The Resource Center provides online courses on a wide variety of topics designed specifically to help strengthen national service programs. The following courses are currently available.

Activating Asset Mapping
(Prerequisite: Strengthening Your Organization, Your Community, and Your Projects) This course promotes the idea that community-based projects are stronger when nonprofits and associations invite the assets of a community to be active in the planning and implementation of initiatives. Discover why and how an asset map can be valuable to your project and community, identify examples of the assets to be mapped and who will be mapping them, and learn a step-by-step process for successful mapping. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Leadership Practice (a division of Public Allies), with subject matter support from the ABCD Institute and technical support from ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

AmeriCorps 101/Financial Management/Disability Inclusion
This trio of online trainings provides AmeriCorps sub-grantees with the knowledge and skills to effectively run an AmeriCorps program. This series of courses will teach you about the history and background of AmeriCorps. It will also provide you with valuable information regarding program design, program management, and financial management. In addition, you will learn how to create an inclusive environment for all service participants. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the California Service Corps. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

AmeriCorps*VISTA and Prisoner Reentry
This course is designed to assist private, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations as well as federal, state, and local agencies in applying to sponsor AmeriCorps*VISTA members. Members will serve in community projects focused on prisoner reentry: the process of transitioning from prison back into the community. This course is comprehensive, covering everything from the AmeriCorps*VISTA application process, to the three phases of prisoner reentry, to the development or expansion of a local prisoner reentry initiative. It also highlights examples of prisoner reentry program activities and describes how AmeriCorps*VISTA members can contribute to them. With 650,000 people released from U.S. prisons each year and approximately two out of three rearrested within three years, reentry is a challenging process for ex-offenders and communities alike. This course was created through the cooperation of Corporation for National and Community Service, ETR Associates and the National Crime Prevention Council. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Build Fundraising Volunteer Champions
Increase the impact of your fundraising efforts. Learn how to help board members and other volunteer leadership to assume greater responsibility and have a stake in your program's success. In this course, you will explore the best ways to raise unrestricted funds by building fundraising volunteer champions. This course is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and written by Campaign Consultation, Inc. as a training and technical assistance provider for the Resource and Fund Development Initiative. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Communicating with People with Disabilities
This online tutorial will explain the main elements of including qualified individuals with disabilities in national service programs. Topics cover CNCS legislation, legal responsibilities, reasonable accommodations, the definition of people with disabilities, management and retention of people with disabilities, inclusive service descriptions, inclusive outreach and recruitment, Universal Design, values and best practices on creating an inclusive service environment. This tutorial course was created cooperatively by The Corporation for National and Community Service, The National Service Inclusion Project, ETR Associates, AUCD, RESA, and ICI. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Corporate Motivation and Response
To be successful in soliciting charitable funds from business leaders, imagine yourself sitting behind their desks. This course is designed to expand your corporate solicitation skills to speak the language of business when presenting your proposal. By gaining insight into why businesses support charity, you can match corporate goals to your program. The communication and cultivation techniques offered in this course can help ensure corporate contributions. This course is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and written by Campaign Consultation, Inc. as a training and technical assistance provider for the Resource and Fund Development Initiative. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

The CNCS Disaster Services Online Orientation series is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service for anyone interested in disaster services; and was developed by the Corporation, along with Project TADS and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

EdAward (Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tutorial)
A step-by-step tutorial for AmeriCorps and VISTA members to help maximize their education award, learn ways to manage school funds, and provide strategies for receiving the best possible financial aid package. This course was created collaboratively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL). Access this tutorial.

Engaging College Students as Volunteer Leaders
A 2006 report by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that 3.3 million college students volunteered in 2005. One avenue of increasing your program’s capacity is to tap college students as volunteer leaders to plan projects and engage other students in meaningful service. In this session, learn to leverage the tremendous energy and skills of students through a volunteer leader program that recruits and supports students, builds teams, connects service with learning, and provides opportunities for meaningful service and skill development. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Funding Challenges Can Work for You
Rural, faith-based, multi-site, non-501(c)(3) organizations, and other national service initiatives with unique program structures, often face specific challenges with resource and fund development. In this course, you can explore these challenges and learn to leverage existing internal and external networks to identify and secure non-federal government funding. This course is designed to help you turn funding challenges into fundraising assets. This course is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and written by Campaign Consultation, Inc. as training and technical assistance provider for the Resource and Fund Development Initiative. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Individuals Writing to Individuals
To keep your program running year after year, you need individuals whose support you can secure year after year as well. This course provides tools and tips for your program to outline an annual giving appeal to deliver directly to individual givers. It also examines cost-effective techniques to keep donors engaged through a year-long communications plan, including newsletters, annual reports, and e-communications. Help your program's annual giving campaign run smoothly and gain greater support year after year. This course is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and written by Campaign Consultation, Inc. as a training and technical assistance provider for the Resource and Fund Development Initiative. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Internet Basics Series: Web and Browser Basics
Brush up on your computer skills with the first online course in The Resource Center's Internet Basics series: Web and Browser Basics. This course will teach you about the primary functions of the Internet and will help you understand your options for connecting to the web in order to find volunteers, explore funding opportunities, and make connections in the community. You will learn about all of the basic landscape of the Internet, including websites, web pages, URLs, links, downloads, search sites, and search engines. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Internet Basics Series: Simple Web Services to Boost Your Program
Take advantage of the power of the Web in the second online course in our Internet Basics series: Simple Web Services to Boost Your Program. This course will introduce you to some easy ways you can use the Internet to benefit your service program, including online tools for fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and gathering information from program stakeholders. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Key Concepts of Financial Management
This course discusses the main elements of financial management for Corporation-funded projects. Topics include Corporation regulations, OMB circulars, written policies and procedures, internal controls, time and activity reporting, budget controls, and others. Take advantage of this opportunity to hone your financial management skills in a user-friendly online environment and ultimately benefit your program. This course was created through the cooperation of Corporation for National and Community Service, ETR Associates and Walker & Co, LLP. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Leveraging Partnerships for Community Impact
As you engage volunteers in service, you can find many opportunities to broaden your work by partnering with other community-based organizations; this course offers tools to help you evaluate your organization’s capacity for establishing and building these partnerships. Learn how to determine your organization’s readiness, assess potential partnerships, and contact community organizations to establish and build relationships. This e-course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Making the Connection: SaYES to Intergenerational Service-Learning
Access tools and resources to forge new intergenerational service-learning partnerships. SaYES-Seniors and Youth Engaged in Service-an initiative of Learn and Serve America and Senior Corps, has been created to help connect Senior Corps volunteers, particularly age 50+ Baby Boomers, to support K-12 service-learning activities. Three modules lead learners through: the process of creating partnerships around service-learning, strategies for schools to engage older adult volunteers in service-learning, and strategies for volunteer organizations to find and keep age 50+ adult volunteers. Additional resources, downloadable forms, templates, and marketing tools enable course users to move quickly from learning into practice. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Disaster
When disaster strikes a community, volunteers are essential in helping to rebuild lives and rebuild communities. It is important that volunteers are given meaningful and constructive opportunities to serve, while not overwhelming the affected community during the response and recovery. National service members can be a vital part of this volunteer effort by staffing volunteer reception centers (VRCs) after an incident. VRCs match volunteers unaffiliated with disaster agencies to opportunities at organizations already involved in the response or recovery. This training will help national service participants understand the function of a VRC and how to manage spontaneous volunteers in times of disaster. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Microsoft Office Series: Microsoft PowerPoint Basics
Learn to create dazzling presentations for marketing your service program in the first release of our Microsoft Office Training series: Microsoft PowerPoint Basics. This course enables you to create a PowerPoint slide show to effectively communicate ideas to small or large groups. You will learn about all of the basics including using templates and slide layouts, editing master and individual slides, and packaging your presentation. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Moving Volunteers from Service to Civic Engagement
Beyond project leadership, volunteers can be encouraged to move up the ladder from service to civics. In this session, you will learn to recognize your program as an avenue to get volunteers engaged in issues education and greater civic roles within their communities. Define civic engagement, explore the dimensions of civic participation, and plan how to apply civic skills. This online course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

On-site Project Management
A major factor of volunteer attrition is disorganized service experiences that do not provide volunteers with a sense of accomplishment or impact. As a program or project manager, you need to balance logistics, time, and people effectively in order to implement a successful, productive service project. This course explores the various elements of a service project and helps you understand how they can be managed successfully. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Performance Measurement Self-Assessments for Senior Corps Programs
Are you unsure if you're up to date on performance measurement? Are you a Senior Corps program? Project STAR has developed an online self-assessment tool that will help you and your staff gauge your knowledge. Take separate assessments on these topics:

• Understanding CNCS Performance Measurement Requirements
• Developing Aligned Performance Measures Using the Logic Model
• Performance Measurement Enhancements: Targets, Indicators, and "How Measured"

Each of these short, fun self-assessments has 10 to 15 questions and should take less than 15 minutes to complete. If you need more information, an answer key is provided that links you directly to resources that will help you master the material. These assessments were created through the cooperation of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Project STAR, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Preparing the Grant Budget for AmeriCorps Programs
Learn about budget development with a focus on the preparation of a Corporation for National and Community Service grant-specific budget for AmeriCorps programs. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Walker & Co., and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Preparing the Grant Budget for Senior Corps Programs
Learn about budget development with a focus on the preparation of a Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) grant-specific budget for Senior Corps programs. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Walker & Co., and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Project Planning
A high-impact, well-managed service project will keep volunteers coming back and simultaneously increase your program’s capacity to deliver services. In this course, you will learn to assess community needs, select a project, solidify resources, map logistics, and detail the project plan. Explore the steps to developing projects that put volunteers in the middle of the community and result in measurable community impact. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

State Commissions and Faith-Based and Community Organizations
An in-depth learning tool to help state commissions explore strategies in their fundamental roles of promoting community service and engaging citizens in volunteerism. This examination of the Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) helps commissions create a “level playing field” through outreach, collaboration, and service with diverse community-based and faith-based organizations in every part of the state. This easy-to-use course helps commissions assess their ability to minimize obstacles for potential sub-grantees, and it provides commission leaders with a resource for referral and training of staff and others. It also contains numerous resources and examples for building community partnerships, alliances, and organizational capacity that can help any commission continue its work in the FBCI and realize the potential of all communities and their citizens. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the National Crime Prevention Council, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Strengthening Your Organization, Your Community, and Your Projects
This new course from the Leadership Practice promotes the idea that foundations and communities alike are interested in projects that serve to improve communities and strengthen community-based organizations. It is intended to help an organization: (1) strengthen itself, by enhancing connections with the community’s assets; (2) strengthen the community, by investing in the community’s assets; and (3) strengthen current and future community-based projects, activities, and proposals. This course was created cooperatively by the Leadership Practice, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and ETR Associates. The Leadership Practice — a partnership of Public Allies and the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at Northwestern University — brings prolific national service field knowledge, academic experience, and decades of grass roots community organizing to their role as the community strengthening service provider for the Corporation. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Understanding Disability Legislation for National Service Programs
National service programs are obligated under federal law to ensure nondiscriminatory environments, practices, and procedures for qualified persons with disabilities. This online course provides an overview of several pieces of key legislation: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, the National and Community Service Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Through multiple formats, information is presented to help you gain an understanding of how to apply the federal laws that specifically relate to national and community service programs — and to help you create a more inclusive program that allows qualified individuals with all types of abilities to serve and volunteer. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Utilizing Volunteers as Project Leaders
An organization benefits from a robust volunteer infrastructure that sustains the activities of the organization. Essential to this sustainability are volunteer project leaders — community members who are trained to recognize community needs and to lead other volunteers in service activities that will meet those needs. In this session, you will discover how to build a strong volunteer leader program by establishing a project leadership framework and then recruiting, equipping, and supporting your leaders. This online course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Volunteer Management
Volunteers can be your organization’s greatest asset, as they significantly increase your capacity to serve the community. In this online course, explore ways to provide meaningful service opportunities for volunteers; recruit volunteers with diverse skills and interests; and celebrate your volunteers’ service. Learn to understand your volunteers so that you can support them in service roles where they will be successful and bring about real change in the community. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Web-Based Tutor Training
This set of three tutorials is designed to introduce national service members and volunteers to effective tutoring strategies. Users interact with virtual tutors and children engaged in a range of activities that integrate a variety of skills and learning styles. The Web-based training also includes an array of downloadable support materials designed to help tutors in their important work with children. Topics include reading comprehension, strategies for supporting English language learners and emergent readers, and homework help in out-of-school time. This course was created through the cooperation of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and LEARNS. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

What's Next: Life After Your Service Year
The EnCorps team at Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory is proud to bring you a new online offering — What’s Next: Life After Your Service Year. This new, interactive tutorial from the T/TA provider for AmeriCorps recruitment and development leads members through activities and resources that clarify thinking about going to college, starting a career, and continuing to serve. By reflecting on their post-AmeriCorps or VISTA plans, members focus on the meaning of their service. Access this tutorial.

Working with Diverse Volunteers
Volunteers can be your organization’s greatest asset as they significantly increase your capacity to serve the community. In this course, learn to enhance communications with persons of diverse backgrounds and strengthen the foundation critical for community building. Explore ways to sensitively discuss with volunteers social and cultural issues that influence a community’s decision-making process; apply principles of diversity to improve innovation, creativity, and teamwork in your program; and recruit diverse volunteers. This course was created cooperatively by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hands On Network, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Writing Proposals
Can you answer this question from a private foundation: "What is the tangible impact of our support in addressing the root of this social problem?" Or this one from a business partner: "How does our contribution to your effort help promote our company?" To give the best answers to prospective donors and build confidence in your financial supporters, it's important to communicate a clear and comprehensive case for support in writing. In this course, discover best practices for writing a successful case, supporting your funding request in your proposal, and understanding important differences in proposals written for different audiences. This course is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and written by Campaign Consultation, Inc. as training and technical assistance provider for the Resource and Fund Development Initiative. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

Youth Impact: Starting and Strengthening Quality Programs
The LEARNS team is pleased to offer this online course for tutoring, mentoring, out-of-school time, and other youth-development programs funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Designed for both new and veteran program staff, the course will help you find, prepare, and keep the right members and volunteers to work with youth. Through interactive elements, audio-visuals, and downloadable documents, the course highlights and puts into your hands best practices used by effective youth-serving programs. It also provides links to additional resources for support and training to help your program succeed. This course was created cooperatively by LEARNS (a partnership of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory and the Bank Street College of Education) and the Corporation for National and Community Service, with technical support from ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.