- billingsmt.gov
- Services
- Community Development
- Billings Metro VISTA Project
- Host Site Opportunities
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.
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.
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:
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.