Host Site Opportunities

AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) is a national anti-poverty initiative that places full-time and summer volunteers with local projects. AmeriCorps VISTA members are recruited locally and nationally, are college graduates, and commit to service with a project.

The Community Development Division was designated as an AmeriCorps VISTA Project Site in 2009 as part of the overall homeless initiatives designed through Welcome Home Billings, the City's ten-year plan to impact homelessness. Through the Billings Metro VISTA Project (MVP), the City has facilitated VISTA placements with local non-profit organizations to assist in capacity-building efforts to impact poverty and homelessness in the community.

Becoming a Host Site

The City is offering partnership opportunities to non-profit organizations to acquire Host Site status through a proposal submission process. Organizations may submit a proposal anytime during the year to become a Host Site.

Deadlines

City staff must complete project applications within federal timelines. Therefore, organizations submitting completed proposals prior to the following deadlines will receive priority consideration for the next incoming class.

  • January 20, 2023 for:
    • Summer Associates beginning 10 weeks of full-time service beginning in May / June 2023. 
    • Full-year members beginning service in July / August 2023. 
  • September 8, 2023 for full-year members beginning service in January / February 2024. 
Proposals received after these deadlines may be considered until the subsequent recruitment season.

Please contact Carly Collins at collinsc@billingsmt.gov or call at 406.247.8675 to request a VISTA Host Site Guide Book and Proposal form. Organizations may also schedule an appointment for technical assistance in preparing a proposal.

What is Capacity-Building?

The AmeriCorps VISTA program specializes in capacity-building efforts, which result in long-term sustainability. This program is designed to assist organizations in efforts expected to become fully self-sustaining. Full-year VISTA members cannot provide direct services; for example, act as a receptionist, filing clerk, or have direct service-provision contact with clients.

All projects must be designed to impact poverty and benefit low income persons through economic opportunity (housing, employment, or federal benefit access), education (school readiness, K-12 success, career and technical education, STEM, or college access) or healthy futures (access to health care, food security, etc.). VISTA members may:
  • Complete a community needs assessment using quantitative and qualitative data.
  • Establish, expand or enhance an organization's volunteer program to raise funds or expand services.
  • Develop or expand a more diversified funding stream for services impacting poverty.
  • Expand or improve an existing program benefiting low income households.
  • Perform outreach, build community awareness of services offered by an organization.
  • Assist in assessing the impact of current anti-poverty programming.