AmeriCorps Seniors Regulation Updates

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Corporation for National and Community Service (operating as AmeriCorps) proposes to revise its regulations governing AmeriCorps Seniors programs. This proposed rule would remove barriers to service for individuals and increase flexibility for sponsors to determine the best mix of staffing and resources to accomplish project goals. Specifically, this proposed rule would remove barriers for individuals to serve as AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in three ways: first, by limiting what is considered income in the calculation that determines eligibility to receive a stipend; second, by allowing volunteers to continue to receive a stipend when their sponsor places them on administrative leave due to extenuating circumstances that prevent service; and third, by allowing sponsors to supplement stipends. This proposed rule would increase flexibility for AmeriCorps Seniors sponsors in three ways: first, by removing the prescriptive requirement for them to employ a full-time project director; second, by establishing a single 10 percent match value regardless of grant year; and third, by allowing sponsors to choose to pay more than (but not less than) the AmeriCorps-established stipend rates using non- AmeriCorps funds for the amount exceeding the AmeriCorps-established rate. These proposed changes would allow sponsors to determine the best staffing and volunteer mix to support projects and how to devote resources that would otherwise be devoted to meet increasingly high match requirements. This proposed rule would also update nomenclature to reflect that the Corporation for National and Community Service operates as AmeriCorps and that "Senior Corps" is now known as "AmeriCorps Seniors."