are expected to continue serving through their term end date.

Term dates are determined by program staff and site supervisors. Some factors include: Program/position need, member schedule, academic calendar.

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Most member term dates have already been determined, but for a little bit of context, all AC positions are tied to specific term dates and only hours served between those dates can be counted toward the member’s hour requirement. Hours cannot be flexed before or after.
AC members cannot start until AFTER they have completed all enrollment requirements including background checks, signing their MSA, and any other necessary paperwork.�Something else to note is that even if a member completes their required hours before their end date, they’re still expected to continue serving through their term end date unless they have finished all project requirements and have approval from the site supervisor and program staff.
Term dates are typically determined before the member begins based on program, organization, and specific position needs, but it can also be altered based on the recruited member’s schedule and the academic calendar.

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PAID AMERICORPS POSITIONS

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AmeriCorps positions are awarded to the host site

Paid AmeriCorps positions are on Seed Coalition (program) payroll through iSolved.

Members are NOT paid directly by their service site.

Members whose host site is using FWS to cover cost share will receive a portion of their living allowance (FWS dollars) directly from the host site institution and a portion from the program. All members should receive the exact same living allowance ($4000).

AC positions are awarded directly to the host site institution and then in some cases, depending on the program, placed at non profit organizations affiliated with the campus.
Paid AC members are on Seed Coalition’s payroll through our vendor, iSolved. They are not paid by the service site.
Members whose host site institution is using FWS to cover part of the cost share will receive a portion of their living allowance, which consists of FWS dollars, directly from the host site institution and the other portion from the AmeriCorps program. Whether a member receives FWS or not and no matter the FWS amount, the total living allowance amount will (and should) always amount to $4000. As a program, we are required to ensure each member is paid exactly the same amount. If your member is receiving FWS, we must ensure that they do not earn OVER the awarded amount.
As a reminder, all positions should be providing indirect (or non-administrative) services to the host site.

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Reports, Trainings, and PD’s

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Reporting Requirements (OnCorps)

Member Position Description - Due 2 weeks before member start date.
Initial Narrative Progress Report - Due December 12, 2025
First Semester Report - Due March 6, 2026
Second Semester Report - Due September 11, 2026
Final Narrative Report - Due September 11, 2026

Most of our reporting requirements are done in OnCorps, but we do occasionally collect some of our narratives through Formstack, the member timekeeping system. Members who are participating in mentoring or student support roles will have some responsibilities in reporting for performance measures, as will supervisors of mentoring members.
We ask that member position descriptions be submitted to us no later than 2 wks before the member’s start date.
Other required reporting includes the initial narrative progress report which is due Dec. 12, the first semester report which is due March 6, the second semester report is due Sept. 11 as well as the final narrative report. The first and second semester reports are minimal for those who don’t participate in the mentoring track of our program. All of these dates are outlined in the host site agreement. All of the reporting requirements will be communicated via email in advance of the due date.

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WHAT’S NEXT

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Finalize Member Position Descriptions through program planning documents
Finalize Recruitment and Submit Official Nomination Form(s)
Ensure Host Site Agreement is Reviewed, Signed, and Submitte
Members: Contact Form, Background Check, and AmeriCorps Orientation
Receive Supervisor OnCorps Login Credentials

We do have somewhat of a rolling start date timeline, so depending on the host site and program need, members will be starting at different times throughout September. If members have not been recruited yet, because everyone is on a slightly different timeline, members may even be starting in Oct.
If you have not yet, we will work to finalize your member(s) position descriptions through a shared Google Doc that we call the “program planning document”.
If you have not yet, you will submit nomination forms on behalf of your students (or applicant).
If you haven’t yet, please sign your HSA or delegate it to the appropriate signer. HSAs MUST be signed before members can begin their service.
Once we receive the member nomination form, we begin the enrollment process with the nominated member which includes some light paperwork, background checks, and an AmeriCorps member orientation.

For those of you who are directly supervising AmeriCorps members, you’ll see an email from me by the end of the week with your OnCorps (which again is the official AmeriCorps timekeeping system) login credentials and a short tutorial about how to review and approve timesheets.

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QUESTIONS

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GRANT & MEMBER MANAGEMENT

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Provide on-site orientation for member(s)

Meet regularly with member

Monitor & approve timesheets

Submit grant reports

Submit financial documentation (as applicable)

Complete mid- term evaluations of members (as applicable)

Participate in site visit with Seed Co staff (as applicable)

Complete end- of-term evaluation of member(s)

Coordinate with Seed Co staff to exit member(s)

Communicate regularly with Seed Co staff

Submit final grant performance measure report

Submit all financial documentation as required