AmeriCorps FAQ

Alliance AmeriCorps Groundwork Fellows serve at schools, nonprofits, and community based organizations across Minnesota. AmeriCorps Groundwork Fellows support and amplify the capacity of organizations to be effective and powerful solutions in addressing poverty and educational barriers. The service of Groundwork Fellows allows partner organizations to support more youth to graduate and works to close the opportunity and achievement gaps in Minnesota. Examples of past Alliance Groundwork Fellows projects include developing a strategic organizational brand, establishing restorative services within a school district, fundraising and event planning, grant writing, etc.

AmeriCorps is a national network of hundreds of programs across the state. Minnesota Alliance With Youth coordinates two different AmeriCorps programs: Promise Fellows and Groundwork Fellows. Promise Fellows provide direct service to students, while Groundwork Fellows focus on capacity-building efforts. Minnesota Alliance With Youth’s AmeriCorps members are eligible for service benefits including a living allowance, Education Award, health insurance, childcare assistance, and federal student loan forbearance.

You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or legal permanent resident alien of the United States, over 18 years old, and have a high school diploma or GED to be an AmeriCorps member. You will be asked to provide proof of eligibility during onboarding.

AmeriCorps members serve in a full-time capacity, 35 hours per week. (Part-time positions for 30 and 20 hours per week are also available.) Terms begin in the fall and run through the end of the school year.

Yes! AmeriCorps members apply for specific host sites across the state of Minnesota. Each host site provides a description of their site, what students they serve, and their specific goals for the members at their location.

In addition to training at their specific site, AmeriCorps members will meet with a cohort of other service members once a month for trainings held by the Alliance. These trainings range in topics from intervention strategies, data tracking/analysis assistance, education equity, service member self-care, and general youth development practices.

AmeriCorps members receive a living allowance every two weeks. AmeriCorps members who successfully complete a term of service are also eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Additionally, AmeriCorps members are eligible for student loan forbearance, health insurance, and childcare assistance to help offset living expenses.

The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award is a post-service benefit for participants who successfully complete their full service term. It may be used to pay educational costs at eligible post-secondary educational institutions, as well as to repay qualified student loans. The Segal Award is subject to income tax. Learn more here.

AmeriCorps members are eligible to postpone payments on qualified federal student loans during their term of service (called a forbearance). Upon successful completion of service, members are also eligible to have all or a portion of the interest that accrued during their term paid off. Learn more about forbearance.

A “qualified” student loan is any federally backed student loan in the AmeriCorps member’s name. If you do not know if your loans are qualified, ask your lenders. There should also be a citation on the loan papers, referring to Title IV of the Higher Education Act or Title VIII of the Public Health Services Act.

Full time AmeriCorps members will be given the opportunity to enroll in a health insurance plan through the Alliance. AmeriCorps members who already have insurance and do not wish to enroll will need to provide proof of active health insurance during the onboarding process.

To qualify for the child care benefit, the AmeriCorps member must be enrolled in a full-time position and meet the following requirements:

• The State and National member’s household income must not exceed 75% of the state’s median income for a family of the same size; this limit is different for each state and may change annually. The total household income is used to determine your income eligibility excluding your AmeriCorps State & National living allowance.
• The member must not currently receive a child care subsidy from another source at the time of acceptance into the program (including a parent or guardian) which would continue to be provided while the member serves in the program.
• The member must be the parent or legal guardian of a child under the age 13.
• The child must reside with the member. The member must certify that he or she needs child care in order to participate in the AmeriCorps State and National program.

For full information on the AmeriCorps childcare benefit, click here.

While many service members may apply for and receive public benefits, AmeriCorps cannot guarantee eligibility. Use this Bridge to Benefits tool created by Children’s Defense Fund to determine what public benefits you may be eligible for.