1. December 16th PD Meeting Updates & Announcements

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

3. 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.

4. 2016-17 Grants Process Competitive Applications Due January 20th, 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
Big emphasis on Theory of Change and Evidence Base section this year

5. 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

6. 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 14th
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
- Grant closeout – 30 days after the last program end date (JustAstart – 9/3/15)
America's Service Commissions is excited to begin a new AmeriCorps Mapping Project to develop an online map of all AmeriCorps State programs throughout the country. The map will help them better tell the story of state service commissions and show the breadth and impact of AmeriCorps State to Congress and other key stakeholders.
CNCS is periodically checking program postings on their website (proper language, dates, adequate benefits, etc.)
Veterans Day – Congressman Moulton (11/11) and City of Boston (11/7 and 8)

7. 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
Continuing Resolution extended through 12/11. Doesn’t apply to our AC programs, but it does apply to VISTA.
Legal Opinion on MA sick leave – How does new MA law about required sick time for employees affect members. MSA got a legal opinion and we are trying to get CNCS engaged. If anything happens before the next PD meeting we will arrange a phone call to walk them through it.
Operation Thank a Veteran – will engage approx veterans who live in Boston and 150 volunteers on a weekend of 11/7-8.
Indirect cost rate – greater flexibility for programs to reclaim indirect costs and require federal agencies to accept federally negotiated indirect cost rates in most cases. If using the negotiated indirect cost rate, programs must provide the rate agreement with the application.

8. 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
Service Year Exchange Platform – partnership of Franklin Project, Service Nation, Voices for National Service and National Conference on Citizenship.
Pilot states – Oregon, Iowa and Maine.
Learning functions – Credit for college, badges and certificates, completion certificates, downloadable tools
Help with member recruitment, fundraising, certificates of completion for members, etc.
Very user friendly

9. Next PD Meeting is February 24th
Host – Citizen Schools