Serving the AmeriCorps Community Since 2004 Since 2004, we've been helping AmeriCorps programs across the country to:
Collect, compile, evaluate and report their performance measurement and CNCS-required data;
Reduce the amount of time and money spent on tracking, data collection, evaluation and reporting;
Provide each of their members with personalized, ongoing guidance, coaching and support so that each member is as effective as possible; and to
Engage their members in the largest, most comprehensive learning community of volunteer and national service tutors and mentors across the U.S.
The AmeriCorps programs we serve range in size from 15 to 350 members. A few of those programs are Partners Building a Stronger Tomorrow, City Year Chicago, Coach Across America, America Reads - Mississippi, Keystone SMILES AmeriCorps, City of Lakes AmeriCorps, Literacy AmeriCorps Palm Beach County, and Literacy*AmeriCorps -- San Diego County.
Watch a five minute overview of our work with AmeriCorps programs nationwide.
What's Below AmeriCorps program directors often seek detailed information about the Network's tracking, reporting and evaluation capabilities. Details on that aspect of our work are below.
For additional information about our work around ensuring that each AmeriCorps member we serve is highly effective, click here.
What CNCS and Your Commission Want is What the Network Collects
The Corporation requires that AmeriCorps programs report demographic information, outputs and outcomes related to performance measures, and narratives.
Following is a detailed list of what the Corporation looks for in each section, and how the America Learns Network is already helping programs get this essential data.
Demographic Information Use the Network to collect data under all but one indicator (the number of AmeriCorps applicants you had).
Performance Measures Quickly and easily track the following for your performance measures on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, or multi-year basis:
Target Actual to Date;
Progress Toward Measure; and
Data Leading to Challenges and Corrective Actions You've Taken.
Here are just a few of the performance measures that AmeriCorps programs are currently tracking with the Network:
Volunteer Mobilization, Capacity Building, Service Learning
74 Members will provide tutoring to students, primary in grades K-8, who have been identified by teachers, parents, school administrators as academically deficient in a target subject area. Services will be provided in a one-one-on or small group setting, at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes, in before, during and after school sessions hosted by school districts and community agencies. 1000 of 1300 students served and evaluated with Teacher Progress Reports will demonstrate an increase of 1 grade level in his/her target subject area over the course of the academic year. 900 of 1300 students served and evaluated with Teacher Progress Reports will be promoted to the next grade or graduate by the conclusion of the academic year.
122 AmeriCorps members will recruit and engage volunteers and service-learning participants by spending approximately 2 hours per week making phone calls and personal contact. Volunteers will be utilized in both episodic and ongoing capacities, to assist in members' projects and assignments. 4,500 volunteers and service-learning participants will contribute at least 22,500 hours of service to [AmeriCorps grantee] activities.
30 Members will increase the capacity of 20 community and faith-based agencies to serve at-risk youth, and to meet other critical, local needs, through direct service by the members and by recruiting and managing 1000 volunteers to provide 15,000 hours of volunteer service, with 50% of the sites reporting an increase in: (1) the number of youth served; (2) the number of programs offered; or (3) the rate of volunteer participation (either # of volunteers or hours served).
30 Members will increase the capacity of 20 community and faith-based agencies to serve at-risk youth, and to meet other critical, local needs, through direct service by the members and by recruiting and managing 1000 volunteers to provide 15,000 hours of volunteer service, with 10% of the sites developing self-sustainable volunteer programs.
Academic Support
74 Members will provide tutoring to students, primary in grades K-8, who have been identified as by teachers, parents, school administrators as academically deficient in a target subject area. Services will be provided in a one-one-on or small group setting, at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes, in before, during and after school sessions hosted by school districts and community agencies. 1000 of 1300 students served and evaluated with Teacher Progress Reports will demonstrate an increase of 1 grade level in his/her target subject area over the course of the academic year. 900 of 1300 students served and evaluated with Teacher Progress Reports will be promoted to the next grade or graduate by the conclusion of the academic year.
Social/Behavioral Support
48 Members will provide social and behavioral enrichment activities such as teambuilding, mentoring, and study skills instruction to students, primarily from grades 4 through 10, who have been identified by teachers, parents, school administrators, IEPs and / or the juvenile justice system as being in danger of failing,, or being suspended, expelled, or adjudicated. Services will be provided 2-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes in before, during and after school sessions hosted by school districts and community agencies. 450 of 700 students served will demonstrate an increase in social and behavioral performance by two levels in 3 of the 5 identified areas over the course of the program year.
To read a list of specific data points other AmeriCorps programs have tracked with the Network, see the next section.
Narratives The Network is especially useful for collecting data to fulfill each of this section's requirements.
Monitoring Activities
Successes and Challenges
Great Stories
Activities Related toCorporate Strategic Initiatives
Mobilizing more volunteers
Ensuring a brighter future for all of America's youth
Engaging students in communities
Harnessing Baby Boomers' expertise
Disaster preparedness and response
To read a list of specific data points other AmeriCorps programs have tracked with the Network, see the next section.
What Programs Are Currently Collecting with the Network
Following is a list of just some of the data that AmeriCorps programs collect with the Network for each section of their progress reports. Programs also use this information for member tracking, member support, and ongoing program improvement purposes.
Slice & Dice Any Way You Want As you review the information below, please note that programs use the Network's unique features to instantly compile their data in any number of ways, such as by member, by service site, by member supervisor, and by any other set of member characteristics.
Volunteer Mobilization
Statistics*
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Number of Volunteers Recruited (Per Member, Per Service Site, & For All Members)
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Volunteer Demographics
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Total & Average Number of Hours Contributed by Each Volunteer & All Volunteers
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Number of Service Sites that Utilize Member-Recruited Volunteers
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Number of People Benefiting from Member-Recruited Volunteers
*Programs can use the Network to instantly sort the aforementioned statistics by Baby Boomer volunteers, college student volunteers, disadvantaged children or youth volunteers, or any other demographic category.
Additional Data
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Descriptions of Successful Activities that Included Volunteers
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Roles Filled by Volunteers during Activities
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Strategies Developed and Implemented while Mobilizing Volunteers
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Volunteer Mobilization Success Stories / Great Stories
Service-Learning Student Mobilization
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Number of Service-Learning Students Engaged
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Hours Spent Learning Outside of Service
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Hours Spent on Service Projects
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Types of Projects
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Project Success Stories
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Member Reflections on Projects
Member Characteristics
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Member Age (Individual Ages and Average)
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Number of Years in AmeriCorps
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Whether Members Have Family Members Who Served in AmeriCorps
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Whether Attending College During Term of Service
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Whether Plan to Attend College
Entrance Data / Member Growth & Development
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Reasons Members Joined AmeriCorps
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Members’ Education Attainment
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Whether Voted in Last Election
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Long Term Goals at Beginning of Service Term
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Thoughts about One’s Own Level of Responsibility
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Thoughts about One’s Own Communication Skills
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Members’ Comfort with Diversity
Exit Data / Member Growth & Development
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Members' Reflections on Projects
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All Changes in Areas Noted in the “Entrance Data” section above
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Whether Service Helped Members to Clarify Future Goals
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Whether Members Gained Valuable Experience
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Whether Members’ Service Led Them to Have More Self Confidence
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Whether Members Gained Life Skills
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Whether Members Feel that They’re Better Able to Realize Personal Goals
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If Members Had a Good Year Overall, What the Reasons
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If Members Had a Bad Year Overall, What the Reasons Were
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Open Ended Reflection on how AmeriCorps Experience Changed Members
Member Hours
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Whether Member is on Track to Complete Hours
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Reasons Not On Track with Hours
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Plans to Catch up on Hours
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Whether a Member Needs Extra Support from Staff to Meet Hours
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Plans to Serve over Holiday Breaks
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Type of Service Conducted Over Holiday Breaks
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Hours Served Over Holiday Breaks
Member Training & Support
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Effectiveness of Training
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Suggestions for Improvement
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Support Needed from Program Staff / Areas in Which Members Want More Training
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Members’ Most Pressing Goals & Challenges
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Groups of People Members Have Interpersonal Challenges With
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Kinds of Interpersonal Skills Training That Would be Helpful
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Topics of Service Site-Based Trainings Members Attended
Tutoring & Mentoring
Programs use the Network to instantly break out this data between service that takes place during and outside of school hours.
Big Picture Statistics
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Age Levels of Students Served
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Grade Levels of Students Served
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Number of Students Served
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Number of New Students Served
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Amount of Time Spent Preparing for Sessions with Students
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Amount of Time Spent Tutoring or Mentoring
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Amount of Money Members Spent on Tutoring/Mentoring Activities and How Money Was Spent
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Number of Student Assessments Completed
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Number of Students Who Increased Test Scores by a Certain Percentage or Level
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Number of Students Who Graduated from Program
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Number of Students Who Withdrew from Program
Other Student Data
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Descriptions of Students’ Academic Progress
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Descriptions of Students’ Social Progress
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Student Behavior Preventing Effectiveness
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How Members Encouraged & Reinforced Positive Student Behavior
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Members’ Access to Students’ Standardized Test Scores or Assessment Data
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How Members Measure Students’ Academic Progress
Members Interactions with and Impacts on Students’ Families
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Description of Interactions with Students’ Parents & Guardians
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Number of Books Parents Have Read with Students
Members’ Interactions with Site Staff
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Description of Interactions with Site Staff
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Description of Interactions with Teachers
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Rating of Relationship with Teachers
Additional Narrative Questions
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Description of a Typical Day from Start to Finish
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Strategies Developed and Implemented while Tutoring and Mentoring
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Success Stories / Great Stories Related to Tutoring and Mentoring
National Service Days
The data points below have been used to collect data on members’ work during Martin Luther King Junior Day, Make a Difference Day, Read Across America Day, National & Global Youth Service Day, and other national service days.
Planning
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Donations Received to Make Projects Happen
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Number of Hours Spent Planning Projects
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Number of Partners
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Number of Projects Planned
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Project Descriptions
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Project Goals
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Whether Project Implementation is Running on Time
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Project Planning Challenges
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Whether Members Have their Projects on Track for National Service Days
Implementation & Results
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Number of Beneficiaries
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Number of Hours Spent on Implementation (Individually & as a Group)
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Engagement of Volunteers (including Demographics, Numbers Involved & Hours Contributed)
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Engagement of Disabled Youth (Description and Numbers Involved)
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Engagement of Disadvantaged Youth (Description and Numbers Involved)
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Engagement of Students (Description and Numbers Involved)
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Engagement of Community Partners (Description and Numbers Involved)
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Engagement of Government or Elected Officials (Description and Numbers Involved)
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Feedback from Community and Beneficiaries
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Media Coverage Received
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Reasons for Lack of Media Coverage
Reflection & Follow-Up
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Strategies Developed and Implemented While Working on National Service Day Projects
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Great Stories / Success Stories
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Additional Support Members Could Have Used from Staff
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How Members Could Have Improved Projects
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Whether Engaged Youth are Teaching Others What they Learned from Serving
Corporation's Strategic Initiatives
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Number of Activities or Projects Members Conducted Around Each Strategic Initiative
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Time Spent on these Activities (Planning & Implementation)
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Descriptions of Activities or Projects Conducted Around Each Strategic Initiative
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Number of Beneficiaries from Activities or Projects Conducted Around Each Strategic Initiative
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Support Members Needed from Staff to Implement Activities or Projects
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Strategies Developed and Implemented while Working on Corporation Strategic Initiatives
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Great Stories / Success Stories
Life After AmeriCorps
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Effectiveness of Life After AmeriCorps Training
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Members’ Post-AmeriCorps Plans
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Reasons for Lack of Plans After AmeriCorps
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Reasons Member is Not Serving with AmeriCorps Next Year
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Likelihood of Members Continuing to Engage Youth in Community Service & Citizenship
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Members’ Specific Plans to Involve Youth in their Communities
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Likelihood of Members Continuing to be Involved in their Communities
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Members’ Specific Plans for Community Involvement
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Whether Members Need Help Enrolling in College
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Reasons Not Attending College During or After AmeriCorps
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Current / Planned Use of Education Award
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Whether Members Need Resume Writing Help
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Whether Resume is Up to Date
Results Matter.
The Network's reporting features alone give programs more time to realize their missions.
Keystone SMILES, an AmeriCorps program we serve in Pennsylvania, has used the Network to reduce the amount of time it spends on reporting each year by more than 12.5 days (approximately 100 hours saved).
America Reads - Mississippi, another AmeriCorps program we serve, has reduced the total time it spends on reporting each year by more than 4 weeks (660 hours saved).
Read a case study about the ways America Reads - Mississippi has used the Network since 2004 to get the reporting and ongoing program improvement data it needs while providing ongoing, personalized support to its members. Also learn how the Corporation has recommended budgeting for the Network in previous AmeriCorps grant applications.
Seeing is Believing. Take the Tour.
Take a live, guided tour of the Network with other AmeriCorps programs nationwide. Reserve your space today.
