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AmeriCorps Program Manual

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CONTENTS
1.1 Introduction and the Role of Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service ............................... 3
1. WELCOME ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
2. PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM MANUAL ............................................................................................................ 3
3. BACKGROUND ON THE IOWA COMMISSION ON VOLUNTEER SERVICE ........................................................... 4
4. OVERVIEW OF AMERICORPS STATE IN IOWA .................................................................................................. 8
1.2 Volunteer Iowa Support and Monitoring of AmeriCorps State Programs ........................... 8
1. INTRODUCTION TO VOLUNTEER IOWA SUPPORT AND MONITORING ............................................................ 9
2. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING FOR IOWA AMERICORPS PROGRAMS .............................................. 9
3. COMMUNICATION WITH VOLUNTEER IOWA STAFF ...................................................................................... 15
4. PROGRAM MONITORING AND RISK ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................... 15
5. MONITORING AND SUPPORT ........................................................................................................................ 18
1.3 Leadership and Public Policy .......................................................................................... 27
1. GOALS FOR PROGRAM LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC POLICY .............................................................................. 27
2. UTILIZING RESEARCH AND DATA ................................................................................................................... 27
3. DEVELOPING PROGRAM LEADERS AND CHAMPIONS .................................................................................... 28
4. UNDERSTANDING AND CONNECTING WITH THE POLICY PROCESS AND POLICY MAKERS ............................. 29
1.4 Calendar of Events ......................................................................................................... 30
2.1 Program Management ................................................................................................... 40
1. APPROVED GRANT AND PROGRAM DESIGN .................................................................................................. 40
2. GOVERNING DOCUMENTS FOR AMERICORPS STATE PROGRAMS ................................................................ 40
3. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES .......................................................................................................................... 43
4. AMERICORPS-SPECIFIC PROGRAM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ................................................................... 44
5. INTERNAL STAFFING ...................................................................................................................................... 49
6. NOTIFICATIONS TO VOLUNTEER IOWA .......................................................................................................... 50
7. STATEWIDE AMERICORPS PROGRAM ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................... 52
8. AMERICORPS PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE ..................................... 52
9. PROGRAM RECORD KEEPING ......................................................................................................................... 54
10. PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION (TERMS AND CONDITIONS) PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION ................................. 55
2.2 NSCHC ........................................................................................................................... 59
1. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS .......................................................................................... 59
2. IOWA PROGRAM NSCHC CHECKS .................................................................................................................. 69
3. HIGH PROGRAM MONITORING LEVEL AND NEW GRANTEES ........................................................................ 70
4. MODERATE OR LOW PROGRAM MONITORING LEVEL GRANTEE ................................................................... 73
2.3 Performance Measures, Reporting, and Evaluation ........................................................ 79
1. THEORY OF CHANGE AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES ................................................................................................... 79
2. PROGRAM REPORTING.................................................................................................................................................... 82
3. PROGRESS REPORTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 83
4. EVALUATION .................................................................................................................................................................. 87
2.4 Site Management .......................................................................................................... 923.1 Member Human Resources ............................................................................................ 97
1. PROGRAM DESIGN – MEMBER SLOTS, TERM LENGTH, AND ACTIVITIES ........................................................ 97
2. MEMBER RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION ................................................................................................... 101
3. ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT OF MEMBERS ............................................................................................ 103
4. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS ......................................................................................... 108
5. MEMBER SERVICE AGREEMENTS AND POSITION DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................ 109
6. MEMBER BENEFITS ...................................................................................................................................... 119
7. MEMBER TIMEKEEPING, DISCIPLINE, AND TERM MANAGEMENT ............................................................... 132
8. EXITING OR RELEASING MEMBERS AND REFILLING SLOTS .......................................................................... 143
9. MEMBER RECORDS SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 152
3.2 Member Support ......................................................................................................... 158
1. MEMBER TRAINING .................................................................................................................................... 158
2. MEMBER DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................ 160
4 Fiscal Oversight and Management .................................................................................. 171
1. OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... 171
2. PERTINENT TERMS AND CONCEPTS ............................................................................................................. 173
3. FEDERAL GRANT BASICS .............................................................................................................................. 173
4. GOVERNING DOCUMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 177
5. FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ...................................................................................................... 179
6. COMMON AUDIT FINDINGS ......................................................................................................................... 181
7. BUDGET OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................... 182
8. BUDGET MONITORING, CHANGES, AND AMENDMENTS ............................................................................. 183
9. REPORTING .................................................................................................................................................. 186
5 Core Competencies ......................................................................................................... 200
6 Updated 22-23 Program Checklists And Resources ...................................................... 219
1. PROGRAM START UP ..................................................................................................................... 219
2. PROGRAM AND GRANT MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 243
3. MEMBER MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................... 355
4. FISCAL MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................. 442