Host Site Application for AmeriCorps Promise Fellows: RETURNING HOST SITES
Overview for RETURNING Host Sites
For the 2014-2015 Year, the Minnesota Alliance With Youth has revised its Promise Fellow Host Site application
procedure. This year, there will be a separate application procedure for organizations currently hosting Promise
Fellows who would like to continue to host AmeriCorps Promise Fellows in 2014-15 and new Host Sites. Returning
Host Sites are defined as organizations (schools, districts, non-profit organizations, government agencies) that
currently host AmeriCorps Promise Fellows. If you have hosted Promise Fellows prior to September 2013 but do not
currently have members serving at your site, you will be considered a NEW Host Site applicant.
To better align with AmeriCorps grant cycles and ensure a fair and equitable process, the Alliance will be using a
three year application cycle for its Host Sites moving forward. That is, only once every three years will a Host Site
need to complete a full application, complete a site visit, and submit additional supplemental materials. For years 2
& 3, Host Sites will need to demonstrate the impact of their Promise Fellow and document how they are
implementing the model with fidelity.
Application Steps for Returning Host Sites*
Who?
Due Date
Submit application & position description to the Alliance
Application scored & reviewed by team of internal & external
reviewers
Host Site
January 31, 2014
Review Team
Early March 2014
Host Site Notified of Status
If selected, Host Sites must recruit & hire their Promise
Fellow(s)
Alliance staff
Mid-March 2014
Host Site
May 15, 2014
Completed Host Site Agreement & Cash Match Due
Host Site
August 1, 2014
Host Site & Promise
Fellow
September 1, 2014
Promise Fellows Begin Serving
*Returning Host Sites are defined as organizations that currently host AmeriCorps Promise Fellows at their site.
To assist you in preparing an application, please use the following documents:
 Request for Proposals Instructions
o Provides background on the Promise Fellow model including research, interventions, and evaluation
requirements along with Host Site rights & responsibilities. Please note that Host Sites are held to
requirements as outlined in the Request for Proposals document.
 Application Questions
o We recommend answering the application questions in a word document which can then be cut &
pasted into the online application system.
 Position Description Template
o Please use the provided template to submit an updated position description.
The completed proposal, including supplemental materials, should be submitted online at
http://mnyouth.net/work/promise-fellows/host/. Please note: Incomplete, faxed, or emailed proposals will NOT be
considered.
PROPOSALS are DUE FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2014
For assistance with your proposal,
please contact Melissa Burwell, mburwell@mnyouth.net, 651-528-8561.
For questions regarding the online application system,
please contact Hannah Zelmer, 651-528-8589 or hzelmer@mnyouth.net.
Application Questions for Returning Promise Fellow Host Sites ‘14-‘15
FOR RETURNING HOST SITES, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THE INFORMATION BELOW TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION BEFORE SUBMITTING
YOUR APPLICATION AT WWW.MNYOUTH.NET/PROMISE-FELLOWS/HOST. FAXED OR EMAILED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR INFORMATION ON THE ALLIANCE’S WEBSITE.
Returning Host Site Contact & Background Information
Host Site Name:
Street Address
City
State
Zip
Tax Identification Number of Host Site:
Federal Legislative District for Host Site:
Number of Promise Fellows You are Requesting:
Your Cash Match will be:
Lead contact person:
Title:
Street Address:
City
State
Zip
Phone & fax:
Email:
Lead contact person's signature, authorizing all information contained in this application (Required for the paper
copy):
 Please note that by checking this box, you indicate you authorize all the information contained in this application.
Site Supervisor Name: (please update for the 2014-15 year)
Title:
Phone:
Email:
Data Coach Name: (please update for the 2014-15 year)
Title:
Phone:
Email:
Youth Success Team Members: Please list the organizations that are represented on your Youth Success Team
(contact information is not required). Names of Individual Members & the Organization/School Represent (list as
many as needed):
Local Partner Information:
 Does your local school district receive integration revenue? Yes No
 Has the school or district your Promise Fellow will be serving in been identified by the Minnesota Department
of Education (MDE) as a Racially Identifiable School? Yes No
 Is your school or school partner designated as a Focus or Priority School by MDE? Yes No
 Does your After-school Program use the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA)? Yes No
Location: Where is your organization located?
 Northern MN: North of 694 to the Canadian Border
 Central MN: Twin Cities Metro Region -- ex. Minneapolis, St. Paul, Burnsville, Woodbury, etc.
 Southern MN: Northfield, Rochester, Marshall, etc.
Please respond completely to the following questions, in the order requested.
1. Executive Summary paragraph (500 word limit) (2 points)
Provide a brief overview of the primary reasons for your application, number of Promise Fellows you request, key
Promise Fellow accomplishments for the year, etc.
2. Youth Success Team & Focus Lists (10 points)
Describe the organizations that make up the Youth Success Team. How is the Promise Fellow integrated into the
Team? How has the team grown over time? How has the team accessed and used Early Warning Indicators (the
ABC’s) to identify youth for the Focus List? How are referrals made for youth identified as needing support? Describe
the process by which the Team reviews data and makes adjustments to student interventions. How is data shared
among partners?
3. Making an Impact: Meeting Alliance Goals (20 points)
How has hosting a Promise Fellow impacted the youth your organization serves? What difference has it made to
student Attendance, Behavior, or Core Academic outcomes? In what ways are students demonstrating increased
engagement in school and learning?
 Total Number of Youth on your Promise Fellow(s) Focus List:
 What percentage of students on the Focus List have improved in:
o Attendance: Increased Daily Attendance to School
o Attendance: Fewer Tardies/Late to School
o Behavior: Fewer Office Visits, Fewer Detentions, or Fewer Out of School Suspensions
o Core Academics: Either increase GPA, Grades in Math/Reading, OR MAP Scores in Reading/Math
 Which interventions does your Promise Fellow(s) deliver most often? What is the typical dosage for students
(i.e. instances or number of minutes) served by Promise Fellows? How successful has that intervention been
at improving academic engagement of youth on the Focus List?
4. Intervention Strategies: The ABC’s of Dropout Prevention (20 pts)
Each Host Site is required to use the following three strategies to impact youth success: caring adults, high-quality in
and out of school activities, and service-learning. Share details (who, what, where, when, and why) about how
successful (or not) these strategies were to engage youth participants in dropout prevention. Please be specific
about what resources, partnerships, curricula, staff, etc. your Promise Fellow(s) used most effectively to support
students. How was that success defined?
 What specific Attendance, Behavior, and Core Academic intervention activities were used to support youth?
How did the Promise Fellow deliver the required strategies and interventions for youth on the Focus List?
 Total Number of Adult Volunteers Mobilized by Promise Fellow(s):
 Total Number of Hours Adult Volunteers Served:
 How were adult volunteers utilized to deliver the key interventions and strategies? How were volunteers
recruited, trained and supported? How did you ensure that volunteers did not engage in prohibited activities
according to AmeriCorps provisions?
 What are your plans for providing supports for youth over the summer months (ex. June & July)? What was
successful this past year? What do you hope to accomplish by summer 2015?
5. Supervision and Support for Fellows (15 points)
The Alliance has a goal of 100% enrollment and 100% retention. A key element to our success is the strong support
and supervision Promise Fellows receive at their host site. Promise Fellows serve 40 hours per week (minimum)
during their term of service. Host Sites are essential in helping us meet our recruitment & retention goals along with
providing Promise Fellows with enough activity to serve at least 40 hours/week.
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Describe lessons learned about how to best recruit & supervise a Promise Fellow. IF your Promise Fellow
exited the program early for compelling reasons or for cause, what will you put in place next year to ensure
your member successfully completes his/her term of service?
How did you ensure that Promise Fellows were able to meet their hours of service requirement by the end of
his/her term of service? What structures did you put in place to contribute to a successful year for the
Fellow(s)?
Looking ahead, what is your plan to orient and train the Promise Fellow to your organization and Youth
Success Team? What personal and/or professional activities, in addition to those provided by the Alliance,
will be offered to your Fellow(s)?
How will the Promise Fellow interact with the staff of your organization? How will the role of the Promise
Fellow be shared with your larger organization/staff?
Provide any additional details about who else acts as an ally/support for Promise Fellows.
6. Cash Match and In-kind Support (3 points)
The cash match for each Promise Fellow is $6,900 and must be paid in full by August 1st. Host Sites are also
responsible to in-kind support such as office space, materials, computer/phone, and mileage to required Alliance
meetings.
 Describe the sources that will be used to fund your cash match contribution ($6,900 per Fellow) for the
2014-2015 year.
 Describe the types of in-kind support that will be provided, including a budget for the Promise Fellow and
other resources they will need.
 Please reference Requirements of Host Sites to read about the expectations regarding the Cash Match and
in-kind.
7. How will your Partnership and Fellows' activities be sustained in the future? (5 points)
 As a result of having a Promise Fellow, what structures or systems will continue once the year is complete to
support dropout prevention efforts?
 In the coming year, where does your host site need to grow/develop in delivering interventions, monitoring
student data, etc? What support do you need to implement those plans?
Total points possible on an application: 75
Plus the following required document:
Required: Position Description for your Promise Fellow(s) (limit
2 pages) Using the template provided, please submit an
updated Position Description for the Promise Fellow.
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
 Answer all questions using the Application
Template & submit information online.
 Upload your Position Description.
 Application must be submitted by January
31st at 4 pm