Grant funds are for capacity building and infrastructure development consistent with Administrative Standard Seven for Implementing Training and Technical Assistance and to use strategies that maximize the impact of resources provided to national service programs in the state. The following kinds of activities are appropriate uses for PDAT funds:
a. Leadership development, training and technical assistance activities to enhance the effectiveness of AmeriCorps programs and program staff.
b. Joint cross-program training events that include AmeriCorps and other national service programs.
c. Statewide or regional events for member training when conducted collaboratively among multiple programs or organized by multiple states. Member/participant training for a single local program should be funded from the sub-grantee’s budget.
d. Evaluation, performance measurement and accountability activities for AmeriCorps programs
e. Travel costs for program staff to state-sponsored. cluster-wide, regional, and national-provider training events.
f. Travel costs for member/participant attendance at regional and national training events to increase member/participant effectiveness (such as service-learning and youth-service conferences and/or events in support of local capacity building).
g. Cost-sharing with national T/TA–provider(s) as appropriate.
h. Funding for up to 1.0 FTE as a staff person, contractor or consultant to conduct functions associated with Administrative Standard. Activities may include conducting needs assessment; planning, implementing and managing the state’s T/TA effort; providing for on-site training and technical assistance; connecting programs to resources; identifying and developing local T/TA resources; and promoting peer exchanges.
i. Travel by staff whose positions are funded through PDAT when such travel involves the performance of T/TA function or to attend CNCS sponsored training that strengthens the training function. (Administrative funds must be used for travel to conduct administrative functions, such as monitoring and compliance review.) When travel costs are shared, expenditures must be documented separately for financial control purposes.
j. Preparation and implementation of joint cross-program training plans to the extent that such expenditures are consistent with other PDAT policies
k. Communication equipment and systems that link programs for T/TA purposes (for example, newsletters and Internet discussion groups). Administrative funds are to be used for communication equipment and systems for operational and monitoring activities. Sharing costs for systems that meet both needs is allowable with appropriate documentation for financial control purposes.
l. Outreach and public education to potential grantees, sub-grantee and sites to promote and strengthen the (national) service infrastructure in the state.