Serve Idaho receives grant to assist rural nonprofits
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho rural nonprofits and local/state government agencies may get a hand up with the help of a three-year grant awarded to Serve Idaho from the federal AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members will be placed in rural nonprofits and local / state government agencies across Idaho for one year. As full-time volunteers, the VISTA members will help rural Idaho
communities to build capacity, explore challenges facing Idaho’s rural nonprofits and support community efforts to overcome poverty. In return for their year of service members receive a living stipend, an education award, health benefits and future non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs.
The first year of the grant will focus on expanding the Idaho Department of Labor’s apprenticeship program. One VISTA member will work with ApprenticeshipIdaho on an initiative to build awareness in students of work-based training by developing curriculum and working on pre-apprenticeship program development.
Another member will join Serve Idaho to explore challenges facing philanthropic efforts in rural areas, such as training limitations, and discover barriers and successes in building capacity in rural nonprofits. Additional members will be brought on throughout the year and placed at nonprofit and local government organizations in rural communities across Idaho to support the mission.
In 2020, 43 AmeriCorps VISTA members served at 30 sites across Idaho, receiving more than $260,000 in education awards.
“This will be a game changer for nonprofits across Idaho who do not have the capacity to apply for federal resources. We are excited to receive this grant to provide critical AmeriCorps resources to rural nonprofit and government organizations across Idaho,” Serve Idaho Program Manager Renee Bade said.
The grant is part of a collaboration between the Idaho Community Foundation, Idaho Nonprofit Center and Boise State Service-Learning Program to better support rural organizations.
More information on Serve Idaho can be found at ServeIdaho.gov.
