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Dear commission colleagues:
A number of you have been conversing with Theresa Clower, Senior Advisor and Executive Director of the Federal Mentoring Council, on plans for developing summer of service programs for youth. Theresa shared with me questions she received regarding the possibility of converting full-time slots to minimum time AmeriCorps slots (300 hours per term) and using those minimum time slots in a full-time capacity for summer of service programs. Two questions arose: (1) how many minimum time slots might a full-time slot be converted into; and (2) would a minimum time member's completion of service in a summer of service program count as one of her/his two allowable terms of service in an AmeriCorps*State or National program?
- Conversion of a full-time slot to minimum time slots: You may convert one full time slot into no more than four minimum time slots. The conversion policy states that "the total number of MSYs and education award amounts in the grant may not increase as a result of the slot conversion" (emphasis added). According to policy, all conversions must be "Trust neutral." One full-time slot correlates to an education award of $4,725 at the successful completion of service. A minimum time slot correlates to a $1,000 education award. Therefore, no more than four minimum time slots may be converted from a single full-time slot without surpassing the amount of the education award certified with the grant.
- Summer of Service and Member Terms: A member's term in a summer of service program would indeed count as one of her/his two allowable terms of service in an AmeriCorps*State or National program (i.e. subtitle C program). Based on national service laws and Corporation policy, an AmeriCorps State or National program may use federal funds to pay for the benefits of a member’s third term of service (living allowance, health insurance, etc.) as long as the member has not already served two terms in a subtitle C-funded AmeriCorps State and National program. For example, if a member’s first two terms were as a VISTA member, the program may use federal funds to pay for the benefits of the third term. Under no circumstances will an individual be eligible to receive more than two education awards.
If you have questions, please contact your program officer.
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