1. Communicating the Impact Behind the “A” AMERICORPS BRANDING GUIDELINES

2. 1.Reasons 2.Requirements 3.Resources 4.Recommendations 4 R’s of Branding

3. By Branding Properly You Can…  Reinforce the emotional connection of your members’ efforts to AmeriCorps  Have a recognizable standard of service  Illustrate the broader impact of your AmeriCorps program, sending a clear and consistent message to raise awareness and visibility  Remind beneficiaries, elected officials and other stakeholders of the positive experiences and impact with AmeriCorps  Help your organization affiliate with something bigger  Be compliant Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

4. AmeriCorps Branding Requirements  As an AmeriCorps sub-grantee, you are required to verify that all digital properties, media materials, and other relevant items reflect your association with AmeriCorps. Prominently display the standard AmeriCorps logo Use standardized language to describe the program Include appropriate AmeriCorps logos on all gear Display signs or posters that feature your program and the AmeriCorps logo at all sites Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

5. 2015 Terms and Conditions for AmeriCorps State and National Grants  Identification as an AmeriCorps Program or Member.  The recipient shall identify the program as an AmeriCorps program and members as AmeriCorps members.  The AmeriCorps Name and Logo  All recipient and sub-recipient websites shall clearly state that they are an AmeriCorps recipient and shall prominently display the AmeriCorps logo. Recipients and sub-recipients shall use the AmeriCorps name and logo accordingly. Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

6. AmeriCorps Branding Resources CNCS provides AmeriCorps logos and other branded electronic materials as well as hard copy materials that can be found at pub.nationalservice.gov under the “Public outreach and education resources” section of nationalservice.gov. Posters Business cards Bookmarks Stickers Pins Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

7. E-Newsletter Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

8. News Articles and Videos Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

9. Who Wore It the Best? Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

10. Who Shot it the Best? Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

11. Action Pictures are Best! Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

12. Event Signage Reasons │ Requirements │ Resources │ Recommendations

13. IN CLOSING  The AmeriCorps “A” is more than a logo or a checklist bullet point; it is a symbol of tradition of service of individuals.  Branding the “A” is key to cultivating and growing the national service movement, and it takes an investment of the entire AmeriCorps community to move this message forward.