They don't just keep your clients and team members safe, background checks are a requirement. Under the Serve America Act, the law requires national service programs to conduct for each grant-supported member or staff member:

• A National Sex Offender Public Registry check
• EITHER a state criminal registry check OR an FBI fingerprint check
• After October 2011, programs must conduct all three checks on individuals serving vulnerable populations

Check with your program officer for CNCS current policy. You can learn more official information online:

• National Service Criminal History Checks
• VISTA-specific information

In a national service environment, it is helpful to let recruits know about the history checks ahead of time, as this will discourage "red flag" prospects from following through on their applications.

While VISTA conducts checks on candidates, it is often the responsibility of AmeriCorps state and national programs to run checks on their recruits. For programs running sex offender, state, and national checks, it is important to know:

• The process
• The timeframe
• What to expect and what you'll get
• Things that can go wrong

A resource on conducting criminal history checks is available to download as a Word document. The resource covers the four items listed above.

AmeriCorps state and national programs have additional considerations.

Also check out the Staff Screening Toolkit [PDF] developed by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. This toolkit provides a practical approach to screening paid and volunteer staff.

Go on to Making Decisions

Choose who to interview

This applicant screening form is used by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA). The form makes it easier to:

• Evaluate applications across several dimensions like flexibility, motivation, maturity
• Capture reviewers' initial impressions
• Make sure the same criteria are applied to all applicants
• Decide who to interview for member positions

NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.

Figure out what qualifications the candidate needs

This resource, from the Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), offers tips on establishing criteria for a position and evaluating whether a candidate meets those qualifications.

NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.

Honing in on the qualities you need

Northwest Service Academy (NWSA) uses this list of questions to help screen applicants and determine if they have what it takes to be successful members.

NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.