VISTA members help eligible agencies deliver services and programs to help low-income people become more self-sufficient and address poverty related issues within communities. As an AmeriCorps VISTA sponsoring organization, the Initiative Foundation works in partnership with the program to match VISTAs with central Minnesota nonprofit organizations and agencies. VISTA is often referred to as “the domestic equivalent of the Peace Corps.”

VISTA members make a full-time, one-year commitment. Project sites interview and select their own VISTAs from a pool of local and national candidates. Volunteers receive training, health insurance and an $840 monthly living allowance from the AmeriCorps program. The program also provides a $4,725 education award or $1,200 cash stipend at the end of each year of service. VISTA volunteers serve at no cost to the nonprofit organization for the first year. Project sites must share the cost of VISTA members for service beyond one year.

Within only one year VISTA Project Sites reported these numbers...

• 2,433 - active volunteers that VISTAs helped organize and coordinate
• 913 - new volunteers VISTAs helped recruit
• 14,719 - hours served by volunteers
• 2,630 - households assisted through VISTA-supported projects
• $289,785 - cash resources VISTAs helped secure for their sites
• $66,543 - non-cash resources VISTAs helped secure for their sites
• (data from August 2006 - July 2007 activities)

For more information about VISTA, download our PDF fact sheet, view the full Request for Proposal that details our project site selection process, access a VISTA project site inquiry form or contact Chris Fastner, VISTA Program Manager.