Apply to host a VISTA Member
What is VISTA?
The AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program was established in 1965 to help bring individuals and communities out of poverty by performing indirect service that increases the capacity of their host organizations. Some examples of indirect service include fundraising, creating communications content, devising community engagement strategies, and developing programs. Members are prohibited from engaging in direct service (services provided through person to person contact, such as tutoring children), focusing instead on creating systemic change. VISTA members are provided with a modest living allowance and health care allowance through CNCS to support their full-time, full-year commitment to combating poverty.
Why host with NCNMEDD?
Many organizations face structural barriers in accessing relationships and resources from the government, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. The NCNMEDD VISTA Program has been developed to provide opportunities for such organizations to break down barriers and ensure lasting capacity building impact for all partners involved. We're here to support your goals and to support a VISTA member through their project.
Through this model the NCNMEDD AmeriCorps VISTA program will:
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Grant AmeriCorps VISTA members to work on self-determined projects at selected organizations for up to three years.
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Administer grant to VISTA regional office, removing reporting burden from host sites.
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Work towards increasing the number and leadership capacity of New Mexico's nonprofit and anit-poverty workforce
Eligibility
Eligible organizations include small, public, and faith-based culturally specific nonprofit organizations located in the NCNMEDD region (Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos, Colfax, Mora, San Miguel, Los Alamos, and Sandoval counties).
The VISTA project is three years in length. Organizations must have the time, staff, and supervisory capacity supervise VISTA members, and provide necessary administrative support to complete the goals and objectives of the project over the duration of these three years. On average, supervisors could expect to spend 2-5 hours per week in VISTA project support. The host site will develop a project plan that identifies key activities and outcomes across a timeframe for the VISTA to complete in their efforts to build organizational capacity through in-direct service, with periodic reports on progress submitted to NCNMEDD. More details can be found on our resources page or by reaching out to our program coordinator, Felicity Fonseca.
Applying for an AmeriCorps VISTA Member
If you are interested in hosting an AmeriCorps VISTA Member, please contact Felicity Fonseca at felicityf@ncnmedd.com or 505-356-9098.
To get an idea what is required in hosting a VISTA position, please look at the VISTA Activity Description (VAD), Tipsheet, and example VAD below to get started organizing your VISTA project. A VAD will be required to participate as a VISTA site.
Selection Criteria
Sites will be selected based off of the following criterion:
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Strength of project
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Regional distribution - areas without VISTA members will have priority
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Cost share - sliding scale
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See the Powerpoint Presentation "Introduction to being a VISTA Site"
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Read the Guidelines for a VISTA Letter of Intent
AmeriCorps VISTA Terms and Conditions
VISTA members do not perform direct service activities, act in a staff capacity, or perform duties that would otherwise be performed by employed workers and which would supplant the hiring of or result in the displacement of employed workers. VISTAs cannot engage in religious instruction, worship, proselytizing, or other religious activity or engage in electoral activities, lobbying, or participate in demonstrations during service hours or while representing (or appearing to represent) AmeriCorps.