Year 24 Cohort in circle at Orientation

Become a RARE Member

Watch our most recent information session:

What Does it Mean to Be A RARE?

RARE AmeriCorps members are motivated individuals who are passionate about service, making a difference and creating meaningful change. They’re interested in systems thinking, planning, community building, and making the world a better place. RARE AmeriCorps members are excited about a full immersion experience, adventure, and learning-by-doing.

We don’t expect our members to come to the program with all of the skills and knowledge needed to advance their projects – we are a service learning and professional development program that is committed to supporting you along the way. RARE members develop leadership, effective communication, organizational knowledge, and technical skills.

Our members have a variety of backgrounds and bring to their communities a wide-range of experiences. Many are participating in RARE AmeriCorps following completion of their undergraduate degree to clarify their goals before making a commitment to a career path. Some are graduate students or have recently completed planning, environmental science, or related programs and are looking to put their knowledge into action. Some RARE AmeriCorps members are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers or other AmeriCorps alum who are looking for more ways in which to serve and give back.

Regardless of their backgrounds, all RARE AmeriCorps members are change makers.

RARE AmeriCorps members also have a commitment to assisting in underserved rural areas. While RARE AmeriCorps members may or may not have lived in rural areas previously, they are interested in both serving those communities and in living in them, understanding that rural communities often do not have the same amenities as urban areas, and that distances between communities in Oregon can be far.

Visit our current member or past member pages for more information on what service looks like:

RARE AmeriCorps projects typically fall into three broad categories:

What You’ll Gain

  • Opportunity to Build Community and Make a Tangible Impact in Rural Oregon
  • Living Stipend/Monthly: $2,300
  • Personal Professional Development Fund of $300
  • Medical Insurance*
  • Child Care Benefits*
  • SNAP Benefits*
  • Segal Educational Award of $7,395
  • Federal Student Loan Forbearance
  • Professional training in Community Development, Grant Writing, Communication, Land Use, Economic Development, Facilitation, Leadership, Etc. (valued at ~$4000)
  • Nine Graduate Credit waiver for the University of Oregon’s Master of Community & Regional Planning, Master of Public Administration, or Master of Nonprofit Management programs
  • In-state Tuition Eligibility
  • University of Oregon Graduate School Fee Waiver

*Eligibility dependent on individual circumstances

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for enthusiastic candidates with a strong desire to utilize and develop interpersonal skills for community outreach and group facilitation, serve rural, and make a difference!

  • Skills:
    • Ability to work through conflict and maintain good relationships
    • Effective teamwork
    • Ability to remain organized and on-track with projects and processes
    • Technical skills, including data collection, analysis, and representation; large document creation; grant writing; GIS; website development and/or policy analysis
  • Strong written, verbal, and graphic communication ability
  • Commitment to volunteerism and service to community
  • Ability to create inclusive spaces
  • Commitment to rural community development
  • Ability to match

Qualifications

RARE AmeriCorps members are required to be either U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents. In addition, you will need to hold a bachelor’s degree and demonstrate applied community experience as well as coursework or equivalent experience in three or more of the following areas: planning or statistical analysis, planning or economic theory, project management, community or economic development, environmental planning, geographic information systems and grant writing.

Eligibility

Applicants for 2024-2025 RARE AmeriCorps placements must be college graduates (with a bachelor’s degree) and U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents who have successfully completed the following:

  • Six months applied community experience
  • Coursework or equivalent experience in three or more of the following areas:
    • Planning or statistical analysis
    • Planning or economic theory
    • Land use or natural resources planning
    • Project management
    • Community or economic development
    • Environmental planning
    • Communications
    • Geographic information systems
    • Grant writing
  • Proficiency in Windows based computer applications
  • An interest in the ideology of service-learning

Criminal Background Checks:

All potential members must pass a check of the National Sexual Offender Public Registry before they will be offered a placement. All members must pass an FBI check and a criminal background check of state registries prior to beginning their placement.

Term of service:

September 2024 – July 2025

Member applications for the 2024-25 service year are by 11:59pm PT on Sunday April 28, 2024.