Table of Contents

Overview

National Service ...........................................................................................Page 1

Principles of AmeriCorps ..........................................................................Page 3

 Priorities, Preferences, and Program Types ............................................Page 7

Grant Terms and Requirements ...............................................................Page 11

Responsibilities for Programs Using AmeriCorps Funds .....................Page 13

Selection Criteria .......................................................................................Page 23

Submission and Application Instructions

 Notice of Intent to Submit and Compliance Requirements...................Page 25

Submission Information for New Applicants..........................................Page 26

Program Narrative.....................................................................................Page 29

Submission Information for Continuation Requests.............................Page 35

Forms..........................................................................................................................Page 37

Appendixes

A. AmeriCorps Leaders ............................................................................Page 71

 B. Definitions ............................................................................................Page 75

 C. Budget Analysis Check-List ...............................................................Page 77

D. Guidance on Developing Objectives ..................................................Page 81

E. Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities .........................Page 83

F. Policy on Guidance and Fundraising .................................................Page 87

G. Policy Guidance on Criminal Record Checks ...................................Page 89

H. Application Checklist..........................................................Inside Back Cover
These guidelines are only for those who wish to apply for AmeriCorps*

National funds or who are submitting a continuation request. For

additional copies of these guidelines and to request them in alternative

format, call 202-606-5000 ext. 163. [TDD: 202-565-2799 or TTY via the

Federal Information relay Service at (800) 877-8339]

Submission Procedures:

Applicants must submit one unbound single-sided original and two

bound copies of the complete application with an original authorized

signature on the application cover sheet and on the certifications and

assurances form. All new applicants are encouraged voluntarily to

submit four additional copies of the application to expedite the review

process.

If you are submitting a new or recompeting AmeriCorps*National

application, submissions must arrive at the Corporation for National

Service no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, May 3, 2001. If

you are submitting a continuation request, all requests must arrive at

the Corporation for National Service no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 17,

2001.

Send all submissions to the following address:

Corporation for National Service

1201 New York Avenue, N.W.

Box ACN

Washington, D.C. 20525

Public Burden Statement: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires the Corporation to inform all potential person who are to

respond to this collection of information that such persons are not required to respond unless it displays a currently valid OMB control

number. (See 5 C.F.R. 1320.5(b)(2)(i)). Time Burden: The time required to complete this collection of information is estimated to

average ten (10) hours per applicant, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed,

and complete and review the information collection. Use of Information: The Corporation evaluates the applications and makes

funding decisions based upon this information through its grant review and selection process. Effects of Non-Disclosure: Providing

this information is voluntary; however, failure to provide the information could result in the application not being approved for a

federal grant. Public Comments: Comments on the burden or content of this instrument may be sent to the Corporation for National

and Community Service, 9th floor, Attn: Ms. Shelly Ryan, 1201 New York Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20525.
1

OVERVIEW

National Service

When faced with problems such as illiteracy, poverty, crime, and environmental challenges, our

nation has always relied on the dedication and action of citizens. Throughout this century,

Americans have witnessed landmark progress in the development of national service, such as the

establishment of the National Civilian Conservation Corps by President Roosevelt in the 1930’s,

the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, and the development of the first national

service demonstration projects by President Bush under legislation passed in 1991. From the

American philosopher William James’ vision of non-military national service in the early 20th

century to the passage of the National and Community Service Trust Act during the 1990’s,

national service has always demonstrated the effectiveness of citizens to address the challenges

facing our nation.

Corporation for National Service

The Corporation for National Service was established in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages and

backgrounds in community-based service. We support a range of national and community service

programs, providing opportunities for participants to serve full-time and part-time as individuals

or as a part of a team. Learn and Serve America integrates service into the academic life of nearly

one million students in all 50 states. The National Senior Service Corps uses the skills, talents,

and experiences of nearly half a million older Americans to help make communities stronger,

safer, healthier, and smarter. AmeriCorps engages thousands of young Americans on a full- or

part-time basis to help communities address their toughest challenges while earning support for

college, graduate school, or job training. AmeriCorps joins a long tradition of programs

encouraging and rewarding service–programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps, the

Montgomery GI Bill, and the Peace Corps.

Within the Corporation, we make children and youth a priority that cuts across our streams of

service and the four areas of education, environment, public safety, and other human needs. Most

Learn and Serve America, AmeriCorps, and National Senior Service Corps programs incorporate

this priority within their program objectives. All of our streams of service support the literacy

programs to ensure that children learn to read independently by the end of the third grade. Some

of our national and local activities under this initiative include training and coordinating unpaid

volunteer tutors, organizing and assisting family literacy programs, and serving as reading partners

in structured programs.

We are a partner with America’s Promise – the Alliance for Youth, an alliance of nonprofit

organizations, businesses, schools, state and local governments, and faith-based organizations that

direct organizational, financial, and human resources to help turn the tide and create options for

millions of children and youth who lack certain fundamental commitments from the nation. The

Corporation, alongside delegates from all walks of life, established our obligations to youth and

children at the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future. We committed ourselves to see that all

of America's children and youth have:

• caring adults in their lives as parents, mentors, tutors, and coaches;

• safe places with structured activities in which to learn and grow;
2

• a healthy start and healthy future;

• an effective education that equips them with marketable skills; and

• an opportunity to give back to their communities through service.

AmeriCorps Network

AmeriCorps is a national service network that provides full- and part-time opportunities for

participants, called members, to serve in communities and address local environmental,

educational, public safety, or other human needs. Within these four issue areas, organizations may

submit proposals that solve specific problems of local communities. In other words, local needs

drive AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps members who successfully complete their term of service receive

an education award of $4,725 for each full time term of service.

The AmeriCorps national service network includes AmeriCorps*State and National Programs,

Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories Programs, Education Awards Program, AmeriCorps*VISTA,

and AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). Through service with community

organizations and agencies, AmeriCorps members fulfill their pledge to “get things done” in

communities large and small throughout America.

Last year we celebrated our 150,000th AmeriCorps member milestone. In the short time since

AmeriCorps’ inception, its members have achieved impressive results. During this year, more

than 50,000 AmeriCorps members will provide community service throughout the country.
3

Principles of AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps funds and supports quality programs that get things done, encourage responsibility,

expand opportunities, and strengthen communities. AmeriCorps members undertake service that

has a maximum impact on our nation’s communities and would not be provided without the

service of AmeriCorps members and volunteers.

Getting Things Done

Your program must provide opportunities for the community to define its problems and to solve

them. You must be able to demonstrate that your program or the service you offer provides a

direct benefit that the community values and that existing funds or volunteers do not already

provide this service. In addition, your program service activities must demonstrate positive impact

on the communities served. Program activities cannot duplicate the routine functions of workers

nor may programs displace paid employees.

Direct Benefit

AmeriCorps provides a variety of specific and identifiable services to communities. For

example, your program may renovate low-income housing or create a playground in a

vacant lot. You may engage in human service projects such as tutoring, mentoring, or

conflict resolution, or you may coordinate volunteers whose service provides a direct

benefit to the community. We do not generally consider clerical tasks or research such a

direct benefit. However, you may need some assistance to develop your project. For

example, your project may use a team to provide meals, transportation, and health services

to the homebound and you need to conduct a door-to-door survey of community residents

to help identify those in need of this service. Because the survey in this instance serves as

a springboard for providing a service, it satisfies our direct benefit requirement.

AmeriCorps Member Development

We expand opportunities, helping those who help America. Because of their AmeriCorps service,

members develop additional skills, gain valuable experience, and receive education awards that

they can use to repay school loans or for future education. Although programs will have different

sorts of impacts on members, depending on program design, all programs should seek to develop

members by including the following components:

Citizenship

You should use service experience to help members achieve the skills and education

needed for productive, active citizenship, including, if appropriate, structured opportunities

for members to reflect on their service experiences.

Supervision, Training and Education

Your program must provide members with the supervision, training, skills, and knowledge

they need to perform their tasks. You must give members the background information

they need on a community and help them understand the community’s need for a specific

service or project. You may also provide, if appropriate, specific training in a particular

field to your members. This includes training and education that help members explore
4

career possibilities in areas such as child development, teaching, public health, or public

safety. At the same time, we encourage you to provide training in cardiopulmonary

resuscitation (CPR), conflict resolution, and communication skills. A qualified supervisor

must provide members with regular and adequate supervision.

We encourage programs to build member leadership capacity by providing opportunities

for members to coordinate activities, recruit volunteers, and serve in team leader capacities

in their programs. You may address leadership opportunities in either the program design

section or in your member development objectives in your application. Please note,

however, that members should not be assigned as the primary legal supervisors of fellow

members.

Support Services

You must provide support services to members who are school dropouts by assisting them

in earning the equivalent of a high school diploma. We encourage you to provide all

members who are completing a term of service with information about education and

career opportunities.

Ethic of Service

Service builds civic responsibility and enables participants to practice responsible

citizenship. It helps youth make the transition into adulthood. Through service

AmeriCorps enables members to see themselves as problem-solvers, not problems; to

become leaders, not just followers; and to take personal responsibility.

To create an esprit de corps for members, we encourage you to begin members’ terms of

service in June, September, and/or January. When you design “classes” of members that

begin and graduate from their terms of service at the same time, you help to create a

national AmeriCorps identity. This will also facilitate recruitment in concert with the

academic year. If you lose AmeriCorps members between "classes," we encourage you to

fill those slots with members who have had appropriate orientation and training prior to

beginning their term of service.

We ask that you identify your program as part of the national service network and as a

program in which AmeriCorps members serve. You can do this through the use of

AmeriCorps logos, common application materials, and other means. You are not required

to call your program AmeriCorps, though you may use the AmeriCorps name along with

your own program’s name.

To help develop an ethic of lifetime service, programs should provide opportunities for

members to consider the meaning of the following line from the AmeriCorps pledge: “I

will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond.”

Strengthening Communities

AmeriCorps strengthens communities through community involvement and consultation.

AmeriCorps members help bring diverse individuals and groups together as teams to cooperate in

achieving constructive change and to solve critical community problems.
5

Community Involvement and Consultation

We see local involvement and input as vital to the development of quality service

programs that sustain and build communities. You should use extensive broad-based local

input to design, implement, and evaluate your project. This includes consultation with:

• representatives from the community you serve;

• members (or potential members) in your program; and

• appropriate community-based agencies, foundations, businesses, local

 labor organizations representing employees of service sponsors, and local

 government.

Partnerships with such community groups may help to enhance organizational capacity and

strengthen communities. They provide opportunities for you to collaborate and share

technical expertise and resources.

Bringing various organizations and people together to accomplish a common goal

mobilizes community resources. We encourage programs to involve AmeriCorps members

in activities that recruit and engage volunteers in helping meet community needs. Engaging

volunteers not only enables programs to accomplish their objectives but it also provides

people with an opportunity to serve. Leveraging volunteers and linking with other existing

service efforts (including other local Corporation-funded programs) can enhance program

results and build community capacity.

Diversity

Your program builds strong communities when it engages diverse members and staff in

common service. You should actively seek to include members and staff from the

communities where your project operates as well as men and women of different races,

ethnicities, education levels, socioeconomic backgrounds, and physical and mental

abilities. In our assessment of whether your program meets this criterion, we will take

into account that your program objectives might require you to recruit members and staff

who share a specific characteristic or background. Please note, however, that your

program cannot violate the non-discrimination, non-duplication, and non-displacement

rules that govern member and staff selection.

If your program lacks diversity in one or more areas, it must strive in other ways to be

diverse. You should intentionally create activities or provide opportunities for citizens to

come together who might not otherwise serve or come into contact with one another. As

you strive to achieve diversity, we encourage you to bring together younger and older

members.
7

 Priorities, Preferences and

Program Types

Each year the Corporation considers priorities within the four issue areas: education, environment,

public safety, and other human needs. Our priority for fiscal year 2001 within the four issue areas

is children and youth. In meeting this priority, your program may focus its efforts on serving

children and youth or plan to recruit or coordinate youth volunteers to assist in program activities

or both.

We also recognize that some high-quality programs meet different priorities and it would dilute

your effectiveness if you were to redesign your efforts to focus on children and youth. Examples

include programs that work with homebound elders, do groundwater contamination testing, build

houses for low-income people, or help people who are unemployed find employment. If your

program has such a mission, provides high-quality services, and can demonstrate compelling

needs, we encourage you to apply.

The following is a list of characteristics of the programs we fund, including statutory requirements

we must consider:

• programs that are high-quality, innovative, have the potential to be replicated by programs

in other areas, and that can sustain themselves or the service activities with other support

when the grant period ends;

• a wide range of program designs and approaches to community service that meet

community needs;

• programs that are geographically diverse across the state, region, or country and include

urban and rural areas;

• programs that sponsor AmeriCorps activities in areas officially designated as

Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities by the U.S. Department of Housing and

Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture;

• programs in areas affected by military downsizing;

• programs that demonstrate they can effectively develop and administer an AmeriCorps

program with proper supervision, monitoring, evaluation, and financial controls; and

• programs that propose to foster Federal Work Study students in community service.

In addition, we seek a diverse participant pool that includes young and older adults, a balance of

individuals who have not attended college and those with college education experience,

approximately equal numbers of men and women, individuals with disabilities, and individuals of

all races, ethnicities, and diverse economic backgrounds.

For 2001, the Corporation seeks to fund program designs that specifically engage older adults in

national service, building on many successful models currently in operation in the field. Senior

citizens provide wisdom, experience, commitment, knowledge and skills, and they have more time

to volunteer than ever before. The Corporation seeks applications in a broad range of issue areas

as described above.
8

Possible models engaging senior citizens might include:

• a program that encourages systematic outreach to recruit older adults as AmeriCorps

members;

• a partnership model between a program with AmeriCorps members and an organization of

older adults for the purpose of:

• recruiting more older adults as members; or

• engaging more older adults as non-stipended volunteers;

• a program model that seeks to recruit seniors as community volunteers and engages

significant numbers of senior citizen AmeriCorps members as volunteer generators and

coordinators;

• a program model that engages retired professionals as AmeriCorps members;

• a program model that engages retired professionals as community volunteers serving

together with AmeriCorps members; or

• a program partnership between an association of retired professionals, such as health care

professionals, lawyers, teachers, engineers, etc. and an AmeriCorps program, for purposes

of training, technical assistance, and volunteer recruitment.

Examples of Types of Applicants

Examples of nonprofit organizations that have applied for AmeriCorps*National funds include:

• regional associations of nonprofits specializing in services to youth;

• youth corps specifically designed for “out of school” youth;

• national organization dedicated to senior citizen issues;

• association of retired career professionals;

• organization serving individuals and families of persons with disabilities;

• university community service centers;

• faith based nonprofit organizations providing social service activities; and

• organizations specializing in volunteer engagement.

Examples of Types of Programs

You have great flexibility to design a program that “gets things done” in communities, develops

the citizenship and skills of members, and strengthens the ties that bind communities together.

You may assign members to individual projects or organize them in teams. Similarly, you may

determine whether a full-time or part-time schedule is more appropriate to your program’s goals.

Our regulations provide a list of program types that illustrate the range of existing national service

programs (see 45 C.F.R., Chapter XXV, Section 2522.110). You may find that your program fits

more than one type because program characteristics overlap in some areas.

Some examples of types of programs are:

• community-based service programs that provide tutoring and mentoring for younger

children and opportunities for them to participate in service projects after school, on

weekends, and during school vacations;

• college-based programs in which student AmeriCorps members, including Federal Work

Study students, perform substantial service in local schools or other community settings;

• programs initiated by mayors and other local officials to integrate AmeriCorps members

into community-wide strategies to meet local needs;

 • immunization programs that target young children and their families;
9

• a full-time year round youth corps or summer youth corps program undertaking service

projects with visible public benefits, including natural resource projects;

• programs placing members as service-learning coordinators in schools and youth

organizations;

• programs using qualified members as teachers, teacher aides, and early childhood workers

in communities with an inadequate number of such professionals; and

• programs using members to recruit and mobilize community volunteers to promote public

safety.

Professional corps programs are eligible for Corporation assistance under this application. A

professional corps program may recruit and place qualified AmeriCorps members in positions as

teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, lawyers, architects, engineers, or other professionals

helping to meet critical needs in communities with inadequate numbers of such professionals. The

scope of these programs may range from local to national, and they may be run by public or

private nonprofits, institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, or territories. AmeriCorps

members must be sponsored by public or private nonprofit employers who agree to pay 100

percent of AmeriCorps members’ salaries and benefits (excluding the national service education

award that we would provide). Such salaries may exceed the maximum living allowance allowed

in other national service programs.

We continue to encourage programs to focus on education, public safety, the environment or other

human needs instead of trying to address all issue areas. Experience shows that it is difficult for a

program to demonstrate its community impact when it tries to meet several educational,

environmental, public safety and other human needs at once. However, we recognize that certain

programs such as volunteer generator models, youth service corps or rural-based programs, may

operate more effectively by developing activities in more than one issue area. All programs should

provide strategies you will use to demonstrate outcomes.

To learn about a number of programs focusing on different issue areas you may visit our web site

at www.americorps.org.

Responsibilities of the Parent Organization

AmeriCorps*National applications must clearly identify the parent organization, defined as the

single entity that is responsible for implementing and managing the proposed AmeriCorps

program. An operating site is a local organization responsible for managing, operating, and

reporting on a quality program. Depending on program design, the operating site may also be

responsible for receipt and disbursement of grant funds.

We seek to develop high-quality service programs operated by parent organizations that have:

• national or multi-state networks;

• the existing capacity needed to monitor and support a national service program; and

• experience in operating similar programs.

The parent organization must demonstrate a strong institutional commitment of personnel,

resources, training, and technical expertise. We recommend that parent organizations develop a

strong and well-coordinated multi-site program rather than loosely tying together several local

programs that should have applied through their state commissions.
10

The parent organization has several crucial roles and responsibilities in operating a high-quality

multi-site AmeriCorps program. All parent organizations are expected to:

• select high-quality operating sites;

• provide on-going monitoring, technical assistance, and support to operating sites;

• assist in member recruitment, especially with national strategies;

• conduct appropriate training for staff and members;

• foster an ethic of service;

• assist in the coordination of AmeriCorps efforts with state commissions and other

local Corporation funded programs;

• provide strong financial management for the aggregate program and at sites;

• act as liaison between the Corporation and the operating sites;

• work with sites to develop long-term sustainability;

• develop and conduct an aggregate program evaluation;

• ensure that operating sites that receive federal funds (either from the parent

organization or other sources) obtain financial statement audits as required under the

Single Audit Act and OMB Circular A-133, obtain and review the audit reports, and

follow up on relevant audit findings; and

• establish procedures (in conjunction with obtaining, reviewing, and following up on

audit reports) and carry out on-going monitoring of financial management, program

performance, and performance measurement at operating sites.
11

Grant Terms and Requirements

Eligibility

Nonprofit organizations proposing to operate a program in two or more states are eligible to apply

for an AmeriCorps*National program grant. This allows us to fund multi-state and multi-site

programs that are national in scope and build on existing networks of youth and service programs.

Subdivisions of states, higher education institutions, and local nonprofits seeking support should

apply through their state commissions. An organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the

Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4) that engages in lobbying activities is not

eligible to apply, serve as a host site for member placements, or act in any type of supervisory role

in the program.

Nonprofits may operate programs directly, replicate successful models, or provide subgrants to

local chapters or affiliates. All activities within a proposal, including demonstration projects in one

or more states, should be coordinated through a well-developed national strategy and unified

programmatically by a common mission, theme, and program elements, including training and

technical assistance. Organizations planning to replicate successful models or provide subgrants to

local affiliates may propose initiatives that centralize components, such as recruitment and training

and that decentralize tasks, such as placing and supervising members. Alternatively, local entities,

called operating sites, may design and implement all program components, while the parent

organization monitors, evaluates, and provides technical assistance to local entities. In designing a

program, you should consider your national, regional, and local capacities, keeping in mind that

we require applicants for operating grants to: 1) specify the sites where the proposed activities will

occur; (2) describe how you selected the sites; and (3) provide specific information on the

proposed service activities.

Eligible applicants proposing programs operating in more than one state should seek funding

directly from the Corporation, rather than through the individual states. Eligible applicants also

include partnerships or consortia formed across two or more states, consisting of institutions of

higher education, Indian tribes, or other nonprofits, including labor and religious organizations.

Service activities or projects in multiple states should be well coordinated and unified

programmatically, and a multi-state strategy should be evident.

For examples of nonprofit organizations that have applied for AmeriCorps*National funds, see

page 7.

Grant Period

We generally provide funding for a three-year project period. Applications must include proposed

activities and a detailed proposed budget for the first year of operation, estimated funds you will

need in the second and third years of operation, and program objectives for the entire grant award

period.

If we approve your application and enter into a multi-year award agreement, we will usually

provide funding at the outset only for the first budget period of the program. The Corporation has

no obligation to provide additional funding in subsequent years. Funding for the second and third
12

budget periods of an approved program is contingent upon satisfactory progress in relation to the

approved objectives, submission of proposed changes in activities or objectives, and a detailed

budget and budget narrative for the applicable program year, the availability of funds, and any

other criteria established in the award agreement.

Funds Availability

The Corporation announces the availability of up to $45 million for continuation and a limited

number of new grants under AmeriCorps*National, as provided for in fiscal year 2001

appropriations enacted by Congress. Of the total amount, the majority of funding is required for

continuation grants, that is, those in the second or third year of a three-year grant. In total, we

anticipate making between 5 and 10 new grants. Under continuation grants, current AmeriCorps

grantees may request limited expansion funds. We will make decisions on expansions based on

progress to date and funds availability.

Size of Grants and Restrictions

The grant size will vary by circumstances, need, and program model. You may have only one

application covering a particular project pending before the Corporation at one time. For example,

if a national nonprofit organization includes a local affiliate in its application to us, the local

affiliate may not seek additional funds for the same project through an AmeriCorps*State

application.
13

Responsibilities for Programs Using AmeriCorps Funds

Federal Financial Management and Grant Administration Requirements

As with all federal grant programs, it is the responsibility of all programs funded by AmeriCorps

to ensure appropriate stewardship of federal funds entrusted to them. Under our regulations, all

programs must maintain financial management systems that provide accurate, complete, and

current disclosure of the financial results of your program. To meet this requirement, your

program must have adequate accounting practices and procedures, internal controls, audit trails,

and cost allocation procedures. OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and

Nonprofit Organizations, require all organizations to have financial audits if they annually expend

$300,000 or more under federal awards. This requirement applies to the organization’s total

expenditures each fiscal year under all of its federal awards, not just an AmeriCorps grant.

As with all federal grant programs, you must assure that your programs or activities, including

those of any subgrantees, will be conducted, and facilities operated, in compliance with the

applicable civil rights statutes and their implementing regulations. You must assure that you will

obtain assurances of such compliance prior to extending federal financial assistance to

subgrantees. For civil rights purposes, all programs and projects funded or receiving service

members under the National and Community Service Act, as amended, are programs or activities

receiving federal financial assistance.

By federal statute and regulation, a person, including members, service recipients, or program

staff, may not, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation,

disability (for otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities), or in most cases religion, be

excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination,

directly or through contractual arrangements, under any program or activity receiving federal

financial assistance. By Corporation policy, participation in the Corporation’s programs and

projects will be based on merit and equal opportunity for all, without regard to factors such as

sexual orientation, marital or parental status, military service, or religious, community, or social

affiliations, in addition to the statutory grounds.

Monitoring Responsibilities

If you are approved for an AmeriCorps grant, you are responsible for managing the day-to-day

operations of the grant and subgrant-supported activities to assure you are in compliance with

applicable federal requirements and you achieve your performance goals. Monitoring must cover

each program, function or activity. You are responsible for ensuring program quality and that your

program has an impact on the problems facing the communities in which it operates. This includes

monitoring the service of members. You are responsible for the timely and accurate

documentation of member eligibility and service hours. Each program should develop systems for

close tracking and monitoring of these issues.

There are a number of factors that create challenges in program monitoring. These include

individual placements, programs that are spread out geographically, and programs that attempt to

address many issue areas at once. If your program design includes one of these challenges, you

should address it specifically in your application and provide specific strategies for monitoring.

Strategies that may facilitate program monitoring include: recruiting and enrolling members who
14

can work independently; providing appropriate orientation, ongoing training and a means of

regular communication; selecting strong host sites and ensuring strong support from direct-line

supervision of members; and narrowing the range of tasks members perform to make monitoring

easier.

Applicants must consider challenges to fiscal monitoring as well. Applicants planning to subgrant to local nonprofit entities must demonstrate the ability to conduct on-site, in-depth fiscal

compliance monitoring, in addition to regular monitoring through communications, reports and

meetings.

Reporting and Evaluation Requirements

Every program must develop a system for collecting and organizing data on an ongoing basis. The

most common reporting mechanisms are progress and final reports. In addition, your program

must cooperate with national program evaluation studies we may undertake. Also, you must

compile data on civil rights compliance, as detailed in the AmeriCorps Grant Provisions that are

part of your grant award.

Your program must have a system that allows you to evaluate and monitor your program

activities. You must:

• develop annual objectives;

• track progress toward those annual objectives;

• institute management procedures that provide regular "customer feedback" that will be

used to improve program quality; and

• collect additional descriptive and demographic data (e.g., the member enrollment and exit

forms, operating site information forms).

The Corporation’s requirements for AmeriCorps are set forth in the regulations and in this

application. In addition to being thoroughly familiar with the regulations, you should read these

application guidelines carefully because, in some cases, more specific information is provided

here.

The regulations for programs funded by AmeriCorps were published in the Federal Register on

March 23, 1994 (45 CFR Parts 2510, 2513, et. al.) and are available at your public library. You

may also refer to the Principles for High-Quality National Service Programs which includes

program examples. Copies are available from the National Service Resource Center at 1-800-860-

2684 ext. 105.

Grantees are also required to submit two financial status reports (Federal form SF-169) to the

Corporation, based on a deadline set forth in the grant award provisions.

Prohibited Service Activities

While charging time to the AmeriCorps Program, accumulating service or training hours, or

otherwise engaged in activities associated with the AmeriCorps program or the Corporation, staff

and members may not engage in the following activities:

a. Attempting to influence legislation.

b. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes.
15

c. Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing.

d. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements.

e. Engaging in partisan political activities or other activities designed to influence the

outcome of an election to any public office.

f. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for

or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed

legislation, or elected officials.

g. Engaging in religious instruction; conducting worship services; providing instruction as

part of a Program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship;

constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship;

maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or

worship; or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.

h. Providing a direct benefit to:

i. a for-profit entity;

ii. a labor union;

iii. a partisan political organization; or

iv. an organization engaged in the religious activities described in the preceding

 sub-clause, unless grant funds are not used to support the religious activities.

v. a nonprofit entity that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section

501(c)(3) of Title 26, except that nothing in this section shall be construed to

prevent members or participants from engaging in advocacy activities

undertaken at their own initiative.

i. Voter registration drives by AmeriCorps members. In addition to being an

unacceptable service activity, Corporation funds may not be used to conduct a voter

 registration drive.

j. Clerical work, research, or fundraising activities unless such activities are incidental to

the member's direct service activities.

k. Other activities as the Corporation determines will be prohibited, upon notice to the

grantee.

Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the above activities

on their initiative, on non-AmeriCorps time, and using non-Corporation funds. The AmeriCorps

logo should not be worn while doing so. In your application for funds, you should specify the

actions you will take to ensure that members do not engage in improper activities. Suggestions for

how to comply with this requirement include signing a certification that contains a listing of

prohibitions, including a list in your members’ training manuals or adding a clause to members’

contracts that prohibit them from engaging in prohibited activities.

Cost Per Member

Maximum AmeriCorps funding per member is $12,100 per full-time equivalent (FTE). See

budget application instructions for assistance calculating the cost per FTE. An FTE position is

defined as at least 1,700 hours of service during one calendar year. Programs may propose any

reduced part-time terms between 300 and 900 hours based on the program design. The minimum

number of proposed hours is 300. Your request may not exceed the amount of $12,100 times the

number of full-time equivalents requested.
16

Match Requirements

Programs must provide and account for matching funds. We require all programs to raise some

funds from the private sector, e.g., corporations, foundations, individuals, local businesses, and

nonprofit organizations. Our statute requires, at a minimum, the following aggregate matches:

member support costs (at least 15%) including living allowance, FICA, unemployment insurance,

worker’s compensation and health insurance; and program operating costs (at least 33%) including

staff, operating costs, internal evaluation, and administration.

The match for member support costs (excluding health insurance) must be in non-federal cash.

You may provide your share of operating costs in cash or in kind, and may use non-Corporation

federal funds as match if permitted by the rules governing those federal funds.

See budget form instructions Item F for information on administrative costs.

Program Size

Your program should be large enough to make a significant difference in your community. While

the actual size of your program may vary depending on the size of the community in which it

operates, we encourage you to enroll at least 20 full-time equivalent members, regardless of

whether members are placed individually or in teams. You may seek support for a program that

enrolls less than 20 full-time equivalent members, particularly in rural areas. In that case, you

should demonstrate why a smaller program is necessary or appropriate. In cases where you

require one member or a few members, you may want to consider applying for

AmeriCorps VISTA. The AmeriCorps*National program focus is on direct service with a

demonstrable impact. You must be able to demonstrate significant impact of your proposed

member activities.

Member Eligibility

An eligible member is an individual: who is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent

resident alien of the United States; who is at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service

unless the member is out of school and enrolled (a) in a full-time, year-round youth corps program

or full-time summer program as defined in the Act (42 U.S.C. §12572 (a) (2)), in which case he or

she must be between the ages of 16 and 25, inclusive, or (b) in a program for economically

disadvantaged youth as defined in the Act (42 U.S.C. §12572 (a)(9)), in which case he or she must

be between the ages of 16 and 24, inclusive; or has a high school diploma or an equivalency

certificate [or agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent before using an education

award] and who has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school in order to enroll as an

AmeriCorps member (unless enrolled in an institution of higher education on an ability to benefit

basis and is considered eligible for funds under section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965,

20 U.S.C. §1091), or who has been determined through an independent assessment conducted by

the program to be incapable of obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent (provided that the

Corporation has waived the education attainment requirement for the individual).

Member Selection

Each AmeriCorps program selects its members and the selection criteria may vary. However,

your selection process must be non-partisan, non-political and non-discriminatory. Additionally,

your program must establish minimum qualifications according to the service that members

provide. Successful completion of an AmeriCorps orientation period is a mandatory qualification
17

for members. You also must ensure that you do not displace any existing paid employees. We

encourage you to select members who possess leadership potential as well as a commitment to the

goals of the national service program, regardless of educational level, work experience, or

economic background.

Member Living Allowance

Generally, you must provide a living allowance of between $9,300 and $18,600 per year to your

full-time members. However, the amount of the living allowance that you may pay members with

our funds and other federal funds may not exceed 85% of the minimum living allowance, or

$7,905.

We do not require you to provide a living allowance to part-time members. On the other hand, if

you choose to provide part-time members with a living allowance, you may prorate their

allowances according to the number of hours that they serve per year. For example, the living

allowance for a part-time member who serves 900 hours can range from $0 to $9,300. The total

contribution of our funds and other federal funds towards this living allowance cannot exceed 85%

of the prorated, full-time, minimum living allowance. In the example of a part-time member who

serves 900 hours, the maximum Corporation/federal contribution is $4,185. We derive this

number from the following calculation, (85% x [$9,300 x 900/1700]).

Member Living Allowance Exceptions

Prior Existence. If your program existed prior to the National and Community Service

Trust Act of 1993 (September 21, 1993), the law does not require you to provide living

allowances to your members. If you choose to offer living allowances, they are exempt

from the minimum requirement but not from the maximum requirement. Thus you may

offer full-time members living allowances between $0 and $18,600. If the allowance is

less than $9,300, the portion that you may pay with the Corporation’s and other federal

funds cannot exceed 85%. For example, if a program chooses to pay its full-time

members $5,000, we will pay up to 85% of that amount, or $4,250.

Waiver or Reduction of Living Allowance. We may, at our discretion, waive or reduce the

living allowance requirements of your program. You must demonstrate to our satisfaction

that such requirements are consistent with the objectives of your program. Additionally

you must show that without living allowances members will be able to meet the necessary

and reasonable costs of living in the area in which the program is located. These costs

include food, housing, and transportation.

Residential Program. If we have granted a waiver or reduction of the living allowance

and your program provides your members room and board, we will consider, on a case-bycase basis, allowing the portion of that living allowance that may be paid using

Corporation and other federal funds to be between 85% and 100%.

Education Awards

Most AmeriCorps members who successfully complete a term of service will receive education

awards for each year up to two years of service. Full-time members receive education awards of

$4,725. Part-time members who serve 900 hours receive $2,362.50, half of $4,725. Members
18

who complete between 300 and 900 hours receive prorated awards based on $2,362.50. Members

may use their education awards up to seven years from completion of service. They may use their

awards to pay for any combination of: (1) the costs of attendance at a qualified institution of

higher education; (2) the costs of approved school-to-work programs; or (3) the costs of repaying

qualified student loans.

While they serve, members who have outstanding qualified student loans may be eligible for

forbearance on their payments. To qualify, they must contact their loan holders. Upon successful

completion of members’ terms of service, we will make payments for interest that accrued during

the period of forbearance.

Child Care

We directly fund child care for any full-time member who is eligible for and needs such assistance

to participate in the program. We pay 100% of the allowance as defined by payment rates of the

Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). You must ensure that this benefit is made

available to your members. We provide technical assistance to your program and can help you

determine member eligibility, provider eligibility, and child care allowance. Direct payments will

be made to the child care providers. Member eligibility is based on need. Members’ needs must to

be consistent with the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990:

• total family income of members must be less than 75% of the state median income, as

defined by the state under CCDBG guidelines;

• members must reside with and be a parent or guardian of a child under the age of 13.

If members accepted to your program are receiving and continue to receive child care assistance

from other sources such as a parent or guardian, they are ineligible for child care from your

program. On the other hand, if members become ineligible for assistance because of their

enrollment in your program, or the member certifies that he or she needs child care to participate

in the program, you may provide child care.

Health Insurance

You must provide full-time members with health insurance at the time of acceptance into the

program if the member is not otherwise covered by a health insurance policy that provides the

minimum benefits below. If, as a result of participation or if during the term of service, a member

loses coverage through no deliberate act of his or her own, such as parental or spousal job loss,

you must provide the member with basic health insurance that meets our requirements.

You may obtain health insurance for your members through any provider you choose, as long as

the policy provides the minimum benefits and is not excessive in cost. We pay 85% of the cost of

a policy that meets the above requirements as long as we do not determine the cost to be

excessive. We do not pay any share of the cost of the policy that does not include the minimum

benefits. Nor do we cover any person other than members. In general, we do not pay the costs of

health benefits for part-time members unless they serve full-time for a sustained period of time.

Minimum benefits

If your program has health insurance coverage, the coverage must provide or exceed these

minimum benefits.
19

Covered Services: Physician services for illness or injury, hospital room and board,

emergency room, x-ray and laboratory, prescription drugs.

Limited Coverage: Mental/nervous disorders, substance abuse.

Annual limits

Deductible: Not more than $250 per individual.

Coinsurance: Member pays no more than 20% or alternatively, comparable fixed

fee. Exception: mental and substance abuse may require a 50% co-payment.

Out-of-pocket: Not more than $1,000 per individual.

Maximum Benefit: At least $50,000.

If you elect to use a current health insurance policy that meets the above minimum benefit

requirements, upon selection we may require you to provide specific information on the benefits

and policy.

Service Gear

You may use grant funds to pay for a standard service gear package (AmeriCorps T-shirt,

sweatshirt, hat, pin, decals, and buttons) for members. While it is optional, we encourage you to

provide this package to your members. The standard service gear package is priced at $33. Many

AmeriCorps members serve in settings where a shirt with a collar is the appropriate attire. If your

members need the shirt with a collar, you may include an additional amount of up to $35, for a

maximum total of $68 of Corporation funds per member in your budget. We will also pay up to

$150 per member for additional safety apparel that is necessary for members to perform their daily

service with a justification in the budget narrative.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

Programs and activities must be accessible to persons with disabilities, and you must provide

reasonable accommodation for known mental or physical disabilities of otherwise qualified

members, service recipients, applicants, and program staff. All selections and project assignments

must be made without regard to the need to provide reasonable accommodation. By far, the vast

majority of accommodations are inexpensive. For those limited cases where reasonable

accommodations are more costly, there may be money available through state commissions to

provide accommodations for members.

Grievance Procedures

You must establish a grievance procedure for members who believe that they have been unfairly

released and for other grievances filed by members or other interested parties. The procedures

must include an opportunity for hearing and binding arbitration within statutory deadlines.

Additionally, we encourage programs to establish an alternative dispute resolution procedure, such

as mediation. Guidance and technical assistance in developing a grievance procedure is available

to grantees during program start up.

Networking among National Service Programs

In many communities there are several national service initiatives operating side by side. These

include VISTA projects, RSVP programs, Senior Companion, Foster Grandparents and

AmeriCorps programs funded through their state commissions and through the Corporation, and

initiatives sponsored by the state commissions. We expect all national service programs to engage
20

in collaborative activities. This includes, but is not limited to potential collaboration on service

activities. We also encourage collaborations around training, volunteer recruitment, program

director networking, and National Days of Service.

National Days of Service. As part of the National Service Network, there are a number of

opportunities for your programs to take part in national service days. We expect all national

service programs, including AmeriCorps, to participate in one or more days of service, including

but not limited to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, National Volunteer Week, Youth Service

Day and Make a Difference Day. In addition, we expect programs with AmeriCorps members to

participate in other national service activities such as common opening ceremonies (including the

administration of an oath or affirmation), orientations, and trainings.

Relationship with State Commissions. The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993

required the establishment of an independent non-partisan commission in each state to assume

responsibility for the distribution of funds related to AmeriCorps state programs and Learn and

Serve community-based organizations. In addition to their grant making responsibilities, state

commissions operate according to a unified plan for service in the state, including statewide

events, opportunities for training and technical assistance and networking between service

programs. All programs with AmeriCorps members in a state are considered part of the

AmeriCorps network in that state and are expected to have an active and positive relationship with

their state commission.

The commissions provide technical assistance and support to all AmeriCorps operating sites in

their states. They are also a good resource for information on statewide initiatives and information

related to state specific laws and benefits. Each AmeriCorps*National operating site must

maintain on-going communications with its state commission, including keeping them informed of

program progress throughout the year.

We require AmeriCorps*National parent organizations to communicate and coordinate with the

state commission in each state where you will expect to operate sites as part of the preparation for

submission of your application. The goals of this contact include, but are not limited to

networking, collaboration, event participation, and future mutual cooperation. The parent

organization is responsible for ensuring that each operating site is aware of the value of a

relationship with its state commission and of its responsibilities for coordinating with the state

commissions as described below. In addition, parent organizations and their operating sites are

expected to:

• place the state commission on mailing lists;

• keep the commissions informed of any general training and technical assistance needs

of your operating sites; and

• monitor your operating sites to ensure that they are responsive to state

commissions and participate, whenever possible, in events, training and

meetings sponsored by the state commission.

At a minimum, site directors of AmeriCorps*National programs are to:

• place the state commission on mailing lists;

• keep the commission informed of their training and technical assistance needs;
21

• participate whenever possible in events, training and meetings and the development of

state plans for service;

• give the commission a summary of the program and member activities within the state.

• respond in a timely fashion to requests, invitations and communications from the state

commission.
23

Selection Criteria

We frequently receive far more funding and project requests then we can award. We select

applications using an extensive, multi-stage process that may include reviews by state

commissions, peer review panels and Corporation staff with approval when appropriate, by our

chief executive officer or board of directors.

During the peer review process, we use outside experts including community service practitioners,

educators, administrators, former national service participants, and specialists in the areas of

environment, public safety, education and other human needs to evaluate the quality of

applications. During the staff review, we determine the relative quality among applications but

also consider statutory funding requirements. Before staff recommends a program for approval,

we may conduct interviews in person or through conference calls.

We use the following criteria to determine quality and select programs and projects that will

receive assistance. These criteria apply to program outcomes as well as the initial selection.

Program Design (60%)

Getting Things Done

• Well-documented compelling community need

• Well-designed activities with measurable goals and objectives that meet community needs

• Well-defined roles for participants that lead to measurable outcomes or impact

• Effective involvement of target community in planning and implementation

• Ability to provide or secure effective technical assistance

Participant Development

• Effective plans for recruiting, developing, training, supervising, and recognizing

participants

• Well-designed activities that promote an ethic of service and civic responsibility

• Well-designed plan to engage participants in high-quality service learning as defined by

the Corporation1

Strengthening Communities

• Strong community partnerships, including well-defined roles for community partners

• Potential for sustainability, innovation, or replication of project activities

• Enhanced capacity of organizations and institutions

• Mobilization of community resources, including volunteers

• Bring together people of diverse backgrounds

 

1

 We encourage all applicants to include service-learning in their program design. However, this is only a selection

criterion for Learn and Serve America.
24

Organizational Capacity (25%)

• Ability of parent organization to provide sound programmatic and fiscal oversight

• Sound track record of parent organization in the issue area the project will address

• Well-defined roles for staff and administrators at the parent organization

• Well-designed plan or systems for self-assessment, evaluation and continuous

improvement for the proposed program at the parent organization

Budget/Cost Effectiveness (15%)

• Adequate budget to support program design

• Commitment of applicant organization to securing resources for program implementation

or sustainability

• Cost-effective within program guidance

Other Considerations

If your program is continuing or re-competing as a new applicant under these guidelines, all

reporting from previous grant years must be up-to-date. Our staff will consider your program’s

record regarding timely receipt of reports and forms when making final funding recommendations.

AmeriCorps*National Submission and Application Instructions
25

Notice of Intent to Submit

If you plan to submit a new application, please send us a notice by April 6, 2001 addressed to:

Shelly Ryan

Corporation for National Service

1201 New York Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20525

The notice should include the name of your organization, address, contact person, and phone

number. It should simply state that you plan to submit an application for AmeriCorps*National

funds by May 3, 2001. If you do not send a notice of intent to submit, you may still submit an

application. Conversely, if your send a notice of intent to submit, you are not obligated to submit

an application. The notice of intent to submit simply helps us to plan more efficiently for our

review.

Compliance Requirements

Parent organizations must submit one unbound, single-sided original and two copies of the

application. All applicants are encouraged voluntarily to submit four additional copies of the

application to expedite the review process. Submissions must arrive at the Corporation no later

than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, May 3, 2001. Send to Corporation for National Service,

1201 New York Ave., NW, Box ACN, Washington, DC, 20525. Facsimiles will not be accepted.

Type and double-space the submission package in not less than 12-point font size, with one-inch

margins. Please number the narrative pages. You must follow the page limits specified. If you

exceed a page limit, we will remove any excess pages before reviewing your application. We will

not accept appendices. This includes annual reports, videos, brochures, or any supplementary

material not requested in the application.

We will not review any submission that does not comply with all of the above requirements except

under extenuating circumstances as determined by us.

Submission Information for New Applicants
26

I. Program Section

q Parent Organization and Operating Site Title Pages: (Behind this page, place a copy

of each Operating Site Title Page in the original, unbound copy only.)

q Funding Request Chart

q Table of Contents: Provide a table of contents that includes each application item and page

number.

q Executive Summary (one page, double-spaced): Provide a clear overview of the

program. Be succinct and as comprehensive as possible. Include a mission statement for the

program, statement of need and expected impact of the program, and summary of the program

design. The program design should at minimum summarize how you will achieve impacts.

q Summary of Current Program Accomplishments. [For current AmeriCorps

grantees only] (two pages, single-spaced): Provide a clear description of program

impact and accomplishments in all three objective areas. Include all years of AmeriCorps

funding.

q Program Narrative (35 page maximum): The program narrative provides a complete

description of the parent organization role and responsibilities in the administration of the

AmeriCorps grant. It provides a summary of the structure and implementation activities at the

site level and is supported by the budgets and budget narratives. For detailed information on

each of the items requested, see the next page.

Program design at the site level (60%). This section focuses on program design at

the site level. The narrative and the accompanying objectives for each of the following

categories are part of the percentage. In summary form, provide information on

implementation at the site level. Note similarities and differences across sites.

Getting Things Done: This section addresses the major member activities.

Community Need Proposed Activities

Monitoring and Evaluation Getting Things Done Objectives

Participant Development: This section addresses the activities that make up the AmeriCorps

member experience.

Member Profile Ethic of Service

Training and Development Activities Participant Development Objectives

Strengthening Communities: This section addresses activities that enhance the communities in

which members are serving, beyond the scope of the major service activities.

Community Served Community Partnerships

Mobilization of Community Resources Community Strengthening Objectives

AmeriCorps Leader (optional): If you are applying for AmeriCorps funds for the first

time, you are not eligible to host a leader. This section describes the plan for hosting

leaders and provides some implementation information. (Review the “Instructions for

Developing Service Leadership Activities and “Service Leadership Competencies” (pages

67-70) before completing this section.
27

• Justification: for hosting a leader, the number of leaders requested, where they will

serve, experience hosting a leader

• Leader development: learning objectives proposed for the leader, methods to assess

skill development

• Program Collaboration and Sustainability: collaborative cross-stream priorities and

ambassadorship activities, source of funds to support those activities

Organizational Capacity (25%). Provide information on the organizational capacity of

the parent organization, its systems, experience, and plans for managing a complex, multistate initiative. Address the following areas:

• ability to provide sound programmatic and fiscal oversight

• sound track record in the issue area(s) that the project will address

• well defined plans or systems for self assessment, evaluation, and continuous

improvement

Budget and Cost Effectiveness (15%). This section focuses on

 parent organization systems, experience, ability, and plans for management of the

 fiscal responsibilities related to the grant.

• budget that supports the program design

• cost effectiveness

• sustainability

• local financial information and support

q AmeriCorps Program Objectives Summary Form: Your objectives should be clearly

linked to the program narrative and focus on the areas in which you expect to make the greatest

impact. Some national AmeriCorps programs have objectives that can be aggregated for all

sites. In this case, a program will submit one aggregate objective for each major activity. See

the instructions for each of these items.

II. Budget Section

q Parent Organization Budget Form and Narrative: Complete the parent organization

budget form and include a budget narrative according to the instructions. For detailed

information, see the instructions.

q Operating Site(s) Budget Form and Narrative: Complete the operating site budget

form(s) and include budget narrative(s) according to the instructions. For detailed information,

see the instructions.

III. Certifications and Assurances

Enter the name, title, and phone number of the official who has the authority both to commit the

organization to accept federal funding and carry out the proposed project. The original ink-signed

copy of the authorizing official’s signature must be included.
29

Program Narrative

(no more than 35 double-spaced pages)

A. Program Design (60%)

Describe the structure of your program at the site level. This includes the systems that

provide for management; partnerships that are a part of the program design; community

service and strengthening community activities of the members; and training and

development of members. Please provide in the stipulated order.

Getting Things Done

Community Needs: compelling community need(s) the program will address; process by

which the local community identified the needs; how the program objectives meet the

community need; and the desired change or impact the program will have on the

community.

Proposed Activities: community service activities that members will perform; how the

activities will help meet the goals of the program and impact the identified need(s); how

"getting things done" objectives directly relate to the activities of the members and how

outcomes or impact will be measured; criteria used for selecting service projects;

description of a "typical day" for a member, collaborations and partnerships integral to the

program design; involvement of the community in planning and implementation of the

program; how the operating site will place and supervise members; and how sponsors and

host sites will be prepared for their AmeriCorps participation.

Monitoring and Evaluation: systems to monitor progress toward annual objectives; how

basic demographic data on AmeriCorps members and program activities will be collected;

systems to ascertain technical assistance needs; on-going processes used to monitor the

program impact within the community; and regular feedback processes from primary

stakeholders and how feedback will be used to improve quality.

 Participant Development

Member Profile: recruitment and selection process, including the optional use of the

national referral system; expected number and characteristics of members, including

racial or ethnic background, age, socioeconomic status, gender, educational attainment;

member selection criteria, including minimum qualifications for members and any

specialized skills required to carry out service assignments; measures that will ensure

diversity; how members will be placed and supervised; and how ongoing support will be

provided to sites.

Ethic of Service: how a sense of AmeriCorps identity will be developed among the

members and in the community; how members will develop an understanding of good

citizenship and be inspired by community to adopt an ethic of service; and methods to

ensure that AmeriCorps members build relationships with one another within each

program site with people of diverse backgrounds as well as with AmeriCorps members in

other programs and sites.
30

Training and Development activities: member training plan for the year with specific

information on member training that prepares them for their term of service, including

opportunities for certification in related areas; training opportunities you will make

available to AmeriCorps members during the program year; and how you will involve

members in planning and implementation of program.

 Strengthening Communities

Community you will serve: how AmeriCorps member activities will strengthen the

community; description of community and relationship between the program and

community; how the AmeriCorps program fits the overall mission of the agency; and

ways in which the program proposed builds on existing programs and does not duplicate a

program already in the community.

Community partnerships: the process used for selecting the community partners with

whom the AmeriCorps members will perform service; the role each partner organization

will play, including responsibility for various program aspects such as recruitment,

design of program service activities, training, supervision, evaluation and grants

management; how support will be built for the program among a variety of community

sectors and bring together people of diverse backgrounds; how partnerships will be

cultivated, strengthened and expanded; and the types of support and coordination with

local governments, community-based organizations and others.

Mobilization of community resources: how non-compensated volunteers will be

recruited and utilized; a strategy to build the capacity of the community to support the

service activities of this program when federal funding no longer supports it; a

description of communication with relevant state commissions and Corporation state

offices where sites are proposed, specific plans for collaborations, networking etc. with

state commissions, Corporation state offices, and with Corporation-funded programs.

 Objectives

Once you have completed the worksheet for each objective, transfer all of the summary

statements of the objectives onto the objective summary form. The worksheets are for

applicant use only. Please do not submit them with your application. If you have more

than three objectives in a category, be sure to add additional objectives summary forms. In

future discussions, Corporation staff may request to review the worksheets used to develop

the objectives, therefore it is recommended that you retain them for your records.

B. Organizational Capacity (25%)

Describe the parent organization’s ability, systems, experience, and plans for managing a

complex, multi-state initiative. You should provide clear information that addresses each

section in detail.
31

Ability to provide sound programmatic and fiscal oversight:

Past experience with comparable programs: your past experience and institutional

capacity to operate and monitor a program comparable to the one proposed, including your

ability to recruit and train staff; previous experience operating a multi-site program.

Relationship to operating sites: nature of your current relationship as well as previous

program and funding relationships with all sites (affiliates, members, or grantees of parent

organization).

Capacity to monitor: previous experience monitoring and overseeing multi-site programs

and specific monitoring experience with the proposed AmeriCorps sites, process that will

enable you to effect change and address issues as needed at the site level; description of

systems to track program progress toward program objectives, identify issues, strengths

and weaknesses, and share information with programs; procedures for providing feedback.

Capacity to manage finances: show how this program will fit within the total operating

budget of your organization; provide an organizational chart showing where you will place

the program within your organization; describe experience in administering a federal grant;

describe your capacity to provide on site monitoring of financial and other required

systems utilized to administer the AmeriCorps grant.

Principal program and fiscal staff: key staff positions at parent organization who will be

responsible for the program and percentage of time dedicated to the AmeriCorps program;

background and experience of these staff members; experience with federal grants; plans to

recruit, select, train and support additional staff.

Ability to assess systems and train operating site financial managers: previous

experience in assessing operating site fiscal systems and in training local site financial

managers; assessment conducted to ascertain feasibility of operating an AmeriCorps

program; plans to assess systems in the future and to train operating site fiscal managers.

Sound track record in the issue area(s) that the project will address:

Overall description of organization: vision, mission, and objectives of your organization;

organizational chart (one page maximum) that shows size and structure, how this program

will fit into that structure and how it relates to the mission of the parent organization;

experience your organization has with the programmatic initiatives you propose in this

application; relevant major accomplishments.

Mission: a mission statement expressing your vision regarding the three key goals of

national service:

- getting things done,

- strengthening communities, and

- developing members’ citizenship and skills.

And a description of how you will achieve ultimate impacts (you should gear the mission

statement to the most ambitious goals you think are achievable); how this mission relates

to the mission of the parent organization.
32

Other: institutional or programmatic collaborations or partnerships you will involve in

operating the program; relationship between you and community partners; methods for

ensuring that operating sites comply with assurances and certifications.

Well defined plans or systems for self assessment, evaluation, and

continuous improvement:

Site identification: identification of the specific operating sites you selected; process and

rationale you used for site selection; involvement of the sites in the design of the concept

and service activities.

Building a national program: leadership role of your organization in conceptualizing the

program with operating sites; plans to train your staff responsible for the AmeriCorps

program; how you will connect and coordinate the operating sites through common

program elements or activities; how you will link the operating sites together; specific

forms of communication, training you will develop between sites; plans to ensure that your

mission and vision for the AmeriCorps program and activities are maintained at all sites,

your plans to encourage programming within the Corporation family of programs (crossstream programming).

Capacity to provide training/technical assistance: previous experience you have

providing or securing technical assistance to multi-site programs; training workshops, onsite consultant assistance or any other type of technical assistance that you have offered;

types of materials you have developed for previous projects.

Training/technical assistance/material development: anticipated technical assistance

activities, including individualized consultations, national or regional training

workshops/conferences, on-site problem solving; training and support to operating sites on

how to recruit, train and supervise members; plans to help local programs meet

Corporation requirements; types of materials you will develop for dissemination to site

staff and/or members.

Evaluation: plans to provide evaluation training and technical assistance to operating sites;

plans (if any) to design and conduct evaluations; plans to develop regular feedback from

your primary stakeholders and how you will use feedback to improve the program quality.

C. Budget/Cost Effectiveness (15%)

Describe your systems, experience, ability, and plans for management of the fiscal

responsibilities related to the grant.

Budget that supports the program design: extent of site involvement in budget

preparation; program narrative, budget and budget narratives correspond; budget reflects

program goals and design; match requirements are met; costs clearly demonstrate support

for the AmeriCorps program component; costs across sites demonstrate appropriate

consistency with one another as well as with national program goals.

Cost-effectiveness: overall cost per Full Time Equivalent meets requirements; your

matching contributions demonstrate organizational support for the program at the

headquarters and at the operating sites; ability to fulfill your responsibilities as the parent

organization within the budget.
33

Sustainability: ability to leverage structural and financial resources within communities,

including recruitment of other non-paid volunteers from the community and support from

the private sector; plans for sustaining the program beyond the grant term; how you will

assist operating sites in building future support for the program.

Local financial information and support: operating sites’ efforts to build community

support, both financially and programmatically; how the sites will meet the financial

matching requirements; plans for sustaining the program beyond the grant term; program’s

relationship with and support from relevant local units of government, community-based

organizations, members, citizens and others.

The following pages include the forms and form instructions you will need to complete an

AmeriCorps*National application. The appendices provide additional information that may be of

assistance as you plan your program design.
35

Submission Information for Continuation Requests

Continuation requests must arrive at the Corporation for National Service, 1201 New York

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20525 no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, April

17, 2001. Organizations that were approved last summer under the digital divide competition

must submit their continuation requests on April 17th as well. You must follow the

compliance requirements described on page 23.

Continuation instructions apply only to programs that are currently in their first or second

year of operation within a three-year cycle. You should include the information below in

your continuation request.

• Parent Organization and Operating Site Title Pages: (Behind the parent

organization title page, place a copy of each operating site title page.)

• Funding Request Chart

• Program Narrative (maximum 10 pages): Describe changes only in the parent

organization’s role and at the local sites (how year two/three plan differs from the previous

year’s program). If objectives are changing, a new objectives summary form should be

included. The rationale for making these changes to the program should be clear. If

program expansion is proposed (increased number of members, new or replacement sites),

describe the expansion and how it will be managed. For new or replacement sites, describe

implementation of the program design at the local level. If you choose to request an

AmeriCorps Leader, please see instructions below.

• AmeriCorps Leader (optional): Only applicants who have previously received an

AmeriCorps grant award are eligible to host a leader. This section describes the plan for

hosting leaders and provides some implementation information. (Review “Instructions for

Developing Service Leadership Activities” and “ Service Leadership Competencies”

(pages 67-70) before completing this section.

• Justification: hosting a leader, the number of leaders requested, where they will

serve, experience hosting a leader

• Leader development: learning objectives proposed for the leader, methods to assess

skill development

• Program Collaboration and Sustainability: collaborative cross-stream priorities and

ambassadorship activities, source of funds to support those activities

• Parent Organization Budget and Budget Narrative

• Operating Sites Budgets and Budget Narratives

• Certifications and Assurances from the Parent Organization

• Submission of the Automated Progress Report, by the deadline, via WBRS.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

TITLE PAGE FOR PROGRAM APPLICANTS

AmeriCorps Application

Please type or print in black ink.

Date of Submission: 

1. Application Type National State Commission Tribes/Territories

Parent Organization Competitive To Be Checked by Tribal Program

Operating Site Formula State Commission Territory Program

Education Award Program Education Award Program Education Award Program

AmeriCorps Leader AmeriCorps Leader AmeriCorps Leader

Statewide Initiative

Other: Other: Other: 

(Special initiative) (Special initiative) (Special initiative)

Program Cycle: m 2000-03 m 2001-04 m 2002-05 Year of first AmeriCorps funding for this program: 

 Program Year: 

2. Legal Applicant: 

Legal Applicant Point of Contact: Title: 

Address (please do not use P. O. Box): 

City: State: Zip: 

Phone: ( ) Fax: ( ) 

Email: Web Site: 

3. Employer I.D. Number: 

4. Name of AmeriCorps Program: 

Responsible Person: Title: 

Address (please do not use P. O. Box): 

City: State: Zip: 

Phone: ( ) Fax: ( ) 

Email: Web Site: 

5. Budget: First Year Second Year Final Year

Corporation Funds Requested: $ $ $ 

Total Program Cost: $ $ $ 

6. Issue Areas: Education Public Safety Environment Other Human Needs

Priorities: m National – OR – m State 

7. Population to be served: Urban Rural Other

Empowerment Zone Enterprise Community

8. Certification:

The applicant certifies to the best of his/her knowledge and belief that the data in this application are true and correct and that filing of the

application has been duly authorized by the governing body of the applicant and that applicant will comply with the assurances required of

applicants if the assistance is approved.

Name: Signature: 

Title: Phone: ( ) Date: 

Please leave blank for Corporation use.
OMB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

AmeriCorps National Direct Funding Request Chart

Prepare an overview page summarizing funding requests for all operating sites and the Parent Organization. This should be a one-page chart that follows the order and

format included on the recommended format below.

Program Cycle: m 2000-03 m 2001-04 m 2002-05 Year of first AmeriCorps funding for this program: 

Date of Submission: 

Number of AmeriCorps Positions

with Corporation Living Allowance

Number of AmeriCorps Positions

without Corporation Living

Allowance

Operating Site Name

City

County Served

State Corporation Funds/Match Funds

Full-time 1 Year

Part-time

Reduced

Part-time

Full-time 1 Year

Part-time

Reduced

Part-time

Sample:

ABC AmeriCorps

Baltimore

Dade County

WI $100,000/$50,000 25 22 17

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Operating Site Subtotal:

Parent Organization Funding Request:

TOTAL

Please indicate intention to apply for If “Yes”, please provide approximate numbers of full-time equivalent AmeriCorps members and funding request:

Education Awards Program, which would

apply toward the average cost per full-time

equivalent AmeriCorps member:

 Yes No

Full-time Equivalent AmeriCorps members: Funding request:
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

INSTRUCTIONS: Executive Summary

Please type the Executive Summary.

The purpose of the executive summary is for you to provide a short, clear, concise statement about your proposed program. It is, in fact, a series of “sound

bites” that paints a clear picture of your program and the service it willprovide. The Executive Summary is exempt from the double-space rule

and may be single-spaced.

Executive Summary of the AmeriCorps Program (no more than one page)

Statement of Need

• The overall purpose of AmeriCorps is to help local communities address unmet critical needs. Provide a description of the critical need that has

prompted your organization to submit an AmeriCorps proposal. Examples: Sometown has a city-wide high school drop out rate of 50%... Only 42% of

Sometown’s first through third graders read at grade level... Only 2% of the homeless population gets assistance in moving to permanent

housing...The pollution in the Sometown River has steadily increased over the past 10 years so that fish and other marine animals are no longer able

to live in the River.

Mission Statement

• Include the mission statement for your agency, organization or collaborative that is supporting the AmeriCorps program. In this case, we define

“mission statement” as a description of the overarching purpose of the entity. If there is not a clear connection between the statement of need and the

mission of your organization, please describe why it is supporting a program that addresses the need listed above. Examples of mission statements

might be: to enhance awareness and promote citizen involvement in natural resource management; to connect educational institutions with the

community in order to facilitate the application of knowledge and learning; to assist individuals and families in accessing community resources.

Program Goal

• Explain what part of the identified need you will address in your proposed AmeriCorps program. For instance, if the need is a soaring rate of high

school drop-outs in the city, the goal of the program might be to decrease the high school drop-out rate in two high schools.

Program Summary

• Provide a concise description of your proposed AmeriCorps program. This should include the activities that AmeriCorps members perform to reach the

program goal(s) and the expected impact(s) of the program.

For Current AmeriCorps grantees only:

Summary of Current AmeriCorps Program Impact (no more than two pages)

• Provide a clear description of the program outcomes and impact (include all years of AmeriCorps funding) and accomplishments related to your Getting

Things Done, Member Development and Strengthening Communities objectives. Relate the impact directly to the need described above and to the

specific goal of the program.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

INSTRUCTIONS: Budget Narrative for Program Applicants

Please type in black ink.

It will be easier to complete the budget narrative first, using the line items on the form as a guide, and then transfer the totals to the budget

form. You should organize the budget narrative in the same order as the budget form and clearly identify requested Corporation share and

grantee share. Your grantee shares in specific items should meet at least the minimum requirements as described below. If you are

applying for an AmeriCorps Leader, include the costs for the Leader in the budget narrative.

You must complete the narrative for both funds requested from the Corporation and for other federal/state/local/private funds. Show whether

the grantee’s share is in-kind or in cash and whether the cash match comes from other federal or nonfederal funds. For each of the line items

contained on the budget form you must provide a full explanation in the budget narrative that explains the item, its purpose and shows how

you calculated the cost (in an equation format where appropriate). For example, break travel down into discrete components, and then

prepare equations showing the number of anticipated trips, the number of travelers, and the estimated cost.

Budget Item A - Member Support Costs

The narrative should clearly identify the number of members you are supporting by category (i.e. full time, part-time, summer, etc.) and the

amount of living allowance they will receive, identifying the Corporation share and your cash match share. There are limits on the Corporation

share of member support costs. See member benefits. Indicate the source of the health insurance coverage and the number of members.

Budget Items B-E - Program Operating Cost

There are limits on the Corporation share of program operating costs. Do not include the living allowance, health care, and child care costs in

the calculation of the program operating costs. There are separate budget requirements for living allowance and health care.

Clearly identify the number of staff, position titles, annual salary, and the percentage of staff time that will apply to the grant. You must include

a brief statement of responsibilities for each position.

You must individually list equipment in the budget with a unit acquisition value of $5,000 or greater.

Our share of administrative costs cannot exceed 5% of total Corporation funds that you actually expend under this award. To arrive

at our maximum share of 5%, multiply the sum of Subtotal A, plus Subtotal B through E in the Corporation share column by 5.26%.

Your match for administrative costs may not exceed 10% of all direct cost expenditures. If you want to claim more than 10% match

in administrative costs, you must have or obtain an approved indirect cost rate. Where appropriate, we will establish an indirect

cost rate that you may use for this and other federal awards. If you are using an indirect rate, you must clearly indicate which

federal agency approved the rate and period of time the approval covers.

You may provide your share of operating costs through cash or in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions are the value of goods or services

you or a third party donate in support of the project. The share of funds may come from a number of sources, including federal. However, we

also require that you raise some of the funds from the private sector, e.g. corporations, foundations, individuals, local businesses or nonprofit

organizations.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

Sources and Types of Match Contributions

At the end of the budget narrative, please include a chart that indicates the source and amount (or estimate) of your matches. An example

follows:

Source Amount in cash In-Kind Intended Purpose

Burger Palace $1,000 $500 in food In-kind will be donated food for

service events.

Cash will be used for supplies

City Foundation Range: $20,000-50,000 Cash will be used for salaries and

supplies.

The Book Store $1,000 in books Used for literacy program

Narrative Sample

A sample of a budget narrative for some of the cost categories follows:

Corporation Share Grantee Total

Staff

1 Program Director: 10% @ $35,000 = $3,500 $ 3,000 $ 500 $ 3,500

(Overall project management)

2 Project Coordinators: 100% of time @ $20,000 each = $40,000 $34,000 $ 6,000 $40,000

(Provides daily supervision to members, training, monitoring, progress reports)

Travel to State Commission Workshop

2 staff x (2 days x $120 per Diem) + mileage (150 miles x .34 mile) = $291 $ 291 $ 200 $ 491

Training for AmeriCorps members

100 members x $50 = $5,000 $ 3,500 $ 2,000 $ 5,500

AmeriCorps Leader $ 7,650 $ 5,350 $13,000

Projected Budgets for Second and Third Program Year

If you are applying for the first year of the program, include projected budgets for years 2 and 3. If you are submitting information for the second program

year, include a projected budget for year 3. You do not have to describe each line item of the projected budget, but you should indicate the line items that

you expect to increase or decrease in future years.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

INSTRUCTIONS: Parent Organization Budget Form

Please type budget form or recreate comparable form on the computer. Handwritten budgets will be returned.

The budget for the parent organization does not include any member support costs or operating site

costs that are specific to sites. It can include common costs that you may cover for all sites, such as staff

training or service gear. In the case where you are also one of the operating sites, you should complete

an operating site budget form and narrative to delineate those costs.

Program Cycle

Check the program cycle that corresponds with the year in which you submitted a new application to the

Corporation. Give the program year within the program cycle that this budget will cover.

Please provide the name of the legal applicant, parent organization and program name in the space provided.

ITEM 1 Staff

This item refers to the portion of staff costs that are attributed directly to the management of the program. Staff

that is indirectly involved in the management or operation of the applicant organization may be funded only

through the administrative cost section of the budget.

ITEM 2 Program Management

This item refers to costs that are directly related to managing the AmeriCorps program.

Travel. Costs associated with transportation, lodging, subsistence and other related expenses for site staff and

AmeriCorps members to attend parent organization-sponsored activities; and for Parent Organization staff to

visit programs.

Corporation-sponsored Meetings. Each applicant must include $2,000 to this line item to cover the cost of

Corporation-sponsored technical assistance meetings.

Supplies. Funds for the purchase of supplies, materials, and service gear.

Equipment. Equipment is defined as tangible non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more

than one year AND an acquisition cost of $5,000 (five thousand) or more per unit (including accessories,

attachments, and modifications). Include items that do not meet this definition in supplies above. Purchases of

equipment are limited to 10% of the total grant amount (line items A-F).

Other. Allowable costs in this section may include space utilities and telephone expenses that are directly and

specifically used for the program. They must be equitably prorated if shared with other projects or activities.

National office space rental will not be covered using Corporation funds. Each item should be listed and

justified in the budget narrative.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

ITEM 3 Member-Related Costs

Include any common training, education, and other costs that relate directly to program members which the

Parent Organization is covering for all sites. Do not include any costs already included in the operating site

budgets.

ITEM 4 Internal Evaluation

Costs for activities related to program evaluation, including additional staff time not otherwise budgeted, use of

evaluation consultants, purchase of instrumentation and other costs specifically for this activity. If evaluation

costs are included at the operating site level, include here only the costs associated with evaluation efforts

conducted by the Parent Organization.

ITEM 5 Administration

a. Definitions. Administrative costs mean general or centralized expenses of the overall administration of an

organization that receives Corporation funds and does not include particular Program or project costs. For

organizations that have an established indirect cost rate for federal awards, administrative costs mean those costs

that are included in the organization's indirect cost rate. Such costs are generally identified with the organization's

overall operation and are further described in Office of Management and Budget Circulars A-21, A-87 and A122. For organizations that do not have an established indirect cost rate for federal awards, administrative costs

include:

i. costs for financial, accounting, auditing, contracting or general legal services except in unusual cases where

they are specifically approved in writing by the Corporation as program costs;

ii. costs for internal evaluation, including overall organizational management improvement costs (except for

independent and internal evaluations of the program or project that evaluations are specifically related to

creative methods of quality improvement); and

iii. costs for general liability insurance that protects the organization(s) responsible for operating a program or

project, other than insurance costs solely attributable to the program or project.

Administrative costs may also include that portion of salaries and benefits of the program's director and other

administrative staff not attributable to the time spent in support of a specific program or project. The principles

that pertain to the allocation and documentation of personnel costs are stated in the OMB circulars that are

incorporated in Corporation regulations [45 CFR 2541.220(b)].

Administrative costs do not include the following allowable expenses directly related to a program or project

(including their operations and objectives), such as:

i. allowable direct charges for Members, including living allowances, insurance payments made on behalf of

Members, training and travel;

ii. costs for staff (including salary, benefits, training and travel) who recruit, train, place or supervise members

or who develop materials used in such activities, if the purpose is for a specific program or project objective;

iii. costs for independent evaluations and any internal evaluations of the program or project that are related

specifically to creative methods of quality improvement;

iv. costs, excluding those already covered in an organization's indirect cost rate, attributable to staff that work in

a direct program or project support, operational, or oversight capacity, including, but not limited to: support

staff whose functions directly support program or project activities; staff who coordinate and facilitate single

or multi-site program and project activities; and staff who review, disseminate and implement Corporation

guidance and policies directly relating to a program or project;

v. space, facility and communication costs that primarily support program or project operations, excluding

those costs that are already covered by an organization's indirect cost rate; and

vi. other allowable costs, excluding those costs that are already covered by an organization's indirect cost rate,

specifically approved by the Corporation as directly attributable to a program or project.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

b. Limitation by statute. Administrative costs cannot exceed 5% of total Corporation funds actually expended

under this award.

c. Fixed 5%. If approved on a case-by-case basis by the Corporation, the grantee may charge, for administrative

costs, a fixed 5% of the total of the Corporation funds expended. In order to charge this fixed 5%, the grantee

match for administrative costs may not exceed 10% of all direct cost expenditures. These rates may be used

without supporting documentation and are in lieu of an indirect cost rate.

d. Indirect Cost Rates.

i. If grantees have an approved indirect cost rate, such rate will constitute documentation of the grantee's

administrative costs, including the 5% maximum payable by the Corporation and the grantee match of

administrative costs.

ii. If a grantee wants to claim more than 10% match in administrative costs it must have or obtain an approved

indirect cost rate. Where appropriate, the Corporation will establish an indirect cost rate that may be used

for this and other federal awards.

e. Consistency of treatment. To be allowable under an award, costs must be consistent with policies and

procedures that apply uniformly to both federally financed and other activities of the organization.

Furthermore, the costs must be accorded consistent treatment in both federally financed and other activities as

well as between activities supported by different sources of federal funds.

To calculate the maximum allowable administrative costs, multiply the total of Items 1-4 by 0.0526. This total

is the maximum amount the applicant may request from the Corporation for this line item.

ITEM 6 Total Parent Organization Budget.

Add Items 1 through 5.

ITEM 7 Total Aggregate Operating Sites Budget.

ITEM 8: Total Program Budget.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

PARENT ORGANIZATION BUDGET FORM (For National Direct Applicants Only) AMERICORPS

Program Cycle: m 2000-03 m 2001-04 m 2002-05 Program Year: 

q Original q Revised 

(Date of revision)

Please attach the budget narrative to this page.

Legal Applicant Name: 

Parent Organization: 

Program Name: 

1. Staff Corporation Share Grantee Share Total

Salaries 

Benefits 

Training 

Other (please specify in Budget Narrative) 

SUBTOTAL 1.

2. Program Management

Travel 

Corporation sponsored training $2,000 

Supplies 

Equipment 

Other (please specify in Budget Narrative) 

SUBTOTAL 2.

3. Member Related Costs 

Training and Education 

Other (please specify in Budget Narrative) 

SUBTOTAL 3.

4. Internal Evaluation

5. Administration

To arrive at the Corporation’s maximum share of 5%, multiply the sum of Subtotal 1 through Subtotal 4 in the Corporation Share column by .0526.

6. Total Parent Organization Budget

7. Total Aggregate Operating Sites Budget

8. Total Program Budget
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

INSTRUCTIONS: AmeriCorps Program Budget Form

Please type budget form or recreate comparable form on the computer.

The budget should be sufficient to perform the tasks described in the proposal narrative. Do not include unexplained

amounts for miscellaneous or contingency costs or unallowable expenses such as entertainment costs. Round all figures to

the nearest dollar. Do not request cents. If you are applying for an AmeriCorps Leader, include the costs for the Leader in

the program budget.

Program Cycle

• Check the program cycle that corresponds with the year in which you submitted a new application to the Corporation. Give the program year within the

program cycle that this budget will cover.

Original/Revised

• Use this budget form for the original and all revised budgets. At the beginning of each program year, you will submit an original budget for that

program year. If necessary, you should mark subsequent budget revisions as such with the date of revision.

• You must attach a budget narrative to the budget form.

Legal Applicant/Program Name/Site Location

• From the title page, copy the name of the legal applicant (item 2) and name of the program (item 4).

• Include the site location information only for national direct programs.

Box 1

• In column a, if you have summer only members, indicate the number of hours they will serve in the space next to “Summer Only”. All members should

serve the same specified number of hours. The minimum is 300. If you have reduced part-time members other than summer members, indicate the

number of hours they will serve in the space next to RPT.

• In column b, indicate the number of members in each category who will receive a living allowance that uses Corporation funding. If you are

requesting an AmeriCorps Leader, include the Leader in the number of full-time members.

• In column c, indicate the number of members in each category who will receive a living allowance from a source other than the Corporation or who will

not receive any stipend. (All full-time members must receive a stipend.)

• In column d, calculate the number of FTE (full-time equivalents) using the formulas listed in the box. At the bottom of column d, indicate the total

number of FTE for the program by adding all numbers in column d.

You must match member support costs with non-federal cash. The sources may be state, private sector or other funds in

accordance with applicable AmeriCorps requirements.

Item A Member Support Costs

• Copy the numbers from Box 1, column b to the “Number of Members” category.

• Full-time members. Generally, all full-time members must receive a living allowance between $9,300 (minimum) and $18,600 (maximum). We will

fund up to 85% of the minimum living allowance amount ($9,300 x .85 = $7,905). If you want to provide a higher living allowance in excess of the

minimum living allowance amount of $9,300, you must provide a grantee match for all funds over $7,905. For example, if you desire to provide a

$10,000 living allowance to your members, you would have to provide a $2,095 match ($2,095 would have to be cash from non-federal sources) if

you requested the maximum Corporation share of $7,905. Programs in existence prior to September 21, 1993 (see section under What You Need to

Know About Designing a Program for AmeriCorps Members, Member Benefits, Exceptions) may offer a lower living allowance than the minimum, but

Corporation funds will support only 85% of the total amount.

• AmeriCorps Leaders. All AmeriCorps Leaders serve a full-time term. They must receive a living allowance of $13,000. The Corporation will fund

only 85% of the minimum member living allowance ($9,300 x .85 = $7,905. See above.) The Grantee must provide a grantee match of $5,095 from

non-federal sources.

• All Part-time members. You are not required to provide living allowances for part-time members. However, if you decide to do so, you may

provide a prorated living allowance (especially important if a you have both full and part-time members). The calculation is [0 up to minimum living

allowance of $9,300 x (# of service hours for program year ÷ 1700 service hours)]. Examples follow:
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

• One Year Part-time members. Part-time members completing 900 hours of service in one year could receive up to $4,924 for the year with a

maximum Corporation match of $4,185 ($4,924 X .85). Calculate the $4,924 by multiplying $9,300 by (900 service hours ÷ 1700 service

hours).

• One Year Reduced Part-time members. Part-time members completing 450 hours of service in one year could receive up to $2,462 for the

year with the maximum Corporation match of $2,092 ($2,462 X .85). Calculate the $2,462 is by multiplying $9,300 by (450 service hours ÷ 1700

service hours).

• Summer Only members. Part-time members completing their service in a summer term should complete a predetermined number of hours that

you designate. For instance, if the you determine that all summer members will serve 350 hours, you could base living allowances on the following

calculation. $9,300 X (350 service hours ÷ 1700 service hours) = $1,915.

• FICA. Unless specifically exempted by the IRS, all programs must pay FICA for any member receiving a living allowance, even when we do not supply

the living allowance. In the first column next to FICA, indicate the number of members who will receive FICA. Calculate your share of FICA at 7.65% of

the total amount of the living allowance and prorate it in the same proportion as the Corporation and Grantee match.

• Workers’ Compensation. Some states require workers’ compensation for their AmeriCorps members. These rates vary by state. You must check

with your State Department of Labor or state commission to determine if you are required to pay workers' compensation and at what level. If you are

not required to pay workers’ compensation, you must obtain Occupational, Accidental, Death and Dismemberment coverage for members to cover inservice injury or incidents.

• NOTE: You must offer health care benefits to full-time members in accordance with Corporation requirements. Except as stated below you may not

pay health care benefits to part-time members with Corporation funds. You may choose to provide health care benefits to part-time Members from

other sources (i.e., non-Corporation). Part-time members who are serving in a full-time capacity for a sustained period of time (such as a full-time

summer project) may be eligible for health care benefits supported with our funds, subject to applicable match requirements. However, we must either

approve this in the grant agreement or by prior written approval.

• Health Insurance. In the first column next to Health Insurance, indicate the number of members who will receive the program’s existing Health Care

benefits. If you have an existing health benefit policy for your full-time members that meets minimum requirements you may request 85% of those

funds from us. You must match the remainder in cash. The Corporation will not pay for dependent coverage. Separate health insurance is not

required for tribal AmeriCorps members covered by the Indian Health Service. Tribal programs may count $924 per full-time member as match.

• Other. Include any other required member support costs here. Some states require unemployment coverage for their AmeriCorps members. Rates

vary by each state. You cannot charge the cost of unemployment insurance taxes to the grant unless mandated by state law. You are responsible for

determining what state law requires via your state commission, legal counsel, or applicable state agency. If state law requires unemployment coverage,

include the cost in this line item. We will fund 85% of these expenses when mandated by state law.

• Subtotal A. Add each column to arrive at subtotal. Then calculate actual percentage for Corporation share and grantee share by dividing

each of these shares by the total.

You must match at least 33% of the total of items B-E below with cash or in-kind contributions. The sources may be federal, state, private sector, or other

funds in accordance with applicable AmeriCorps requirements.

Item B Other Member Support Costs

• In this section include any training, education, and other costs that relate directly to an AmeriCorps member or Leader.

• Subtotal B. Add each column to arrive at subtotal.

Item C Staff

• Salaries. Include the portion of staff costs that are attributed directly to the operation of an AmeriCorps program or project.

• Benefits. Include costs of fringe benefits for staff working on the AmeriCorps project.

• Training. Include the costs associated with training of staff working on the AmeriCorps project.

• Other. Include any other staff related costs. You may include costs for consultants related to the program operations. You should

include consultants used for evaluation or administration related functions in Item E or Item F, respectively. Payments to individuals for

consultant services under this grant may not exceed $443 per day (exclusive of any indirect expenses, travel, supplies etc).

Subtotal C. Add each column to arrive at subtotal.

Item D Operating Costs

• Include costs that are directly related to operating the AmeriCorps program. Examples follow.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

• Travel. Costs associated with transportation, lodging, subsistence and other related expenses for staff and AmeriCorps members

outside their local service site.

• Corporation Sponsored Meeting. If you are an Indian Tribe, U.S. Territory, or a program applying through a state commission, you

must include $2,000 in this line item to cover the cost of Corporation-sponsored technical assistance meetings. National Direct

operating sites should include $750 in this line item to cover these costs.

• Supplies. Include the funds for the purchase of supplies and materials, including service gear and equipment that does not fit the

definition below. You must individually list any single item costing more than $1,000.

• Local Transportation. Costs associated with traveling locally such as bus passes to local sites, mileage reimbursement for use of a

car, etc.

• Equipment. Equipment is defined as tangible non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more than one year AND an

acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (including accessories, attachments, and modifications). Include items that do not meet this

definition in supplies above. Purchases of equipment are limited to 10% of the total grant amount (line items A-F).

• Other. Include in this line item Internet costs up to a maximum of $250. Allowable costs in this section also may include space rental

(for sites where programs are run; national office space rental is not allowable), utilities, and telephone and Internet expenses that are

directly and specifically used for AmeriCorps members and directly involve staff. If shared with other projects or activities, you must

prorate the costs equitably. List each item and provide a justification in the budget narrative.

Item E Evaluation

• Include costs for program evaluation activities, including additional staff time you did not budget, use of evaluation consultants,

purchase of instrumentation and other costs specifically for this activity. This does not include the daily/weekly gathering of data to

assess progress toward objectives; it covers a larger assessment of the impact your program is having on the community as well as an

assessment of the overall systems and program design.

Item F Administration

• Definitions. Administrative costs mean general or centralized expenses of overall administration of an organization that receives

Corporation funds and does not include particular program or project costs. For organizations that have an established indirect cost

rate for federal awards, administrative costs mean those costs that are included in the organization’s indirect cost rate. Such costs are

generally identified with the organization’s overall operation and are further described in Office of Management and Budget Circulars A21, A-87, and A-122. For organizations that do not have an established indirect cost rate for federal awards, administrative costs

include:

i. costs for financial, accounting, auditing, contracting or general legal services except in unusual cases where they are specifically

approved in writing by the Corporation as program costs;

ii. costs for internal evaluation, including overall organization’s management improvement costs (except for independent and internal

evaluations of the program or project evaluations that are specifically related to creative methods of quality improvement); and

iii. costs for general liability insurance that protects the organization(s) responsible for operating a program or project, other than

insurance costs solely attributable to the program or project.

Administrative costs may also include that portion of salaries and benefits of the program’s director and other administrative staff not

attributable to the time spent in support of a specific program or project. The principles that pertain to the allocation and documentation of

personnel costs are stated in the OMB circulars that are incorporated in Corporation regulations [45 CFR 2541.220(b)].

Administrative costs do not include the following allowable expenses directly related to a program or project (including their operations and

objectives), such as:

i. allowable direct charges for members, including living allowances, insurance payments made on behalf of members, training and

travel;

ii. costs for staff (including salary, benefits, training and travel) who recruit, train, place or supervise members or who develop materials

used in such activities, if the purpose is for a specific program or project objective;

iii. costs for independent evaluations and any internal evaluations of the program or project that are related specifically to creative

methods of quality improvement;

iv. costs, excluding those already covered in an organization’s indirect cost rate, attributable to staff that work in a direct program or

project support, operational, or oversight capacity, including, but not limited to: support staff whose functions directly support

program or project activities; staff who coordinate and facilitate single or multi-site program and project activities; and staff who

review, disseminate and implement Corporation guidance and policies directly relating to a program or project;

v. space, facility and communications costs that primarily support program or project operations, excluding those costs that are already

covered by an organization’s indirect costs rate; and
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

vi. other allowable costs, excluding those costs that are already covered by an organization’s indirect cost rate, specifically approved by

the Corporation as directly attributable to a program or project.

• Limitation by statute. The Corporation share of administrative costs cannot exceed 5% of total Corporation funds actually expended

under this award. To arrive at the Corporation maximum share of 5%, multiple the sum of Subtotal A, plus Subtotal B through E in the

Corporation share column by .0526%

• Fixed 5%. If approved on a case-by-case basis by the Corporation, the grantee may charge, for administrative costs, a fixed 5% of the

total of the corporation funds expended. In order to charge this fixed 5%, the grantee match for administrative costs may not exceed

10% of all direct cost expenditures. These rates may be used without supporting documentation and are in lieu of an indirect cost rate.

• Indirect Cost Rates.

i. If grantees have an approved indirect cost rate, such rate will constitute documentation of the grantee’s administrative costs

including the 5% maximum payable by the Corporation and the grantee match of administrative costs.

ii. If a grantee wants to claim more than 10% match in administrative costs it must have or obtain an approved indirect cost rate.

Where appropriate, the Corporation will establish an indirect cost rate that may be used for this and other Federal awards.

• Consistency of treatment. To be allowable under an award, costs must be consistent with policies and procedures that apply

uniformly to both federally financed and other activities of the organization. Furthermore, the costs must be accorded consistent

treatment in both federally financed and other activities as well as between activities supported by different sources of federal funds.

To calculate the maximum allowable Corporation share of administrative costs, multiply .0526% by the sum of Corporation share

subtotal A plus Corporation share subtotal B through E. This total is the maximum amount the applicant may request from the

Corporation for this line item.

Item G Total Program Operating Costs

Add Items B through F for program operating costs.

Then calculate the actual percentage of match for the Corporation share and the Grantee share by dividing each of these shares by the total of Item G. The

maximum Corporation share is limited to 67% of the toal amount of Item G.

Item H Total Budget

Add Items A and G for total budget.

Corporation Cost per FTE

Enter the total Corporation share from Item H. Divide the total from Item H by the total number of FTEs from Box 1. Enter the result in the space for

Corporation cost per FTE.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

BUDGET FORM AMERICORPS

Program Cycle: m 2000-03 m 2001-04 m 2002-05 Program Year: 

q Original q Revised 

Please attach the budget narrative to this page. (Date of revision)

Legal Applicant Name: 

Program Name: 

Site Location (City, State, Zip): 

(for National Direct programs Only)

BOX 1 AmeriCorps Member Positions Requested

(a) Hours (b)Corporation Living (c) No Corporation Living (d)Number of

Allowance Provided Allowance Provided FTEs

1 Year Full Time 1700 b + c 

1 Year Part Time 900 (b + c) ÷ 2 

2 Year Part Time1 900 (b + c) ÷ 4 

1 Year Reduced Part Time (RPT)

Summer Only [(b + c) x a] ÷ 1700 

Other RPT [(b + c) x a] ÷ 1700 

1

If this line includes Continuing Part-time members from the previous grant cycle, TOTAL FTEs 

please check this box and identify how many: 

2

 If you are proposing one-year part-time 450 hours, use the following formula: _ FTE or (b+c)/4

A. Member Support Costs

Number of Corporation Share Grantee Share Total

Members

1 Year FT 1700 hours 

1 Year PT 900 hours 

2 Year PT 900 hours 

Summer hours 

Other RPT hours 

Subtotal 

(7.65%) FICA 

Workers’ Compensation 

Health Insurance 

Other 

SUBTOTAL A. 

Percentage: % Percentage: %

(Maximum 85%) (Minimum 15%) (Total 100%)

B. Other Member Support Costs

Training and Education 

Other (please specify in Budget Narrative) 
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

SUBTOTAL B. 

BUDGET FORM AMERICORPS

Page 2

Corporation Share Grantee Share Total

C. Staff

Salaries 

Benefits 

Training 

Other (please specify in Budget Narrative) 

SUBTOTAL C. 

D. Other Operating Costs

Travel 

Corporation sponsored training 

Supplies 

Local Transportation 

Equipment (not greater than 10% of A through F) 

Other (please specify in Budget Narrative) 

SUBTOTAL D. 

E. Evaluation 

SUBTOTAL E. 

F. Administration

To arrive at the Corporation’s maximum share of 5%, multiply the sum of subtotal A plus subtotal B through E in the Corporation share column by .0526.

Program/Operating Site 

State Commission (for State programs only) 

SUBTOTAL F. 

G. Total Program Operating Costs (B through F)

 

Percentage: % Percentage: %

(Maximum 67%) (Minimum 33%) (Total 100%)

H. Total Budget (A + G)

 

Corporation Cost per FTE (full-time equivalent position)

Total Corporation Share (Line H) 

Divided by Total Number of FTEs (Box 1) = Corporation Cost per FTE
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

AMERICORPS PROGRAM OBJECTIVES SUMMARY FORM Date of Submission

__________

Please type. Please include each of the program objective summary statements from Box 6 of the AmeriCorps Objective Worksheets in the space below. Submit this form, not

the worksheets, to the Corporation with your program application. If you have more than three objectives in any category, duplicate this form to record additional objectives.

Legal Applicant: ___________________________________________Program Cycle: m 2000-03 m 2001-04 m 2002-05

Site Location (City, State): 

(for National Direct programs only)

Getting Things Done

1.

2.

3.

Member Development

1.

2.

3.

Strengthening Communities

1.

 

2.

3.
A M E R I C O R P S O B J E C T I V E W O R K S H E E T

B Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

Please identify objective category and then indicate the number of the objective. Please note that objective one serves at the program’s primary objective.

Category (Select One) Number (Select One)

GETTING THINGS DONE MEMBER DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES 1 2 3

Building Objectives For example

1. What activity will members engage in? How many members will engage in this activity? Where will the members

engage in the activity? With whom (general category: students by grade level, parents, senior citizens, victims of recent

crimes, etc.) and how frequently?

6 members will tutor students,

identified by teachers as low

achievers, each day for 1 hour

in Brook, Pond and Stream

Elementary School.

2. What will change as a result of the activity? (Be sure that there is a direct connection between the activity and the desired

change.)

Students’ academic

performance will be enhanced.

3. What tools/methods will the program use to measure the change? (Please identify the specific instrument the program

will use.)

Tracking sheet for daily

grades, teacher anecdotes,

and quarterly test scores.

4. How much change will indicate success? Over what period of time? How many (numbers or percentage) beneficiaries

will achieve this level of change?

85% of students will

demonstrate increase in grades

at least one grade level in the

tutored subject over the

course of the academic year.

5. How many people will directly benefit from this activity? 150 students will benefit.

6. Restate your complete objective (steps 1 – 5).

Sample: 6 members will tutor 150 low achieving students (as identified by teachers), each day for 1 hour in Brook, Pond and Stream Elementary School, with

85% of the students demonstrating increase in grades of at least one grade level in the tutored subject over the course of the academic year, as measured by

tracking sheet for daily grades, teacher observations and quarterly test scores.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

Certifications and Assurances

Instructions

By signing and submitting this application, as the duly authorized representative of the applicant, you certify that

the applicant will comply with the Certifications and Assurances described below.

a) Inability to certify

Your inability to provide the certifications or assurances listed below will not necessarily result in denial of a

grant. You must submit an explanation of why you cannot do so. We will consider your explanation in

determining whether to enter into this transaction. However, your failure to furnish an explanation will

disqualify your application.

b) Erroneous certification or assurance

The certifications and assurances are material representations of fact upon which we rely in determining

whether to enter into this transaction. If we later determine that you knowingly submitted an erroneous

certification or assurance, in addition to other remedies available to the federal government, we may terminate

this transaction for cause or default.

c) Notice of error in certification or assurance

You must provide immediate written notice to us if at any time you learn that a certification or assurance was

erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous because of changed circumstances.

d) Definitions

The terms “covered transaction”, “debarred”, “suspended”, “ineligible”, “lower tier covered transaction”,

“participant”, “person”, “primary covered transaction”, “principal”, “proposal”, and “voluntarily excluded” as

used in this clause, have the meanings set out in the Definitions and Coverage sections of the rules

implementing Executive Order 12549. An applicant shall be considered a “prospective primary participant in

a covered transaction” as defined in the rules implementing Executive Order 12549. You may contact us for

assistance in obtaining a copy of those regulations.

e) Certification requirement for subgrant agreements

You agree by submitting this proposal that if we approve your application you shall not knowingly enter into

any lower tier covered transaction with a person who is debarred, suspended declared ineligible, or voluntarily

excluded from participation in this covered transaction, unless authorized by us.

f) Certification inclusion in subgrant agreements

You agree by submitting this proposal that you will include the clause titled “Certification Regarding

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transactions,” provided

by us, without modification, in all lower tier covered transactions and in all solicitations for lower tier covered

transactions.

g) Certification of subgrant principals

You may rely upon a certification of a prospective participant in a lower-tier covered transaction that is not

debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction, unless you know that the

certification is erroneous. You may decide the method and frequency by which you determine the eligibility

of your principals. You may, but are not required to, check the List of Parties Excluded from Federal

Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs.

 h) Non-certification in subgrant agreements

If you knowingly enter into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended, debarred,

ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction, in addition to other remedies available

to the federal government, we may terminate this transaction for cause or default.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

 i) Prudent person standard

Nothing contained in the foregoing may be construed to require establishment of a system of records in order

to render in good faith the certifications and assurances required. Your knowledge and information is not

required to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business

dealings.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certification – Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters

This certification is required by the regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, 34 CFR Part 85, Section

85.510, Participants’ responsibilities.

A. As the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that neither the applicant nor its

principals:

• Is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by

any federal department or agency.

• Has, within a three-year period preceding this application, been convicted of, or had an adverse civil judgment entered in connection

with, fraud or other criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (federal, state or local)

transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of federal or state antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft,

forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction or records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property.

• Is presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state or local) with commission

of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (1) (b) of this certification, and

• Has not, within a three-year period preceding this application, had one or more public transactions (federal, state or local) terminated

for cause or default;

B. If you are unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, you must attach an explanation to this application.

Certification – Drug-Free Workplace

This certification is required by the regulations implementing the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, 34 CFR Part 85, Subpart F. The regulations

require certification by grantees, prior to award, that they will maintain a drug-free workplace. The certification set out below is a material

representation of fact upon which reliance will be placed when the agency determines to award the grant. False certification or violation of the

certification may be grounds for suspension of payments, suspension or termination of grants, or government-wide suspension or debarment (see

34 CFR Part 85, Section 85.615 and 85.620).

As the duly authorized representative of the grantee, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the grantee will provide a drug-free

workplace by:

A. Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled

substance is prohibited in the grantee’s workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such

prohibition;

B. Establishing a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about—

• the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace,

• the grantee’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace.

• any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and

• the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace;

C. Making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance of the grant be given a copy of the statement required by

paragraph (A);

D. Notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph (A) that, as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee will:

• abide by the terms of the statement, and

• notify the employer of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five days after

such conviction.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

E. Notifying us within ten days after receiving notice under subparagraph (D) from an employee or otherwise receiving actual notice of such

conviction;

F. Taking one of the following actions, within 30 days of receiving notice under subparagraph (D), with respect to any employee who is so

convicted—

• Taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including termination; or

• Requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such

purposes by a federal, state, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency;

G. Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of paragraphs (A) through (F).

Certification – Lobbying Activities

As required by Section 1352, Title 31 of the U.S. Code, as the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify, to the best of my

knowledge and belief, that:

• No federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the applicant, to any person for influencing or attempting

to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer of Congress in connection with the awarding of any

federal contract, the making of any federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, or modification of any federal contract,

grant, loan, or cooperative agreement;

• If any funds other than federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence

an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of

Congress in connection with this federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the applicant will submit Standard Form-LLL,

“Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,” in accordance with its instructions;

• The applicant will require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subcontracts at all tiers

(including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients will certify

and disclose accordingly.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

ASSURANCES

As the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the applicant:

• Has the legal authority to apply for federal assistance, and the institutional, managerial, and financial capability (including funds sufficient

to pay the non-federal share of project costs) to ensure proper planning, management, and completion of the project described in this

application.

• Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller General of the United States, and if appropriate, the state, through any authorized

representative, access to and the right to examine all records, books, papers, or documents related to the award; and will establish a proper

accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards or agency directives.

• Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using their position for a purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of

personal or organizational conflict of interest, or personal gain.

• Will initiate and complete the work within the applicable time frame after receipt of approval of the awarding agency.

• Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4728-4763) relating to prescribed standards for merit systems

for programs funded under one of the nineteen statutes or regulations specified in Appendix A of OPM’s Standards for a Merit System of

Personnel Administration (5 CFR 900, Subpart F).

• Will comply with all federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited to: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of

1964 (P.L. 88-352) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin; (b) Title IX of the Education

Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, and 1685-1686). which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c) Section

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability (d) The Age

Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; (e) The Drug Abuse

Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse; (f) The

Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), as amended,

relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g) sections 523 and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of

1912 (42 U.S.C. 290dd-3 and 290ee-3), as amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records; (h) Title VIII of

the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the sale, rental or financing of

housing; (i) any other nondiscrimination provisions in the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended; and (j) the

requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application.

• Will comply, or has already complied, with the requirements of Titles II and III of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property

Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646) which provide for fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced or whose property is

acquired as a result of federal or federally assisted programs. These requirements apply to all interests in real property acquired for project

purposes regardless of federal participation in purchases.

• Will comply with the provisions of the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 1501-1508 and 7324-7328) which limit the political activities of employees

whose principal employment activities are funded in whole or in part with Federal funds.

• Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C 276a and 276a-77), the Copeland Act (40 U.S.C 276c

and 18 U.S.C. 874), and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333), regarding labor standards for Federally

assisted construction sub-agreements.

• Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance purchase requirements of Section 102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973

(P.L. 93-234) which requires the recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate in the program and to purchase flood insurance if

the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is $10,000 or more.

• Will comply with environmental standards which may be prescribed pursuant to the following: (a) institution of environmental quality

control measures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order (EO) 11514; (b) notification of

violating facilities pursuant to EO 11738; (c) protection of wetlands pursuant to EO 11990; (d) evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains

in accordance with EO 11988; (e) assurance of project consistency with the approved state management program developed under the

Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C 1451 et seq.); (f) conformity of federal actions to State (Clean Air) Implementation

Plans under Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); (g) protection of underground sources of

drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended (P.L. 93-523); and (h) protection of endangered species under the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (P.L. 93-205).

• Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C 1271 et seq.) related to protecting components or potential

components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.

• Will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

(16 U.S.C. 470), EO 11593 (identification and protection of historic properties), and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of

1974 (16U.S.C. 469a-l et seq.).

• Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the protection of human subjects involved in research, development, and related activities

supported by this award of assistance.

• Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-544, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care,

handling, and treatment of warm blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by this award of assistance.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

• Will comply with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 4801 et seq.) which prohibits the use of lead based paint

in construction or rehabilitation of residence structures.

• Will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended,

and OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.

• Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other Federal laws, executive orders, regulations, and policies governing this program.

• Will keep such records and provide such information to us with respect to the program as may be required for fiscal audits and program

evaluation.

• Will not use the assistance to replace state and local funding streams that had been used to support programs of the type eligible to receive

Corporation support. For any given program, this condition will be satisfied if the aggregate non-federal expenditure for that program in

the fiscal year that support is to be provided is not less than the previous fiscal year.

• Will develop an age-appropriate learning component for participants in the program that includes a chance for participants to analyze and

apply their service experiences.

• Will use the assistance only for a program that does not duplicate, and is in addition to, an activity otherwise available in the locality of

the program.

• Will comply with the Notice, Hearing, and Grievance Procedures found in § 176 of the Act.

• Will, prior to the placement of a participant, consult with the appropriate local labor organization, if any, representing employees in the

area who are engaged in the same or similar work as that proposed to be carried out by the program, to prevent the displacement and

protect the rights of those employees.

• Will comply with the nondisplacement rules found in § 177(b) of the Act. Specifically, an employer shall not displace an employee or

position, including partial displacement such as reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, as a result of the employer using an

AmeriCorps participant; a service opportunity shall not be created that will infringe on the promotional opportunity of an employed

individual; an AmeriCorps participant shall not perform any services or duties or engage in activities that (1) would otherwise be

performed by an employee as part of the employee’s assigned duties, (2) will supplant the hiring of employed workers, (3) are services or

duties with respect to which an individual has recall rights pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or applicable personnel

procedures; or (4) have been performed by or were assigned to any presently employed worker, an employee who recently resigned or

was discharged, an employee who is on leave, an employee who is on strike or is being locked out, or an employee who is subject to a

reduction in force or has recall rights subject to a collective bargaining agreement or applicable personnel procedure.

• Will comply with the ineligible service provisions found in section 132 of the Act. Specifically a program may not use assistance or any

approved national service position to perform service that provides direct benefit to any: (1) business organized for profit; (2) labor union;

(3) partisan political organization; (4) organization engaged in religious activities (unless such service does not involve the use of

assistance or participants to give religious instruction, conduct worship services, provide instruction as part of a program that includes

mandatory religious education or worship, construct or operate facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engage in any

form of proselytization); or (5) nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501 (c) (3) of the

Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)). However, the provisions of section 132 of the Act shall not be construed to prevent

participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative.
MB Control No.: 3045-0047 Expiration Date: 2/28/03

CERTIFICATION AND ASSURANCES

CERTIFICATION SIGNATURE NOTE: Sign this form and include it in the application

packet.

Before you start: Before completing certification, please read the

certification instructions.

SIGNATURE: By signing this certification page, you certify that you agree to perform all

actions and support all intentions in the certification sections of this

application. The three certifications are:

m Certification: Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters

m Certification: Drug-Free Workplace

m Certification: Lobbying Activities

Legal Applicant: 

Project Name: 

Name and Title of Authorized Representative: 

Signature: 

Date: 

ASSURANCE SIGNATURE NOTE: Sign this form and include it in the application

packet.

SIGNATURE: By signing this assurances page, you certify that you agree to perform all

actions and support all intentions in the assurances section.

Organization Name: 

Project Name: 

Name and Title of Authorized Representative: 

Signature: 

Date: 
AMERICORPS LEADERS

The primary emphasis of the AmeriCorps Leaders is to develop service leaders. The most important

aspect of a program's application to become a Service Site is the service experience the program intends

to provide a leader. A service site is responsible for providing supervised leadership service learning

experiences designed to combine the competencies learned at training events with the genuine

professional challenges of a service site. The needs of each program are unique and will provide

opportunities for the leader to utilize and transfer skills to others.

Guidelines for Service Learning Activities

The leader must be provided with the time

and support necessary to facilitate reflection

on action and thus learning and growth.

Leaders cannot be used as a staff position,

any position for which you would hire a fulltime employee (e.g. you have three team

leaders and you wish to use the leader for the

fourth team leader,) nor can leaders serve in

a supervisory role.

Program coordination is the responsibility of

the program director. AmeriCorps Leaders

may assist by providing information and

resources on best practices or by developing

portions of the program such as the training

curriculum.

Leaders cannot be responsible for 1)

evaluating the AmeriCorps program; 2)

writing reports for the AmeriCorps program;

or 3) the program’s payroll or budget.

Leaders may educate the public as to the

needs of the program and members, but they

cannot solicit funds as AmeriCorps Leaders.

While it is understood that all staff members

of an AmeriCorps program perform some

administrative duties, leaders are not to serve

as administrative staff at your program.

All AmeriCorps Leaders are prohibited from

the same activities as AmeriCorps members

outlined in the AmeriCorps Member

Handbook. Specifically, they cannot

influence legislation, organize protests,

petitions, boycotts or strikes; promote, deter,

or assist in union activities; engage in

partisan activities or any activities designed to

influence the outcome of an election to any

public office; offer religious instruction;

conduct worship services; provide instruction

as part of a program that includes ministerial

duties; or provide direct benefits to a forprofit organization.

Examples of Service Learning Activities

Based on the successes of the leader's training roles in the past three years, programs are encouraged to

develop a role for the leader that utilizes the service leadership training and information they have

received through formal and informal training. Programs are also encouraged to arrange opportunities

for leaders to pass on to both staff and members the knowledge and skills they are gaining. On the

next page you will find examples of leadership service learning experiences. Use these examples to

plan activities that both meet the leader's and your program's needs.
Activity 1: Present A Session on Motivating, Coaching and Empowering for Team

Leaders

The leader will develop weekly training sessions with team leaders on how to motivate, coach and

empower the members on their team. The leader will facilitate discussion sessions after each training on

what motivates team leaders and members.

Leadership Learning Goals:

• understand how individuals working in the service profession are motivated

• identify appropriate methods of motivation

• demonstrate how to share authority, provide resources, mentor, challenge and encourage

• train others in how to motivate

Activity 2: Build the Program’s Capacity To Recruit Non-Member Community Volunteers

The leader will design and implement recruitment activities to engage the community in the work of the

program; assist in the planning, placement and training of volunteers, and coordinate a recognition program

to celebrate the accomplishments of the volunteers.

Leadership Learning Goals:

• seeks input from internal and external stakeholders

• articulates program vision clearly in written materials and oral presentations

• provides adequate resources to support community volunteers

Activity 3: Coordinate and Develop State-Wide Training Exchange Opportunities

The leader will work with the State Commission to develop state-wide training exchanges to share best

practices among members and staff. The leader will encourage peer to peer training as well asdevelop and

present at least one workshop that meets the needs of the members.

Leadership Learning Goals:

• provides clear direction, organizes activities, leads by example, anticipates, plans and

implements change

• provides resources and coaching for members to develop their sessions

• demonstrates and improves training skills

Other Examples:

• Organize major events and activities that foster effective interagency communication and encourage

more citizens to volunteer in their communities.

• Develop and publish resources that meet the needs of members, programs and communities.

• Build bridges between and among AmeriCorps programs, members, local citizens, and community

agencies.

Clearly outline the needs of your program, the activities and learning objectives you propose for the leader,

and the method by which you will assess the leader’s competencies following the activities. As a reminder,

do not overload the leader’s work schedule. They will need adequate time for reflection in order to learn

from their experiences as well as have state-wide and national roles that take at least 25% of their time.
The "Ambassadorship," or community liaison, projects and activities of AmeriCorps

Leaders increase awareness of the Corporation for National Service, its programs and

an ethic of service. Ambassadorship means helping others understand what national

and community service is all about, through

• learning, celebrating, and passing on it's history;

• educating Members and the public;

• networking and collaboration;

• caring, dynamic action.

AMERICORPS LEADERS

A Service Leadership Development Initiative of the

Corporation for National Service

AMBASSADORSHIP OVERVIEW

History of National Service

AmeriCorps is an expression for a service ethos that has distinguished roots in American history.

Learning the history of national service helps members understand what AmeriCorps is, where it

came from, and where it is going to gain a better perspective on their role.

Visibility and Awareness

AmeriCorps is a relatively young program but community and volunteer service are not new ideas.

Through promoting successful service activities, recognition will increase, bringing with it increased

awareness and support for national and community service programs.

Networking with Other Programs and Members

Networking and collaboration with other AmeriCorps programs and members are important parts

of creating a strong national service movement. Through interactions with other programs,

members, and leaders, successful strategies are shared and the overall network of national service is

strengthened.

Spreading an Ethic of Service

By spreading an ethic of service through example, outreach, reflection, and action, the service that

members do will be better understood, appreciated, and supported.

Heroes and Heroines

Heroes and Heroines inspire us and challenge our concepts of what is possible by erasing the

boundaries between “I can’t” and “I can.” They can be public figures, or they can exist within

your community and program.
By the end of the year long assignment as an AmeriCorps Leader, the AmeriCorps Leaders staff expect that each

participant will have acquired or enhanced certain service leadership competencies and skills. Below we list the 13

competencies we have identified as essential for leaders in national and community service. With each competency you will

find a brief narrative which describes how the leader can apply these skills at your site. Sites should not expect leaders to

arrive at their sites with fully developed skills in all areas.

Problem Solving

Participates in problem-solving activities at the service site.

Learns how to collect objective data to identify and analyze

problems. Finds alternative yet appropriate solutions to

complex problems.

Collaboration & Teamwork

Develops community networks and coalitions and builds

consensus by being enthusiastic and cooperative. Applies the

skills necessary to make a group function effectively. Is

exposed to diverse ideas and individuals with different

perspectives and needs.

Verbal Communication & Public Presentations

Is encouraged to give positive feedback to members. Listens

effectively and facilitates an open exchange of ideas. Makes

clear and convincing oral presentations to members, peers,

community members and the press.

Diversity

Manages sensitivity and appreciation of cultural diversity in

ethnic background, age, gender, race, sexual preference and

other individual differences. Creates an environment that

supports diverse perspectives and culturally based problemsolving techniques.

Leadership

Helps create a work environment that allows members and

others to create their own communities. Is able to develop a

vision with others who make this vision their own, even in

stressful and complex situations. Uses reflection time for selfassessment to evaluate how behavior and actions may

influence members, peers and others.

Personal & Professional Goals Development

Learns to develop "visioning" skills. Goal setting is based on

realistic expectations monitored and evaluated on a regular

basis by the site supervisor. Assists members and others in

their personal and professional goal development.

Motivation, Coaching and Empowerment

Develops self-confidence in members and others by

encouraging personal and professional growth. Enables

members to take responsibility for their actions. Validates

members’ needs to help them prepare for their roles as

professionals.

Training and Facilitation

Provides formal and informal training opportunities for

members and peers. Facilitates the learning and growth in

members and others.

Decision-Making

Has an opportunity to test judgment under pressure and in

the face of opposition. Steady exposure to the "real world"

where decisions must be made based on inadequate

information and where problems rarely get fully solved

because new ones keep appearing.

Conflict Management

Recognizes conflict in the early stages. Understands own

personal conflict resolution style. Is encouraged to use

multiple strategies for conflict resolution.

Written Communication

Expresses simple and complex ideas in an organized

manner. Is able to produce publicity materials, reports and

other written materials for the service site.

Change Management

Introduces the process of change and its influences, both

positive and negative, to others. Manages the change

process to ensure that desired outcomes are consistently

achieved.

Time Management

Manages time effectively by getting as many important tasks

accomplished as possible, while maintaining the flexibility to

meet others’ emerging needs.

AmeriCorps Leaders

A Service Leadership Development Initiative of the Corporation for National

Service

Service Leadership Competencies
75

Appendix B

Definitions

Act means the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended (42 U.S.C. §12501 et

seq.)

AmeriCorps National Service Network means AmeriCorps*State, AmeriCorps*National,

AmeriCorps*Tribes and Territories, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), and National

Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) Programs taken together as programs dedicated to national

service. VISTA is authorized under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act (42 U.S.C. §4950 et

seq.). NCCC is authorized under the National and Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. §12611 et

seq.).

Approved national service position means a national service position for which the Corporation

has approved the provision of a national service education award as one of the benefits to be

provided for successful service in the position.

Eligible Member means an individual: (1) who is enrolled in an approved national service

position; (2) who is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent resident alien of the United

States; (3) who is at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service unless the member is

out of school and enrolled (a) in a full-time, year-round youth corps Program or full-time summer

Program as defined in the Act (42 U.S.C. §12572 (a) (2)), in which case he or she must be

between the ages of 16 and 25, inclusive, or (b) in a Program for economically disadvantaged

youth as defined in the Act (42 U.S.C. §12572 (a)(9)), in which case he or she must be between

the ages of 16 and 24, inclusive; (4) has a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate [or

agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent before using an education award] and who

has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school in order to enroll as an AmeriCorps

member (unless enrolled in an institution of higher education on an ability to benefit basis and is

considered eligible for funds under section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C.

§1091), or who has been determined through an independent assessment conducted by the

Program to be incapable of obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent (provided that the

Corporation has waived the education attainment requirement for the individual).

Indian tribe means a federally-recognized Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or

community, including any native village, regional corporation, or village corporation, as defined

under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602), that the United States

Government determines is eligible for special programs and services provided under federal law to

Indians because of their status as Indians. Indian tribes also include any tribal organization

controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by one of the entities described above.

Program means a national service program, described in the Act (42 U.S.C. §12572(a)), carried

out by the grantee through funds awarded by the Corporation and carried out in accordance with

federal requirements and the provisions of this grant.
76

Project means an activity or set of activities carried out by a program that results in a specific,

identifiable community service or improvement: (1) that otherwise would not have been made

with existing funds; and (2) that does not duplicate the routine services or functions of the

organization to whom the members are assigned.

Project sponsor means an organization or other entity that has been selected to provide a

placement for a member.

State Commission means, for the purposes of these grant provisions, the Commission on National

and Community Service established by a state pursuant to the Act (42 U.S.C. §12638), including

an authorized alternative administrative entity to administer the state's national service plan and

national service programs and to perform such other duties prescribed by law.
77

Appendix C

Budget Analysis Checklist

Legal Applicant: 

This checklist will help you to make sure that you submit an accurate budget that meets our requirements. Read

the guidance carefully in the right column when reviewing your budget and place a check in the left-hand column.

Compliance? Member Support Costs

Yes __ No __ Cash match is met? All budget items under Member Support Costs (living

allowance, FICA workers' compensation, health care) have, at a minimum, a 15%

cash match. Except for health care, you cannot use other federal funds for the match.

If you use work-study funds, there must be an aggregate 15% non-federal share of all

member support costs.

Yes __ No __ Correct living allowance? Full-time AmeriCorps members receive at least the

minimum living allowance of $9,300. Programs in existence prior to September 21,

1993 may offer a lower living allowance than the minimum. If such a program

chooses to offer a living allowance, it is exempt from the minimum requirement but

not from the maximum requirement. Programs are not required to pay part-time

members living allowances but if you do, you may prorate the full-time living

allowance.

Yes __ No __ The federal share of the living allowance for full-time members is no more than

$7,905? Regardless of the size of the living allowance, the Corporation share

(including other federal funds) cannot be more than 85% of the minimum allowance.

Yes __ No __ The federal share of the living allowance for part-time members is no more than

$4,185? As with full-time members, programs may provide a higher living allowance

for your part-time members, but the Corporation’s share may not exceed 85% of

$4,924.

Yes __ No __ Living allowances are not paid on an hourly basis? They may be calculated using

service hours and program length to derive a weekly or biweekly distribution amount.

The distribution should occur in equal increments that are not based on the specified

number of hours worked.

Yes __ No __ Is FICA calculated correctly? All programs must pay FICA for any member

receiving a living allowance. Calculate FICA at 7.65% of the total amount of the

living allowance. You must prorate FICA in the same proportion as our match and

your match.
78

Yes __ No __ Correct Workers' Compensation calculation? Some states require workers'

compensation for their AmeriCorps members. Programs must check with your state

Department of Labor or state commission to determine if your program is required to

pay workers' compensation and at what level. Programs that are not required to pay

workers' compensation need to provide similar coverage for members' on-the-jobinjuries through your own existing coverage or a new policy purchased in accordance

with normal procedures.

Yes ___ No ___ Health care is provided for qualified full-time AmeriCorps members only (unless

part-time serving for a sustained full-time period of time such as summer service)? If

your program chooses to provide health care to other part-time members, you may

not use our funds to help pay for any portion of the cost. Programs must provide

health care coverage to all full-time members who do not have adequate health care

coverage at the time of enrollment or who lose coverage due to participation in the

program. In addition, programs must provide coverage if a full-time member loses

coverage during the term of service through no deliberate act of his or her own. If

programs already carry minimum benefits at a reasonable cost, you may use existing

policies to cover members. We will not cover health care costs for family members.

Staff

Yes __ No __ Costs charged under the staff line item directly relate to the operation of the

AmeriCorps program/project? Examples include costs for staff who recruit, train,

place, or supervise members.

Yes __ No __ Staff that is indirectly involved in the management or operation of the applicant

organization is funded through the administrative cost section of the budget?

Examples of administrative costs include central management and support functions.

Yes __ No __ Staff fundraising expenses are not charged to the grant? You may not charge

AmeriCorps staff members’ time and related expenses for fundraising to us or to your

share of the grant. Expenses incurred to raise funds may be paid out of the funds

raised. Development officers and fundraising staff are not allowable expenses.

Operational

Yes __ No __ Funds for the purchase of equipment (does not include general office use equipment)

are limited to 10% of the total grant amount?

Yes __ No __ All single equipment items over $5000 are specifically listed?

Yes __ No __ Justification/explanation of equipment items is included?

Note: Continuation programs should require only a minimum of equipment

purchases. Therefore, we discourage equipment purchases such as computers

and printers unless you demonstrate a unique situation.

Yes __ No __ Funds to pay relocation expenses of AmeriCorps members are not in our share of the

budget?

Yes __ No __ Internet e-mail requirements are met? AmeriCorps programs must have Internet email capability and subscribe to the AmeriCorps listserver run by the National

Service Resource Center (at ETR Associates).
79

Yes __ No __ Guidelines concerning service gear have been followed? Even though the

Corporation has made the service gear package optional, state commissions should

feel free to encourage programs to provide this package for their members. If a

program chooses to purchase the standard service gear package, it should budget $33

per member. If the program needs the shirt with a collar, it should budget between

$33 and $68 per member. We will pay up to $150 per member for additional safety

apparel that is necessary to perform daily service. You must include a justification

for these additional items in the budget narrative.

Yes __ No __ Have you included $2,000 for travel to Corporation-sponsored meetings in the

budget?

Administration

Yes __ No __ Our maximum share of administrative costs does not exceed 5% of total Corporation

funds? (Multiply all other Corporation funds by .0526 to determine the administrative

share.)

Yes __ No __ Administrative costs include the following: (1) indirect costs such as legal staff,

central management, and support functions; (2) costs for financial, accounting,

auditing, internal evaluations, and contracting functions; (3) costs for insurance that

protects the entity that operates the program; and (4) the portion of the salaries and

benefits of the director and any other program administrative staff not attributable to

the time spent in support of a specific program or project.

Other

Yes __ No __ All "operational costs" (anything other than member support costs) are matched at

least 33% by your program with cash or in-kind services?

Your share of the program operating cost is 33%. Therefore, our funds may not

exceed 67% of the program operating cost (whether the program is a grantee or subgrantee) including administration. Your program may provide its share of operating

costs through cash or in-kind contributions. The share of funds may come from a

number of sources. However, we require that all programs raise some of the funds

from the private sector, i.e. non-governmental funds. Please note that the maximum

amount of the living allowance that may be paid using Corporation and other federal

funds remains at 85%.

Yes __ No __ Have you included the number of new full-time and part-time members receiving

education awards?

Yes __ No __ Programs meet the "Cost Per Member" guidelines of $12,100? If it is higher, make

sure the narrative provides a justification.

Yes __ No __ All budget line items, including consultant costs, are adequately explained in the

narrative?

Yes __ No __ Do line items add up to the specified subtotals and totals?
81

Appendix D

Guidance on Developing Objectives

All programs applying for AmeriCorps*State funding must complete objective worksheets. You

should complete the forms following the instructions and link your objectives to the information

you provide in the program narrative. Objectives are a reflection of essential program goals for

the year. They should state what will change as a result of program participants’ efforts

throughout the year. Include only activities that are at the core of the program’s mission in your

application.

All AmeriCorps applicants must provide up to three objectives in each of the following areas:

• getting things done (community service objectives);

• member development; and

• community strengthening.

Objectives statements have five components that are described on the worksheets provided. Use

the worksheets to develop the components (if needed), then combine them into one statement of

the objective at the bottom of the page. The five components are as follows:

• the service to be done or the activities to be engaged in;

• the intended result of that service;

• a method of measuring quality or impact;

• a standard of success; and

• the number of individuals who benefit.

The objectives should focus on results. However, programs should know that a range of results

exists for any set of activities. For instance, a mentoring program may lead to a decrease in

drop-out rates, which leads to an increase in graduation rates, which leads to better job histories,

and so on. Community and member impact objectives should be established as far along the

spectrum as possible away from processes and towards ultimate outcomes, given the constraints

of measurability in a single year.

Getting Things Done (Community Service Objectives)

Community service objectives should derive from the mission statement and reflect the impact

your program hopes to have on the recipients of the services you provide. For example, your

tutoring program hopes to improve the mathematics skills of at least 25 students through

tutoring. A diagnostic test will determine the students’ tutoring needs at the beginning of the

program. Your program hopes students will master at least 75% of their skills that require

remediation, as determined by re-testing.

1. The service you will provide is tutoring.

2. The intended result is an improvement in mathematics skills.

3. The measure of impact is a pre-test, post-test comparison.

4. The standard of success is “mastery” of 75% of the skills tutored.
82

5. Twenty-five students benefit from the service.

Do not specify the nature of the diagnostic test and the meaning of the word “mastery” in this

section. Provide details on those elements in your application’s program narrative.

Member Development

Member development objectives should reflect the growth and development that you hope will

occur in members as a result of involvement with your program. For example, your program

hopes to increase the problem-solving skills of its 50 members through a variety of problemsolving exercises and reflection. A set of pre- and post- exercises will assess increases in

problem-solving skills. Your program hopes to see a notable increase in skills in at least 80% of

your members.

1. The activities members will engage in are problem solving exercises and reflection.

2. The intended result is increased problem-solving skills.

3. The measure of quality or impact is a set of pre- and post- problem-solving exercises.

4. The standard of success is a notable increase in skills in 80% of the members.

5. Fifty members will benefit.

Provide more details on the problem-solving exercises in your application’s program narrative.

Strengthening Community

Community-strengthening objectives should express changes you hope to affect in the larger

community. For example, you hope to develop and implement a volunteer initiative to increase

the numbers of community volunteers involved with the program. Track hours using weekly

logs. You estimate that volunteers will donate 300 hours.

1. The activities you will engage in are the development and implementation of a volunteer

program.

2. The intended result is an increase in volunteer hours.

3. You will use the program “logo” that records the number of additional volunteer hours

to measure the quality or impact.

4. The standard of success is 300 hours.

5. The volunteers, the program and the larger community will benefit.

Note that this objective focuses more on process than results (it covers the establishment of a

volunteer program, not the impact of that program on the larger community or those the

volunteers serve). We understand that community strengthening objectives will generally focus

on development and implementation activities, not the ultimate outcomes of those activities.

Also, the fifth component (number of individuals who benefit) is generally less defined for

community building objectives than it is for community service and member development

objectives.
83

Appendix E

Empowerment and Enterprise Communities

Empowerment Zone (EZ)

Georgia: Atlanta

Illinois: Chicago

Kentucky: Kentucky Highlands*

Maryland: Baltimore

Michigan: Detroit

Mississippi: Delta*

New York: Harlem, Bronx

Pennsylvania/New Jersey: Philadelphia, Camden

Texas: Rio Grande Valley*

Supplemental Empowerment Zone (SEZ)

California: Los Angeles

Ohio: Cleveland

Enhanced Enterprise Community (EEC)

California: Oakland

Massachusetts: Boston

Missouri/Kansas: Kansas City, Kansas City

Texas: Houston

Enterprise Community (EC)

Alabama: Birmingham

Alabama: Chambers County*

Alabama: Greene, Sumter Counties*

Arizona: Phoenix

Arizona: Arizona Border*

Arkansas: East Central*

Arkansas: Mississippi County*

Arkansas: Pulaski County

California: Imperial County*

California: L.A. Huntington Park

California: San Diego

California: San Francisco, Bayview, Hunter’s Point

California: Watsonville*

Colorado: Denver

Connecticut: Bridgeport

Connecticut: New Haven

Delaware: Wilmington

District of Columbia: Washington

Florida: Jackson County*

Florida: Tampa

Florida: Miami, Dade County

Georgia: Albany

Georgia: Central Savannah*

Georgia: Crisp, Dooley Counties*

Illinois: East St. Louis

Illinois: Springfield

Indiana: Indianapolis

Iowa: Des Moines

Kentucky: Louisville

Louisiana: Northeast Delta*
84

Louisiana: Macon Ridge*

Louisiana: New Orleans

Louisiana: Ouachita Parish

Massachusetts: Lowell

Massachusetts: Springfield

Michigan: Five Cap*

Michigan: Flint

Michigan: Muskegon

Minnesota: Minneapolis

Minnesota: St. Paul

Mississippi: Jackson

Mississippi: North Delta*

Missouri: East Prairie*

Missouri: St. Louis

Nebraska: Omaha

Nevada: Clarke County, Las Vegas

New Hampshire: Manchester

New Jersey: Newark

New Mexico: Albuquerque

New Mexico: Moro, Rio Arriba, Taos Counties*

New York: Albany, Schenectady, Troy

New York: Buffalo

New York: Newburgh, Kingston

New York: Rochester

North Carolina: Charlotte

North Carolina: Halifax, Edgecombe, Wilson Counties*

North Carolina: Robeson County*

Ohio: Akron

Ohio: Columbus

Ohio: Greater Portsmouth*

Oklahoma: Choctaw, McCurtain Counties*

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City

Oregon: Josephine*

Oregon: Portland

Pennsylvania: Harrisburg

Pennsylvania: Lock Haven*

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh

Rhode Island: Providence

South Dakota: Beadle, Spink Counties*

South Carolina: Charleston

South Carolina: Williamsburg County

Tennessee: Fayette, Haywood Counties*

Tennessee: Memphis

Tennessee: Nashville

Tennessee/Kentucky: Scott/McReary Counties

Texas: Dallas

Texas: El Paso

Texas: San Antonio

Texas: Waco

Utah: Ogden

Vermont: Burlington

Virginia: Accomac*

Virginia: Norfolk

Washington: Lower Yakima*

Washington: Seattle

Washington: Tacoma
85

West Virginia: West Central*

West Virginia: Huntington

West Virginia; McDowell*

Wisconsin: Milwaukee

* denotes rural designee

Round II Urban Empowerment Zones

Boston, Massachusetts

Cincinnati, Ohio

Columbia/Sumter, South Carolina

Columbus, Ohio

Cumberland County, New Jersey

El Paso, Texas

Gary/East Chicago, Indiana

Huntington, West Virginia/Ironton, Ohio

Knoxville/Knox County, Tennessee

Miami/Miami-Dade County, Florida

Minneapolis, Minnesota

New Haven, Connecticut

Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia

Santa Ana, California

St. Louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illinois

Round II Rural Empowerment Zones

Desert Communities Empowerment Zone (CA)

Southwest Georgia United Empowerment Zone (GA)

Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone (IL)

Griggs-Steele Empowerment Zone (ND)

Oglala Sioux Tribe Empowerment Zone (SD)

Round II Rural Enterprise Communities

Metlakatla Indian Enterprise Community (AK)

Four Corners Enterprise Community (AZ, NM, UT)

Central California Enterprise Community (CA)

Empowerment Alliance of Southwest Florida Enterprise Community (FL)

Molokai Enterprise Community (HI)

Town of Austin Enterprise Community (IN)

Wichita County Enterprise Community (KS)

Bowling Green Enterprise Community (KY)

City of Lewiston Enterprise Community (ME)

Clare County Enterprise Community (MI)

Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe Enterprise Community (MT)

City of Deming Enterprise Community (NM)

Tri-County Indian Nations Enterprise Community (OK)

Fayette Enterprise Community (PA)

Allendale ALIVE Enterprise Community (SC)

Clinch-Powell Enterprise Community (TN)

FUTURO Enterprise Community (TX)

Five Star Enterprise Community (WA)

Northwoods Niijii Enterprise Community (WI)

Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community (WV)
87

Appendix F

Policy Guidance on Fundraising

While there are a wide range of activities you may undertake to create a sustainable future for your

program, you should keep in mind that you may not pay for certain activities out of federal grant

funds. Before making plans, you may want to review the Office of Management and Budget

Circular applicable to your organization that spells out the costs that you may and may not charge

to your grant. For example, under the OMB Circulars, you cannot charge to your grant the costs

of “organized fundraising” or expenses incurred “solely to raise capital or obtain contributions.”

Staff supported by AmeriCorps grant funds must be careful to comply with the OMB limitations

while on AmeriCorps time and to not charge the time spent on these activities to the AmeriCorps

grant. OMB Circulars also require that you keep accurate records regarding time you spend on

these and your other activities to clearly convey the nature of the activities.

Overall, AmeriCorps members cannot assist their organizations with major fundraising efforts.

However, our policy permits some limited activities related to fundraising by AmeriCorps

members to the extent that such activities “provide immediate and direct support to a specific and

direct service activity; fall within the program’s approved direct service objectives; are not the

primary activity of the program; and do not involve significant amounts of time for any member.”

Following are some examples that may help to clarify what you can do with federal grant funds, as

well as what you may not charge to your AmeriCorps grant. There are also examples of what

AmeriCorps members may do, as well as activities that are prohibited for members.

You may:

• Develop and print materials such as brochures and annual reports that you will use for

outreach to the general public, which includes potential board members, funders and

community partners.

• Contact individuals and organizations that are potential partners who may assist your

program in delivering services.

• Ask your board of directors and other volunteers to raise funds on their own time.

• Pay for a program evaluation to demonstrate the impact and effectiveness of your program.

• Solicit community involvement or in-kind support for your program; e.g., seek volunteers to

help with the project and donations of building supplies for a construction project.

• Coordinate community involvement in a day of service, serv-a-thon, or other direct service

activities that may have a fundraising element.

• Include members of the public (including funders and other community partners) on your

general mailing list for newsletters or brochures and other general interest publications. (But

publications paid for from AmeriCorps grant funds, including matching or other federal

funds, should not contain solicitations of donations.)

• Include in your general-purpose newsletter a “wish list" of needed in-kind items.

• Invite members of the public, including funders, to make a site visit to your program.

• Ask for advice from individuals with expertise who may be business or foundation staff

regarding matters such as program development, training and evaluation.
88

• Invite members of the public, including funders and other community partners, to attend

graduation ceremonies and other special events.

• Ask a local business to sponsor a recognition event for members or volunteers.

Members may:

• Solicit supplies from local businesses for a direct service project; e.g., solicit several cans of

paint from a store near a work site to meet a need.

• Organize an occasional “serv-a-thon” in which members recruit individuals to obtain

sponsors in advance of an approved direct service event.

You may not:

• Charge time to your AmeriCorps grant for staff to prepare funding proposals.

• Use AmeriCorps grant funds, including matching or other federal funds, to develop

promotional materials solely targeted at prospective funders.

• Use AmeriCorps grant funds, including matching or other federal funds, to engage in a

direct mail campaign to raise funds.

• Use AmeriCorps grant funds, including matching or other federal funds, to conduct capital

campaigns or endowment drives.

• Hire a development consultant and charge fees to your AmeriCorps grant.

• Charge time staff spends on fundraising to sources of AmeriCorps or other federal grant

funds.

Members may not:

• Prepare any part of a grant proposal, perform fundraising functions to help you achieve your

match requirement or to pay your organization’s general operating expenses, or provide

fundraising assistance to other community-based organizations that do not provide

immediate and direct support to your program objectives.
89

Appendix G

Policy Guidance on Criminal Record Checks

This information explains the grant award provision related to criminal record checks and our

expectations related to this provision. It reflects our guidance on this matter. The following

includes:

• the provision

• statement of our purpose

• discussion of our expectations for direct grantees and State Commissions

• general guidance

Provision

 “AmeriCorps Programs with members or employees who have substantial direct contact with children (as

defined by state law) or who perform service in the homes of children or individuals considered vulnerable

by the program, shall, to the extent permitted by state and local law, conduct criminal record checks on

these members or employees as part of the screening process.”

Statement of Purpose

While acknowledging that the vast majority of AmeriCorps members would not intentionally harm

recipients of service, we are nevertheless very concerned about the potential for improper or criminal

conduct victimizing program clients. Such victimization does damage to the individual victim, the

program, and the entire AmeriCorps national service network.

Programs have the responsibility to establish and use thorough screening processes to determine the

suitability of candidates for selection to provide the program’s services. In certain programs, because of

the vulnerability of the client population, it is prudent to conduct a criminal record check for each applicant.

The suitability determination that you should make includes information from the criminal record check, as

well as the other information that you gain through the application and screening process. Many programs

are already using criminal record checks as part of their screening, and insurance companies are

increasingly often requiring this step.

We recognize that you are in the best position to make decisions concerning the screening mechanisms you

use, including criminal history checks, taking into account the nature of the service activity and the

potential vulnerability of service recipients. The same is generally true of decisions about the criteria,

including criminal records that would warrant rejection of a candidate.

While no practical system of applicant screening, including record checks, can guarantee avoidance of

every possible problem, our purpose is to protect recipients of service, protect AmeriCorps programs from

unnecessary liability exposure, and to protect the public image of the AmeriCorps national service network.

Corporation Expectations

We expect that you will regard criminal record checks as one part of the applicant screening process that

may have many other steps – all related to making appropriate determinations about the suitability of

applicants. In addition, conducting criminal record checks does not free you and program sponsors from

the responsibility of careful program management and effective supervision of members and program staff.

In carrying out the criminal record check grant provision, you should take the following steps:

1. Consider whether your program involves substantial direct contact with children or performs

service in the homes of children or other vulnerable individuals. The term, children is defined
90

by state law. Substantial direct contact means contact with children that is regular, continuous

and personal in nature. Your program should determine, based on specific circumstances,

whether individuals are “vulnerable” or not. Examples of vulnerable individuals may include

(but are not limited to) infirm elderly persons, or individuals with a physical or mental

disability. If so, determine; (a) the appropriate form of criminal record check that you should

make, based primarily on the responsibilities of the position; (b) the process by which you may

carry out that check; and, (c) any limitations imposed by state or local law.

2. Conduct a check on AmeriCorps members and staff whose duties involve substantial direct

contact with children or who perform service in the homes of children or other vulnerable

individuals. If your program must conduct criminal history checks, you should do so for all

new and continuing members, as well as for staff.

3. Determine in advance, the types of criminal backgrounds that should result in termination of

candidacy or service.

4. Ensure that you take consistent actions on the information that you receive.

5. Ensure that you carefully observe privacy considerations and that you appropriately safeguard

the confidentiality of criminal history information you possess.

6. Your program should be aware of the various criminal record indices that are available, such as

local (both city and county, as applicable), state, national, military, and international indices.

7. Your program should obtain enough information on the background of applicants (for example

whether the applicant has served in the military service, traveled abroad, or relocated within the

United States) to determine which indices you should query.

While the above describes our minimum expectations, the circumstances of a local program and applicable

state law or regulations may dictate that additional steps be taken.

Concerning the cost of record checks for members, explore whether they can be conducted free or at

reduced cost (as a number of programs are already doing), or if any community partners can support this

activity. If it is necessary to use our funds, your program should attempt to rebudget within existing funds.

Commissions may use carry-over formula funds for this purpose.

General guidance

Below are suggestions and approaches that may be useful in developing procedures to fulfill this

responsibility.

• Your program should review these requirements with legal counsel and your liability insurance

carrier.

• You should ask each applicant, as part of the application process about his or her criminal history.

Failure to truthfully complete an application should automatically result in termination of

candidacy, a fact that you should note in the application itself.

• You should prominently announce notice of your intent to conduct criminal record checks – both to

discourage individuals with potentially unacceptable backgrounds from even applying, and to

evidence your concern for the safety of your clientele.

• If your program announces that it will conduct criminal record checks, you should do so. Failure to

conduct a check after announcing that you will do so creates a situation of potentially serious

liability.

• You have the authority to decide the specific check you will make – i.e., whether a local, statewide,

or national check is appropriate – based on the circumstances of your program, relevant law and

regulations concerning access to criminal records, and the populations you serve.

• Suitability for enrollment (or hiring) is a determination you make, but the standard of care that your

program should adhere to is one of “reasonable precautions”. This means that your program

should take reasonable precaution to discover the existence of background information that, if not
91

discovered, could possibly result in an injury to a third party. Your failure to satisfy this standard

of care could result in being held liable for its negligent acts or omissions.

• You need not "recheck" returning members (or continuing staff) each year after the initial check,

but the member contract (or employment agreement) should include a provision that your program

leadership will be notified if the member is arrested for any of certain specified offenses.

• Your program should be aware of the various criminal record indices that are available, such as

local (both city and county, as applicable), state, national, military, and international indices.

• Your program should obtain enough information on the background of applicants (for example,

whether the applicant has served in the military service, traveled abroad, or relocated within the

United States) to determine which indices you should query.

• While criminal records checks normally involve state agencies, you should contact your local

police or sheriffs’ departments for assistance in identifying potential vulnerable populations, as

well as with determining the appropriate form of background check, based on local circumstances,

and carry out that check. Generally, law enforcement agencies prefer to help at the outset – to help

avoid problems later. If a specific state does not allow access to statewide criminal records, you

should conduct local checks to the maximum extent allowed.

• If arrest information is not accompanied by disposition information, it may not provide sufficient

basis for rejection of applications.

• You should develop, and carefully adhere to, written policies related to safeguarding confidential

information (criminal records) received and used by your program.

• After considering re-budgeting within the grant and exploring other avenues of support, if you are

still having difficulty paying the cost of these checks you should contact us.

Further Information

For further information or assistance with implementing these requirements, contact your program officer

at the Corporation for National Service.
APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Check to see that each copy of your application contains:

q Parent organization signed title page

q Copy of each operating site title page (in the

original, unbound copy only)

q Funding request chart

q Table of Contents

q Executive Summary (no more than one page)

q Summary of Current AmeriCorps Program Impact

for current AmeriCorps Grantees only (no more

than two pages)

q Narrative (no more than 35 pages)

q Budget Form

q Budget Narrative

q Assurances and Certifications Form

q This application is double-spaced

q This application is in a 12-point font

q This application consists of one unbound, singlesided original and two copies. All applicants are

encouraged to voluntarily submit four additional

copies of the application to expedite the review

process.
Corporation for National Service

1201 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20525

(202) 606-5000

TDD (202) 565-2799

www.nationalservice.org