LITERACY KC is an Intermediary AmeriCorps VISTA Sponsoring Organization
Since 2016, Literacy KC has served as an intermediary sponsoring organization for the AmeriCorps Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) program. As an intermediary, the Literacy KC partners with local organizations serving as AmeriCorps member host sites. AmeriCorps VISTA members provide a year of service to these organizations, bringing their passion and determination where the need is greatest. AmeriCorps VISTAs take on various missions in the community with the similar goal of eradicating poverty in our communities. The Literacy KC VISTA program members serve in a professional setting building partnerships, raising awareness, writing grants, organizing volunteers, and more.
Check us out on Facebook Literacy KC VISTA Program
Click here for frequently asked questions about AmeriCorps.
Questions about Literacy KC’s VISTA program? Send us an email.
BENEFITS OF AMERICORPS VISTA
- Living Allowance – A modest living allowance of $675.00 every two weeks to cover basic expenses.
- End of Service Award – Choose between a Segal Education Award of $6,495 to pay for a range of education experiences or a cash stipend of $1,800.
- Healthcare Benefit – Choose between reimbursement for healthcare or a healthcare plan. Dental and vision are also included. This is NOT health insurance.
- Professional Development Training – Attend in-person and virtual professional development opportunities throughout the year.
- Child Care Assistance – You may be eligible if you have children under the age of 13.
- Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) – NCE is a unique hiring path which makes it easier for federal agencies to hire you.
- Spring and Fall VISTA Advances – Our VISTAs don’t “retreat” – we ADVANCE! Twice a year we gather our VISTAs to cover AmeriCorps policies, learn different skills and have a great time together. The Spring Advance is typically an overnight event and the Fall Advance is a full day.
Click here for more information about AmeriCorps VISTA benefits.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Be 18 years or older.
- Pass a national service criminal history check – previous conviction(s) do not necessarily disqualify applicants.
- Hold one of the following statuses: US Citizen, LPR, refugee, asylee, DACA, or TPS.
APPLY TO BE AN AMERICORPS VISTA
- Create a profile on my.americorps.gov.
- Search for AmeriCorps VISTA opportunities. To find Literacy KC’s VISTA listings, find the quick search section and type LKC as program name.
- Submit an application for VISTA opportunities you’re interested in and a VISTA Leader will contact you to set up a prescreen interview to answer any questions you may have about the program.
HOSTING AN AMERICORPS MEMBER WITH THE LITERACY KC VISTA PROJECT
As an Intermediary, Literacy KC recruits, trains, and deploys AmeriCorps VISTA members to organizations through the KC Metro to build capacity through volunteer management, communication, outreach, research, and more. Hosting an AmeriCorps member through the Literacy KC VISTA Project allows community partners to expand their organization’s capacity to better serve their clients. The Literacy KC VISTA Project Team is responsible for the overall reporting and compliance, while the day-to-day supervision is conducted by the host site. Additionally, members serve for 32-40 hours per week at their nonprofits while receiving a living stipend. The cost to host an AmeriCorps member through the Literacy KC VISTA Project is $5400 per VISTA member per year. To fill out an application, please click here or contact Sierra Faust.
HOST SITE QUALIFICATIONS
- Organizations must be a 501(c)3 or public institution.
- Organizations must focus in part or in full on alleviating poverty.
- Organizations must be able to pay $5400 plus gas mileage reimbursement for sub-site service-related travel. Literacy KC will cover the mileage cost for travel to VISTA events.
- Organizations must be able to provide sufficient supervision, including weekly check-ins, and bi-annual reporting per the Literacy KC VISTA Project MOU.
- Organizations must have the ability to provide necessary technology and workspace. VISTA members are able to work remotely or a hybrid schedule depending on the requirements of the sub-site. However, VISTAs must live in the community served by the organization of their sub-site.
Send us an email if your organization is interested in hosting an AmeriCorps member through the Literacy KC VISTA Project.