The Community Art Collaborative is an AmeriCorps program funded in part by a grant from the Maryland Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages thousands of people each year in service to their communities in critical areas like education, health, and conservation. To learn more about AmeriCorps, please visit www.americorps.gov.

It's an exciting time to be in AmeriCorps! The Serve America Act of 2009 reaffirmed the government's commitment to AmeriCorps and expanded the number of service opportunities available. Each year, AmeriCorps offers 75,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. Whether your service makes a community safer or gives a child a second chance, you'll be getting things done through AmeriCorps!

AmeriCorps service is a year-long commitment. In order to serve, you must be at least 17 years old, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and be a US citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident. Participation in CAC is conditional upon completion of a National Service Criminal History Check. 

Benefits of Service for 2019-2020

• A living allowance of $14,500 for the year  (Paid in bi-weekly amounts from MICA)
• Free health coverage (through a special AmeriCorps healthcare plan with Cigna). This includes medical, dental and vision.
• Child care benefits. (Partial reimbursement for childcare costs)
• A federal Education Award of $6,095 for full-time members upon successful completion of your service, which can be used to pay eligible student loans or other eligible educational expenses. (For more info, please see this website about the Segal Education Award)
• Deferment of eligible student loans while you are in service, and repayment of the interest that accrues while they are in deferment.
• Ongoing professional development training in curriculum development, classroom management, grant writing, community organizing, and much more!
• Access to tons of valuable resources at MICA, including downloading free software (Adobe Creative Suite & Microsoft Office), access to resources at the MICA Decker Library, and access to rental technology equipment at the MICA Tech Center (rental cameras, video cameras, projectors, lighting kits, etc).
• Valuable work experience that can help propel your career forward after AmeriCorps.
• Access to the citywide and national AmeriCorps network for future opportunities and general networking.
• Being part of a cohort team of community arts colleagues that you can collaborate with and learn from.
• The option of staying on for a second year of the program, to further develop projects and relationships at your CAC Host Site.