[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15090-15100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6396]



[[Page 15090]]

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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Availability of Funds for National Providers of Training and 
Technical Assistance to Corporation for National and Community Service 
Programs

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(Corporation) announces the availability of funds for organizations 
selected under this Notice to provide training and technical assistance 
to grantees and subgrantees of the Corporation. The Corporation intends 
to enter into cooperative agreements of up to three years, beginning on 
or about July 1, 2001. The funds available under this Notice will 
support the initial phase of each agreement (generally the first year's 
budget), with additional funding contingent upon need, quality of 
service, and availability of appropriations for this purpose. Training 
and technical assistance will be in the following areas, with the 
amount of initial funding noted:

1. AmeriCorps Member Development and Management (up to $350,000)
2. AmeriCorps*VISTA National Integrated Training Program for Field 
Supervisors, Trainees and Members (up to $2,700,000)
3. Human Relations and Diversity (up to $400,000)
4. Civic Engagement (up to $500,000)
5. Education and Out of School Time (up to $1,000,000)
6. Environmental On-line Communities (up to $100,000)
7. Financial Management (up to $700,000)
8. Multi-State Training and Technical Assistance Cooperatives (up to 
$300,000)
9. National Service Resource Center (up to $500,000)
10. Sustainability (up to $500,000)
11. Web-based Effective Practices Information Center--EpiCenter (up to 
$250,000)

    The award amounts are approximate and for the first year only and 
may change depending upon the availability of appropriations and the 
nature and scope of activities to be supported. An organization may 
apply to provide services in more than one category. However, a 
separate application is needed for each category listed above.

    Note: This is a notice for selection of organizations to provide 
training and technical assistance to national service grantees. This 
is not a notice for program grant proposals.


DATES: Proposals must be received by the Corporation by 3:00 p.m. 
Eastern time on April 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit proposals to the Corporation for National and 
Community Service, 1201 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20525, 
Attention: Cathy Harrison, Room 9810.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Ekstrom or Margie Legowski at the 
Corporation for National and Community Service, (202) 606-5000, ext. 
414, TTY (202) 565-2799; e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. 
This Notice is available on the Corporation's web site, http://www.nationalservice.org/whatshot/notices/. Upon request, this 
information will be made available in alternate formats for people with 
disabilities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Corporation for National and Community Service was established 
in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to 
their communities. The Corporation's national and community service 
programs provide opportunities for participants to serve full-time and 
part-time, with or without stipend, as individuals or as part of a 
team. AmeriCorps*State, National, VISTA, and National Civilian 
Community Corps programs engage thousands of Americans on a full, or 
part-time basis, at over 1,000 locations to help communities meet their 
toughest challenges. Learn and Serve America integrates service into 
the academic life or experiences of nearly one million youth from 
kindergarten through higher education in all 50 states. The National 
Senior Service Corps uses the skills, talents and experience of over 
500,000 older Americans to help make communities stronger, safer, 
healthier and smarter.
    AmeriCorps*State and AmeriCorps*National programs, which involve 
over 40,000 Americans each year in results-driven community service, 
are grant programs managed by: (1) Governor-appointed state commissions 
(see ``Glossary of Terms'') that select and oversee programs operated 
by local organizations; (2) national non-profit organizations that act 
as parent organizations (see ``Glossary of Terms'') for operating sites 
across the country; (3) Indian tribes; or (4) U.S. Territories.
    Learn and Serve America provides service-learning opportunities for 
approximately 1.2 million youth and students in 2,500 projects annually 
through grants to state education agencies (see ``Glossary of Terms''), 
Indian Tribes and U.S.Territories, nonprofit agencies, community-based 
organizations, and higher education institutions and organizations. The 
National Senior Service Corps awards grants to nearly 1,300 local 
organizations to operate the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP), 
Foster Grandparent (FGP) and Senior Companion (SCP) programs in their 
communities.
    In addition, the Corporation supports the AmeriCorps*VISTA 
(Volunteers in Service to America) and AmeriCorps*NCCC (National 
Civilian Community Corps) programs. Annually more than 6,000 
AmeriCorps*VISTA members develop grassroots programs, mobilize 
resources and build capacity for service across the nation. 
AmeriCorps*NCCC provides the opportunity for approximately 1,000 
individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 to participate each year in 
ten-month residential programs located mainly on inactive military 
bases. For additional information on the national service programs 
supported by the Corporation, go to http://www.nationalservice.org.
    Training and technical assistance for Corporation programs takes 
place at local, state, regional and national levels, with most 
occurring at the local and state levels. To ensure equity and to 
promote quality, the Corporation funds a series of national training 
and technical assistance agreements. Most requests for assistance to 
national providers come through state commissions, state education 
agencies, state offices or parent organizations. See ``Glossary of 
Terms'' in Section VI for additional details.

II. Eligibility

    State and local government entities, non-profit organizations, 
institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, commercial entities 
are eligible to apply. Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 
an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, 26 U.S C. 501(c)(4), which engages in lobbying, is not 
eligible to apply. Organizations that operate or intend to operate 
Corporation-supported programs are eligible.
    We will consider proposals from single applicants, applicants in 
partnership and applicants proposing other approaches to meeting the 
requirement that we consider to be responsive to this Notice.
    Organizations may apply to provide training and technical 
assistance in partnership with organizations seeking

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other Corporation funds. Based on previous training and technical 
assistance competitions and our estimate of potential applicants, we 
expect fewer than ten applications to be submitted in each area.

III. Conditions

A. Legal Authority

    Section 198 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as 
amended, 42 U.S.C. 12653 authorizes the Corporation to provide, 
directly or through contracts or cooperative agreements, training and 
technical assistance in support of activities under the national 
service laws. Section 125 of the National and Community Service Act and 
titles I and II of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act provide 
additional authority.

B. Cooperative Agreements

    Awards made under this Notice will be in the form of cooperative 
agreements. Administration of cooperative agreements is controlled by 
Corporation regulations, 45 CFR Part 2541 (for agreements with state 
and local government agencies) and 45 CFR Part 2543 (for agreements 
with institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations and 
commercial entities). The provider must comply with reporting 
requirements, including submitting semi-annual financial reports and 
progress reports linking progress on deliverables to expenditures.
    Cooperative agreements require substantial involvement on the part 
of the government. Substantial involvement includes frequent and 
regular communication with and monitoring by the Corporation's 
cognizant training officer.

C. Time Frame

    The Corporation expects that activities assisted under the 
agreements awarded through this Notice will commence on or about July 
1, 2001, following the conclusion of the selection and award process. 
The Corporation will make awards covering a period not to exceed three 
years. Applications must include a detailed work plan of proposed 
activities and a line-item budget for year one of the agreement and 
should note projected changes to proposed activities for years two and 
three of the award period. If the Corporation approves an application 
and enters into a multi-year award agreement, at the outset it will 
provide funding only for the first year of the award period. The 
Corporation has no obligation to provide additional funding in 
subsequent years. Funding for the second and third years of an award 
period is contingent upon satisfactory performance, the availability of 
funds and any other criteria established in the award agreement.

D. Use of Materials

    To ensure that materials generated with Corporation funding for 
training and technical assistance purposes are available to the public 
and readily accessible to grantees and sub-grantees, the Corporation 
reserves a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable right to 
obtain, use, reproduce, publish, or disseminate publications and 
materials produced under the agreement, including data, and to 
authorize others to do so. The provider must agree to make such 
publications and materials available to the national service field, as 
identified by the Corporation, at no cost or at the cost of 
reproduction. All materials developed for the Corporation must be 
consistent with Corporation editorial and publication guidelines and 
must be accessible to individuals with disabilities to the extent 
required by law.

IV. Scope of Training and Technical Assistance Activities To Be 
Supported

    Providers selected under this Notice are to provide training 
services, training curriculum development and dissemination, materials 
development and ongoing technical assistance to Corporation grantees 
and their sub-grantees. The Corporation requires providers to integrate 
the deliverables and principles listed below into their service 
delivery.

A. Training and Technical Assistance Tasks and Delivery

1. Systems
    a. Electronically track training and technical assistance requests, 
referrals and services provided based on guidance from the Corporation.
    b. Develop a system for referring awardees to local content area 
experts who can provide staff, member and volunteer training.
2. Audience and Outreach
    a. Respond to ongoing requests for training and technical 
assistance from national service grantees and sub-grantees.
    b. In collaboration with training and technical assistance staff, 
develop and implement a plan to promote services to grantees and sub-
grantees.
    c. Develop and maintain a web-site of training and technical 
assistance resources, effective practices and e-courses in provider's 
area with links to national service sites, as directed by the 
Corporation.
    d. Work with the national service grantees and sub-grantees who 
request assistance to identify and clarify their needs and determine an 
appropriate service response.
3. Training Delivery
    a. Develop course and publication outlines and descriptions in 
collaboration with Training and Technical Assistance staff.
    b. Coordinate scheduling of training delivery with the provider's 
training and technical assistance officer and, as appropriate, with the 
area manager, state commission, state education agency, and Corporation 
state office where each training event will be held.
    c. Deliver training that is interactive, experiential, consistent 
with the principles of adult learning, uses web-based technology and is 
sensitive to program and audience diversity, skill level and learning 
style.
    d. Submit training event dates to the National Service Resource 
Center for posting on its national training calendar.
    e. Show how approach will ensure support for small, faith-based, 
and other community-based organizations.
    f. Ensure that all training and technical assistance and resources 
including web sites are accessible to persons with disabilities as 
required by law to include the following:
    i. Notifying potential participants that reasonable accommodations 
will be provided upon request;
    ii. Providing reasonable accommodations when requested to do so, 
including provision of sign language interpreters, special assistance, 
and documents in alternate formats;
    iii. Using accessible locations for training events;
    iv. Providing training and technical assistance materials that are 
accessible to persons with disabilities, by using accessible 
technology, providing materials in alternate formats upon request, 
captioning videos and not using solely a non-voice-over format, and 
when indicating a telephone number, including a non-voice telephone 
alternative such as TDD or e-mail;
    v. Deliver training that enhances the capacity of awardees to 
function independently and effectively, which includes, but is not 
limited to, the following:
--Using transfer-of-skills methods and train-the-trainer models in 
delivering services following guidelines provided by the Corporation;
--Providing structured opportunities for peer-to-peer assistance during 
and

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after all on-request and scheduled training events;
--Developing web-based courses;
--Developing and disseminating training event packets that include the 
training agenda, handouts and list of training event participants.
4. Peer Assistance
    a. Develop and manage a peer-to-peer system that uses staff of 
national service programs and others affiliated with national service 
programs and makes use of a full range of service delivery options, 
e.g., phone consultations, teleconferences, videoconferences and other 
electronic communication; materials' development and distribution; and 
site visits.
    b. Document system's operation, including peer selection criteria, 
preparation process, and assignment procedure.
    c. Provide an after-action report outlining the issues addressed, 
actions taken, results achieved and follow-up actions required. Reports 
must be submitted in a timely manner with copies provided to all 
interested parties, including state commission staff and Corporation 
program officers.
5. Effective Practices
    a. Research, identify, document and transmit effective tools and 
practices through all provider's training and technical assistance 
services.
    b. Submit effective tools and practices in stipulated format to the 
Effective Practices Information Center database (EpiCenter--see 
``Glossary of Terms''), and, if appropriate, to the National Service-
Learning Clearinghouse; encourage grantee use of same.
    c. Develop and implement a dissemination plan for all materials 
(e.g., publications, videotapes, etc.) produced under this agreement.
6. Evaluation
    a. Develop and submit a plan for evaluating the impact of training 
and technical assistance services, particularly the impact of training 
events relative to each training event's objectives and the principles 
and deliverables of this Notice.
    b. Conduct an assessment after each training and technical 
assistance event.
    c. Maintain records of these evaluations and provide them to the 
Corporation, or an authorized representative, upon request.
    d. Submit aggregate evaluation summaries of training-and-technical-
assistance events' evaluations as part of progress reports to the 
Corporation.
    e. The Corporation may conduct an independent assessment of each 
provider's performance.
7. Reporting Requirements
    The provider is responsible for submitting timely progress and 
financial reports during and at the conclusion of the award period to 
the Corporation as follows:
    a. Semi-annual Progress Reports. Progress reports must be submitted 
semi-annually and are due October 31, 2001, for the period ending 
September 30, 2001, and April 30, 2002, for the period ending March 31, 
2002. The provider must develop the capacity to submit this information 
electronically. At a minimum, progress reports must provide the 
information below:
    i. A comparison of accomplishments with the goals and objectives 
for the reporting period;
    ii. An annotated version of the approved budget that compares 
actual costs with budgeted costs by line item, and explains 
differences. The explanation should include, as appropriate, an 
analysis of cost overruns and high-cost units and a description of 
service requests not anticipated in the provider's original budget;
    iii. A description of the services provided to include:
    (a) Number of requests received by topic area and stream of 
service;
    (b) Activity conducted to address each request (e.g., training, on-
site technical assistance, phone consultation and other electronic 
communication, and materials development and shipment) and mode of 
delivery (e.g., staff member, consultant, peer and/or other provider);
    (c) Number of participants in each training and technical 
assistance event by service stream (see ``Glossary of Terms'');
    (d) Client feedback on the services rendered (including the 
aggregate evaluation of each training event); and
    (e) Problems encountered in delivering services with 
recommendations for correcting them.
    iv. List of upcoming activities and events with dates and 
locations;
    v. Recommended training and technical assistance focus areas as 
suggested by analyses of service activities and trends;
    vi. Discussion of developments that hindered, or may hinder, 
compliance with the cooperative agreement;
    vii. List of materials submitted to the National Service Resource 
Center and National Service-learning Clearinghouse;
    viii. List of practices and supporting documentation or materials 
submitted to the Effective Practices Information Center database 
(EpiCenter).
    b. Financial reports must be submitted semi-annually to include a 
summary of expenditures during the period. A cumulative report must be 
submitted on the Financial Status Report (FSR) form SF 269A.
    c. Final Reports.
    i. Providers completing the final year of their agreement must 
submit, in lieu of the last quarterly progress report, a final progress 
report that is cumulative over the entire award period. This final 
progress report is due within 90 days after the close of the agreement.
    ii. Providers completing the final year of their award must submit, 
in lieu of the last semi-annual FSR, a final FSR that is cumulative 
over the entire award period. This FSR is due within 90 days after the 
end of the agreement.
    d. Financial reports must be submitted in three (3) copies to the 
Office of Grants Management. Progress reports shall be submitted in 
three (3) copies to the Corporation's cognizant training officer of the 
award.
    e. The provider must meet as necessary with the cognizant training 
officer or with other staff or consultants designated by the 
Corporation training official to exchange views, ideas, and information 
concerning T/TA. The provider must submit such special reports as may 
be reasonably requested by the Corporation.
8. Other Requirements
    a. Assure that provider staff and consultants are fully versed in 
the background, approach, vocabulary, assets, needs and objectives of 
the Corporation and each of its program streams.
    b. Participate in the planning and implementation of national 
provider meetings and training events as requested by the Corporation.
    c. Collaborate in materials' development and training events 
organized by other providers or the Corporation, as requested.
    d. Share effective practices with other providers through the 
training and technical assistance listserv, the Effective Practices 
Information Center database (EpiCenter) and other mechanisms such as 
the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse and the National Service 
Resource Center (see ``Glossary of Terms'').
    e. Creatively and effectively use technology as a cost-effective 
strategy for reaching large numbers of grantees and subgrantees.

B. Training and Technical Assistance Categories

    The Corporation will evaluate proposals in each of the ten 
categories listed below. The funding ranges listed

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are approximate and reflect resource availability for the first year 
only.

1. AmeriCorps Member Development and Management (up to $350,000)
2. AmeriCorps*VISTA National Integrated Training Program for Field 
Supervisors, Trainees and Members (up to $2,700,000)
3. Civic Engagement (up to $500,000)
4. Education and Out of School Time (up to $1,000,000)
5. Environmental On-line Communities (up to $100,000)
6. Financial Management (up to $700,000)
7. Human Relations and Diversity (up to $400,000)
8. Multi-State Training and Technical Assistance Cooperatives (up to 
$300,000)
9. National Service Resource Center (up to $500,000)
10. Sustainability (up to $500,000)
11. Web-based Effective Practices Information Center--EpiCenter (up to 
$250,000)

    Specific requirements for each category follow:
1. AmeriCorps Member Development and Management (up to $350,000)
    These services are targeted to the needs of an innovative category 
of AmeriCorps programs referred to as the ``AmeriCorps Education 
Award'' program. Like other AmeriCorps programs, the Education Award 
program provides education awards to members following their successful 
completion of service. Unlike other AmeriCorps programs, this program 
does not fund living allowances for members and provides only limited 
administrative support to projects.
    The AmeriCorps Education Award program encourages the initiation of 
new service models as well as the expansion of older, effective service 
models. Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Work with at least 10 state commissions and AmeriCorps Education 
Award programs on their special program management needs and to support 
the integration of Education Award programs into the national service 
network.
    b. Provide T/TA to program directors on the topics of: recruitment, 
selection, motivation and retention of members; member management and 
development; team-building; working with and developing community 
partners; multi-site program management; service-learning methodology 
including member orientation and reflection sessions; problem 
identification and collaborative solution generation; time management 
and day-to-day organizational skills; working with diverse members.
    c. Organize at least 40 facilitated peer visits in response to 
requests from programs, state commissions and national direct grantees.
    d. Develop, test and implement a process for AmeriCorps Education 
Award programs to document member activities.
    e. Work with at least 10 state commissions and AmeriCorps Education 
Award programs on the special program management needs of Education 
Award programs and to support the integration of Education Award 
programs into the national service network.
2. AmeriCorps*VISTA National Integrated Training Program for Field 
Supervisors, Trainees and Members (up to $2,700,000)
    This category of services addresses the pre-service and in-service 
training needs of the AmeriCorps*VISTA program. The provider in this 
category must work in collaboration with the AmeriCorps*VISTA manager 
of training and member services and other designated Corporation staff 
to design and deliver an integrated pre-service and early service 
training program (curricula, lesson plans, training materials, etc.) 
for approximately 5000 AmeriCorps*VISTA trainees and members and 1000 
field supervisors that reflects the training objectives, indicators and 
design considerations identified during the recent AmeriCorps*VISTA 
training initiatives workshop (see appendix) and that increases 
programming impact and maximizes on-board strength.
    AmeriCorps*VISTA training takes place both regionally and 
nationally. The provider selected for this category must design and 
deliver training for both regional and national training events most of 
which will take place during five distinct two-week training periods or 
windows. Training windows for calendar year 2001 include: (a) July 8-
22, (b) August 12-26, and (c) November 4-18.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to the following:
    a. Observe twelve training events (two supervisors' training 
events, member pre-service orientations or early service training 
events) in each of the five Corporation clusters and one national pre-
service orientation/supervisors' training. This process should take 
place during the July-August 2001 training period and should inform 
training plan development.
    b. Develop in collaboration with an AmeriCorps*VISTA design team an 
integrated supervisors', pre-service and early service training plan 
that includes, at minimum, curricula, lesson plans, training materials, 
a training of trainers roll out and overall suggested delivery schedule 
(see paragraph two above) and meets the goals and objectives identified 
by the AmeriCorps*VISTA working group (see appendix).
    The training design developed by the provider in collaboration with 
the AmeriCorps*VISTA design team must establish the minimum level of 
involvement of Corporation state staff at each training event. 
Corporation area managers may authorize greater state staff involvement 
as they deem appropriate. In some cases, state staff will play a 
significant role in implementing the training program and the 
responsibility of the provider will be reduced. The provider will need 
to be flexible and accommodating to different approaches to state staff 
involvement in training events.
    The provider must ensure that each of the training components 
(field supervisors' training, pre-service orientation (PSO) and early 
service training (EST)) builds upon the former to achieve an integrated 
and cumulative effect.
    c. Develop six regional training teams of experienced training 
professionals to deliver the training curricula developed above for 
approximately 1,000 field supervisors and 5,000 members and trainees. 
Preference should be given to training professionals who have 
experience conducting AmeriCorps* VISTA training and proposed teams 
must be approved by the AmeriCorps*VISTA manager of training and member 
services and Corporation field staff (i.e., cluster training 
specialists and other state staff as assigned).
    The provider's pre-approved training teams should consist of a core 
group of quality trainers who provide all phases of training (field 
supervisors' training, PSO and EST) for each cluster, so that they can 
be attentive to training integration and the cumulative impact of 
training. Training teams should consist of trainers who are either from 
the region being serviced or whose regular travel to training events is 
not cost-prohibitive.
    Training teams will be responsive to one or more training 
representative(s) for each Corporation cluster (e.g., cluster training 
specialist and other staff) and will ultimately report to the 
AmeriCorps*VISTA manager of training and member services. Being 
``responsive'' means that the provider

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will collaborate closely with training specialists and those 
Corporation state staff who may be involved in training to ensure that 
the needs of the cluster and AmeriCorps*VISTA are met. Indeed, these 
Corporation staff should be considered part of the ``training team'' 
working as a unit to ensure the accomplishment of training objectives.
    The provider's training team's point of contact for training dates, 
event coordination, logistics and budget at the cluster-level will be 
the cluster training specialist.
    d. Pilot the proposed integrated training program (field 
supervisors' training, trainee pre-service orientation, and member 
early service training) in one cluster during the first quarter of 
FY2002 (October-December) during which a training-of-trainers could 
take place. Begin training for the other clusters in January-February 
of 2002 with full implementation in all clusters by April 1, 2002
    e. Conduct the following for each of the Corporation's five 
clusters within a given fiscal year: (a) Five approximately 2. 5 day 
supervisors' training events, each for 30-50 supervisors; (b) five 
approximately 2. 5 day pre-service orientations, each for approximately 
160 AmeriCorps*VISTA trainees; and (c) five approximately 2. 5 day 
early service training events, each for approximately 140 
AmeriCorps*VISTA members for an approximate total of fifteen training 
events per cluster and seventy-five training events per year. (Note: 
Numbers of trainees per cluster given here are averages as numbers vary 
from one cluster to another and from one time of year to another. In 
some clusters, events may need to be broken into smaller sub-units.)
    f. Conduct five approximately 2.5 day joint pre-service 
orientation-supervisors' training events for AmeriCorps*VISTA national 
projects each year, one during each training window. Each event will 
include approximately 150 trainees and 30 supervisors.
    g. Assess quality of training and training delivery after each 
training window and, based on discussions with the cluster and the 
AmeriCorps*VISTA manager of training and member services, revise and 
implement a revised the training design, as requested.
    h. Adapt training to accommodate cross-stream opportunities and 
other cluster or state needs.
    i. Develop and implement a training evaluation program that surveys 
members at EST about the quality of preparation received at PSO and 
surveys them again by mail toward the end of their service about the 
effectiveness of PSO and EST. (This will be complemented by an 
independent annual evaluation survey conducted by the Corporation and 
an outside evaluation organization.)
    j. Print, store, and ship all materials needed for AmeriCorps*VISTA 
training events including provider generated training materials and 
Corporation generated AmeriCorps*VISTA materials such as invitation 
packets, member handbooks, and supervisors' manuals, etc. beginning in 
January-February 2002. The supervisors' manual is approximately 150 
pages and perfect bound and the member handbook is approximately 250 
pages and perfect bound. Invitation packets include folders and 
approximately 30 pages of text. Materials should be printed for 
approximately 5000 members/trainees and 1000 field supervisors each 
year. Materials should also be formatted for posting on the 
Corporation's AmericCorps*VISTA web site.
    k. Develop and implement a system for providing telephone and on-
line technical assistance as follow-up to training events. Technical 
assistance will primarily consist of referrals to Corporation offices, 
other members or supervisors or to appropriate TTA providers.
3. Civic Engagement ($500,000)
    In 1998 and 1999 the Corporation pilot tested two sets of training 
materials on citizenship development. The services in this category 
respond to the need to increase use of these materials by developing 
and delivering training for them. Tasks under this category include, 
but are not limited, to the following:
    a. Design, pilot, disseminate and evaluate training of trainer 
materials around the publications ``Guide to Effective Citizenship'' 
and ``By the People.''
    b. Develop a 30-40 page instructor's manual that provides step-by-
step guidance on developing training sessions based on the materials 
contained in ``By the People.''
    c. Provide technical assistance to programs and commissions on how 
to use the materials effectively including structuring and 
establishment of citizenship training programs.
    d. Conduct member training on civic engagement (one session per 
month  x  24 months) for a group of approximately 50 AmeriCorps 
programs to be identified by the Corporation.
    e. Conduct training of trainers sessions on how to use the 
materials at the National and Community Service Conference in June 2001 
in Minneapolis.
    f. Provide on-line and telephone assistance and resource materials.
4. Education and Out of School Time (up to $1,000,000)
    Approximately sixty-five percent of the Corporation's programs in 
some way address the educational success of children and youth. The 
services that support these programs should: (1) Build the capacity of 
project directors to design and implement a broad range of sustainable 
and high quality family, early childhood and adult literacy; math and 
reading tutoring; mentoring; and out of school time projects in school 
and community-based settings that include well-developed member and 
volunteer training plans, and (2) identify and disseminate effective 
practices in the above named project areas and project settings.
    Training and materials should reflect current research of the field 
and the Corporation's principles of high quality national service and 
principles of high quality tutoring programs. Literacy training and 
materials should support the use of multiple reading strategies, 
assessment as an essential part of instruction, appropriate and 
effective use of a broad spectrum of literacy activities (one-on-one 
tutoring, read aloud, language enrichment activities, computer-assisted 
learning, etc.) for preschool through high school, parents as a child's 
first teacher and schools as partners in tutoring endeavors. Special 
attention should be given to developing materials and support for 
programs taking place in community-based settings and for out of school 
time programs using computers to increase academic success. When 
appropriate, training and materials should use a service-learning 
approach.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Conduct a cross-stream needs assessment (telephone surveys, 
mailing, focus groups, etc.) to identify the activities and training 
needs of community-based out of school time math and reading tutoring 
programs and out of school time programs using computers to increase 
academic success. Findings will inform all provider training and 
materials' development.
    b. When appropriate, incorporate a service-learning approach into 
training and materials.
    c. Work with the representatives of state commissions, state 
education agencies and Corporation state offices and higher education, 
tribal and national direct awardees to develop, pilot and evaluate a 
replicable model for state-based education forums. Forums will be one 
to two day structured

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opportunities for project staff and their counterparts in a state to 
share best practices and to learn new skills related to managing and 
implementing effective tutoring, mentoring or out of school time 
projects. Forum model will include working with a state planning 
committee and strategies for identifying, selecting and preparing local 
trainers. Forums will be a springboard for developing ongoing state 
networks. Work with ten states to implement the model.
    d. Develop a strategy for providing ongoing support to ten state-
based peer networks (see above).
    e. Respond to 15 cluster or state requests for project director 
training in math or reading tutoring, family or adult literacy, 
literacy assessment, mentoring, and out of school time for project 
directors in all streams of service. Training events will be one-two 
days in duration.
    f. Develop and maintain a web site of resources for project 
directors engaged in adult and family literacy, math and reading 
tutoring, homework help, mentoring and out of school time projects, 
particularly those using computers to increase student learning. Web 
site will include a substantive section on training, electronic 
courses, three monographs that put research into practice, and a 
section on program examples or models.
    g. Respond to requests for information on effective literacy, math, 
mentoring and out of school time etc. program design, implementation, 
and assessment strategies.
    h. Use Corporation listservs as tools for gathering information and 
disseminating technical assistance and information on best practices.
    i. Develop and up-link via satellite a series of three to five 
broadcast quality videotapes for project directors on training tutors 
in basic one-on-one reading tutoring strategies. Series may include 
material produced by the field, should be accompanied by a 
comprehensive tutor training manual and should be supported by a web-
based training course.
5. Environmental On-line Communities (up to $100,000)
    These services address the diverse technical and programmatic needs 
of the Corporation's environmental programs. On-line communities will 
inexpensively provide timely targeted information, as well as 
networking opportunities for the geographically dispersed programs of 
this sector.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Establish, promote and maintain an interactive web site 
responding to the T/TA needs of environmental programs in all three of 
the Corporation's program streams (AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, 
and National Senior Service Corps). On-line services should include, 
but are not limited to, a listserv, real-time communications, and the 
posting of documents relevant to programs.
    b. Conduct at least 10 planned web-based community events (web 
guest-forums, information requests, effective-practice postings, theme 
discussions, etc.) which provide current, relevant information to 
programs.
6. Financial Management (up to $700,000)
    Corporation-funded programs need access to training and technical 
assistance information regarding their responsibilities and procedures 
for the management of federal funds. Sound fiscal management is 
critical to the effective operation of national service programs. The 
Corporation envisions a national network of consultants who would be 
easily accessible for follow-up and would have state of the art 
knowledge of relevant state and local law and regulations.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Conduct at least 25 state-based workshops or workshops presented 
in the context of grantees' meetings.
    b. Conduct at least 20 on-site technical assistance visits to state 
commissions, Corporation state offices, state education agencies, and 
tribal, national non-profit and higher education grantees and programs 
from all streams of service.
    c. Provide telephone and on-line technical assistance.
    d. Develop and maintain a network of geographically-dispersed 
expert resource people. Staff from Corporation-funded programs should 
be included in the network.
    e. Develop materials to include a compilation of effective 
practices used in the field.
7. Human Relations and Diversity (up to $400,000)
    These services respond to the need for program staff (and, through 
them, volunteers, members and other participants) to receive training 
that promotes understanding and respect among diverse groups, that 
provides skills for working with and managing diverse populations and 
that offers techniques for preventing and resolving situations where 
diversity and communication interfere with achieving program goals. 
Special attention should be given to findings of the Macro study on 
diversity funded by the Corporation for National Service. (Call the 
Corporation contact persons for a copy of ``Study of Race, Class and 
Ethnicity, November 1997''.)
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Collaborate with state commissions, Corporation state offices, 
state education agencies and a representative group of tribal, national 
non-profit and higher education grantees in the implementation of a 
minimum of 20 regional training workshops of 20-25 participants each. 
Workshops should increase personal awareness of and competency with 
diversity issues. They should also enhance staff skills in developing 
and supporting diverse, well-functioning teams and community 
partnerships, as well as in diagnosing diversity challenges and 
facilitating discussions and training.
    b. Deliver a minimum of 10 customized T/TA sessions in response to 
site-specific diversity issues.
    c. Help state commission, Corporation state office, state education 
agency, tribal, national non-profit and higher education grantee staff 
programs enhance their ability to access and select effective diversity 
training.
    d. Provide on-line and telephone assistance and resource materials.
8. Multi-State Organizational Development and Training Support 
($300,000)
    These services respond to the range of needs for program management 
and training assistance expressed by grantees who are seeking to 
improve program performance and quality. In accordance with the 
strategy of devolution, this category provides the opportunity for 
organizations to propose providing services to multiple jurisdictions, 
typically states or clusters, rather than on a national scope. Funding 
for this category will primarily be provided from Program Development 
Assistance and Training (PDAT) funds (see ``Glossary of Terms'') as 
requested by the state commissions to which those funds are allocated. 
Awards will only be made in cases where potential users of services, 
such as state commissions, indicate a desire to have the award made and 
to provide funding. Specific tasks may include, but are not limited to, 
the following:
    a. Provide, arrange for, or connect programs to information, 
training, and technical assistance in organizational development and 
program management based on information gathered through a needs 
assessment.

[[Page 15096]]

    b. Offer training in various settings (state-based and regional) 
and of varying duration and complexity. Such training may be organized 
by the provider in response to a request or may be in the context of 
events organized by a state commission, other provider or the 
Corporation.
    c. Develop materials for use in delivering training.
    d. Provide technical assistance on-site, on-line, and by telephone 
in the form of one-time consultations and multiple interventions, as 
required.
    e. The T/TA services offered are generally expected to address the 
following types of topics: board development and management; staff 
management; program planning and management; continuous improvement; 
program evaluation; volunteer, member and participant recruitment, 
management, support, development and retention; community partnerships 
and organizational collaboration; multi-site management; effective 
communication and public awareness; and program sustainability.
    f. Coordinate peer exchanges among national service programs.
    g. Organize and support affinity groups (i.e., groups of programs 
defined by their common focus or needs).
    h. Collaborate with and broker services of other public and private 
providers of training and technical assistance services available at 
the national, state or local levels.
9. National Service Resource Center (up to $500,000)
    These services respond to the need for a central repository of 
information and materials in the field of national service and the need 
for the development and distribution of new information in response to 
changing program needs and the need for technical assistance in 
technology. These services also support programs engaged in Digital 
Divide activities and include an assessment of Digital Divide grantees 
training and technical assistance needs. Specific tasks include, but 
are not limited to, the following:
    a. Provide a toll-free assistance line for awardees to access 
resource center and technology technical assistance.
    b. Provide reference services and referrals to national T/TA 
providers.
    c. Maintain and expand a lending library of publications, kits, 
curricula, on-line courses and videos on topics relevant to national 
service programs, as well as copies of publications produced by other 
national T/TA providers and Corporation-supported programs.
    d. Develop resource materials and disseminate them to grantees, as 
requested.
    e. Conduct literature searches in response to requests for 
information and resources on specific issues from national service 
programs.
    f. Publish a 2-4 page quarterly update of T/TA resources to be 
distributed to grantees by web or fax.
    g. Update and maintain the Corporation's training resources web 
page including publishing a resource guide of national T/TA services 
and maintaining a master calendar of T/TA events.
    h. Initiate and manage approximately 20-25 electronic listservs 
that connect Corporation programs and subgroups of Corporation-
supported programs as appropriate.
    i. Provide a minimum of 10 on-request training sessions for Digital 
Divide awardees. Training topics will be identified through a needs 
assessment and training will take place in collaboration with other 
providers.
    j. Provide a minimum of 10 on-request training sessions on managing 
information, developing technology plans, and accessing Internet 
resources (including information on necessary equipment, costs and 
access options).
    k. Provide consultation on-line and by telephone on different 
aspects of information management including the development and 
maintenance of resource libraries at the local level and topics 
relevant to Digital Divide programs.
    l. Provide resources via the World Wide Web including a searchable 
database of library holdings and on-line versions of available updated 
print resources.
    m. Develop and maintain a web page of resources for Digital Divide 
grantees on effective use of technology for adults and youth including 
information on accessing local technology resources and other topics as 
identified by the needs assessment (see ``i'' above).
10. Sustainability (up to $500,000)
    These services respond to the needs of grantees from all streams of 
service to build larger constituencies, create more partnerships, 
leverage more resources, and generate additional funds as match 
requirements increase and Federal funds decrease. Specific tasks 
include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Design training specific to the needs of Corporation-funded 
programs and deliver that training through state-based and regional 
workshops of varying duration and complexity. At minimum, the provider 
must conduct ten regional and 35 state-based training sessions.
    b. Develop a sustainability curriculum that (1) acknowledges 
applicable law and Corporation policy; (2) addresses the unique 
challenges service programs face in sustaining local operations; and 
(3) offers planning and implementation strategies for accessing 
community resources, to include raising funds in ways consistent with 
Office of Management and Budget guidelines.
    c. Provide coaching to grantees for problem-solving around 
strategic and action planning and board development related to resource 
development.
    d. Develop materials to support T/TA activities.
    e. Offer telephone and on-line technical assistance.
11. Web-Based Effective Practices Information Center--EpiCenter (up to 
$250,000)
    In August 2000, the Corporation for National Service launched 
EpiCenter, a database-enabled web site, in response to a growing need 
to share effective program practices and knowledge across the national 
service network. This online database is a means to collect and 
disseminate ideas and information that lead to program improvement and 
successful outcomes for service beneficiaries, participants, 
institutions, and communities. Effective practices (See ``Glossary of 
Terms'') are based on knowledge gleaned from practical experience, 
technical assistance efforts, and empirical research. The evolving 
database currently contains practices related to education, the 
environment, public safety, other human needs (including health and 
housing), service-learning, and common program management concerns 
(e.g., recruiting, volunteer management, partnerships, and 
sustainability).
    Applicants will be expected to review the site in detail regarding 
both the conceptual framework and technical specifications. The 
database can be visited at www.nationalservice.org/resources/epicenter. 
At present, traffic on the site is low, although slowly increasing. 
Initial holdings in the database have increased, from 40 practices (at 
launch) to more than 100 (at present). We expect the database to grow 
substantially. Applicants may call to request current usage data from 
the Corporation (see section on ``For Further Information Contact''). 
The first phase of the award will focus on building EpiCenter to 
maximize its content and increase user traffic. Services include 
maintaining the database, programming site enhancements, collecting and 
managing information, conducting

[[Page 15097]]

outreach, making presentations, and developing marketing materials.
    The provider will be expected to: (1) Enrich and expand the content 
of the database, ensuring that practices are relevant and of value and 
are communicated in user-friendly language; (2) build EpiCenter's 
presence and utility within the national service community and increase 
traffic to the site; (3) increase the capacity of national service 
practitioners to identify effective program practices and augment the 
volume of online submissions; and (4) maintain a web site that is 
responsive to emerging technologies and customer needs.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    a. Collect information and manage database.
    (1) Provide an assessment of the feasibility of identifying and 
collecting effective practices (based on EpiCenter's conceptual 
framework) across national service stakeholders and throughout the 
service community at large.
    (2) Identify potential sources of formal and informal knowledge on 
effective practices that will: (a) Augment current holdings and fill 
gaps in the database; (b) satisfy varied stakeholder needs; and (c) 
respond to emerging trends in national service.
    (3) Recommend an information collection strategy that allows for 
the collection of effective practices across national service 
stakeholders and related communities of practice. Stakeholders include 
Corporation for National Service units, grantees and subgrantees, 
technical assistance providers, and service partners. Communities of 
practice include community-based organizations, foundations, and 
applied social science researchers. The collection strategy should 
focus on ensuring the ongoing identification, collection, organization, 
and exchange of effective practices through EpiCenter and the 
development of relationships to support this strategy. Proposals must 
specify a level of staffing, potential methods of information 
collection (including travel for on-site consultations with Corporation 
for National Service staff), and a timeline in support of this 
strategy.
    (4) Populate and maintain the database based on the information 
collection strategy and ensure adherence to content quality standards. 
Prepare abstracts and summaries of effective practices, edit online 
submissions, classify and catalogue effective practices, locate 
materials, secure approvals to upload practices, obtain permission to 
post full-text documents and create hyperlinks. Maintain a policy and 
procedures manual.
    (5) Provide telephone or electronic assistance to users. Respond 
promptly to requests for providing materials in alternate formats.
    (6) Prepare and/or update, as needed, policies, procedures, 
guidelines, tools, and other resources, in consultation with the 
Corporation training official.
    b. Develop systems and manage site.
    i. Provide an analysis of the system hardware and software and make 
recommendations for improvement, including modifications and 
enhancements to page design, content design, and site design (including 
user interface, navigation, search and indexing capabilities). These 
recommendations must ensure that EpiCenter: (A) Meets optimal standards 
of web-usability within applicable e-commerce guidelines for federal 
web sites; and (b) is fully accessible to persons with disabilities as 
required by law, including applicable provisions of the Electronic and 
Information Technology Accessibility Standards, 36 CFR Part 1194, 
published in the Federal Register on December 21, 2000 (65 FR 80500).
    ii. Provide technical support to maintain server and database 
connectivity, conduct accessibility testing, ensure optimum user 
response time, make web page changes, and analyze user activity. The 
provider must regularly provide the Corporation with an analysis of 
server statistics to measure system performance, operability, and site 
traffic. The provider must assist the Corporation in using these data 
to improve site usability and performance and inform the Corporation 
whenever a system performance issue arises.
    iii. Train users. Design training and materials that will enable 
Corporation-funded practitioners to identify and apply effective 
practices to program operations and service activities, using the 
operational definition of effective practices in EpiCenter (see 
``Glossary of Terms''). Training workshops should take into account the 
variable technology skills of users and build upon program-specific 
monitoring, evaluation, and reporting tools, mechanisms, or information 
flows that capture effective practice information. The provider will 
deliver training through national, state-based, and regional workshops 
of varying duration and complexity. At a minimum, the provider must 
conduct training sessions at five national conferences, five regional 
conferences, and at least five program specific training sessions.
    iv. Provide marketing services. Design and implement a marketing 
strategy and materials to increase awareness of EpiCenter and develop 
metrics to track its growth as a technical assistance resource.

V. Application Guidelines

A. Proposal Content and Submission

    Applicants must submit one unbound, original proposal and two bound 
copies. Applicants may voluntarily submit two additional bound copies 
for a total of four copies. Proposals may not be submitted by 
facsimile. Proposals must include the following:
1. Cover Page
    The cover page must include the name, address, phone number, fax 
number, e-mail address of the contact person and World Wide Web site 
URL (if available) of the applicant organization; the category for 
which the application is being submitted; a 25-50 word summary of 
proposed training and technical assistance activities; and, the total 
funding amount requested for the first year.
2. List of Activities and Materials
    A one-two page list of all proposed training and technical 
assistance activities and materials.
3. Training and Technical Assistance Delivery Plan
    A bulleted narrative of no more than 20 double-spaced, single-
sided, typed pages in no smaller than 12-point font that includes:
    a. The applicant's proposed strategy and rationale for providing 
training and technical assistance to a diverse multi-program national 
service audience for year one with proposed changes (if any) for years 
two and three. The applicant should use the specific deliverables and 
requirements outlined in Section IV of this Notice as a starting point 
for a plan and should present these deliverables in a way that 
creatively reflects the applicant's areas of expertise and knowledge of 
national service audiences. It is not appropriate to simply re-list the 
tasks stated in this Notice. As appropriate, the applicant should also 
include the following information for each proposed training and 
technical assistance activity, product, or event: Type of activity, 
number, frequency, audience, knowledge and skills learners will gain, 
estimated audience size, content, skill level, proposed needs 
assessment and continuous improvement strategies.
    b. A detailed one-year work plan and timeline for completing all 
training and

[[Page 15098]]

technical assistance activities. The work plan should include all 
deliverables and the tasks leading to them.
    c. A plan for regularly evaluating performance and using findings 
for continuous improvement.
4. Training Course Outline and Description
    A 75-100 word description for one face to face training course in 
the provider's content area. The face to face course should be 
considered part of either a basic two-day introductory level event for 
75-100 new national service grantees or part of a two-day advanced 
level training event for 75-100 more experienced grantees. Applicants 
should assume that participants represent all streams of service.
    Applicant should submit a session description that includes content 
level (see above) and desired learner outcomes. Applicant should also 
submit a detailed outline of session content and the activities that 
will lead to them.
5. Technology Strategy (Note: Not Applicable to AmeriCorps*VISTA 
National Integrated Training Program Applicants)
    A one-page description of how applicant proposes to use technology, 
particularly e-learning, to effectively broaden the reach of training 
delivery. Description should include target audience (if not cross-
stream), proposed use of technology, rationale for approach, course 
level, concepts and skills to be delivered, desired learner outcomes, 
and how outcomes will be achieved.
6. Description of Organizational Capacity
    An organizational chart that clearly shows the place of the 
training and technical assistance provider in the parent organization's 
structure and resumes and a narrative of no more than three double-
spaced, single-sided, typed pages in no smaller than 12-point font 
which describes:
    a. The organization's capacity to provide training and technical 
assistance services nationwide, including descriptions of recent work 
similar to that being proposed.
    b. The organization's knowledge of and experience with each 
national service program.
    c. References that can be contacted related to that work.
    d. List of proposed staff that includes each one's areas of 
expertise.(Note: Final list will be subject to Corporation approval.)
7. Budget
    A detailed, line-item budget with costs organized by personnel, 
task and sub-task and related to the activities and deliverables 
outlined in the introductory narrative and work plan. Costs in proposed 
budgets must consist solely of costs allowable under applicable cost 
principles found in OMB Circulars.
    Applicants should be mindful that a demonstrated commitment to 
providing services in the most cost-effective manner possible will be a 
major consideration in the evaluation of proposals. Provider match is 
not required. The budget should include:
    a. Proposed staff and expert-consultant hours and pay rates by task 
and sub-task;
    b. Types and quantities of other direct costs being proposed by 
task and subtask (for example, amounts of travel and volume of other 
task-related resources, such as communications, postage, etc.).
8. Budget Narrative
    Provide a budget narrative that corresponds with all items in the 
line-item budget and that includes an explanation and cost basis for 
all cost estimates that appear in the line-item budget. The narrative 
should clearly show the following:
    a. How each cost was derived, using equations to reflect all 
factors considered.
    b. The anticipated unit cost (with derivation) of the various 
deliverables (such as training events, publications and technical 
assistance interventions).

B. Selection Criteria

    To ensure fairness to all applicants, the Corporation reserves the 
right to take remedial action, up to and including disqualification, in 
the event a proposal fails to comply with the requirements relating to 
page limits, line spacing, and font size. The Corporation will assess 
applications based on the criteria listed below.
1. Quality (25%)
    The Corporation will consider the quality of the proposed 
activities based on:
    a. Evidence of the applicant's knowledge of the goals of the 
Corporation, the goals of the Corporation's program streams (see 
Section VI. ``Glossary''), and the Corporation's training and technical 
assistance requirements and principles as outlined in this Notice and 
demonstrated by applicant's past experience and proposed approach.
    b. Evidence of the applicant's knowledge of adult learning and 
experience in training adults; the audience appropriateness, strategic 
nature (i e., broad reaching and capacity building), effectiveness and 
creativity of the applicant's approach.
2. Organizational and Personnel Capacity (35%)
    The Corporation will consider the organizational capacity of the 
applicant to deliver the proposed services based on:
    a. Evidence of the organization's experience in delivering high-
quality adult training and technical assistance in the category under 
consideration in a flexible, responsive, collaborative and creative 
manner; experience with or knowledge of national or community service 
as described by applicant; experience using technology as a teaching 
tool.
    b. Evidence of experience providing training and technical 
assistance to adults in the appropriate training and technical 
assistance category on the part of the proposed staff and consultants 
as demonstrated by annotated staff lists or resumes.
    c. Demonstrated ability to manage a federal grant or apply sound 
fiscal management principles to grants and cost accounting as evidenced 
by an annotated list of applicant's previous grants experience.
    d. Demonstrated ability to provide training and technical 
assistance services nationwide (does not apply to multi-state training 
and technical assistance cooperatives) as evidenced by proposed 
technology plan, proposed staffing and previous levels of activity and 
experience.
3. Evaluation (15%)
    The Corporation will consider how the applicant:
    a. Proposes to assess the effectiveness and need for its services 
and products delivered under the award.
    b. Plans to use assessments of its services and products to modify 
and improve subsequent services and products.
4. Budget (25%)
    The Corporation will consider the budget based on:
    a. Cost of each proposed training and technical assistance activity 
in relation to the scope and depth of the services proposed (i.e., the 
number of states, programs and individuals the proposed activities are 
intended to reach);
    b. The clarity and thoroughness of the budget and budget narrative 
(see

[[Page 15099]]

specifications under ``Budget Narrative'').

VI. Glossary of Terms

Affinity Groups

    Groups of programs defined by their common focus or needs.

Clusters

    The Corporation's field offices are organized into five regions 
(``clusters'') as follows:
Atlantic
    Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode 
Island, Vermont, Virgin Islands.
North Central
    Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North 
Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.
Pacific
    Alaska, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Mariannas, 
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
South
    Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, 
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West 
Virginia.
Southwest
    Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New 
Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

Cluster-Based Training

    Training events planned in conjunction with the Corporation's 
training and technical assistance officer and the commissions, state 
offices, state education agencies or Tribal, national direct and higher 
education grantees in a particular region.

Effective Practice(s)

    The following definition is used to guide submissions of effective 
practice(s) to the Effective Practices Information Center (EpiCenter): 
An effective practices is an action or series of actions by a grantee, 
program staff, national service participant, or technical assistance 
provider that helps to solve an essential problem facing a national 
service program and the community it serves, leading to a successful 
outcome. Effective practices address issues shared by program staff or 
national service participants across local program or operating sites 
and can be replicated in or adapted to serve in more than one locale. 
Effective practices can be described and documented in terms of (1) the 
problem it solves; (2) the context in which it has been successful; (3) 
the level of outcome or impact it helped to achieve; and (4) evidence 
of success of the practice.

Effective Practices Information Center (EpiCenter)

    EpiCenter is the Corporation's online database of effective program 
practices in national service. Its mission is to support practitioners 
in developing sustainable programs that lead to positive outcomes for 
beneficiaries, participants, institutions, and communities and to make 
this information widely accessible across the national service network. 
Providers are required to submit effective training and program 
practices to EpiCenter. The database can be visited at 
www.nationalservice.org/resources/epicenter.

Grantees

    Entities funded directly by the Corporation. These include and are 
not limited to: state commissions; state education agencies; Tribes and 
U.S.Territories; national direct parent organizations; institutions, 
consortia and organizations of higher education; local governments; and 
non-profit organizations. Many grantees also subgrant a significant 
portion of their funds to others (e.g., a state commission conducts a 
competition and review process and funds AmeriCorps programs throughout 
a state; a state education agency (SEA) conducts a competition and 
review process and funds school systems throughout a state). 
Regulations do not allow the 1,300 Senior Corps grantees to subgrant.

Learn and Serve America National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

    The Learn and Serve America National Service-Learning Clearinghouse 
is a collaborative effort among twelve national partner organizations 
to collect and disseminate information on service-learning for national 
service awardees and the general public engaged in service-learning. 
The Clearinghouse maintains and operates a web site and service-
learning listservs, a library of print and media materials related to 
service-learning, and a toll-free information and referral service. 
Providers are required to submit copies of service-learning related 
training materials and training scripts to the Learn and Serve America 
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

Learn and Serve America Training and Technical Assistance Exchange

    The Learn and Serve America Training and Technical Assistance 
supports service-learning programs in schools, institutions of higher 
education, and community organizations through peer-based training and 
technical assistance. The Exchange links programs with local peer 
mentors, refers programs to regional trainers, and informs programs of 
regional service-learning events and initiatives. When providing 
training and technical assistance to Learn and Serve America grantees 
or subgrantees, providers must coordinate with the Exchange.

National Service Resource Center (NSRC)

    The National Service Resource Center (NSRC) serves as a repository 
of information on all aspects of national service. The NSRC manages 
most of the Corporation's listservs. Training and technical assistance 
publications are posted or distributed by the NSRC and its web site 
includes a calendar of training events and links to all current 
providers.

Parent Organization

    The legal applicant for Corporation for National Service national 
direct funds; the organization responsible for the management and 
oversight of the national direct grant.

PDAT

    Program Development Assistance and Training (PDAT) funds are 
awarded annually to state commissions to support training and technical 
assistance activities for their grantees and states.

Stream of Service

    Refers to the Corporation's three programs: AmeriCorps, Learn and 
Serve America and National Senior Service Corps. Cross-stream 
activities, therefore, refer to activities conducted or attended by 
representatives from more than one program stream.

Subgrantees

    Many Corporation awardees competitively award a significant portion 
of their funds to other entities known as subgrantees. State 
commissions, for example, subgrant to local non-profit organizations. 
Senior Corps programs do not subgrant (see ``Grantees'').

[[Page 15100]]

Substream of Service

    Refers to the categories within each of the above streams and 
includes the following:

AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps*State
AmeriCorps*National
AmeriCorps*Promise Fellows
AmeriCorps*VISTA
AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps
Learn and Serve America
Learn and Serve America K-12 School-Based and Community-Based Programs
Learn and Serve America Higher Education Programs
National Senior Service Corps
Foster Grandparent Program
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Senior Companion Program

Training and Technical Assistance Listserv

    Currently managed by the National Service Resource Center, the 
training and technical assistance listserv is one way providers share 
best practices with one another. Providers also share effective 
practices through the Effective Practices Information Center 
(EpiCenter) and the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

VII. Appendix

Training Objectives for the AmeriCorps*VISTA National Integrated 
Training Program for Field Supervisors, Trainees and Members

A. Objectives of the Field Supervisors' Training for Maximizing Program 
Impact, Recruitment, and Retention (At Least Three Months Prior to 
Member's PSO)

    Field supervisors will:
     Understand Corporation and AmeriCorps*VISTA as they relate 
to national and community service.
     Design and manage clear, realistic outcome-based member 
assignments within the context of multi-year programs with 
sustainability impact goals.
     Articulate and administer the benefits, terms and 
conditions of AmeriCorps*VISTA service.
     Develop and implement an effective two-to-three week 
AmeriCorps*VISTA on-site orientation and training plan.
     Understand the Corporation web-based recruitment system 
and develop and implement an effective AmeriCorps*VISTA recruitment 
strategy including effective screening and selection.
     Provide quality member support to optimize member 
satisfaction and impact and to reduce attrition.

B. Objectives of the AmeriCorps*VISTA Trainee Pre-Service Orientation 
for Getting Started: Role Clarification, Expectations, and Inspiration 
(Immediately Prior to Swearing-In)

    Trainees will:
     Identify with AmeriCorps*VISTA program and establish their 
relationship with VISTA and the Corporation state office.
     Develop a sense of pride and inspiration about 
AmeriCorps*VISTA, an appreciation for the VISTA legacy of service, a 
dedication and commitment to a year of immersion, sacrifice and 
service.
     Understand their role as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member and in 
their assignment and community, and their relationship to their 
project's ultimate goals and to their supervisor.
     Develop an understanding of the unique capacity building 
nature of their assignments, with clear and realistic expectations 
about the challenges they will confront and strategies for getting 
started.
     Understand the AmeriCorps*VISTA benefits, terms and 
conditions of service; complete enrollment documents; and take the Oath 
of Service.

C. Objectives of the AmeriCorps*VISTA Member Early Service Training for 
Impact and Retention (90 Days After PSO)

    Members will:
     Develop strategies and problem solving skills for 
overcoming obstacles and challenges they are facing on-site.
     Appreciate and validate their accomplishments to-date and 
set new goals for remainder of service.
     Develop skills to add value to their role as agents of 
sustainability in their projects:
     E.g., resource mobilization; community volunteer 
recruitment and management, community mobilization.
     Develop plans for integrating new skills into their 
ongoing work.
     Renew sense of pride and inspiration, appreciation for the 
VISTA legacy service, dedication and commitment.

CFDA No. 94.009  Training and Technical Assistance

    Dated: March 9, 2001.
David Rymph,
Acting Director, Department of Evaluation and Effective Practices, 
Corporation for National and Community Service.
[FR Doc. 01-6396 Filed 3-14-01; 8:45 am]
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