Grant Selection & Performance

PRESENT: Ed Barrett, Jonathan Barczyk, Rob Meinders, Jenni Tilton-Flood, Stacie Haines, Matt L’Italien, Maryalice Crofton 

The task force gathered by video conference at 8:30 am. The meeting was live-streamed for public viewing. 

Summaries of the proposals reviews and draft recommendations for actions were provided to all task force members. 

AmeriCorps Competitive Continuation application: LearningWorks

Chair Barrett asked if there were any questions, adjustments, or concerns about the summary report to the commission or the draft recommendation. There were none. Moved by Barczyk to forward the report and recommendation to the Commission for action. Second by Haines. Vote: In favor – Haines, Barczyk, Meinders, Tilton-Flood, L’Italien, Barrett. None opposed. 

AmeriCorps Competitive New Applications

Maine Conservation Corps.  
Chair Barrett asked if there were any questions, adjustments, or concerns about the summary report to the commission or the draft recommendation to forward the application to the national competition. There were none. Moved by Haines to forward the report and recommendation to the Commission for action. Second by Barczyk. Vote: In favor – Haines, Barczyk, Meinders, Tilton-Flood, L’Italien, Barrett. None opposed. 

Healthy Acadia.  
Chair Barrett asked if there were any questions, adjustments, or concerns about the summary report to the commission or the draft recommendation to forward the application to the national competition. There were none. Moved by Barczyk to forward the report and recommendation to the Commission for action. Second by Tilton-Flood. Vote: In favor – Haines, Barczyk, Meinders, Tilton-Flood, L’Italien, Barrett. None opposed. 

Other Discussion Items

Chair Barrett noted that he will tell the Commissioners there was a third new application but it scored so poorly the peer reviewers did not forward it for further consideration. The applicant was the Kennebunkport Climate Initiative. 

Crofton announced that staff received written notice from Rev. Shirley Bowen that the board of directors for Seeks of Hope Neighborhood Center voted on Wednesday evening to end their involvement with AmeriCorps. The administrative burden outweighs the benefits and was impeding organizational operations. This means they will not execute the agreement for year 3 grant funds. 

While the staff is very saddened by this decision it is not inconsistent with the evaluator’s findings about the challenges of operating an AmeriCorps program. Task Force members briefly discussed the decision and it was noted the event gave added evidence to the need for the Maine Service Fellows program which would not have the federal bureaucratic requirements. 

The Chair thanked all member for their extra effort over the last few weeks. He noted that the peer reviewers will be acknowledged at the business meeting and the Commissioners asked to pass a motion thanking them. 

There being no other discussion items, the members disbursed at 8:56 am.