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- 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.
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. Host Sites must provide an office space, computer, phone, generalized support and at least weekly supervision to their VISTA members during their year of service.
Deadlines
- September 8, 2023 for full-year members beginning service in January / February 2024.
- January 12, 2024 for full-year members beginning service in July / August 2024.
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.