September 2025 - Administrative Staff Report

Program Development & Training Officer

Major projects completed – September2025

  • Attended the ASC Service Summit hosted by the Assoc of Service Commissions in Washington DC
  • Worked with the Volunteer Services Coordinator to hand off the Maine Audubon certification review process for their Service Enterprise certification. She will be the lead Service Enterprise Trainer after the Training Officer’s retirement
  • Provided multi-day new AmeriCorps grantee staff training to the newly hired Director of Maine Conservation Corps
  • Did outreach for the Maine Formula special competition RFA; applications due in October, including meeting with planning grantees, Ending Maine Hunger, and connecting with other potential applicants
  • Offered a Volunteer Management and Volunteer Maine overview to staff at Viles Arboretum
  • Provided regular messaging regarding potential impacts of a government shutdown to all grantees and other National Service Programs operating in the state
  • Participated in and provided support for Commission Retreat
  • Supported planning for AmeriCorps Member Conference scheduled for early October
  • Started packing and organizing for physical move to new MOCA office space
  • Facilitated meeting with Exec Director of Avangrid Foundation and MVF board members

Issues to be aware of –

  • AmeriCorps has not released a Competitive NOFA and the federal agency is in shutdown.  Because this would be the first NOFA from the new administration, it is uncertain what priorities would be emphasized and what changes in the application narrative prompts will be made.  This makes it difficult to run a ‘generic’ competitive application round.  However, if this is not done, there may not be time to submit by the as yet unknown federal deadline (usually in January)
  • Competitive continuation applications can still be submitted. This impacts GPCOG and MCC

Major focus of effort in the new month –

  • Complete move to MOCA offices and re-establish business systems
  • Develop ServeMaine.org outreach plan, starting with key agencies and then general public messaging in November
  • Support the execution of the Maine AmeriCorps Member Conference at UMA on October 10th
  • Continue hand-off processes with Exec Director and other staff for duties assigned to Training Officer
  • Support contracting and onboarding of any new operational Rural grantee(s)
  • Opening Novice Course for registration and beginning proctoring

Other activity –

  • Ongoing AmeriCorps Technical Assistance to existing grantees via email, teleconference & face to face. Hosting of Monthly AmeriCorps Technical Assistance meeting
  • Continue providing training and regular meetings with Planning grantees and support potential applications for funding within limits of procurement rules
  • Hosting Maine Volunteer Managers’ Network meetings
  • Supporting Financial Support staff person and continuing to provide direct financial services; including procurement system management as well as initial entry of financial documents in state purchasing system, including purchase orders, bids, and contracts