The Community Development Division has been approached by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) regarding submitting an application for VISTA resources for FY2014-2015 including a change in status from Support to Program Grant. The Division has been managing the Billings Metro VISTA Project (B-MVP) since 2009 and is in the process of completing the fifth successful year of program implementation.

Support Grants are issued to organizations with smaller VISTA programs and the Program Grants are issued to larger programs with organizational capacity to fiscally manage all aspects of program implementation, including living allowance and end of service stipend deposit processing. 

The change to Program Grant status would also ensure 20-25 full year VISTA positions are directly allocated to B-MVP to manage throughout the year, including Summer Associates; two full-year VISTA members is equivalent to 10 Summer Associates. This change would greatly enhance staff’s ability to plan ahead for project development and distribution of member resources to host sites. Many of the positions B-MVP garnered in the past have been shifted from other state programs such as MT Legal Services Association; Department of Public Health and Human Services - Prevention Resource Center; Richland County Health Department - Communities in Action; and University of MT - Campus Compact. 

B-MVP’s primary goal is to reduce homelessness and create the tools people in poverty need to build sustainable futures. Members would be placed at varying times throughout the year based on availability, including member opportunities in June for Summer Associates (serving ten total weeks) and July /January for one-year placements. 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 impact homelessness; the expansion of services to assist veterans and their families; and the development and implementation of a Youth Count survey. Approval for the application would allow the Division to assist in application preparation and administration of activities on behalf of several community agencies such as the Montana Rescue Mission, HRDC District 7, Tumbleweed Program, Friendship House and the Housing Authority of Billings. 

Council may:

1) Approve submittal of an application for AmeriCorps VISTA as a Program Grant; or
2) Not approve submittal of an application for the AmeriCorps VISTA as a Program Grant. 

Each VISTA member’s personnel value is conservatively estimated at $30,000 and up to 25 full-year VISTA placements would be secured with this grant application; $750,000 in resources per year. To date, VISTA members have generated over $1.8 million in cash and in-kind resources to support poverty initiatives in Billings. The total value of the B-MVP exceeds $3.5 million, including the value of member service and administrative support grants. 

CNCS has granted nearly $125,000 to the Division to support administrative functions for program implementation since 2009. CNCS would continue to provide administrative support grants to the City throughout the duration of the project to cover administrative costs and are estimated at $50,000 per year. Host site fees up to $2,500 for full-year VISTA members and $800 for Summer Associate members would be assessed to Host Sites for placements. Host site fees totaling nearly $20,000 were generated by the program in FY2012-2013 and the project has received over $9,300 in fees to date this fiscal year to support administration costs.  

In FY2013-2014, $50,000 in CDBG funding was allocated to the program to cover cost share and administrative expenses. Staff would continue to request annual CDBG funding to support cost share expenses in future years. The City has paid from $11,000 to $22,000 to CNCS through allocations in the CDBG funding for up to two member positions and the City would be required to commit funding totaling $50,000 to $75,000 to support at least five to seven member positions per year. Cost share members would be prioritized to further the Division’s initiatives to impact poverty and homelessness, as per the Community Development Board’s request.   

The change to Program Grant status would result in funding allocations to the city to facilitate deposits for member bi-weekly living allowances and end of service stipends. Payments would likely be processed through an independent contractor and the CNCS administrative grant will cover the costs for implementation. The assimilation of Program Grant status ensures future government shutdowns do not impact VISTA living allowance deposits. The Division would also be required to reclassify the Administrative Support I position to Grants Technician position to accommodate performance reporting, manage finances and monitor project implementation. The resultant position’s salary / wage costs would be covered by the CNCS administrative support grant and CDBG resources. Dedicated program staff illustrates the City’s capacity to implement the program and meet federal requirements. 

As of January 2014, the project will have hosted 90 total VISTA members who have volunteered to impact poverty through activities designed to enhance economic opportunity, education, healthy futures, services for veterans and military families at 24 organizations throughout the City. The increase in member placements is primarily due to successful project and host site development, exceptional recruiting techniques and excellence in performance reporting. The prepared nature B-MVP maintains allows City staff to recruit and fill member positions for other projects not meeting recruitment projections. For example, B-MVP only had two full-year VISTA member positions allocated for the January 2014 season. Other projects did not meet recruitment goals, therefore, B-MVP secured an additional eight positions to bring in ten total members for a year of service. 

Stakeholders for B-MVP include:

• Individuals and families experiencing poverty and / or homelessness
• College graduates interested in volunteering for poverty impact programs
• Organizations providing services to those experiencing poverty and / or homelessness
• Community Development Board
• Corporation for National and Community Service

Priority-Based Budgeting: B-MVP is ranked as a Tier Two program for the City of Billings, outranked only by First Time Home Buyer and Home Repair programs in the Community Development Division. Ranking in the second quartile for priority budgeting indicates a substantial benefit to the community as a result of program investment.

CDBG & Anti-Poverty Strategy: The City of Billings is required to implement anti-poverty initiatives to reduce the number of families experiencing poverty as a recipient of CDBG funding. The City’s FY2010-2014 Consolidated Plan and subsequent Annual Action Plans identify the B-MVP as the primary anti-poverty strategy to meet federal requirements.  

Welcome Home Billings: In 2009, the City of Billings - City Council adopted Welcome Home Billings, a ten-year plan to impact homelessness. This same year, the City was chosen as an established site for B-MVP by CNCS to aid in homeless initiatives.

The B-MVP started as a small initiative to support activities identified in Welcome Home Billings, the City’s ten-year plan to impact homelessness. Today, the project’s success and high performance standards have made it possible to further solidify and expand the program to further reach and scope of impact. Successes and lessons learned can and should be shared with other communities.

CNCS has determined the City of Billings has the capacity to fully manage a full fleet of VISTA members. Program Grant status designation will stabilize recruitment cycles, ensure resource availability, and standardize processes which will ultimately result in a more efficient program.