Please use this powerpoint for introducing your Bonner AmeriCorps members who are enrolling in the 2013-14 Program Year.

1. Bonner
AmeriCorps
101

2. What is AmeriCorps?
National Service Program that is funded by the
Corporation for National and Community Service
(CNCS).
Federally funded; Locally implemented.
Benefits the localities in which Members serve by
meeting critical community needs.
Benefits Members by educating them about their
community and responsible citizenship.
Access to an Education Award for successful
completion of a term of service.

3. What is AmeriCorps?
A program of service not longer
than one or two years with many
regulations that must be followed by
organizations and Members.
Members make a commitment to
complete a Term of Service.
A Term of Service is comprised of service hours plus
training & enrichment hours.
A Member receive an Education Award if the Member
completes all hours required in their Member
Contract.

4. The National Service Network
Created in 1993, AmeriCorps is part of the
Corporation for National and Community Service
(CNCS), which also oversees Senior Corps.

5. National Service History
1930: President Roosevelt created the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) during the depression.
1961: President Kennedy created the Peace Corps.
Since then, more than 150,000 Americans have served
in the Peace Corps.
1964: President Johnson created VISTA (Volunteers in
Service to America) giving Americans opportunities to
serve low-income communities domestically.
1960’s: The Foster Grandparent Program and RSVP
were created to enable older Americans to serve their
communities.

6. National Service History
1990: President Bush signed the National and Community
Service Act of 1990.
1993: President Clinton signed the National and
Community Service Trust Act of 1993, creating
AmeriCorps and CNCS.
AmeriCorps serves over 2 million Americans each year
through two main streams of service:
• AmeriCorps and
• Senior Corps

7. AmeriCorps Aims to
Meet 3 Different Goals
Getting Things Done
Developing Participants
Strengthening
Communities

8. Bonner AmeriCorps
Funded by the Corporation for
National and Community Service
(CNCS)
Administered by the Bonner
Foundation in partnership with The
College of New Jersey
Offered at more than 40 campus in
the Bonner network

9. Eligibility Requirements
Must be 17 years of age or older.
Must have a High School Diploma or
Equivalency or must be working towards
completion of a GED.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Legal
Resident of the U.S.
• Government Documentation
Required: State or County-Issued
Birth Certificate plus Driver’s
License or unexpired U.S. Passport
or Legal Permanent Resident Card

10. What do AmeriCorps
Members Do?
As part of the National Service Movement, Members take action and find
solutions to address community needs while learning new skills and sharing
talents to make a difference across the country.
• Build Capacity by recruiting and training local volunteers
• Provide Academic Support and Mentoring during non-school hours
• Bridge the Digital Divide
• Renovate and Rebuild Abandoned Homes
• Assist the Homeless
• Educate local communities about Environmental Issues
• Provide Support to People with Disabilities
• Support Immigrants through a variety of Human Services

11. AmeriCorps is NOT:
• A job
• A job program
• An internship
• Free labor
• A staff builder for community partners

12. AmeriCorps Members
DO NOT:
• Focus on clerical work for community
partners
• Primarily answer phones or perform purely
administrative functions
• Perform janitorial duties
• Supervise other Members at service sites
• Manage paperwork or financial issues for
community partners

13. AmeriCorps Lingo
Individuals who serve in
National Service programs are
always referred to as
Members - they are not
Volunteers or Employees!
AmeriCorps Members serve
at their sites - they do not
“work.”

14. What do AmeriCorps
Members Receive?
Half-Time
Members
Quarter-Time
Members
Minimum-Time
Members
900 Hours of
Service
450 Hours of
Service
300 Hours of
Service
Education Award
$2,775.00
Education Award
$1,468
Education Award
$1,175
Two-year term
(minus one day)
One-year term
(minus one day)
One-year term
(minus one day)

15. Rules of Conduct
• At no time may a Bonner AmeriCorps Member:
• Devote more than 20% of the hours during their
term of service to Training and Enrichment
activities.
• Spend more than 10% of their term of service
engaging in approved fundraising activities.
• Devote any of their service hours to fundraising
for any purpose other than directly supporting
their service activities.

16. Acceptable Service
Fundraising Provisions
1. AmeriCorps members can spend no
more than 10% of their hours on
fundraising activities.
2. Members can raise resources to
support projects only related to their
issue area or community partner's
direct service activities.
3. Members cannot raise resources for an
local or national organization’s general
operating expenses or endowment.

17. Acceptable Service
Fundraising Provisions
4.Members cannot fundraise
for their own living
expenses.
!
5.Members cannot write a
grant application to any
Federal agency including the
Corporation for National
and Community Service.

18. Acceptable Service
Fundraising Provisions
!
6. Members cannot engage in
any fundraising where the
beneficiaries are international.
If the goods or funds
collected will be sent to an
community, overseas, the
fundraising time cannot be
approved for AmeriCorps.

19. Prohibited Activities
1. Participating in efforts to influence legislation,
including lobbying for your program;
2. Organizing a letter-writing campaign to Congress;
3. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other
activities designed to influence the outcome of an
election to any public office;
4. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that
are likely to include advocacy for or against
political parties, political platforms, political
candidates, proposed legislation, or elected
officials;
5. Printing politically charged articles in a
Corporation-funded newsletter or discussion list;

20. Prohibited Activities
(continued)
6. Taking part in political demonstrations or rallies;
7. Engaging in any efforts to influence legislation,
including state or local ballot initiatives;
8. Any activities related to Voter registration drives;
9. Organizing or participating in protests, petitions,
boycotts, or strikes;
10. Assisting or deterring union organizing;
11. Impairing existing contracts or collective
bargaining agreements;

21. Prohibited Activities
(continued)
12. Religious activities, including engaging in religious instruction;
conducting worship services; providing instruction as part of a
program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship;
constructing, operating, or maintaining facilities primarily or inherently
devoted to religious instruction or worship; or engaging in any form of
religious proselytization;
13. Activities that pose a significant safety risk to participants or
AmeriCorps Members;
14. Assignments that displace employees;
15. Placement of Members into internships with for-profit businesses as
part of the education and training component of the program;
16. Providing assistance to a business organized for profit;

22. Prohibited Activities
(continued)
17. Raising funds for an AmeriCorps stipend;
18. Raising funds for an organization’s operating expenses
or endowment;
19. Writing grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or
for any other funding provided by the Corporation for
National and Community Service;
20. Writing grant applications for funding provided by any
federal agencies;
21. Administrative work unless it benefits the Member’s
approved service activities; and
22. Activities providing abortion services or referrals for
receipt of such services.

23. Prohibited Activities
(continued)
23. Internships with a for-profit business as a part of the
education and training component of the program; and
24. Medical research;
25. Service that is paid through an hourly wage other than
Federal Work-Study;
26. Activities (service or trainings) performed
internationally or for the benefit of individuals residing
overseas;
27. Activities performed that serve or educate about
individuals residing outside the US and US territories

24. Release from Service Term
If a Member has a compelling personal circumstance and has
completed at least 15% of his or her service commitment, the Member
may apply to receive a portion of the Education Award.
• This means that the situation is absolutely beyond the Member’s
control (e.g. illness of the Member or immediate family member)
• Documentation provided by Member is MANDATORY
• Compelling Personal Circumstances do not include:
• (1)Enrolling in school, (2) Obtaining employment (other than moving
from welfare to work), or (3) Dissatisfaction with the program.
• Member leaving for any other reason other than compelling personal
circumstance, will not qualify for an Educational Award.

25. Suspension
The Program may suspend the Member’s term of service for
the following reasons:
1. Compelling personal circumstances (e.g. illness)
2. A violation of the Rules of Conduct
3. If during the term of service the Member has been charged
with a violent felony or the possession, sale or distribution
of a controlled substance.
4. During the Suspension from Service, the Member will not
receive credit for service hours or benefits. The Member
may resume his or her term of service once the
circumstances supporting the suspension have been
resolved and Member has applied for Reinstatement as an
active Member.

26. Grievance Procedures
In the event that informal efforts to resolve disputes
are unsuccessful, AmeriCorps Members, labor
unions, and other interested individuals may seek
resolution through the grievance procedures
detailed in the Member Contract.
These procedures are intended to apply to service-related
issues, such as assignments, evaluations,
suspensions, or release for cause, as well as issues
related to non-selection of Members, and
displacement of employees, or duplication of
activities by AmeriCorps Members.

27. Nondiscrimination Policy
Participation in AmeriCorps is based on merit and equal
opportunity for all, without regard to factors such as race,
color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age,
disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status,
military service, or religious, community or social
affiliations.
It is also unlawful to retaliate against any person who, or
organization that, files a complaint about such
discrimination. Each campus and/or service site that
receives the services of an AmeriCorps Member agrees to
abide by Federal laws and CNCS policies on Equal
Opportunity.

28. Reasonable Accommodation
Programs and activities must be accessible to
persons with disabilities, and the Bonner
AmeriCorps Program at your campus must provide
reasonable accommodation to the known mental or
physical disabilities of otherwise qualified members,
service recipients, applicants, and staff.
All selections and project assignments must be made
without regard to the need to provide reasonable
accommodation.

29. Drug-Free Workplace
Consistent with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, The
Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation and The College of
New Jersey are committed to providing a workplace that is
free from the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation,
possession, or use of controlled substances.
• The Member must notify the Bonner Program in writing,
within five (5) calendar days, if he or she is convicted of a
criminal drug violation in the workplace.
• Violations of the Drug-Free Workplace policy will result in
personnel action against the Member, up to and including
dismissal pursuant to The College of New Jersey
procedures relating to Member discipline.

30. Informed Consent
The staff of the Bonner Foundation, The College of New Jersey,
your Campus, your Site and the Corporation for National and
Community Service with your consent may:
• release your name, interests and any training you have
received.
•write a recommendation or give a verbal
recommendation for employment, etc. at the end of your
term of service.
• photograph you at your service site for recruitment/
promotional purposes (you may opt out by checking the
appropriate box in the Enrollment Workbook).

31. Enrollment
As you complete the Enrollment Workbook, please
remember to:
• Sign in ink and date on all required
signature lines (signature date must be on or
before your requested start date).
• Simply initial any cross-outs or overwrites
• Do not use pencil or correction fluid.

32. Enrollment Documents
Along with your completed Enrollment
Workbook, you must:
• Provide documentation of any legal name
change that may have occurred since you
originally submitted your eligibility
documents with your AmeriCorps
Application Packet (for example a Marriage
Certificate or Court Order to resume a
Maiden Name).

33. BWBRS
Once you are enrolled in Bonner AmeriCorps, you
are required to report regularly using the Bonner
Web-Based Reporting System (BWBRS) and must:
• Create a Community Learning Agreement
(CLA) each semester
• Log your hours each week
• Sign your hour logs monthly along with your
site supervisor and campus administrator
• Log your Service Accomplishments at the
end of each semester.

34. Community Learning Agreements
Create a new CLA each semester for your main service
placement.
Always discuss your service goals with your community
partner and campus administrator
Remember: COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY!
Use resume language on your CLA
Even if you serve at the same site for multiple semesters,
you need to create a new CLA each semester with new
goals!

35. Hour Logs Entries
• Log Hour Entries into BWBRS every
week.
• Log hours according to the correct
category: CLA service, non-CLA
service (i.e. One-Time service
opportunities),Training & Enrichment
or Fundraising Hours.
• Sign your hours after at the end of
your service time, not during your
service shift. Pre-signed hours cannot
be counted toward your Award.

36. Hour Logs Entries
• If the time was spent in
fundraising, you must
check the box “This time
was spent fundraising” for
each such entry.
• Entries may not exceed a 12
hour maximum per day (or
16 with prior approval from
Bonner Foundation Staff)

37. Hour Logs
eSignatures
After the end of each month:
• eSign your Hour Log from BWBRS by month
(On “Report Tab” page, choose the correct
month from the “show hours in” and click
“update”; then type your name at the bottom of
the hour log report and click “Save”.)
The Member, Site Supervisor & Campus
Administrator must all eSign logs on or after the
last day of service logged that month
The eSignatures must be signed in this order:
1. Member first;
2. then Site Supervisor;
3. Campus Administrator last.

38. !
What to do if Supervisor is not
eSigning
If a Member’s site supervisor is not signing
electronically, then each month the Member must first
eSign their log and then:
Member prints out the Log from BWBRS by month (on
“Report page” choose the correct month from the “show
hours in” and click “update”; the print command is under
“available actions”) and takes hard copy to supervisor.
The Site Supervisor must sign logs on or after the last
day of service logged that month. Campus
Administrator eSigns after receipt of signed hard copy
from Site Supervisor and retains hard copy on campus!
Supervisor’s signatures must be original and in ink. Any
written changes must be initialed by the Member, Site
Supervisor and Campus Administrator.

39. Member Evaluation
At the end of each semester,
Members complete Service
Accomplishments in BWBRS
for their CLA.
An end-of-term evaluation of
your personal development and
the quality of your service will
be conducted as part of your
Bonner AmeriCorps Exit
Process.

40. Exiting
• If (1) you have logged enough hours to complete your
term, or (2) you are withdrawing from your term:
• You must submit an AmeriCorps Exit Form to the
Foundation within 20 days of your last day of service.
Be sure all hour logs are up to date and fully signed.
• Exit Forms must be signed and dated on or after
your last day of service.
• Exit Forms are processed by the Foundation and
BWBRS will notify you once you have been officially
exited.

41. Education Award
• Once you have been officially exited from your
AmeriCorps term, you can begin the process of accessing
your Education Award.
• Register with www.my.americorps.gov to access your
Education Award online. The online system allows
AmeriCorps alumni to request Education Award
payments to a qualified institution of higher education or
a student loan holder.
• Members are also able to update their contact
information, view their account information and the
status of their Education Award payments.

42. Education Award
An Education Award can be used
to:
• Pay back qualified student
loans.
• Pay current educational
expenses at a Title IV
institution of higher
education.

43. Education Award
• An Education Award can only be used by the Member
who received it, unless the Member is over the age of
55 at the time of enrollment. Members 55 and over can
transfer the Education Award to a child, foster child or
grandchild.
• A Member has up to 7 years to use his/her Education
Award.
• An individual is eligible to receive the aggregate value of
up to two full-time Education Awards in a lifetime.

44. Resources
Need more information?
Read all provisions in your Bonner AmeriCorps
Enrollment Workbook
Visit the AmeriCorps website: my.americorps.gov
Read the AmeriCorps pages on the Bonner Network
Wiki: http://bonnernetwork.pbworks.com
Explore BWBRS: www.bwbrs.org (see your Campus
Administrator for login information)