City staff and the Community Development Board recommend the City Council authorize submission of an annual application for AmeriCorps VISTA and authorize City staff to negotiate and finalize the project if awarded. 

The Community Development Division is requesting approval to apply for AmeriCorps VISTA funding for FY2026–2027, continuing its administration of the Billings Metro VISTA Project, which it has managed since 2009. The Division has been waiting for confirmation the AmeriCorps VISTA program would be funded for another cycle and just received this confirmation in late January. The project places VISTA members (Volunteers In Service To America) at local nonprofits to address poverty and reduce homelessness, focusing on areas such as housing, education, employment, food security, healthcare access, and services for veterans and military families. Members also support City-led initiatives with statewide impact, including identifying barriers to housing and healthcare access. Approval would allow the Division to continue coordinating and administering placements for multiple community partners throughout the year. The project is supported by federal grant funding, a previously approved $75,000 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) allocation, and annual host site contributions.

The Community Development Division has been approached by the Corporation for National and Community Service regarding submitting an application for AmeriCorps VISTA resources for FY2026-2027. The Division has been managing the Billings Metro VISTA Project since 2009. The Billings Metro VISTA Project supports placements of AmeriCorps VISTA members at nonprofit organizations to reduce the risk of homelessness and create the tools people in poverty need to build sustainable futures. Priority focus areas include education, housing, employment, food security, access to healthcare and services benefiting veterans and military families.

Members may also be trained in City-sponsored initiatives to share information and resources with other communities across Montana to further project reach, scope, and overall poverty impact. Examples include the development and implementation of a plan to affect homelessness; assistance in developing poverty-based impediments to housing access and equal opportunity; the expansion of services to assist veterans and their families; and the development and implementation of a homeless services survey.

Approval of the application would allow the Community Development Division to assist in application preparation and administration of activities on behalf of many community agencies including Alternatives, Billings Parks and Rec, Eagle Mount, Native American Development Corporation, and STEP, Inc. Staff is preparing an application for members who may be placed at varying times throughout the year based on availability, including August 2026 and February 2027 (one-year placements), etc.
 

For the current fiscal year, the Corporation for National and Community Service allocated a total grant award of over $446,250 to carry out the project. The Community Development Board and City Council approved a $75,000 FY24-25 CDBG allocation which has been rolled over to the current fiscal year to continue member support for training, supplies, and other administrative costs. VISTA Members further the Division’s initiatives to impact poverty and homelessness, as per the Community Development Board’s request. Host Sites also contribute approximately $15,000 per year to support the project.
 

Since its inception in 2009, the B-MVP has placed 290 VISTA Members (Volunteers In Service To America) at 63 Host Site organizations (nonprofits and governmental entities) helping low-income citizens. In total, VISTA members have leveraged over $5.6 Million in cash and in-kind resources that supported poverty-impact projects in the community. The total project is valued at over $12.9 Million, which includes federal grants to the City. VISTA members also support the local economy through the provision of rent, groceries, and recreation – roughly $2.7 Million over the life of the program.  Approximately 40% of VISTA members stay in the area following their service term in order to pursue professional development opportunities.