AmeriCorps VISTA Program
Purpose
To address emergent needs of organizations across Colorado, CRC launched GrantCorps in 2022. GrantCorps AmeriCorps VISTA Members provide information, training and 1:1 technical support to nonprofit organizations in grant development across Colorado. Nonprofit organizations are defined as those with 501(c)3 status and/or working under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)3 organization. GrantCorps focuses on working with small, rural, and systemically marginalized communities, as well as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led organizations, with an annual budget of less than $1M, and that are currently experiencing challenges accessing private and government grant funding.
By focusing on high-demand career pathways in the non-profit sector, such as Data Analysts and Grant Writers, CRC helps prepare VISTA members with the tools they need to succeed in the areas of non-profit fund development. Since 2014, CRC has hosted the Rural VISTA Intermediary Project. The goal of the project is to provide national service members the opportunity to deliver indirect services to build the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of nonprofit organizations. AmeriCorps VISTA members work in direct partnership with CRC and non-profits located across Colorado. CRC brings the experience and connections necessary to effectively create systemic change in the non-profit landscape.
Impact
Over the past two years, seven VISTA Members have served in GrantCorps, with the first four members beginning in October 2022, and a second cohort of three in August 2023. Since June of 2022, the GrantCorps program impacted 219 unique organizations. 35 organizations received grant information & resources, 231 participated in 19 different training sessions, and 39 received 1:1 coaching & consultation. As a result, organizations have developed $2.8M in new grants and raised $964K in grant awards to date.
Moving forward, CRC’s goal is to build on the success of the GrantCorps project by continuing to host GrantCorps VISTA Members, and work alongside small, rural, or BIPOC-led organizations to increase their grant development capacity, and to build greater grant equity across Colorado.
NEW VISTA Opportunities
In late summer 2025, we will begin recruiting for new AmeriCorps VISTA Members to start serving a 1-year term in January 2026. There are two main positions to apply for:
Statewide Data Analyst GrantCorps VISTA
The GrantCorps VISTA will combat poverty and inequitable grant access by engaging with rural nonprofits and helping build their capacity through fund development, research and grant writing. They will gain valuable insight and experience in fund development by initiating grant research, grant proposal and report preparation, resource mapping, and creation of grant and budget tracking tools. This VISTA member will compile records throughout their term of service to establish best practices for this model of capacity building and create tools to regularly evaluate success. They will create an implementation plan and provide recommendations for subsequent VISTA member(s) for improvements to increase success. This role will address the sustainability of services to low-income communities, and the streams of funding that make access to those services possible. By doing so, the VISTA will increase the ability of CRC partners to improve educational, health, housing, and workforce development outcomes. CRC staff will support the VISTA Member and enhance their opportunities for professional development and future employment. CRC is looking for committed and passionate individuals to join this ground-breaking initiative to bridge the access gap and work towards a more equitable future.
The Statewide Data Analyst GrantCorps VISTA will:
1) Gain skills and receive training in nonprofit grant research.
2) Utilize CRC’s Colorado Grants Guide® (CGG) and other grant research databases to identify funding opportunities, deadlines, and key donor details and to develop customized recommendations for rural nonprofits.
3) Strengthen a volunteer program to engage statewide community members in grant research and to perform regular updates to the CGG including updates and expansions of CGG profiles and content.
4) Plan and initiate an outreach campaign.
5) Improve efforts to engage statewide funders and nonprofits in research on effective grant application and reporting tools.
6) Research diverse funding opportunities.
7) Engage with GrantCorps team to create grant tracking and CRM systems, developing recommendations for CRC and partner organizations to effectively utilize these tools.
GrantCorps Grantwriting Specialist VISTA
The GrantCorps VISTA will combat poverty and inequitable grant access by engaging with eligible organizations and helping build their capacity through fund development and grant writing. The VISTA will assist in securing resources with eligible nonprofits by researching grant opportunities and drafting, editing, and submitting strong grant proposals. They will gain valuable insight in grant development by crafting grant applications with these nonprofits. Additionally, VISTA members will provide information, resources, and one-on-one grant writing services to eligible nonprofits to help fund their programs, projects, and general operating needs. The VISTA member will increase the skills of these smaller, rural, BIPOC-led and serving organizations to better access funding opportunities, building greater access to public and private grant opportunities across Colorado. This role will address the sustainability of services to under-resourced communities and identify possible streams of funding. By doing so, the VISTA will increase the ability of CRC’s partners to improve educational, health, housing, and workforce development outcomes. CRC staff will support the VISTA Member and enhance their opportunities for professional development and future employment. CRC is looking for committed and passionate individuals to join this ground-breaking initiative to bridge the access gap and work towards a more equitable future.
The Grantwriting Specialist VISTA will:
1) Gain skills and receive training in nonprofit grant development.
2) Develop resources for organizations to utilize in grant applications.
3) Utilize CRC’s collection of statewide funding data to identify relevant grant opportunities for organizations.
4) Collaborate with GrantCorps team and partner organizations to draft, edit, and submit grant narratives and reports.
5) Leverage relationships with state-wide private and public grant makers to increase access for small, rural, or BIPOC-led organizations to grant funding.
6) Engage collaboratively with GrantCorps team to create grant tracking and CRM systems to collect and interpret program data and to develop recommendations for program quality to better meet the needs of more partner organizations.
7) Work with GrantCorps team to develop community-based volunteer opportunities, grant applications, fundraising, and collateral that will ensure the long-term sustainability of GrantCorps.
- More information on VISTA can be found here: AmeriCorps VISTA | AmeriCorps
- To apply for open VISTA Member positions across the country, visit: https://my.americorps.gov/
- Or contact AmeriCorps VISTA Headquarters at: email hidden; JavaScript is required
For questions about CRC’s AmeriCorps GrantCorps VISTA project, please contact:
Katy Pepinsky | Director of Grant Services, email hidden; JavaScript is required, Pronouns: she/her/ella (What’s this?). Hablo español
