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

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East

Site Location: Athens, OH

City, State or Full Address: 8 E Washington St, Athens, OH 45701

 

Terms of Service:

Start Date: August 2025

End Date: August 2026

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

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

 

 

PLEASE APPLY USING THIS LINK:  My AmeriCorps - Home Page

 

 

Purpose:

This AmeriCorps program, in partnership with the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA), aims to build capacity for sustainable rural development by leveraging outdoor recreation and public land assets to foster economic, social, environmental, and health benefits in Appalachian Ohio. Serving communities across 18 southeast Ohio counties—many of which face persistent poverty—the program upholds values of equity, collaboration, and stewardship while promoting inclusive access to natural resources and resilient local economies. As an AmeriCorps position, this role is rooted in the principles of community engagement, partnership development, and long-term systems change to support historically underserved rural communities.

The AmeriCorps member will serve with ORCA to strengthen communication strategies, support grant writing and fundraising efforts, and enhance administrative systems that sustain outdoor recreation initiatives such as the Baileys Trail System. The member will assist with stakeholder engagement, digital marketing, internal planning, and grant administration, contributing directly to the organization's mission to improve quality of life through equitable outdoor access and economic diversification.

 

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

 

Description of Duties:

As an AmeriCorps member serving with the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA), you will support key initiatives that strengthen the organization's communication, grant development, and administrative capacity. Your work will help promote the Baileys Trail System and other outdoor recreation projects that contribute to rural economic development in Appalachian Ohio. Specific responsibilities will include:

·         Communications and Marketing Support: Assist in drafting newsletters, managing social media accounts, updating website content, and creating promotional materials to increase public awareness of ORCA’s work and regional outdoor assets.

·         Grant and Fundraising Assistance: Research grant opportunities, help write and edit grant proposals, and support tracking and reporting requirements for existing grants.

·         Administrative Support: Organize and maintain meeting notes, calendars, contracts, and filing systems; assist with scheduling, internal communications, and coordinating partner meetings.

·         Data and Reporting: Track and organize key data related to tourism, grant performance, and outreach efforts; prepare monthly or quarterly reports to support organizational planning and development.

·         Collaborative Engagement: Communicate with local government officials, nonprofit partners, and federal land managers to support outdoor recreation planning and program implementation.

·         Outdoor Learning Opportunities: Participate in occasional outdoor events, community meetings, or trail-related programming to better understand and represent ORCA’s mission in the field.

This role is a great opportunity for someone interested in public service, sustainable rural development, nonprofit operations, grant writing, marketing, and community engagement.

 

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 http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare.

*For more information regarding the AmeriCorps VISTA Childcare benefit, please visit https://americorpschildcare.com/.

*For details about Non-Competitive Eligibility, please visit https://my.americorps.gov/trust/help/member_portal/non_competitive_eligibility_overview.htm.

 

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, agilkerson@conservationlegacy.org

For site related information, contact Elle, elle@orcaohio.com

 

 

PLEASE APPLY USING THIS LINK:  My AmeriCorps - Home Page

 

 

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.