The Community Development Division has been approached by the Corporation for National and Community Service regarding sponsoring the fourth year of a VISTA project to build capacity in Billings to impact poverty and homelessness. The project is funded on a year-to-year basis, but is expected to cover a three to five year period. The application submission deadline is in April.  The Council's approval will give staff the guidance it needs to complete and submit the application and to negotiate the final details of the grant. 

1) Submit an application for the AmeriCorps*VISTA Project; 2) Not submit an application for the AmeriCorps*VISTA Project. Local non-profit organizations would not be able to access much needed capacity-building administrative support to impact poverty. In addition, VISTA members would not have an opportunity to generate cash and in-kind resources. Total VISTA financial impact in Billings exceeds $2 million to date.

The City is not required to commit funding to the project and may receive approximately $15,000-$20,000 this year to support project coordination and administration cost. While the City has not been required to financially commit additional funding to the project for the first two years, allocating funding toward “cost share” may allow the City to gain one additional member placement in Billings. Approximately $13,000 is currently available in a Community Development Block Grant professional services account to support the VISTA project. Funding remaining in this line item would meet the $5,000 minimum cost share for one additional position. Ten VISTA placements and administrative support are being requested ($320,000) through this application. City match offered in the application includes $3,500 in in-kind office space and equipment per volunteer.  Additional CDBG funding for administrative costs may be allocated through the FY12-13 budget process.

The Community Development Division was approached by the Corporation for National and Community Service regarding sponsoring the fourth year of a VISTA project to build capacity in Billings to impact poverty and homelessness. The project is funded on a year-to-year basis, but is expected to cover a three to five year period. The local submission deadline for the application is in April. The Billings Metro VISTA Project would place AmeriCorps*VISTA members in Billings to reduce of risk of homelessness and create the tools people in poverty need to build sustainable futures.
The project aligns with goals of the Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness’s ten-year plan to impact homelessness, Welcome Home Billings. The Billings project would compliment four other projects throughout the state: 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 - MT Campus Compact. The goal of all of these projects is to address poverty-related issues of hunger, housing and mentoring and each one expects to make an important impact in efforts to end poverty in the state of Montana.
Staff would like to prepare an application for Vista members who may be placed at one of several community service agencies and at varying times throughout the year, based on availability. Member opportunities may be available in June for Summer Associates (ten week placements) or for July and January (one-year placements). The number of available member positions has decreased across the nation. Therefore, the City may only be allocated a few members directly and additional members if positions are coordinated through another state project.
Occasionally, the Corporation for National and Community Services has additional “cost share” positions available. One additional VISTA member position may be available for placement in Billings if a “cost share” requirement is met. This amount is estimated at $5,000 to $11,000, depending on available funding. City Council approval for the application would allow the Community Development Division to assist in application preparation and administration of activities on behalf of several community agencies, including The HUB, United Way, Family Service, Inc., the Billings Area Resource Network, Volunteers of America, Salvation Army, and Tumbleweed Runaway Program. The Corporation for National and Community Services recommends the City require organizations seeking VISTA members contribute to the overall administration costs; $2,500 for a first year placement, $4,000 for a second year placement and $6,500 for a third year placement. This funding would help support a cost share position, coordination services, expenses to attend mandatory trainings and overall administration for the project. Each VISTA member’s value has been estimated at $30,000 for a year of service.