[NLA] literacy and homeland security?

[LVAILL@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/5/2002 9:55:50 AM Central Standard Time, 
alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu writes:


> received a letter from the Vista office stating that if they cannot draw a 
> link between the work being done in the literacy program and homeland 
> security, the Vista workers would need to be pulled from the 

We have not seen that in Illinois, but every state is different.  Illinois' 
Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) office has always had a 
focus on education in VISTA and that continues.  However, the Illinois CNCS 
office is also requiring a cost match of $10,000, the cost of the living 
allowance.  CNCS estimates their contribution of an educational award, health 
insurance and initial and in-service training for members to be $10,000 as 
well.  That is limiting the number of agencies that want (or can afford) 
VISTA members. 

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has become a 
favorite agency to run administration initiatiatives through, especially when 
they don't get congressional approval for something, i.e., America Reads.  
After that as program operators we dealt with Colin Powell's Promise and had 
to incorporate one of his first four promises into our annual objectives and 
were all required to do the fifth which is to provide opportunities for youth 
"to give something back."

The RFP's for AmeriCorps grants (not VISTA that is a different system) are 
due out this week .  Those go to states and "national direct" progams.  
States have some latitude in writing their own calls for proposals and 
setting their own priorities, but we are told there will be a focus on 
homeland security and a preference given to those applicants.  How much of a 
focus and how much preference we're not sure. 
 
There's been talk about all AmeriCorps grantees and sub-grantees doing at 
least one homeland security objective.   Our state commission  (Illinois 
Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service) had a planning retreat two 
weeks ago, and we recommended that rather than having all programs involved 
with homeland security that CNCS set a target for the number of members they 
want involved in such an effort say 10%, 25%, 50% and let states implement 
it.  I also liked the idea of giving non-homeland security type programs 
extra points in review if they were able to effectively incorporate homeland 
security or those such issues in their programs.  Our Commission also asked 
CNCS to more clearly articulate what they consider homeland security issues.  
At this point it is broad and includes civil defense, law enforcement 
including community policing, and a range of public health topics and issues. 
 

In addition to a focus on homeland security, it appears that CNCS will also 
be seeking to advance the Leave No Child Behind programming.  There will be 
specific training requirements for members who are tutoring children and at 
this point they are saying that they want those members to have an 
Associate's Degree as well.  There are also a variety of changes being made 
on "allowable activities" for members, and in the future members can be 
involved with fundraising and capacity-building activities.  

Now that states will have the federal guidelines, they will be developing 
their own RFPs.   Though each state sets their own guidelines and processes 
for funding, most will be announcing three-year funding opportunities this 
fall with a submission date most likely in the spring.  Anyone interested in 
sponsoring AmeriCorps programs should follow that process with their State 
Commission on Community Service.  It varies as to where the Commission is 
"housed" in each state, but it can be accessed through the national 
membership organization for state commissions - America's Service Commission 
at <asc-online.org>.  

Dorothy Miaso
Executive Director

LVA-Illinois
30 East Adams Street, Suite 1130
Chicago, IL  60603
312/857-1582
312/857-1586 (fax)
literacyvolunteersillinois.org (web site)
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