[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 138 (Monday, July 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38814-38815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19210]
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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Request for Comment on Proposed Criteria Used to Select and
Evaluate National Service Programs
AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.
ACTION: Request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service
(Corporation) invites comments on proposed changes to the criteria it
uses to select and evaluate national service programs. The Corporation
applies these criteria to the following categories of national service
programs: Learn and Serve America; National Senior Service Corps;
AmeriCorps*VISTA; and AmeriCorps*State and National. The revised
criteria will apply beginning in 1999 to the Corporation's selection of
projects and programs, including recompetitions, and will be phased in
for continuing projects and programs over the next year.
DATES: The deadline for the submission of comments is August 19, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to the Office of Planning and
Program Integration, Corporation for National Service, 1201 New York
Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20525.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Talbot, (202) 606-5000, ext.
470. T.D.D. (202) 565-2799. For individuals with disabilities,
information will be made available in alternative formats upon request.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
The Corporation for National and Community Service was established
in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to
their communities. The Corporation's national and community service
programs provide opportunities for participants to serve full-time and
part-time, with or without stipend, as individuals or as a part of a
team. AmeriCorps*State and National, VISTA, and National Civilian
Community Corps engage thousands of Americans on a full-or part-time
basis at more than 1,000 locations to help communities meet their
toughest challenges. Learn and Serve America integrates service into
the academic life of more than 800,000 students in all 50 states. The
National Senior Service Corps utilizes the skills, talents and
experience of over 500,000 older Americans to help make communities
stronger, safer, healthier and smarter.
The Corporation provides assistance to organizations that carry out
AmeriCorps*State and National, Learn and Serve America, and National
Senior Service Corps programs. AmeriCorps*State and National programs,
which involve 25,000 Americans each year in results-driven community
service, are grant programs managed by (1) State Commissions that
select and oversee programs operated by local organizations, (2)
national non-profit organizations that identify and act as parent
organizations for operating sites across the country; (3) Indian
tribes; or (4) U.S. Territories. Learn and Serve America grants provide
service learning opportunities for students in K-12 and higher
education settings. The National Senior Service Corps operates through
grants to local organizations for Retired Senior Volunteer Programs
(RSVP), Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions to provide service to
their communities.
The Corporation plays a direct role in carrying out the
AmeriCorps*VISTA program in assigning more than 4,000 AmeriCorps*VISTA
members to service programs across the nation where they develop
grassroots programs, mobilize resources and build capacity. The
Corporation itself operates the AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian
Community Corps) program, providing an opportunity for approximately
1,000 individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 to participate in a
residential program principally located on downsized military bases.
For additional information on the national service programs
supported by the Corporation, go to http://www.nationalservice.org.
While recognizing the particular aspects of the different types of
national service programs, the Corporation seeks to make its evaluation
criteria more consistent across programs. The proposed criteria for
1999 reflect an ongoing effort by the Corporation to streamline and
harmonize the various application processes for organizations seeking
support for their national service programs. The Corporation's Board of
Directors has reviewed and endorsed the proposed 1999 evaluation
criteria.
The Corporation will use the proposed evaluation criteria in
selecting new and recompeting projects and programs and to assess the
performance of organizations who have received assistance to carry out
national service programs. Implementation of the criteria will begin
with the issuance of 1999 guidance to the field. Because the criteria
relate principally to programming and operations, they will not
necessarily apply to other activities, such as technical assistance,
supported by the Corporation.
The Corporation will provide additional guidance in application
materials for each category of national service program. The additional
guidance will state how the criteria will be applied, depending on the
category of program (e.g., Learn and Serve America, National Senior
Service Corps) and the nature of the application for assistance (new,
recompeting, or continuation).
B. Evaluation Criteria Common to National Service Programs Assisted
by the Corporation
1. Criteria
The following three categories (and the three sub-categories under
Program Design) constitute the criteria by which the Corporation will
select and evaluate organizations receiving assistance in Learn and
Serve America, National Senior Service Corps, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and
AmeriCorps*State and National.
a. Program Design (60%), which includes as subcategories:
i. Getting Things Done, meeting needs in the areas of education,
public safety, the environment, and health and human needs;
ii. Strengthening Communities; and
iii. Fostering Participant Development.
b. Organizational Capacity (25%)
c. Budget/Cost-Effectiveness (15%)
2. Factors That May Be Applied Within Each Category or Sub-Category
Within each category or subcategory, the Corporation may apply the
following factors, depending on the type of program and the nature of
the application. While the majority of factors will apply to all
programs supported by the Corporation, some may not, and each type of
program may place a different emphasis on the respective factors. In
addition, some of the factors may be used to assess program outcomes
rather than initial applications for assistance. The Corporation will
provide subsequent guidance in its application materials for each
category of national service program, stating whether and how these
factors will be applied.
[[Page 38815]]
a. Program Design (60%)
i. Getting Things Done
Well-documented compelling community need(s).
Well-designed activities with measurable goals and
objectives that meet community needs.
Well-defined roles for participants that lead to
measurable outcomes/impact.
Effective involvement of target community in planning/
implementation.
Ability to provide or secure effective technical
assistance.
ii. Strengthening Communities.
Strong community partnerships including well-defined roles
for community partners.
Potential for sustainability, innovation and/or
replicability of project activities.
Enhanced capacity of organizations and institutions.
Mobilization of community resources, including volunteers.
Bring together persons of diverse backgrounds.
iii. Participant Development.
Effective plans for recruiting, developing, training,
supervising, and recognizing participants.
Well-designed activities that promote an ethic of service/
civic responsibility.
Well-designed plan to engage participants in high quality
service-learning as defined by the Corporation.
Learn to serve together with persons of diverse
backgrounds.
b. Organizational Capacity (25%)
Ability to provide sound programmatic and fiscal
oversight.
Sound track record in the issue area(s) to be addressed by
the project.
Well-defined roles for staff/administrators.
Well-designed plans or systems for self-assessment,
evaluation and continuous improvement.
c. Budget/Cost-Effectiveness (15%)
Budget adequately supports program design.
Applicant organization/host agency is committed to
securing resources for program implementation and/or sustainability.
Cost-effective within program guidance.
3. Subcategories Within Program Design
To reflect the differences between Learn and Serve America,
National Senior Service Corps, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and AmeriCorps*State
and National, the Corporation proposes to apply different values to the
three subcategories within Program Design for each category of national
service program. Thus, while Program Design will uniformly constitute
60% of an organization's evaluation, the Corporation may, for each
national service program, place a different value on getting things
done, strengthening communities and fostering participant development,
as follows:
AmeriCorps*State and National: Getting things done in communities--
things that would not have gotten done but for AmeriCorps--has been the
core purpose for AmeriCorps*State and National. Program emphasis is
placed on well-designed program activities that result in direct and
demonstrable benefits that are both needed and valued by communities.
Strengthening communities is mainly accomplished by mobilizing
community resources and enhancing the capacity of organizations and
institutions in order to achieve sustainability. AmeriCorps* State and
National programs are required to develop specific strengthening
communities and participant development objectives with demonstrable
outcomes.
AmeriCorps*VISTA shifts the emphasis and gets things done more by
mobilizing community resources and developing the capacity of community
organizations. Strengthening communities is at the heart of
AmeriCorps*VISTA's mission. The potential for sustainability, enhanced
capacity, and mobilization of community resources (including
volunteers), encompasses AmeriCorps*VISTA's most significant program
measures and forms the basis of virtually all overall program
evaluation activity.
Learn and Serve America's definition of getting things done must
include measures of service-learning. A major concern is how
participants will learn while engaging in projects that get things done
and benefit the community. Learn and Serve emphasizes lasting impact on
the community as a result of community involvement and school or
institutional change. Increasing the acceptance of service-learning as
a pedagogy and tool for strengthening communities is an essential goal
of the program. Within Learn and Serve America appropriate participant
development occurs through well-designed service-learning experiences
that have as an integral component, positive community impact.
The National Senior Service Corps' incorporation of Programming for
Impact has placed a new and significant emphasis on getting things
done. Aside from the previous focus of providing a volunteer
opportunity, there is an emphasis on channeling and utilizing the
capabilities of participants to address critical community and human
needs. The traditional Senior Corps philosophy is that participant
development is very important. However, the starting point must be
good, solid roles and activities viewed by the community as valued and
important, that establish a context within which participant
development occurs.
Within Program Design, the Corporation will consider the three
subcategories in descending order of importance, as follows:
AmeriCorps*State and National
(1) Getting Things Done
(2) Participant Development
(3) Strengthening Communities
AmeriCorps*VISTA
(1) Strengthening Communities
(2) Getting Things Done
(3) Participant Development
Learn and Serve America
Getting Things Done--equal
Strengthening Communities--equal
Participant Development--equal
National Senior Service Corps
(1) Getting Things Done
(2) Strengthening Community
(3) Participant Development
Dated: July 14, 1998.
Kenneth L. Klothen,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 98-19210 Filed 7-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P
