Housing and Community Development Specialist (Tuscola County EDC), RPC Fellow

Note: This is a full-time RPC AmeriCorps position with Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation

About the Rural Partners Corps:

The Rural Partners Corps (RPC) is a new AmeriCorps service fellowship from Lead For America (LFA) that places locally rooted fellows with rural, place-based backbone organizations. Fellows 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 Fellows will 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.

About Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation

The Tuscola County EDC is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to raising the quality of life in Tuscola County through economic development.

Position Overview

The Housing and Community Development Specialist will serve under the guidance, supervision, and direction of TEDC staff to support Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation housing and redevelopment activities, including community-facing support for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing projects under TEDC's existing third-party administration (TPA) contracts and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and tax increment financing (TIF) activities. A smaller portion of service will support staff-guided responses to small business and municipal inquiries, connections to appropriate resource referrals, and business retention and expansion (BRE) outreach and engagement. Through these service activities, the Member will help residents, businesses, and municipalities learn about and access available resources that support housing, community investment, and economic mobility in Tuscola County. The Member will not independently administer grants or contracts, make eligibility or funding determinations, provide professional or technical advice, or perform duties that replace or duplicate the work of TEDC employees or other paid professionals.

Key Responsibilities

The RPC fellow will:

Housing program assistance:

• Help staff collect housing applications and supporting documents, identify missing items for staff review, share staff-approved information with applicants, and update project trackers.
• Assist with organizing application materials and communicating next steps identified by staff, following applicable confidentiality and records-handling procedures.

Brownfield and redevelopment support:

• Research redevelopment opportunities, compile application and TIF project information for staff review, and assist staff with BRA meeting preparation and project follow-up.
• Gather publicly available information and organize supporting materials; staff will review all research, communications, and project-related recommendations before use.

Project documentation:

• Help compile housing and redevelopment records, reimbursement support, service outcomes, reporting materials, and closeout information for staff review.
• Organize and maintain project documentation under staff direction without independently certifying expenses, approving reimbursements, or submitting official reports.

Partner engagement:

• Support staff-led housing and redevelopment meetings and communications with residents, municipalities, developers, consultants, contractors, and agency partners.
• Assist with meeting preparation, documentation, follow-up, and sharing staff-approved information to support community engagement and coordination.

Small business and municipal assistance:

• Help staff document inquiries, provide staff-approved resource referrals, assist with BRE visits and follow-up, and record identified needs and next steps for staff review.
• Support general outreach and connections to publicly available resources and appropriate service providers. The Member will not provide individualized business consulting, professional advice, or services that confer a direct benefit on a specific for-profit business.

Organizational capacity:

• Help staff improve housing and redevelopment application guidance, resource materials, intake forms, and tracking tools; submit proposed changes for staff review.
• Assist with identifying opportunities to improve access to information, streamline resource materials, and strengthen community-facing processes. TEDC staff will review and approve all changes before implementation.

All activities performed by the AmeriCorps Member will be completed under the guidance, supervision, and direction of TEDC staff. The Member will provide supplemental service and community support and will not independently make eligibility, funding, regulatory, or project approval decisions or perform duties that replace or duplicate the work of paid staff or contracted professionals.

Learning & Development Opportunities

As an RPC fellow, you will receive structured training and support throughout your service year, including:

• A week-long virtual orientation with the national cohort to kick off the service year.
• A week-long, in-person national Winter Institute convening with your Lead For America cohort — travel, lodging, and a per diem stipend are fully covered.
• Twice-monthly virtual training on skills for service, including project management, asset-based community development, grant writing, and serving vulnerable populations, plus self-paced curricula with opportunities to earn badges and credentials.
• A structured community listening tour at the start of service to understand local needs, assets, and opportunities.
• Dedicated 1:1 support from a Lead For America Program Coordinator and twice-monthly peer pod meetings for networking and professional development.
• Access to a national network of Lead For America fellows, alumni, and community partners.

Requirements

Who We’re Looking For

The ideal RPC Fellow is a community-rooted, service-oriented, self-directed professional who lives in or near the rural community where they will serve.

The ideal candidate brings:

• A meaningful connection to the community and understanding of its strengths, priorities, and relationships
• A commitment to serving the community where they live
• Strong relationship-building, communication, and collaboration skills
• Initiative and independence to organize work and move projects forward
• Transferable skills in areas such as project management, community engagement, youth development, workforce development, partnership development, communications, or organizational capacity building
• The ability to work across nonprofit, government, education, business, and community sectors
• Humility and curiosity—the ability to learn from community members and local leaders rather than arrive with predetermined solutions
• Alignment with the Host Site's mission, values, culture, and priorities
• Readiness to meet LFA, AmeriCorps, and service fellowship expectations

Eligibility:

• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or Lawful Permanent Resident.
• Hold a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Be 17 years of age or older by the start of service.
• Have not already served four (4) or more AmeriCorps State/National terms.

Timeline:

We are currently recruiting fellows to serve from December 7th, 2026 - August 13th, 2027. Fellows will serve full-time (approximately 40 hours per week), completing 1200 hours of service over the course of the term.

Application Process:

• Submit Your Application: Complete the application on the next page to join our general talent pool.
• Host Site Review: Our host site organization will review your application, and invite those moving forward to interview.
• Lead For America Interview: Finalist candidates will be invited to interview with the Lead For America team.

Benefits

Full-time RPC fellows receive:

• Stipend: $23,300 living allowance dispersed biweekly over the course of the service term.
• Education Award: $5,220 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of the program.
• Support: Access to a national network of fellows, community partners, alumni, and 1:1 support.
• Student loan forbearance and childcare support for eligible fellows.
• Healthcare coverage: Medical, dental, and vision coverage (if applicable).
• Fully-funded training throughout the year.
• Hands-on experience, in-demand skills, and career exploration in community development and digital inclusion.

Non-Discrimination
This institution operates in accordance with Federal and AmeriCorps civil rights and non-discrimination requirements. This program is available to all. All program documents, including compliance history information, may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact us at ACCinfo@leadforamerica.org

Note: The RPC program does not offer part-time or remote fellow positions at this time.