Iowa National Service Corps Application
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in seeking approval as an Iowa National Service Corps program. We
encourage you to fully review the administrative rules (Iowa Administrative Code 817 Ch. 14) for this
program in advance of submitting your application.
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All Iowa National Service Corps programs must provide meaningful service opportunities to
individuals and meet the following eligibility criteria:
1. The program is approved via the automatic approval, reciprocal approval, or regular
approval process.
2. The program is located in Iowa or has sites operating in Iowa.
3. The program is operated by one of the following entities: a state agency, a political subdivision of
the state, or a private, nonprofit organization (state agencies or political subdivisions of the state may
establish Iowa national service corps programs or contract with a third-party vendor to assist the
agency or political subdivision in establishing such programs).
4. The program is developed to meet state and local needs and to provide more opportunities
for Iowans to serve their state and country and foster a cultural expectation of service in Iowa through
a unified service corps.
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Existing programs and service positions in the following categories are automatically approved and
should NOT submit this application as they are already recognized as Iowa National Service Corps
programs:
-AmeriCorps programs in Iowa created pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §12501,
-Senior Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA in Iowa created pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §4950 et seq.,
-the Iowa summer youth corps program created pursuant to Iowa Code section 15H.5,
-the Iowa green corps program created pursuant to Iowa Code section 15H.6,
-the Iowa reading corps program created pursuant to Iowa Code section 15H.7,
-the RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps program created pursuant to Iowa Code section 15H.8, and
-the Iowa conservation corps created pursuant to Iowa Code section 84A.7.
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Additional documentation may be required to verify elements of the application. Each program shall
provide relevant information upon the commission’s request in order to be considered for approval.
National service corps programs may be requested to provide documentation of continued eligibility
at any time during and after approval.
Contact Information & Approval Requested
* 1. Provide the name of the organization sponsoring the program/position(s):
* 2. Please enter information for the primary contact person for this application.
- Name
- Title (and Organization, if different from the applicant organization)
- Address
- Address 2
- City/Town
- State/Province
- ZIP/Postal Code
- Email Address
- Phone Number
* 3. Please enter information for the secondary contact person for this application
- Name
- Title (and Organization, if different from the applicant organization)
- Address
- Address 2
- City/Town
- State/Province
- ZIP/Postal Code
- Email Address
- Phone Number
* 4. What is the name of the proposed Iowa National Service Corps program/position?
* 5. How many positions do you anticipate supporting on an annual basis?
- Number of full-time (FT) members (i.e. serving in a FT capacity for 10-12 months):
- Number of part-time (PT) members (i.e. serving in a PT capacity for 10-12 months, or a FT capacity for a shorter time period):
- Number of summer-only members (i.e. serving in a FT or PT capacity over the course of a summer):
* 6. What type of approval are you requesting?
- Reciprocal approval (for existing programs and service positions recognized by another service year certifying body, such as The Corps Network or Service Year Alliance)
- Regular approval (for all other entities seeking approval for their service programs or positions)
Reciprocal Approval
* 7. Other certifying body. Please identify the certifying body(ies) that have recognized your program (select
all that apply):
- Service Year Alliance
- The Corps Network
- Jesuit Volunteer Corps or Lutheran Volunteer Corps
- 21st Century Conservation Service Corps
- Other (please specify)
8. Expiration of reciprocal approval. Please indicate the expiration date of your certification with the other
entity(ies), if applicable. If there are multiple dates from various entities, indicate the latest date through which
your program is approved.
- Date
9. Reciprocal approval documentation. Please submit a copy of your approval letter(s) or notification from
the other certifying body by uploading here.
Allowable file types are PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, and GIF. File size limit is 16MB.
* 10. Compliance process. The program has a process for ensuring that the program, including all service
sites, stay in compliance with the Iowa National Service Corps program standards.
- Yes
- No
Regular Approval
Please respond to the following questions to describe your program and to confirm that it meets Iowa
National Service Corps program requirements.
* 11. Program design. Please provide a narrative description of the national service corps program's design,
defining the impact the program will have on the community, sponsor organization, and service corps
members. The program design must identify how the national service program will address a state or local
need and how the program will promote a sense of civic engagement in program participants.
* 12. Corps member position description. The national service corps program has written
descriptions/plans for high-quality service activities. National service corps member activities are clearly
delineated from those of employees of the sponsoring organization and host site.
- Yes
- No
* 13. Orientation. The national service corps program has/will have an orientation for national service corps
members, including clarification on how the member service activities differ from employee responsibilities.
- Yes
- No
* 14. Eligibility screening. The national service corps program conducts/will conduct eligibility screening for
national service corps members, commensurate to the service activities to be conducted and the population to
be served. The program has developed its own requirements for screening, which include at least the
following:
a. Criminal background and sex offender registry checks for corps members age of 18 and over.
b. Reference checks for corps members under the age of 18.
- Yes
- No
* 15. Training and professional development. The national service corps program provides/will provide
ongoing training and professional development to the national service corps members.
- Yes
- No
* 16. Member supervision. The national service corps program has a plan and process to effectively
supervise the national service corps members.
- Yes
- No
* 17. Program impact. The national service corps program has a method for tracking progress towards the
established goals of the program. The program tracks the number of program participants on an annual basis
for reporting to Volunteer Iowa.
- Yes
- No
18. Previous accomplishments (for re-certifying programs). Recertifying programs should provide a brief
narrative describing their accomplishments and program impact over the previous three-year certification
period.
* 19. Organizational capacity. The sponsoring organization has the necessary organizational and staff
capacity and experience to allow it to effectively oversee the national service corps program.
- Yes
- No
* 20. Financial capacity, cost effectiveness and budget adequacy. The sponsoring organization certifies
that it has financial capacity to administer the national service corps program, including any living allowances
or stipends provided to national service corps members. The national service corps program budget is
sufficient to provide the national service corps member(s) with the tools needed to be effective in their
assigned tasks.
- Yes
- No
* 21. Risk management. The national service corps program practices appropriate risk management
strategies for the approved national service corps positions. (This should include managing both individual risk
to the member and those served, as well as organizational risk, including liability).
- Yes
- No
* 22. Compliance process. The program has a process for ensuring that the program, including all service
sites, stay in compliance with the Iowa National Service Corps program standards.
- Yes
- No
Certification & Submission
* 23. Certification of member service. The sponsor organization agrees that upon successful completion of
the term of service by the Iowa national service corps member, the sponsor will issue a certification of service
letter to the corps member. The letter should include, at a minimum, the name of the corps member, whether
the corps member served in a full-time or less than full-time capacity, the dates of service (if the corps member
served in a full-time capacity) or the hours of service (if the corps member served in a less than full-time
capacity), the name of the sponsor organization, and a contact person at the sponsor organization.
- Yes
- No
* 24. Please type your name to certify that the information to be submitted is true and accurate to the best of
your knowledge.