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 Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST 0 http://www.americorps.gov/images/logos/ac_logo.gif http://www.americorps.gov 120 120 http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1656Each summer, 18 million students are at risk of going hungry when the school year ends and school lunches are no longer available. For many children, school meals are the only complete and nutritious meals they eat, and in the summer they go without. This summer, the need will likely increase. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) can help to fill the summer meal gap for low-income children.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalFri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1654We understand many of you are having trouble accessing the Payment Management System to submit your quarterly cash transaction report (now called the FFR) because of the changes PMS made when it implemented the new report. It is now due 30 days after the end of the quarter instead of 45 days. HHS has informed us that PMS staff sent notifications to the certifiers (2nd level signatories) issuing them temporary user/password instructions. They sent the email twice, the second time in late Dec before the implementation of the new FFR. If you did not note that email with the password instructions, the system will not let you in because it does not recognize who you are. If your certification person is the same person that was on the last certification, that person already has a profile set-up with HHS and just needs the password that was sent back in Dec. If the person has changed, you need to access the form on the HHS website that allows you to update the certifier record. AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalFri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1655On Monday, February 1, President Obama will release his budget request for Fiscal Year 2011. As we have done in the past, we will be holding a series of conference calls to brief grantees about the President's budget request for the Corporation and its programs.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalFri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1657We are hosting a combined state commission/national grantee conference call in February. We've scheduled the call during the time when several of you will be in Washington, DC attending various events. If you are in DC, you are cordially invited to join us at CNCS Headquarters - we have reserved conference space on our 8th floor. In planning the call we tried to schedule it early enough to allow visitors to make evening flights home. AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalFri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1650The Omnibus Appropriations bill was signed by President Obama on December 16, 2009. Attached is the chart showing the final amounts for your 2010 Administrative, PDAT, and Disability grant allocations and the instructions for requesting the alternative match schedule for the Administrative grant.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalMon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1646In the past we have experience some system stability issues during peak time on application deadline dates. In an attempt to provide a stable and reliable system during the final AmeriCorps grant competition submission time, it will be necessary to bring the system down for a short period of time for server maintenance on Tuesday, January 26th 2010 from 9:00am - 9:30 am eastern. AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalFri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1616We are sending our guidance again because OMB has released additional information about new data checks in its reporting software and made a few minor changes to the guidance you received on December 18, 2009. On January 6th we will hold a conference call to update grantees on enhancements to the Section 1512 report on FederalReporting.gov made by OMB. Please read this memo carefully because data checks may prevent you from submitting if you don't follow the instructions below.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalThu, 7 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1600Today we released the 4.0.2 version of the My AmeriCorps Portal and eGrants software. This mini release includes three improvements made to improve your user experience. The following is the list of bug fixes:All AmeriCorpsTue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1601In This Issue: Message from Acting Director Lois Nembhard; Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act Update; National Performance Measures: Opting into the Pilot, Step-by-Step; Timeline for Commission Feedback on National Applications; Serve America Act Provisions in Effect; Clarification: Same Project; Recovery Reporting Update; State Commission Admin Funding Update; Portal Release Notes; Dates to Remember AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalTue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1583In our next AmeriCorps National portfolio call we'll further discuss how the economic crisis is affecting national service programs. We'll also provide some updates on our 2010 grant competitions. Please see the agenda below for other topics to be discussed. Please plan to participate in this important call. See below for call in information. Please feel free to contact your Program Officer if you have any questions. AmeriCorps NationalFri, 4 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1582Information regarding the eGrants Help Desk and Year 2 of the Listening Post Project.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalThu, 3 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1581This is the final week to be able to respond to the Corporation's Customer Satisfaction Survey. As the survey closes on December 3, time is of the essence! Currently, we have not reached our target goal of a 60% survey response rate. AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalWed, 2 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1580We apologize for providing this information so late in the year. We appreciate your patience and valuable input over the last months as we worked towards finalizing the national performance measures and fixed-amount grant pilots for the 2010 competition.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalTue, 1 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1566Information about the FY 2010 AmeriCorps State and National Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requirements for fixed-amount grants.AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalFri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1560In This Issue: Message from Acting Director Lois Nembhard, Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act Update, 2010 Competitions, Admin-PDAT-Disability Applications, New Deadline, Eligibility, and Funds Available for Planning Grants, Recovery Reporting, OMB Memo re: ACORN, iParticipate Launches on October 16, Welcome to New Staff in the Office of Government Relations, Financial and Grants Management Institute, MLK Day 2010, Dates to Remember AmeriCorps StateAmeriCorps NationalWed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1553Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act highlights All AmeriCorpsTue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1563AmeriCorps National Portfolio Call - October 15thAmeriCorps NationalFri, 9 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1562Correction - Planning Grants UpdateAll AmeriCorpsThu, 8 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1545Guidance on 2010 Commission Administrative, PDAT, and Disability Grants All AmeriCorpsWed, 7 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/manage/commcenter_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1547Fixed-amount Grants Frequently Asked QuestionsAll AmeriCorpsWed, 7 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST