AmeriCorps FAQ
What is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture and aims to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.
Public Health Iowa AmeriCorps is a part of the State and National AmeriCorps program, which provides local community service opportunities specific to the State of Iowa. We are supported by Volunteer Iowa and the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service who help implement AmeriCorps operations across the state.
Who can apply to be an AmeriCorps member?
Anyone can be a service member! As long as you are over 17 years old and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you are eligible to serve.
Public Health Iowa AmeriCorps (PHIA) is designed to support public health organizations across the state and is geared toward college students and recent graduates. Throughout the service term, we provide professional development training and emphasize career-based mentorship to support young practitioners in the public health field. However, we welcome applications from all eligible individuals who are interested in serving their communities.
While PHIA is based at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, you do not need to be a University of Iowa student or alumnus to participate. If you are a current students at a different college/university in Iowa (or sometimes outside of Iowa) and are interested in serving, we strongly encourage you to apply.
Where do members serve?
Members serve at host sites. All host sites are in the state of Iowa and work closely with Public Health Iowa AmeriCorps (PHIA) staff to develop projects that will be both impactful for the organization and fulfilling for the service member. Host site organizations may be county or state government agencies, research centers, school districts, non-profits, or similar organizations.
AmeriCorps prefers that as much service as possible occur in-person. This means that the service member will typically need to live in or be able to easily get to the community where they are serving for the duration of the service term. Please read posted opportunities carefully and make sure you are applying for positions in or near the community where you currently reside or if you are willing to temporarily relocate.
Why should I serve with AmeriCorps?
All service members receive:
- a modest living allowance
- Skills-based and professional development training
- Forbearance for federally-backed student loans
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award (For use on future educational expenses or to pay back qualified student loans. The value is dependent on length of service.)
- Access to Employers of National Service network for future job searches
Depending on your host site and project type, some members may also receive:
- Certification and/or trainings in specialty areas (eg. OSHA, FEMA, etc)
- Individualized professional mentorship
The living allowance and education award amounts are determined based on length of service.
| First column | Second column | Third column | Fourth column | Fifth Column |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorem ipsum | $123.45 | Data here | ||
| Hours of Service | Total Living Allowance | Education Award | Total Compensation | Hourly Rate Equivalent |
| 1200 Hours (TQT) | $13,800 | $5,100 | $18,900 | $15.81/hr |
| 900 Hours (HT) | $9,600 | $3,600 | $13,200 | $14.81/hr |
| 675 Hours (RHT) | $6,800 | $2,800 | $9,600 | $14.37/hr |
| 450 Hours (QT) | $4,400 | $1,900 | $6,300 | $14.25/hr |
| 300 Hours (MT) | $2,700 | $1,500 | $4,200 | $14.47/hr |
*Amounts listed are approximate and subject to change annually.
How do I apply to be an AmeriCorps member?
Public Health Iowa AmeriCorps (PHIA) offers widely varying opportunities throughout the year. To apply, you should first view which positions are currently available and then fill out the required form. If you’re unsure if PHIA is right for you and would like to chat with one of our staff, please complete the interest form so we can arrange a time to meet with you.
Can my organization become an AmeriCorps host site?
Any organizations working directly in public health or those working in related fields (community engagement, social determinants of health, etc) with a need to increase project capacity in the short-term or long-term should consider hosting a Public Health Iowa AmeriCorps (PHIA) service member to assist in delivering your community service needs.
Learn more about how to become a host site on the AmeriCorps Host Site page.