SCA AmeriCorps and the Education Award

SCA receives a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service to administer an AmeriCorps Education Award program for our members. Under this grant our host site partners can choose to set up their positions as AmeriCorps-eligible. SCA interns selected into these AmeriCorps-eligible positions have the opportunity to choose to apply to become AmeriCorps members and receive an AmeriCorps Education Award after their completed term. 
Please note that the SCA AmeriCorps Education Award Program is a grant program contingent upon federal funding. SCA receives a set number of spots in the AmeriCorps program each year, and sometimes our numbers exceed the program spots made available to us.


How the SCA AmeriCorps program works

Host site partner submits a position request that meets AmeriCorps eligibility requirements and criteria. 


1. If allotments are available in the SCA AmeriCorps program, the selected SCA intern will be offered the opportunity to apply to become an SCA AmeriCorps member.
2. The SCA AmeriCorps member and the host site partner complete additional requirements during the position.
3. Upon successful completion of their the position and requirements, the member receives an AmeriCorps Education Award in recognition of their AmeriCorps service with SCA.
AmeriCorps
4. Upon successful completion of their the position and requirements, the member receives an AmeriCorps Education Award in recognition of their AmeriCorps service with SCA.
AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps

Overseen by the Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps is a network of organizations that offer opportunities for people to dedicate themselves to a period of long-term service by tutoring and mentoring youth, building affordable housing, cleaning parks and streams, and recruiting, training, and managing community volunteers. In return, AmeriCorps members receive funds they can use for education.

AmeriCorps Education Award

The AmeriCorps education award is a sum of money SCA AmeriCorps members receive after successfully completing their service. Members are able to use this award to pay education costs at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training, or to repay qualified student loans.
Upon selection for a position, members are offered an education award relative to their length of service. Members who choose to enroll in AmeriCorps sign an AmeriCorps Agreement confirming that they will complete both their term of service and their minimum hours. SCA AmeriCorps terms are as follows:

• $1,175 - 300 minimum service hours for positions 8-11 weeks
• $1,468 - 450 minimum service hours for positions 12-23 weeks
• $2,775 - 900 minimum service hours for positions 24-44 weeks
• $5,550 - 1700 minimum service hours for positions 45-52 weeks

AmeriCorps expectations for host site partners



While members are responsible for most requirements for AmeriCorps, there are a few additional expectations for host site partners who choose to participate in AmeriCorps. Our relationship with AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service is an important aspect of our Conservation Internship and Corps Program design and we appreciate your support in reaching our compliance and evaluation requirements.


As a host site partner for an SCA AmeriCorps member, please make sure you are willing to:

• Set up your position's duties and activities to be AmeriCorps-eligible. As a federal program AmeriCorps has specific requirements and prohibited activities. If you choose to make these expectations a part of your position, your position will be "AmeriCorps-eligible".
• Complete the SCA AmeriCorps Site Agreement once per year. This requirement under our federal AmeriCorps grant outlines the expectations for partners. Download it at this link: https://intranet.thesca.org/images/stories/Admin/PSG/acknowledgement_ame... [1]
• Participate in the SCA AmeriCorps webinar training once per year. This training is conducted regularly via an online webinar. Dates, times, and registration information are available at this link [2].
• Approve your member's submitted time logs. Approve your member's time logs -- both activity logs and output logs -- in your MySCA Partner Portal on a bi-weekly basis. For more information, visit the Time Logs section of this manual.
• Verify that member service hours do not include prohibited activities. Members are not allowed to be involved with AmeriCorps prohibited activities. See below for a complete list. Members may participate in these activities as private citizens on non-SCA/AmeriCorps time and should not identify with the SCA AmeriCorps program.
• Complete end-of-term evaluations and mid-term evaluations (if applicable). All SCA AmeriCorps members need completed end-of-term evaluations on file. Members enrolled in 1700-hr and 900-hr terms also need a completed mid-term evaluation. For more information, visit the Intern Evaluation section of this manual.
• Support members to complete their service commitment and minimum hours. Except in compelling personal circumstances (outlined below), members who leave the program early forfeit their education award. Leaving positions early for paid work is not considered an acceptable reason for a member to leave early. Please encourage members to complete their volunteer service commitment and advise members on compelling personal circumstances.
• Support members who desire to attend national service events locally. Periodically throughout the year there may be AmeriCorps-sponsored events in your state or region. Members are encouraged to attend if their schedule allows. These hours can be recorded on their AmeriCorps timesheets under "Training/Education".

AmeriCorps Grievance Procedure


SCA has an informal and formal grievance procedure for SCA AmeriCorps members and external individuals who bring grievances to the SCA AmeriCorps program. The full grievance procedure is available here [3].



AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities


SCA is committed to ensuring that all partners and members are knowledgeable of the acitvities prohibited by AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps prohibited activities include:
Partisan political activities, political advocacy, protests, petitions, strikes, union activity, religious proselytization, for-profit business, abortion services, and general fundraising. The complete list of AmeriCorps prohibited activities is available here [4].



Please contact your Partner Services Coordinator for questions about the SCA AmeriCorps program. The following contacts are also available for additional support you might need related to AmeriCorps:

• AmeriCorps Manager at SCA: Kate Hagner (603) 543-1700 x1133
• AmeriCorps Coordinator at SCA: Sofia Angelo (603) 543-1700 x1367

Kate or Sofia can also be reached at AmeriCorps@theSCA.org.