Why Host?
Summer VISTA Associate (June 2027-August 2027): MCNCE’s VISTA Summer Associates program helps colleges/universities, nonprofits, and K-12 & Government institutions increase their capacity over the high demand summer months. Unlike full-year VISTA members, Summer Associates may perform direct service as a significant part of their assignment. This makes them ideal for hands-on summer service such as summer youth programs, food distribution, community-based program, and college readiness programs.
Full Term VISTA (August 2027-August 2028): By hosting a VISTA, your organization gains a full-time service member dedicated to building capacity and strengthening the infrastructure that expands your organization’s reach and effectiveness. Whether your goals are to combat poverty, increase food security in your community, improve educational outcomes for students, or address another community need, a VISTA member can help build the systems, partnerships, resources, and programs that move that mission forward.
The Proposal Process At A Glance
The proposal process can be lengthy and may require approval and coordination from several individuals within your organization, including executive leadership.
Exact dates vary from year to year, but project proposals typically open in late November and remain open until late February for Summer proposals, and mid-March for Year-Long proposals. Approved Summer projects generally begin their VISTA service term in early June, with Year-Long projects beginning in early August.
Because the process involves multiple stages of review and coordination, we recommend setting aside enough time to prepare your proposal thoroughly. A complete and well-developed submission can help reduce delays during the Proposal Review Stage and support later recruitment efforts.
Please note that MCNCE has a limited number of VISTA positions available each year. Submission or approval of a project proposal does not guarantee that a VISTA member will be placed with your organization in August.
I. Research Stage
Before developing your proposal, familiarize yourself with what it means to serve as a Summer VISTA Associate Host Site, the requirements for hosting a service member, and how your proposed project should align with MCNCE’s program priorities and project focus areas.
We recommend reviewing the following resources and considering how they may shape your proposed project:
- MCNCE’s VISTA Program Overview, Mission Statement, Project Focuses, & Priorities
- Benefits & Expectations Of Being A VISTA Host Site
- Host Site FAQ’s
- Prospective Host Site Webinar Playback
Once you have reviewed all this information, we highly recommend you then speak with Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly to discuss your project idea, determine how the VISTA program may fit your organization’s needs, and address any questions before beginning the proposal.
II. Preparation Stage
After you have met Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly and have outlined your project, you must download and complete your supporting documentation.
- Download the VISTA MOU & Attachments – 2026-2027 form
a. Have the Host Site Representative read and sign pages 1-6
b. Have the future Site Supervisor read and sign pages 7-8
c. If you are a non-affiliate (affiliates may skip this step) you must speak with a Campus Partner Representative who must then approve of your project by reading and signing page 9
d. To request an AmeriCorps member fee waiver, either partial or full, please email Josh Vanek at vanek@mtengage.org for a waiver request form. - Download the Recruitment Procedure Agreement form
a. Read the document and familiarize yourself with your responsibilities within our recruitment procedure
b. Have the Site Supervisor sign page 2 - Obtain a Letter of Commitment from Executive Leadership
a. If you are a campus-based project, you should submit a letter from the institution’s CEO or an appropriate VP.
b. If your organization is not an MCNCE affiliate, you should instead submit a letter of support from an Executive Director or board chair.
c. Feel free to use our letter of support template to save on time. - Download the VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) Template
a. To familiarize yourself with what the VAD is, read the MCNCE VISTA VAD Guidance
b. Begin completing the VAD by following the VAD Checklist & Tip Sheet for guidance.
If at any point in this stage you are confused, feel free to contact Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly at any time.
III. Proposal Stage
Once you have completed your supporting documentation, you must then complete your proposal via Submittable.
You will need to create a Submittable account before beginning your application. In addition to uploading your supporting documents, the form will ask for information about your organization, proposed project, and host site.
If you have any questions about the form, feel free to reach out at any time to Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly.
Once your proposal and supporting documentation have been submitted, you have completed the majority of the work required on your end.
IV. Proposal Review Stage
Once you have submitted your proposal, we will review it and contact you within 5 business days if we have any questions, need for clarification, or possible amendments.
Once your project has been approved by our office, we will then send it for approval to the AmeriCorps Regional Office. Regional Office review typically takes about one week, though timelines may vary.
V. Recruitment Stage
Once your project has been approved by the AmeriCorps Regional Office, your organization will then begin recruiting for this position as outlined in the Service Site Requirements and Responsibilities section of the Recruitment Procedure Agreement
We will add the position’s listing to our website, myAmeriCorps, job boards, and social media posts where potential candidates can find and apply for your project.
We follow a rolling admissions model, where we collect and review candidate applications, screen them through a preliminary interview, then pass successful candidates to be interviewed by your site supervisors. We heavily recommend being quick and responsive to the candidates we forward to you, as they may be interviewing for or looking at multiple positions at once.
VI. Securing Your Service Member
When you have interviewed a candidate you would like to select, notify Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly. We will then provide the candidate an offer letter, which they will have a week to consider before accepting or declining.
Once they have signed the offer letter, your candidate is secured!
VII. Await Service Term
Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly will notify you as soon as possible when your candidate has signed the offer letter. Your candidate will then undergo onboarding with MCNCE in early August, then begin service at your site.
I. Research Stage
Before developing your proposal, familiarize yourself with what it means to serve as a VISTA Host Site, the requirements for hosting a service member, and how your proposed project should align with MCNCE’s program priorities and project focus areas.
We recommend reviewing the following resources and considering how they may shape your proposed project:
- MCNCE’s VISTA Program Overview, Mission Statement, Project Focuses, & Priorities
- Benefits & Expectations Of Being A VISTA Host Site
- Host Site FAQ’s
- Prospective Host Site Webinar Playback
Once you have reviewed all this information, we highly recommend you then speak with Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly to discuss your project idea, determine how the VISTA program may fit your organization’s needs, and address any questions before beginning the proposal.
II. Preparation Stage
After you have met Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly and have outlined your project, you must download and complete your supporting documentation.
- Download the VISTA MOU & Attachments – 2026-2027 form
a. Have the Host Site Representative read and sign pages 1-6
b. Have the future Site Supervisor read and sign pages 7-8
c. If you are a non-affiliate (affiliates may skip this step) you must speak with a Campus Partner Representative who must then approve of your project by reading and signing page 9
d. To request an AmeriCorps member fee waiver, either partial or full, please email Josh Vanek at vanek@mtengage.org for a waiver request form. - Download the Recruitment Procedure Agreement form
a. Read the document and familiarize yourself with your responsibilities within our recruitment procedure
b. Have the Site Supervisor sign page 2 - Obtain a Letter of Commitment from Executive Leadership
a. If you are a campus-based project, you should submit a letter from the institution’s CEO or an appropriate VP.
b. If your organization is not an MCNCE affiliate, you should instead submit a letter of support from an Executive Director or board chair.
c. Feel free to use our letter of support template to save on time. - Download the VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) Template
a. To familiarize yourself with what the VAD is, read the MCNCE VISTA VAD Guidance
b. Begin completing the VAD by following the VAD Checklist & Tip Sheet for guidance.
If at any point in this stage you are confused, feel free to contact Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly at any time.
III. Proposal Stage
Once you have completed your supporting documentation, you must then complete your proposal via Submittable.
You will need to create a Submittable account before beginning your application. In addition to uploading your supporting documents, the form will ask for information about your organization, proposed project, and host site.
If you have any questions about the form, feel free to reach out at any time to Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly.
Once your proposal and supporting documentation have been submitted, you have completed the majority of the work required on your end.
IV. Proposal Review Stage
Once you have submitted your proposal, we will review it and contact you within 5 business days if we have any questions, need for clarification, or possible amendments.
Once your project has been approved by our office, we will then send it for approval to the AmeriCorps Regional Office. Regional Office review typically takes about one week, though timelines may vary.
V. Recruitment Stage
Once your project has been approved by the AmeriCorps Regional Office, your organization will then begin recruiting for this position as outlined in the Service Site Requirements and Responsibilities section of the Recruitment Procedure Agreement
We will add the position’s listing to our website, myAmeriCorps, job boards, and social media posts where potential candidates can find and apply for your project.
We follow a rolling admissions model, where we collect and review candidate applications, screen them through a preliminary interview, then pass successful candidates to be interviewed by your site supervisors. We heavily recommend being quick and responsive to the candidates we forward to you, as they may be interviewing for or looking at multiple positions at once.
VI. Securing Your Service Member
When you have interviewed a candidate you would like to select, notify Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly. We will then provide the candidate an offer letter, which they will have a week to consider before accepting or declining.
Once they have signed the offer letter, your candidate is secured!
VII. Await Service Term
Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly will notify you as soon as possible when your candidate has signed the offer letter. Your candidate will then undergo onboarding with MCNCE in early August, then begin service at your site.
Not Read To Submit A Proposal Yet?
Feel free to contact Dan Corradini or Lizzy Daly at any point to discuss how a VISTA project may help your organization’s needs, and what your next best steps are.