Rural Partners Corps (RPC) - Host Site Application
Note: This application is for Rural Partners Corps (RPC) host sites for the 2026–27 Program Year, featuring a December 2026 - August 2027 term of service. We welcome applications from partners nationwide. Submitting this form is a way to indicate general interest only—organizations are not committing to participate by applying. We encourage interested partners to complete this form as soon as possible.
About the Rural Partners Corps
Rural Partners Corps (RPC) is a new AmeriCorps service fellowship from Lead For America (LFA) that places locally rooted Members with rural, place-based backbone organizations.
Members already live in or near the communities they serve. They bring local knowledge, transferable skills, relationships, and a commitment to making their communities stronger.
RPC Members serve 40 hours per week from December through August, working alongside Host Site staff and community partners to build organizational and community capacity and advance cradle-to-career economic mobility for rural young people.
Who Should Apply?
RPC Host Sites are place-based backbone organizations serving rural communities or regions. Eligible entities include:
- Regional or community-based nonprofits
- Community Development Corporations (CDCs) & Economic Development Organizations (EDOs)
- Cradle-to-career partnerships & collective impact initiatives
- Community foundations & philanthropic organizations
- Tribal governments & Native-led organizations
- Local government agencies & regional councils of government
- Education organizations (K12 through Higher Education Institutions)
What Does Your Organization Gain?
Dedicated Capacity: A full-time Member focused on meaningful projects that advance your organization's priorities.
Stronger Partnerships: Additional capacity to build relationships, convene partners, and connect community assets.
Organizational Infrastructure: Tools, systems, research, processes, volunteer infrastructure, and other resources that strengthen your organization's capacity.
Local Talent: A motivated community member who already knows and cares about the place—and wants to contribute to its future.
LFA Support: Your Member receives ongoing coaching and professional development through LFA, while your organization has a dedicated LFA Program Coordinator as an additional source of support.
What Will an RPC Member Do?
An RPC Member joins your organization as a locally rooted capacity-building partner.
They are not an intern, temporary worker, outside consultant, or replacement for existing staff. Instead, they bring their skills, relationships, local knowledge, and initiative to help your organization move important community priorities forward.
Members will typically:
1. Know the Place
- Conduct community asset mapping and listening
- Learn the community's strengths, priorities, relationships, and existing initiatives
2. Build Relationships
- Engage community stakeholders and partners
- Support cross-sector collaboration and community convenings
- Connect people, organizations, and resources
3. Understand & Advance Priorities
- Support strategic planning and implementation
- Coordinate projects and initiatives
- Conduct research and organize information
- Help move locally defined priorities from ideas to action
4. Build Capacity
- Develop tools, processes, resources, and systems
- Strengthen partnership, communication, or volunteer infrastructure and engagement
- Support training, workshops, outreach, and community engagement
5. Support Cradle-to-Career & Economic Mobility
- Contribute to initiatives involving youth, education, workforce development, career pathways, and economic mobility
- Help strengthen connections across schools, nonprofits, employers, government, higher education, and other community partners
The Member's approach is: Know the Place → Build Relationships → Understand Priorities → Organize → Connect → Execute → Build Capacity
Specific assignments will be shaped by your organization's priorities and your community's needs.
Requirements
Host Organization Criteria:
1. Organizational Eligibility:
- RPC Host Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a government entity (local, tribal, state, or federal), or a faith-based organization (focused on non-religious activities).
2. Site Capacity & Supervision:
- Dedicated Supervision: Provide a designated host site supervisor for weekly 1:1 check-ins, day-to-day guidance, and project support.
- Tools & Workspace: Provide a dedicated workspace and necessary operational tools/equipment for the fellow.
- Compliant Position Description (PD): Draft a PD focused on building organizational and community capacity to advance cradle-to-career economic mobility for rural young people.
- Local Sourcing: Partners are expected to actively leverage their local networks to recruit candidate referrals who possess strong lived experience in the community. LFA Recruitment and Onboarding Managers will also source candidates locally via LFA's internal ATS to ensure the pool of candidates is robust.
3. Financial Partnership
- Hosting an RPC Member requires a financial partnership. Host sites provide a local match to federal AmeriCorps and philanthropic contributions. This fee supports member stipends, training, supervision, and national program infrastructure.
Next Steps
Once you submit this form, a member of our partnership team will reach out within one week to schedule a 30–45 minute discovery call.
As published by workable
First name, Last name, Email, Pronouns, Phone, Address
- Name of the host organization (Must be the legal name of the organization. Please do not use acronyms)
- Please provide a brief mission statement and summary of your organization. written answer
- What is your organization's address & state?
- Service Site address (this is where the member is expected to serve in-person) If multiple sites, please include all locations. Note: Each site location must be identified before the program year begins. Members will not be allowed to begin without a site address to report to. written answer
- Member's Supervisor's email and phone number (this needs to be the intended supervisor for the term). If multiple site supervisors, you must include each site supervisor. Members will not be allowed to start without a site supervisor. Host site supervisors will need to sign off on all AmeriCorps timesheets, meet at least weekly with their Member(s) to go over work plans, and provide constructive feedback, encouragement, and mentorship
- How many Members would you like to host this year? written answer
- Have you ever hosted a Lead For America Member/Fellow? yes / no
- Please provide a simple, brief paragraph that summarizes what the Member will do, including how the Member will have an impact on the community. written answer
- Will travel within the community be required? written answer
- Does your organization have the capacity to offer office space and equipment like a laptop to the Member? Check all that apply. choose any
- How do you plan to cover the RPC host site fee? choose one
- If you selected “sponsored” or “grant funding,” please list the funding partner(s) or grant source(s) and their contact information. written answer
- Has this funding been confirmed, or is it pending approval? choose one
- Has your organization allocated the ACC host site fee in your current fiscal year budget? choose one
- Who should be the billing contact for your organization (name, title, email, phone)? written answer
- Are there any internal payment deadlines or restrictions we should be aware of (e.g., quarterly payments, fiscal year-end, etc.)? written answer
- Is your organization collaborating with another partner or coalition to share the cost of an RPC Member placement? written answer
- If yes, who will be the primary financial contact responsible for payment and contracting? written answer
- Please summarize your current funding plan for your ACC Member placement. written answer
- How did you hear about this opportunity?
- Do you have any host sites you would like to refer? written answer