Volunteer Engagement Capacity Building VISTA

AmeriCorps; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare assistance

Education Award or End of Service Stip

Health Coverage

Living Allowance

Relocation Allowance

Training

Job summary

AmeriCorps VISTA seeks a Volunteer Engagement Capacity Building VISTA in Iowa. The role focuses on strengthening volunteer systems, expanding pathways, and connecting volunteers with services addressing social determinants of health.

You will develop training resources, analyze engagement data, and create scalable tools for nonprofits, volunteer centers, and Iowa HHS programs to improve community health outcomes.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience with volunteers or community programs preferred.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills required.

Responsibilities

• Strengthen Iowa’s volunteer capacity by optimizing the Get Connected portal.
• Develop statewide outreach and training resources for volunteers and staff.
• Create onboarding guidance, volunteer manager templates, and best-practice guides.

Skills

Computers/Technology

Education

Leadership

Public Speaking

Recruitment

Teaching/Tutoring

Writing/Editing

General Skills

Non-Profit Management

Social Services

Team Work

Education

High school diploma/GED

Job description

This role directly contributes to alleviating poverty by strengthening volunteer-driven support that expand access to health, social, and community resources for low-income Iowans. The Volunteer Engagement Capacity Building VISTA will strengthen Iowa’s statewide volunteer ecosystem by enhancing volunteer engagement capacity across nonprofits, volunteer centers, local governments, and Iowa HHS programs. Iowa communities rely heavily on volunteers for essential services such as aging support, youth programming, public health efforts, disaster response, and community development- but many organizations lack the infrastructure, tools, and training needed to manage volunteers effectively. By expanding volunteer pathways, the VISTA will help connect individuals to opportunities that improve community health outcomes, create supportive career development environments, and reinforce services relied upon by Iowans experiencing or at risk of poverty. Drawing from the Volunteer Iowa State Service Plan and the Iowa HHS Strategic Plan, this VISTA will support statewide improvements by optimizing volunteer systems like Get Connected, developing training and onboarding tools, analyzing volunteer engagement data, and creating resources that help organizations recruit, manage, and retain volunteers more effectively. The member will strengthen both external partners (nonprofits, volunteer centers, community-based organizations) and internal Iowa HHS divisions seeking to build volunteer pathways that strengthen navigation services, aging supports, mobility initiatives, and community coordination. The VISTA will research best national practices, identify gaps and barriers to volunteering (especially for older adults, youth, and rural communities), and help modernize the statewide volunteer infrastructure. All work is capacity building and will leave behind sustainable, scalable tools that support long-term volunteer engagement and community resilience across Iowa.

Member Duties

All activities emphasize building systems that indirectly reduce poverty by increasing volunteer capacity within programs addressing social determinants of health such as access to care, aging supports, behavioral health, and economic stability. The VISTA will strengthen Iowa’s volunteer capacity by optimizing the Get Connected volunteer portal, developing statewide outreach and training resources, and supporting internal volunteer engagement initiatives within Iowa HHS. The member will conduct research on volunteer engagement models, analyze data, and create tools such as onboarding guidance, volunteer manager templates, and best practice guides. The VISTA will help plan trainings, workshops, and recognition initiatives while improving statewide volunteer systems and supporting underserved communities. All work builds long-term capacity for organizations that rely on volunteers to meet essential needs.

Program Benefits

• Childcare assistance if eligible
• Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend
• Health Coverage*
• Living Allowance
• Relocation Allowance
• Training

For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit https://americorpsvista.imglobal.com/.

Terms

• Car recommended
• Permits attendance at school during off hours
• Permits working at another job during off hours

Service Areas

• Community and Economic Development
• Community Outreach
• Education
• Health
• Neighborhood Revitalization
• Technology

Skills

• Computers/Technology
• Education
• Leadership
• Public Speaking
• Recruitment
• Teaching/Tutoring
• Writing/Editing
• General Skills
• Non-Profit Management
• Social Services
• Team Work

Program Type

AmeriCorps VISTA

Program

Volunteer Engagement Capacity Building VISTA

Program Start/End Date

01/11/2027 - 01/10/2028

Work Schedule

Full Time

Education level

High school diploma/GED

Age Requirement

Minimum: 18 Maximum: None

Program Locations

IOWA

Accepting Applications

From 09/11/2026 To 12/31/2026

Contact

Benjamin Cohen

321 E 12th Street

Des Moines IA 50319

515-349-4702

[e-mail]

www.volunteeriowa.org