AmeriCorps - Communications Center http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter.asp Welcome to the AmeriCorps Communication Center. Here you will find policy updates and other messages that AmeriCorps staff typically send to grantees via e-mail, for easy access and continued reference. en-us Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST 0 http://www.americorps.gov/images/logos/ac_logo.gif AmeriCorps http://www.americorps.gov 120 120 Update on the Corporation Inspector Generalhttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1372Message from Nicky Goren on Corporation Inspector GeneralAll AmeriCorpsWed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST President Announces United We Serve http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1375Info on launch of summer service initiative in partnership with the White House.All AmeriCorpsWed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST American Recovery and Reinvestment Act http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1374American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery) Reporting UpdateAll AmeriCorpsWed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST Summer Service http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1371Summer Service Initiative UpdateAmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalWed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST Corporation Representatives to State Commissionshttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1373Corporation Representatives to State Commissions - Memo on RoleAmeriCorps StateWed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST Department of Labor Partnershipshttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1369The Corporation is working with the Department of Labor to provide young people participating in WIA summer youth activities AmeriCorps StateFri, 5 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST Serve America Act - Frequently Asked Questions and PowerPointhttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1365Serve America Act FAQs and PowerPointAll AmeriCorpsThu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 EST AmeriCorps State and National Updatehttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1304In This Issue: Message from Acting Director Lois Nembhard; The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act; Grant Application Review and Clarification Updates; Recovery Act Updates; Recovery Provisions Now Available; Recovery Act Report on Contact with Registered Lobbyist Requirement; Federal Financial Report Due; New Training and Technical Assistance Providers; Checklists for New Staff on the Resource Center; Updated MSY Factors Now in WBRS; Letter Allowing Use of Grant Funds to Attend National Conference on Volunteering and Service; Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Emergency Curriculum Available; AmeriCorps Week News; Dates to RememberAmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalTue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST Governor's Proclamations for AmeriCorps Weekhttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1294AmeriCorps Week is May 9-16. Coming just weeks after enactment of historic legislation to expand national service, this year's AmeriCorps Week is a perfect time to shine the spotlight on AmeriCorps to raise awareness and recruit more Americans into service. One of the big successes from previous years has been Governor's proclamations. Thanks to the efforts of Commissions and Corporation state offices, last year 25 Governors issued AmeriCorps proclamations. We encourage you to seek proclamations again this year. To help, attached is a draft proclamation, and state-specific data on AmeriCorps members, hours, and Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards earned since the beginning of AmeriCorps.AmeriCorps StateWed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST Additional Portal Improvements to be Delivered Before Start of Regression Testhttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1293Based on testing efforts with Release 3.0.0.15, we have identified additional issues that must be resolved to begin regression testing. As a result, our contractor is working to resolve the most pressing issues in a new release to be provided to the Corporation for testing on or around April 10.Mon, 6 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST Staff Log-in Issue Hampers Testinghttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1284We had to address technical issues with the staff user log in process. This required two unexpected deployments that impacted staff side testing. Testing has resumed in full force. Today's changes slowed down our testing efforts to quickly validate the most critical items in the release.Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Major System Upgrade on the Horizonhttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1275While the contractor team is busy fixing the numerous issues our testers identified last week, our IT shop has shifted gears to focus on standing-up a new server environment to support the Corporation's systems, including My AmeriCorps, e-Grants, and eSPAN. The new 'Blade Production' environment will handle the increase in traffic My AmeriCorps will experience as members and grantees/project sponsors begin using the system in new ways. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Best Practices Conferencehttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1271AmeriCorps National Best Practices Conference: Registration is now open!All AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps NationalFri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Disaster Formula Funds Use of Unexpended Deadlinehttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1269Commission Use of Unexpended 2006 Disaster Formula FundsAll AmeriCorpsFri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Release 3 on Track!http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1268Our testing team did a stellar job earlier this week of verifying all but a couple of the defect (bug) fixes on the docket, which has allowed us to stay on track for our mid-May release. The ball is now back with our contractors to do another round of code fixes for the new problems we identified.Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Recovery Act http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1270Final Recovery Act Application DocumentsAll AmeriCorpsThu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Admin/PDAT/Disability Allocationshttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1254Final 2009 Commission Administrative Allocations and Instructions for Amending Administrative, PDAT, and Disability Grants AmeriCorps StateTue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Unexpended Formulahttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1249Formula Unexpended ThresholdsAmeriCorps StateTue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Major Milestone for Release 3 of the Portalhttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1255Today marks a major milestone on our project plan for completing the work on Release 3. By close of business we are to have completed testing the fixes to the computer code problems (bugs) that our team had previously identified. We also need to have completed the testing on some new functionality added to Release 3, including the member management module for State/National Grantees. Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST AC Recovery Conference Call Follow-Uphttp://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1252Follow up call on recovery funds infoAmeriCorps StateFri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST