Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) AmeriCorps Online Payment System Introduction

AmeriCorps is introducing a new online payment system for the processing of AmeriCorps forms The new system will allow Segal AmeriCorps Education Award payments, Interest Accrual payments and Forbearance to be requested, submitted and processed online, both eliminating paperwork and reducing wait time for payment. The online system will benefit you by: Getting you your money faster Pre-populating information Performing validation checks Reducing the amount of information you need to provide Providing electronic versions of the completed AmeriCorps forms Providing the capability to print forms Eliminating mailing costs Access to help and information online In addition, the automated process eliminates manual tasks such as: Opening mail Scanning documents Correcting and completing incorrect or incomplete forms

Approved requests will be sent to Treasury for payment. The new system is very user-friendly, much like an online banking system. Here is how it works……… Trust Staff The Institution Provide Support Request The member Request & Check status Most requests will be processed without intervention, however Trust staff will provide support and respond to problems as necessary. Provide Support Members will log in to the system and create a request online for any of their available Segal AmeriCorps Education Award benefits. The system forwards the request to the Institution for approval. As a registered Institution user, you will log in to the system to view all pending requests. Once there, you will be able to review and process the member’s request through the online system. Approved requests will be sent to Treasury for payment. And the best part it is……………………

No More Messy Paper Forms

The new online system will be easy to access You can access the online system from the AmeriCorps.gov website. Once you are logged into the system, all requests can be processed online and directed back to the Trust through the system. Members – Did you know you can now submit your ED Award forms online? Click here to learn more Members and Alumni Access Your Account User Name Password Access Your Account User Name Password National Service Trust Account Access Click here to access the system

To process a Forbearance Request simply: Login to the system View pending requests Open Forbearance Request and review information Click “accept” or “deny” with comments (or follow your normal operating procedure)

Interest Accrual Payment Requests To process an Interest Accrual Payment request simply: Login to the system View list of pending requests Open Interest Accrual Request and review information Enter the required loan information Check Certification Box Click “accept” or “deny” with comments ***See next 2 pages for more details

Processing an Interest Accrual Payment Request 1. Review all of the member’s information to make sure it matches your records

Processing an Interest Accrual Payment Request Cont…. Enter the following information Loan Number Loan Type Principal Outstanding & Interest Accrued OR Daily Interest Amount Grace Period (if applicable) Check Certification Box Click “accept” or “deny” with comment

To process a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Payment request simply: Login to the system View list of pending requests Open Education Award Request and review information Complete required fields Check Certification Box Click “Accept” or “Deny” with comment ***Note: There are two different screens that you will see depending on how the member chooses to use the award. The following pages show examples of the two different screens.

Processing an Education Award Request for a Loan Payment Open Education Award Request and review information Enter the following information Loan Type Loan Number Payoff Amount State Agency Name (if applicable) Check Certification Box Click “accept” or “deny” with comment

Processing an Education Award Request for Payment of Current Educational Expenses Open Education Award Request and review information Enter the following information Eligible Expenses Enrollment Start Date Enrollment Midpoint Date Check Certification Box Click “accept” or “deny” with comment

The online system has your security in mind Every Institution will need to register for the system for security purposes the first time they try and enter the system.** Complete and submit the Registration application online A Trust Officer will approve your application and send you an email with a link to access the system Upon entering the system, you will be asked to create a username and password. The person to register your Institution will become the Institutional Security Administrator. You will need to decide who this should be, because this person will have some additional rights and responsibilities, such as: Rights to grant access to others within you organization and assign user roles to those people. Responsibility for maintaining and monitoring the security administration for the Institution. **Institution Registration will begin two weeks prior to the go-live date in August

Registering your Institution is a very simple process Go to AmeriCorps.gov Access login area and click on “Register to create a new Institution account” Enter the following information: Institution name Correspondence Address EFT information (or payment address) TIN DUNS # Title IV Code (for Education Institutions) Contact name, e-mail and phone # Click “Submit”

What else might I want to know? What if I forget my password? If you cannot remember your password, click “forgot you password?” on the login page. You will then be prompted to enter your username and your e-mail address. An e-mail will be sent to you with a link to change your password. How do I select my notification method? You have the option to select to have e-mails sent to you to notify you a request is pending your approval. The default notification method will be to receive notification e-mails. However, if you prefer not to receive e-mails, the Institutional Security Administrator can change the notification method in the Institution profile. Will we be able to have records of requests that are made through the system? You will also always have access to historical records, because all records will be maintained in the Trust’s database. From your homepage, you can select “Historical Records” from the left-hand navigation bar where you can view and search past requests. If I deny a request, do I need to explain why? Yes; if you deny a request, you will need to add a comment to explain why it was denied. There will be a drop-down where you can choose from a list of reasons that would result in denial. If you don’t find the appropriate reason, you can select “other” and write in the rationale for your decision. What are my access rights and roles as the Institutional Security Administrator for my Institution? As an Institutional Security Administrator you will be able to grant access to others within you organization and assign user roles to those people. You will also be responsible for maintaining and monitoring the security administration for the institution.

Next Steps Check the AmeriCorps.gov website for more information and updates on the launch. We’ll notify you when the site is open for Institution registration. Expect this to happen in late July of this summer. If you have any additional questions, please email epayments@americorps.gov