NW VISTAS Program
VISTA: Volunteers in Service to America
Founded in 1965, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) is an anti-poverty program designed to provide needed resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to increase their capacity to lift communities out of poverty. AmeriCorps VISTA provides opportunities for Americans 18 years or older from a diverse range of backgrounds to dedicate a year of full-time service with an organization to create or expand programs designed to empower individuals and communities in overcoming poverty.
The power of AmeriCorps VISTA is extraordinary and brings talented, passionate people on board to create or enhance your anti-poverty program by expanding the capacity of your organization.
About AmeriCorps VISTA Projects
AmeriCorps VISTA projects focus on:
- Anti-Poverty Effort: The statutory purpose of AmeriCorps VISTA is to strengthen and support efforts to alleviate poverty and poverty-related problems in the United States.
- Community Empowerment: Community empowerment aims to increase a community’s influence and control over their lives as well as programs and structures that impact their lives.
- Sustainable Solutions: AmeriCorps VISTA members serve as short-term resources to build the long-term sustainability of anti-poverty efforts.
- Capacity Building: AmeriCorps VISTA members create systems that remain long after their term of service ends. VISTA projects expand specific anti-poverty initiatives’ scale, impact, and resource-leveraging ability.
- Indirect Service: AmeriCorps VISTA member serves as a catalyst and change agent, assisting in creating or expanding the sponsor’s programs and mobilizing community resources.
AmeriCorps Member Opportunities
Benefits of Becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA Member:
- Receive a living allowance
- Can receive money for college and trade schools through the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
- Travel Assistance
- Leave Benefits
- Loan Deferment and Interest Forbearance
- Healthcare Benefits
- Professional Development
- Child Care Benefits
- Non-competitive eligibility for certain federal jobs.
Learn about the variety of AmeriCorps VISTA projects and apply to be a member today!
NW VISTAS Resource Mobilization VISTA
Arlington, Washington Start Date: October 15, 2023
The NW VISTAS works to end poverty by building capacity for non-profit and government programs focused on housing, workforce development, public health, and/or environmental stewardship. Village Community Services (VCS) serves as the lead host agency for the NW VISTAS program. VCS’s mission is to support people of diverse abilities in achieving personal potential at home, work, and in community life. VCS’s programs leverage people’s strengths and abilities helping them to overcome significant barriers to life success. Program beneficiaries include people with intellectual, developmental, physical, or mental health challenges, and/or people who have been seriously impacted by the experience of generational poverty, adverse childhood experiences, drug addiction, brain injury, abuse, neglect, war, and more.
Village Community Services Housing Trust Developer VISTA
Arlington, Washington Start Date: November 6th, 2023
The Village Housing Trust is an affiliate of VCS that develops and manages affordable permanent housing and related resources for adults with disabilities. VCS’s mission is to support people of diverse abilities in achieving personal potential at home, work, and in community life. VCS’s programs leverage people’s strengths and abilities helping them to overcome significant barriers to life success. Program beneficiaries include people with intellectual, developmental, physical, or mental health challenges, and/or people who have been seriously impacted by the experience of generational poverty, adverse childhood experiences, drug addiction, brain injury, abuse, neglect, war, and more.
SNOTRAC Mobility Justice VISTA
Everett, Washington Start Date: November 6th, 2023
The Snohomish County Transportation Coalition (Snotrac)’s vision is that by 2050 all people in Snohomish County—no matter their abilities or background—are able to easily access social, health, and economic services with a well-coordinated network of transportation services connecting all communities throughout the region. To accomplish this vision, Snotrac advocates for improvement in transportation service and solutions through community engagement, coordination of resources, and strategic partnerships. Snotrac is especially mindful of addressing the transportation needs of the following population groups: people of color, foreign nationality, English as a second language, low income, youth, seniors, disability, and veteran status. This VISTA will build the organizational capacity to track our performance to achieve our strategic plan, establish an equitable engagement best practices handbook for municipalities and partner organizations, grow and deepen partnerships; and advance policy development best practices to achieve mobility justice.
Everett Station District Alliance Convergence Collaborative Coordinator VISTA
Everett, Washington Start Date: November 6th, 2023
This project will reduce poverty by taking a long-term, systemic approach to build a community with abundant housing for people of the full range of incomes for our county, in a neighborhood with high levels of transit service and in need of improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The member will ensure this organizational capacity will be built out by recruiting and managing the stakeholders to serve on these work groups and committees.
Glacier Peak Institute Outdoor Curriculum Coordinator
Darrington, Washington Start Date: November 6th, 2023
The goal of the VISTA project is to strengthen Glacier Peak Institute’s capacity to serve youth through curriculum development and coordinating; supporting programs increasing rural youth’s access to hands-on STEM education and healthier lifestyles in the outdoors. By 2023, we want to double the number of youth served and improve the quality of our in-school programming. In order to meet these goals, we need to create a foundation of programming embracing Growth Mindset principles, community needs, and STrEaMs education empowering youth. Generating and planning a curriculum will enable us to expand our programming into other rural communities.
Glacier Peak Institute Economic Strategist VISTA
Darrington, Washington Start Date: November 6th, 2023
This VISTA role will create employment opportunities for local youth by repurposing the Forestry Service’s barn into a working bicycle repair shop. This will be accomplished through strengthening and enhancing economic opportunities and capacity for Glacier Peak Institute (GPI) and the Darrington community area in order to support the at-risk youth in the community. This VISTA member will continuously work to secure funds to support GPI’s STEM education and recreational programs. This VISTA member will implement the strategic priorities from GPI’s 2021-2026 plan and the economic development plan from the Economic Strategy Grant from 2020.
Fundraising and Operations Specialist VISTA
Lynnwood, Washington Start Date: November 6th, 2023
Be a part of the Latino Educational Training Institute. Support CEO and Grants Team by researching prospective funding opportunities for capital projects. Assist in recruitment/maintenance of partnerships with neighborhood nonprofits, businesses, donors, and other community stakeholders to participate in collaborative projects. Assist in the creation of fundraising events and campaigns to generate sustainable revenue to meet capital project goals. Actively analyze and provide updates on prospective capital project grant opportunities utilizing the Washington Department of Commerce website and resources.
Our Partners
Learn more about the different organizations that have partnered with NW VISTAS.
Partnering with NW VISTAS
VISTAS is seeking partnerships with non-profit organizations on projects that must be developed in accordance with AmeriCorps VISTA’s core principles: an anti-poverty focus, community empowerment, sustainable solutions, and building capacity.
The Cost:
- The cost-share for the NW VISTAS program is $7,500 annually.
- This fee helps pay for training, fees, and a dedicated Project Director.
The Benefit:
- Your organization receives a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA member.
- We reduce the complexities and overhead costs associated with launching and implementing any AmeriCorps members that you would have on your own.
- A dedicated Project Director that reports to AmeriCorps and provides tools and resources to help you succeed.