Stewards VISTA: Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia- AmeriCorps

Position Title: Stewards VISTA: Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia- AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East

Site Location: Athens, OH 45701

City, State or Full Address: 8 E Washington St.

Terms of Service:

Start Date: May 4, 2026

End Date: May 3, 2027

Must serve a 365-day (1 year) service term

Living Allowance: $68.39/day ($24,962.35/year)

Apply using this link: My AmeriCorps - Home Page

Purpose:

This AmeriCorps Program is designed to strengthen economic resilience in coal-impacted Appalachian communities by leveraging outdoor recreation, heritage assets, and place-based development to address root causes of poverty.

This AmeriCorps Position supports Southeast Ohio communities by building internal systems, planning tools, and documentation frameworks that enable sustainable outdoor recreation initiatives, workforce pathways, tourism development, and small business growth. Guided by values of collaboration, environmental stewardship, equity, and long-term community capacity, the member’s service will enhance ORCA’s ability to coordinate regional efforts and advance inclusive economic opportunity beyond the term of service.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will build capacity and develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in underserved communities.

Description of Duties:

• The AmeriCorps member will support organizational capacity-building through indirect service by developing internal planning documents that link outdoor recreation assets to workforce development, tourism, and small business growth. Duties include:
• Develop internal planning documents that connect outdoor recreation assets to workforce development, tourism, and small business growth
• Create and maintain internal resource inventories documenting recreation infrastructure, heritage assets, and economic development opportunities
• Design staff-facing regional branding frameworks to support consistent place-based messaging
• Compile internal reference materials addressing access, equity, and inclusion considerations in recreation-based economic development
• Develop internal performance tracking templates aligned with economic, environmental, and community outcomes
• Research funding programs related to outdoor recreation, tourism, and regional branding and synthesize findings into internal summaries
• Create and maintain internal grant calendars, funding databases, and organizational information banks for staff use
• Develop internal volunteer program systems, including role frameworks, onboarding guides, training manuals, and tracking tools
• Document collaboration models, governance structures, and planning processes to support staff-led, multi-county regional initiatives

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 years of age
• College graduate
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve full-time (35-40 hours), but exact schedules may vary.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive a Virtual Member Orientation (VMO) from VISTA on their first day of service.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award* of $7,395.00

o or choice of cash stipend of ~$1,800.00

• Living Allowance of $68.39 per day, disbursed every 2 weeks
• Relocation Allowance ($750) if Eligible
• Healthcare Coverage* if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage* if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• Training and Professional Development Opportunities
• Employee Wellness Program (access to a licensed, professional counselor and 24/7 support)
• Non-Competitive Eligibility* (NCE) status upon successful completion of the term
• Networking and Mentorship

*For more information regarding the Segal Education Award, check out this link as well as alternative uses for the award here .

*For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit .

*For more information regarding the AmeriCorps VISTA Childcare benefit, please visit .

*For details about Non-Competitive Eligibility, please visit .

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed their required year of service; the member has satisfactorily completed assignments; and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets, accomplishment tracking, and quarterly reporting.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

For VISTA related information, contact Addie Gilkerson, [email protected]

For site related information, contact Delia Palmisano, [email protected]

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.