Northern Indiana Interfaith Action Corps (NIIAC)
AmeriCorps Program in the Works
The United Religious Community (URC) is currently in the final stages of the application process for an AmeriCorps program. We anticipate being able to begin having AmeriCorps members by late summer/early fall, and would love to place some of our members at local partner organizations!
What is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps is a program that pairs service “members” with local organizations that work to better the community. AmeriCorps’s mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering”. AmeriCorps members can have a varying degree of time commitment, from a minimum-time (300 hours) role to a full-time (1700 hours) role, and help their organization meet their service needs.
What are we looking for in a partner organization?
A partner organization, otherwise known as a “service site”, is required by AmeriCorps to have legal status as a state or local government, an Indian Tribe, a non-profit organization (religious organizations are permissible), or an educational institution. The URC is open to placing an AmeriCorps member with any organization in the South Bend area that engages in work in line with our mission of encouraging religious cooperation and understanding, seeking to effect constructive social change, and serving as advocates for those seeking to meet life’s basic needs. URC member congregations are also eligible to receive a potential AmeriCorps member placement.
What would AmeriCorps placement look like?
What would an ameriCorps member do?
An AmeriCorps member would be placed with the partner organization for a total of 1700 hours for a maximum of one year. AmeriCorps members often help address the capacity needs of an organization by tackling important projects, helping plan and implement events, recruiting volunteers, etc.; essentially, AmeriCorps members can help meet whatever service needs an organization has.
What is the URC responsible for?
Since the AmeriCorps member will be technically a part of URC’s AmeriCorps program, we will be responsible for providing the member’s stipend and benefits and will handle the bureaucratic end of the member’s placement.
what are the obligations or costs for a partnering organization?
The partnering organization will be asked to cover a partnering fee of $8000 for a full-time member. We expect any partnering organization to assist in recruiting to fill the placement. Additionally, while URC will handle AmeriCorps-specific paperwork and training, the partner organization must provide any training or paperwork required for their organization and role requirements.
What is the timeline?
We anticipate confirmation of our program approval to arrive in late April with AmeriCorps members signing on in August or September 2023. We aim to have potential partner organizations identified by mid to late February at the latest.
What steps should I take if my organization is interested in an AmeriCorps member placement?
If you have any interest in a placement, even if tentative, or any questions or concerns, please email americorps@urcsjc.org! If you are fairly certain you would like to be a service site for a potential URC AmeriCorps program, then please fill out this form. We would like to have an idea of roughly how many partner organizations are interested by February 17. We will then follow up with interested organizations to formalize the service site partnership after grant approval in April.