December 16 th PD Meeting Updates & Announcements

Agenda Meet new MSA staff! Grants process overview Past Performance Assessments Important updates and announcements –Background checks, sick time update Service Year Exchange Platform

Welcome New Staff Colin McLaughlin is our new Administrative Coordinator. Colin will be occasionally contacting you for logistical purposes, and you will likely meet him at a coming PD meeting or MSA event. In addition, we recently welcomed Steve Gallucci as our new CFO, and Amy Mulvena as our new Commonwealth Corps Program Assistant.

Grants Process –Competitive Applications Due January 20 th, 2016 –Clarification period March –Early May - Notification of funding for competitive applicants –Formula deadlines (continuations and re- competing) –New 20 members minimum requirement –Big emphasis on Theory of Change and Evidence Base sections

Past Performance Assessment New assessment tool for CNCS, completed by MSA Formula and competitive grantees submitting applications will be rated based on the last complete program year –Applicants funded for the first time in 2015 or applicants that have not received funding within the past five years will not be assessed for past performance Components are meant to flag programs that are either high performers or significant risks

Important updates and announcements AmeriCorps Cluster Conference – May 2-4, 2016 at the Springfield Sheraton hotel Massachusetts Service & Volunteerism Day at the State House on April 14 th National Volunteer Week Application Extension Complete MA 2015 Statewide Service & Volunteer Sector Needs Survey by Friday, 12/18 –Forward to any host sites, partners, etc. please! Competitive grant closeout (12ACHMA001) – October, November and December 2015

Important updates and announcements Background checks Legal opinion on MA Earned Sick Time Law End of the year progress report clarifications Thank you for sending feedback for program management feature

Service Year Exchange Platform Dynamic online marketplace for members, organizations and funders “Pilot” and “founding” states, years of waived or discounted membership for founding states and their programs Program profiles should have been created Members’ responsibilities – register with SYE, create profile and search for programs and positions National SYE launch in January 2016 Questions? Contact Jonas Kane at

Next PD Meeting is February 24 th Host – Citizen Schools