AmeriCorps State
Georgia 4-H is looking for people interested in serving in our AmeriCorps State program! Funded by AmeriCorps, the federal agency, and administered by Georgia Serves, the Georgia 4-H AmeriCorps Project supports research-based youth development programming. AmeriCorps members serve in local county Extension offices throughout Georgia, delivering a variety of 4-H programming to young people in grades 4-12, with an emphasis on in-school educational club meetings and 4-H Project Achievement.
More Details about AmeriCorps positions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is AmeriCorps?
- What will I do as an AmeriCorps member?
- Do AmeriCorps Members get paid?
- How do I apply?
- What benefits do AmeriCorps members get?
- Do I have to have a background check or a drug screen to serve as an AmeriCorps member?
- Will I get health insurance?
- What is the AmeriCorps Education Award and how does it work?
- How many education awards can I get?
- What is a Title IV School?
- What is a qualified student loan?
- Is there anything AmeriCorps members are not allowed to do?
- How do you pronounce AmeriCorps?
- What is a term of service?
- Are AmeriCorps members with Georgia 4-H University of Georgia (UGA) employees?
- What is Georgia 4-H and where does AmeriCorps fit?
1. What is AmeriCorps?
A federally funded national service program modeled after the Peace Corps that allows U.S. citizens to serve their country at home, meet a critical community need, gain professional experience, and earn an education award to pay for tuition or to pay back federal student loans.
2. What will I do as an AmeriCorps member?
AmeriCorps State members provide direct service to the people served by the organization with the AmeriCorps grant. If you serve with Georgia 4-H, you will provide positive youth development programming to 4-Her’s (youth in grades 4-12). At a minimum, you will teach in-school educational club meetings, assist with 4-H Project Achievement, and recruit volunteers.
Depending on the county where you serve and if you are full-time or half-time, you will also assist with judging teams, coordinate community service projects, attend state-wide events, coordinate summer activities, and attend summer camp.
3. Do AmeriCorps Members get paid?
Yes, AmeriCorps State members receive a monthly living allowance. It is not a salary or an hourly wage and is the same amount each month. For the 2026-2027 term of service, our full-time members will receive $2,075.00 per month and half-time members $1,037.50. It is important to know that this is the amount before taxes. AmeriCorps requires that FICA (7.65%) and state and federal taxes are withheld.
“This position has truly set me up on a positive path for my future. It has given me an insight into the classroom that many of my collegiate peers have not had the chance to do. I can apply what I learned in the classroom to my club meetings because I am teaching students on a consistent basis. The relationship with my students and the knowledge I have gained from being an AmeriCorps member is more valuable than any monetary value.”
4. How do I apply?
Ultimately everyone must apply through UGA’s employment system and the My AmeriCorps portal. To find out more information, individuals can fill out our Interest Form.
5. What benefits do AmeriCorps members get?
Members receive a monthly living allowance, an education award, and are eligible for loan forbearance.
This means, if you are required to pay on a student loan, you can request to stop paying while serving.
The interest will still accrue, but AmeriCorps will pay the interest if you finish your term. Full-time
members are eligible for free health insurance and to apply for childcare assistance. The childcare
assistance is income-based, but the monthly living allowance does not count as income. The living
allowance is not counted as income, so that can help members be eligible for state benefits such as
the Supplemental Nutrition Programs such as food stamps (SNAP) and WIC (women, infants and
children.
6. Do I have to have a background check or a drug screen to serve as an AmeriCorps member?
To serve, individuals must pass a National Service Criminal History Check (NSCHC). The NSCHC
includes – a state check (state of residence and state of service), a National Sex Offender Registry
(NSOPW) check, and an FBI fingerprint-based check. To serve with Georgia 4-H, a UGA background
check is also required. The background checks are free of charge and must be completed and passed
before someone can start serving. UGA and Georgia 4-H do not require a drug screen to serve.
7. Will I get health insurance?
Full-time AmeriCorps State members are eligible for free health insurance through AmeriCorps.
Members do not pay the monthly premium but do pay co-pays and have a deductible. That means, you
are not charged anything until you use the insurance for a medical bill. You don’t have to pay out of
pocket to have the insurance coverage itself.
“The most rewarding thing is serving the youth. I love when a student finds their ‘thing.’ A lot of kids that come to 4-H are not the most popular kids in school or great at sports, but since we have started new clubs based on the interests of students, many come back again and again with smiles and want to do more!”
8. What is the AmeriCorps Education Award and how does it work?
Members that serve the full term and meet their hour requirement earn an education award equal to
the Pell Grant. The money is transferred into the My AmeriCorps portal account at the end of the term. It
can be used to pay current educational expenses at Title IV schools or to pay back qualified student
loans.
This year, the full-time education award is $7,395 and half-time is $3,697.50. You have seven years to
use your award. If you are 55 or older when you start your term, you can transfer your education award
to a child or grandchild, then they have 10 years to use it. If you don’t finish your hours, you do not earn
an award – not even a partial award.
9. How many education awards can I get?
Individuals can earn the total value of 2.0 education awards. A full-time education award has a value of 1.0. A half-time member’s education award has a value of 0.5. Currently the 1.0 value is $7,395 (what a full-time member receives) and the 0.5 value is $3,697.50 (what a half-time member receives).
10. What is a Title IV School?
Title IV schools are higher educational institutions, both domestic and foreign, that participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV student aid programs.
You can download a list of Title IV Schools.
11. What is a qualified student loan?
A qualified student loan is a loan backed by the federal government under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (except PLUS Loans to parents of students), or under Titles VII or VIII of the Public Health Service Act, or loans made by a state agency, including state institutions of higher education.
“I would serve another term if I could. I have accepted a job within Extension and my AmeriCorps experience made that happen. My AmeriCorps service has been more than learning skills, my terms have taught me that our AmeriCorps team is like family! This family has left an impression on me that I will take with me to the next chapter.”
12. Is there anything AmeriCorps members are not allowed to do?
AmeriCorps members are not allowed to perform primarily administrative activities, engage in certain
types of fundraising, or to do any of the prohibited activities as defined by AmeriCorps. Some
administrative duties are allowed as they relate to programming (i.e. make copies of your lesson
plans) but members should not be regularly assigned to answer the phone or similar activities.
Members can support fundraising efforts that are related to the direct services they provide, but hours
toward fundraising cannot exceed 10% of their total hours.
The prohibited activities are things that by law, members are not allowed to do while logging service
hours. You should read over the list of prohibited activities. In addition, members cannot be involved
with any Census activities. (promotion, education, being a Census taker, etc.). Members are also not
allowed to be involved in election or polling activities. Members can do these things as a citizen on
their own time, but not while logging service hours, wearing AmeriCorps service gear, or representing
AmeriCorps.
13. How do you pronounce AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps is pronounced like “Marine Corps” or “apple core.” It is not pronounced “AmeriCorpse.”
14. What is a term of service?
A term of service refers to the period members serve. The Georgia 4-H AmeriCorps State term of service is 12 months (September 1 – August 31).
15. Are AmeriCorps members with Georgia 4-H University of Georgia (UGA) employees?
AmeriCorps members serving with Georgia 4-H are not employees of the University of Georgia. However, they are covered by UGA’s workers’ compensation (meaning medical care is available if injured while serving), general liability insurance, and must follow all UGA policies and procedures.
16. What is Georgia 4-H and where does AmeriCorps fit?
Georgia 4-H is part of UGA Cooperative Extension within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia. Extension offers educational programs in family and consumer sciences, agriculture, natural resources, and youth development.
Georgia 4-H is the youth development arm and the recipient of the AmeriCorps State grant. AmeriCorps members are not employees but are covered under UGA insurance programs and must follow all policies and procedures.
“At the end of the 2024-2025 program year, 100% of AmeriCorps members surveyed agreed that as a result of their service with Georgia 4-H, they were better prepared for future employment and gained skills and experience to use for future employment; 94.5% agreed they had opportunities to establish connections with other members and a broader National Service Network to build a sense of team spirit.”
If you’re interested in applying, please fill out our Interest Form to get more details.
AmeriCorps State Program Coordinator
Jennifer E. Cantwell, MSW – Extension 4-H Program Coordinator
AmeriCorps & Program Evaluation
University of Georgia
317 Hoke Smith Annex Athens, GA 30602-4356
Office:(706)542-4294
jecantw@uga.edu
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (working cooperatively with Fort Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the counties of Georgia) offers its educational programs, assistance, and materials to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action organization.