Information for Prospective Host Sites

The College Health Corps Host Site Request for Proposals (RFP) will be out Fall 2019.

If a site is approved to become a host-site, they will recruit, interview, and select a VISTA in the spring. VISTAs will start their year of service in early July. Our staff are happy to speak with you about your interest in hosting a VISTA at any time. With questions, contact Jaquelyn Chagnon at jchagnon {at} compact(.)org or 612-359-6464.

Host Site Eligibility and Selection Criteria

• Alignment with one or more CHC program goal: The purpose of this VISTA program is to increase low-income communities’ access to
  • primary and preventative healthcare services; (including opioid addiction programs)
  • health insurance, health care access and/or health benefits;
  • health education;
  • hunger alleviation programs (community gardens, cooking classes, etc.);
  • emergency food;
  • non-academic supports on college campuses (housing, transportation, childcare, etc.) aimed at helping low-income students succeed; and/or
  • inclusive environments on college and university campuses, by addressing race, racism, systems of oppression, and/or bias in higher education, aimed at helping low-income students succeed.
• Capacity building: Project is focused on increasing the applying organization’s capacity to provide services, not direct service or administration of ongoing programs.
• Low-income populations: Project is focused on serving low-income populations.
• Campus-community partnership: Campus-community partnership activities are an integral part of the project.
• VISTA assignment: The VISTA Assignment Description is actionable and achievable.
• Measuring outcomes: Project includes a plan to collect data on outputs and outcomes.
• Support: The applying organization has capacity to provide regular, high-quality supervision, professional development opportunities, adequate work space, and other supports to the VISTA member.
• Organizational type: Nonprofits and public agencies that are eligible for federal funds may host CHC VISTAs, including public or private non-profit higher education institutions.
• Minnesota Campus Compact Affiliation: Only those higher education institutions that belong to Minnesota Campus Compact (MNCC) are eligible to host a VISTA. If an interested, accredited higher education institution is not included on the current list of Minnesota Campus Compact members, it may join MNCC when it or the partner applies for a CHC VISTA.
• Minnesota Campus Compact Affiliates Program *New this year*
  Community-based organizations selected as VISTA host sites must be willing to become part of the MNCC affiliates program. The affiliates program is for non-profit and public organizations that value partnering with higher education and are seeking additional opportunities to engage with community-campus partnerships.  Affiliate benefits include access to workshops on civic/community engagement, access to external resources that build capacity for campus-community partnerships, consideration for board membership, among others. More information on the Affiliates program and benefits.
• Financial Contribution: Selected host sites must be able to make the financial contribution toward the costs associated with supporting a VISTA and their living allowance. This amount varies by year and will be detailed in the RFP. Please contact us for more information.