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OFBCI > AmeriCorps > Resources for Grantees Resources for Grantees

 General Operations | Fiscal and Legal | Program Management

Program Training | Member Management | Reporting | Policies

AmeriCorps is not a traditional volunteer program:

 

AmeriCorps is about:

  • Meeting the needs of our communities
  • Building relationships and partnerships
  • Strengthening civic engagement
  • Developing members' skills and experience
  • Providing carefully planned, well managed and important projects  
  • 'Getting Things Done'

AmeriCorps is not about:

  • 'Busy work'
  • Temporary solutions
  • Employee/volunteer replacement or displacement

AmeriCorps programs must have:

  1. Successful recruitment and placement strategies
  2. A clear structure for members to serve within
  3. Integration of service learning principle.
  4. Provision of training and learning opportunities for both staff and members
  5. Ongoing support and supervision of members and service sites
  6. Leadership, teamwork, and diversity opportunities

Additional Overview Resources
History of Service and Volunteerism

Useful Websites 
AmeriCorps Regulations, Provisions, and FAQ
CNCS Resource Center
EnCorps: Member Recruitment and Development
My AmeriCorps: Apply to Join AmeriCorps and Manage Education Award
National Service Inclusion Project
AmeriCorps Week

Frequently Asked Questions
AmeriCorps*State Policies
Criminal History Checks
Program Evaluation
Member Loan Forgiveness - College Cost Reduction and Access Act
Trust Rulemaking (2010) 

Fiscal and Legal Information Budget Changes

If a program needs to move funds from one line-item to another, the program will need to complete a Budget Modification in OnCorps. The OFBCI will review the request and notify grantees of the status. In some cases, budget changes may also require Corporation approval. If necessary, the OFBCI will request approval from the CNCS and notify the grantee of the status.

Grantees must obtain the prior written approval of the Program Officer before making the following changes in the approved Program design and/or budget:

  • Slot Conversions/Corrections;
  • Changes in the scope, objectives or goals of the Program, whether or not they involve budgetary changes;
  • Substantial changes in the level of participant supervision;
  • Any changes in the budget line items for grantee match and CNCS funds.
  • Specific costs requiring prior approval before incurrence under OMB Circulars A-21, A-87 or A-122. For certain cost items the cost circulars require approval of the awarding agency for the cost to be allowable. Examples of these costs are overtime pay, rearrangement and alteration costs, and pre-award costs; and purchases of equipment over $5,000 using grant funds, unless specified in the approved application and budget.

Grantee Match Overview

The following are guidelines related to grantee match and are meant as a tool to assist programs in developing and tracking match. For a complete list of grantee match requirements, please refer to the Federal Provisions and the Indiana AmeriCorps*State Policies and Procedures.

  • Minimum grantee share is 24% of program costs for the first three years. Overall grantee share of total program costs increases gradually beginning in Year 4 and reaching 50% by the tenth year of funding and any year thereafter.
  • Federal Work Study - a grantee is not required to report such wages on the AmeriCorps grant. 15% of living allowance paid to members for any service beyond the hours worked under the Federal Work Study program must be provided from non-federal sources.
  • Match must not be included as contributions for any other federally-assisted program.
  • Match must be necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient accomplishment of Program objectives.
  • Match must be allowable under applicable OMB Cost Principles (A-21, A-87, A-122) and OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements (A-102 and A-110).
  • Grantee match for administrative costs may not exceed 10% of all direct cost expenditures (Corporation and Grantee Share). If a grantee wants to claim more than 10% match in Administrative costs, it must have or obtain a federally approved indirect cost rate.
  • Grantee must provide and account for the matching funds as agreed upon in the approved application and budget.
  • All match must be verifiable from Grantee records.

Grantee Match and Requests for Reimbursement

According to the AmeriCorps Provisions, AmeriCorps programs are required to meet their budgeted match. The OFBCI will not process the requests for reimbursement if the appropriate match is not being met. If a grantee is not meeting match, the OFBCI will notify the grantee in writing and require a resubmission of the Request for Reimbursement which reflects an appropriate match percentage.

Remember: the match percentage required is that in your approved budget, not the minimum Corporation-defined percentages, if different.

Programs that are significantly behind on match percentages will be asked to submit a memo detailing how the program intends to meet the match requirement by the end of the next period and justify any changes that can account for the difference in match percentages.

If the program continues to not meet its match, Requests for Reimbursement will not be processed and your case will be reviewed by the OFBCI staff. Possible consequences include, but are not limited to:

    Non-payment of Request for Reimbursement
    Non-renewal of grant award for the next program year
    Request for payment from the program for over reimbursement, if applicable

If a grantee is unable to meet it's budgeted match percentages, it may send a written request that the required percentages be lowered. The request should be submitted to the program's Program Officer via a Budget Modification in OnCorps.

Grant Payment Requirements

Grantees must request reimbursement for actual expenditures; therefore, only costs already incurred and posted to the grantee's ledger will be reimbursed.

This is done by creating a Periodic Expense Report (PER) in OnCorps and submitting the PER to the OFBCI for review. Grantees may request reimbursement as often as once a month, but no less frequently than every quarter.

To request reimbursement, complete a PER in OnCorps. OnCorps will automatically calculate budget balances; it is up to you to ensure that budget line items are not overexpended. PERs will not be processed if requests exceed budgeted amounts.

NOTE:

  • PERs must be prepared on an accrual basis, once a month.

  • Cash expenditures reported to Corporation and Grantee Share must be based on actual costs as opposed to budgeted rates.

  • All funds spent must be allowable and correspond with program progress.

  • Amounts reported to Grantee Share for in-kind match should be determined in accordance with applicable OMB Cost Principles (A-21, A-87, A-122) and OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements (A-102 and A-110).

  • Request must not exceed budgeted amount in each line item without a Budget Modification being submitted.

  • Match for the current period (both cash and in-kind) should be reported in the Current Expenditures Grantee Share column of the PER.

  • Section II-Member costs must be commensurate with enrollment status.

Request for Funds Form 

Match Certification Form

Grant Closeout Package
Grant Closeout Package Instructions
Grant Closeout Package Example


 

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Program Management 

Slot Conversion Request Form
Complete this form to convert vacant member slots to other kinds of member slots.  Updated 12/2010

Indiana AmeriCorps New Program Start-Up Guide
This is a supplemental guide to use as you develop your Indiana AmeriCorps program.  Updated 08/2007

Program Director Inclusion Assessment
This is a checklist for Program Directors to assess the overall inclusivity of your Indiana AmeriCorps program.  Updated 12/2011

Indiana AmeriCorps Accessibility Checklist
This is a checklist for accessibility designed for programs and host sites for Indiana AmeriCorps.  Updated 11/2011

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Program Training

Every program year runs from September 1st until August 31st.  An all-program training which covers fiscal and programmatic topics is provided each August.  Conference calls, webinars and face-to-face trainings are scheduled throughout the year.  Attendance is required.

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Member Management and Development

Grievance Procedures
Sample grievance procedures to customize for your program's use.  

Health Care & Child Care Enrollment/Waiver Form
This is a sample form for members to indicate whether they choose to enroll or waive health care and/or child care benefits. Updated 08/2007    

Member Contract
This is a sample member contract to customize for your program’s use. Updated 08/2007 

Member File Checklist                                                                                                                                                                                                                             This is a sample checklist of the minimum requirements for AmeriCorps members’ files. Updated 12/2010                

Publicity Release Form
This is a sample photograph and publicity release form to customize for your program's use.  Every member must sign a publicity release form.  Updated 02/2009

Money Saving Tips
A list of ways to help members live on the AmeriCorps living allowance (developed by Indiana Campus Compact)    

Your Money: How to manage on AmeriCorps low wages, save money and get out of debt!
A resource to assist members during their term of service (developed by Indiana Campus Compact)    

Marketable Skills Gained through Service
Ways for members to market their AmeriCorps experience after their term of service (developed by Indiana Campus Compact)    

 

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Reporting

Progress Reports are submitted quarterly in OnCorps. The below tool below is similar to the report in OnCorps.

2010-2011 Progress Report Guidance

Project STAR
Link to the Corporation's T/TA provider for performance measurement and evaluation

 

 OFBCI Grievance Procedure

 Grievance Procedure

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Indiana State Policies

Indiana AmeriCorps*State programs must adhere to the following:

Public Records, Access to and Copy of (2005-P-05)

INS I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) (Use of) (2006-D-02)

Member Injuries (Reporting of) (2006-P-05)

AmeriCorps*State Risk-Based Monitoring and Compliance (Guidelines for) (2006-P-06)

AmeriCorps*State Multi-Site Programs (Standards for) (2006-P-07)

Signatory Authority (AmeriCorps*State Sub-Grantee Organizations) (2006-P-08)
Blank Form      Sample Form

Grant Application Review Process (2006-P-10)

Wage Garnishment (AmeriCorps*State Member Living Allowance) (2006-P-13)

Performance Measures (Progress Towards) (2006-P-14)

Member Suspensions (2007-P-01)

Unemployment Insurance (2007-P-02)

Sustainability (2007-P-05)

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