CVN AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities Training November 14, 2011

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1 CVN AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities Training November 14, 2011 Presented by: Kristen L. Wolford, CVN AmeriCorps Coordinator Barbara Wheeler, CVN AmeriCorps Assistant Coordinator

2 Agenda - Review of Prohibited Activities - Context - Position Description Exercise - Program Input -Questions

3 AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities Attempting to influence legislation; Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing; Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements; Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office; Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials; Religious activities, such as: engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization; Providing a direct benefit to A business organized for profit; A labor union; A partisan political organization; A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and An organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph (g) of this section, unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities; Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive; Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services.

4 In addition CVN AmeriCorps does not accept certain positions that other National Service programs may allow, including: Fundraising activities, such as: raising funds for the member s own living allowance or other costs of the AmeriCorps program; raising funds for an organization s operating expenses or endowment; writing grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or for any other funding provided by CNCS; or writing grant applications for funding provided by any other federal agencies. CVN AmeriCorps position must also fit within our focus areas of Education, Economic Opportunity and Healthy Futures.

5 However AmeriCorps members may participate in religious activities, fundraising, lobbying, political, or advocacy activities as private citizens, as long as it is done on their own time, at their own expense, and at their own initiative. Members may not wear AmeriCorps service gear or represent themselves as AmeriCorps members in such instances.

6 Context Congressional Inquiry Climate of Accountability and Shared Responsibility Continuous improvement within National Service Programs, CVN AmeriCorps, subgrantees and placement sites

7 Position Description Review - Please review the position descriptions that are included at your table to determine if they are compliant with the CVN AmeriCorps Program. - List why the position may or may not be compliant. - Discuss a corrective action plan that your program might undertake to resolve a noncompliant position. - Discuss strategies to avoid including prohibited activities in your position descriptions. - Pick a table representative to share your findings!

8 Prohibited Activities Monitoring Monitoring for prohibited activities is a multitiered effort. Members, Site Supervisors, Program Directors and CVN AmeriCorps staff have a vested interest in maintaining compliance. We expect the following monitoring activities to take place. Site Supervisor and Program Director review of positions and hours CVN Staff review of positions and hours CNCS review of positions: RulesofService@cns.gov

9 Some Words to Avoid Ministry Advocacy/Advocate Organizing/Organizer Canvasser/Canvassing Rally

10 Office of the Inspector General The OIG operates a Fraud Hotline to provide an opportunity for concerned citizens, program participants, employees of CNCS grant recipients, volunteers, and others to report instances of fraud, waste, abuse of authority, and mismanagement. OIG Hotline: Phone: hotline@cncsig.gov

11 Questions?