## AMERICORPS **VISTA**

**PROJECT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS**  PART V I. 2 SUPPORT GRANT VISTA PROJECT BUDGET

OMB NO.: 3045 - 0038 EXPIRATION DATE: 05/03/20xx2

**VI. 2**  **SUPPORT GRANT VISTA PROJECT**  **BUDGET Introduction**  This document, Part VI. 2, Support Grant VI STA Project Budget, provides detailed instructions for completing Budget Section 1 and Budget Section 2 in an already started eGrants application. The following are instructions for completing a budget for a Support Grant VIST A Project. NOTE: Applicants to be a VISTA sponsoring organization must complete an application, including a budget. The a

pplication is submitted using eGrants, CNCS’s integrated, secure, web
- based sy stem for applications. Organizations must have an eGrants account to submit the Application in eGrants. The account is free and can be created online at http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/index.asp
. To complete the application, applic ants use the VI STA Project Application Instructions provided by the CNCS State Office. Contact information for State Offices is available at http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact/index.asp
. T o complete the budget of the a pplication, applicants use this specific budget guidance to supplement the VI STA Project Application Instructions. **About Support Grant**  **VISTA Projects** A Support Grant VI STA project is a project in which :  CNCS awards a certain number of VISTA positions to a sponsor and provides benefits directly to the VI STA;  The sponsor provides local operating and logistics costs ;  The sponsor requests grant funds to provide: o Supervision for the VISTAs, leaders, and summer associates ; o Project staff travel expenses incurred for su brecipient monitoring ; o Service
- related transportation expenses of VI STAs, leaders, and summer associates ; AND/OR o Costs for implementing the Pre - Service Orientation (PSO) for VISTAs when it is in the interests of the VISTA program To be eligible to receive a grant for supervision, for service
- related transportation and/or for training costs, you must demonstrate that:  The expenditure is necessary and appropriate to ensure that a VI STA, leader, or summer associate has available support necessary to carry out the purpose of the VISTA program and to perform effectivel y the service to which the VISTA, leader, or summer associate is assigned; and  The need for support cannot be met within your organization ’s own structure and resources. While there is no specific match requirement, applicant organizations should indicate the type and level of resources they

will provid e to support the project. Examples of resources provided b y applicant organizations include personnel costs , and supplies. Please include these resources whether they are financial contributions or in
- kind contributions.3

**Application Proces s**  Lo g in to eGrants. In eGrants, you will need to:  Select “ View All .” A screen will appear that lists all the applications that are in “Grantee Initial Entry” status that are associated with your account.  Find your application using the Application ID. Itwill be listed as “VI STA State” or “VISTA Headquarters” under the Programs column.  Select “E dit” next to your listing.  In the Application Info section, choose the correct Program Ty pe b y selecting “ Support Grant ” from the Program Ty pe dropdown menu
. Check the box next to Cost Share as appropriate. Consult your CNCS State Office if you are uncertain.  Once you select the program ty pe and cost share ty

pe and click save , the Budget S ections 1 and 2 will be created and added to the application. The Budget includes two sections: Budget Section 1 deals with v olunteer s upport e xpenses incurred by the project
. Budget Section 2 deals with v olunteer e xpenses incurred by members, including living allowance and end
- of
- service award **.** Applicants for Support Grant VI STA Projects are required to complete both sections
. As you prepare your budget:  Your detailed budget narrative must provide a full explanation of the propose d costs including their purpose and the basis of your calculation.  For the Personnel and Travel line items, and wherever else it may increase clarity , present yo ur calculations in the form of an equation, e.g., Two (2) VISTAs traveling @ $25/trip for 2 trips = $50; or, Salary

$35,000 @ 30% devoted to program = $10,500.  Do not include fractional amounts (cents).  Your b udget entries should reflect a twelve
- month project period. Please refer to the relevant OMB Circulars on allowable costs for further guidance. The OMB circulars are online at www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/circulars.  A - 21 - Cost Principles for Educational Institutions, 2 CFR 220  A - 87 - Cost Principles for State, L ocal, and Indian Tribal Governments, 2 CFR 225  A - 122 - Cost Principles for Non Pro fit Organizations, 2 CFR 230 Programs must comply

with all applicable federal laws, regulations, and OMB circulars for grant management, allowable costs, and audits, including providing audits to the A
- 133 clearinghouse if they expend over $500,000 in fed eral funds, as required in OMB Circular A
- 133. **Budget Section 1**  **. Volunteer Support Expenses (Required)**  You are required to complete this section for financial funds that you are requesting from CNCS . You may also wish to add line items to document the resources that your organization will provide to support the VI STA project (personnel, in
- kind donations, etc). E nter information into the “CNCS Share” box for resources you are requesting from CNCS . Enter inf ormation into the “ Grantee Share ” box for resources your organization is contributing. Do not enter any information into the “ Member Support ” box
.4

**Project Personnel Expenses** C omplete this line item to apply for grant funds for the salary costs of supervis ing VISTAs, Leaders and/or Summer Associates assigned to your project. Supervision support funds can be directed to more than one staff member of your organization or a subrecipient, but **all listed personnel must directly supervise VISTA s, Leaders**  **and/ or Summer**  **Associates** in: recruitment and selection; preparation of individual assignment descriptions; orientation to the project; day
- to - day oversight; preparation of service verification documents; and/or preparation of project progress reports. Supervision support funds may not be used to pay

for preparation of Concept Paper, Project Application or renewal/continuation applications. **Staff other than the project supervisor(s) may be not reimbursed with VISTA grant dollar**  **s.** In formation abo ut each supervisor should be listed along with a position title; salary amount; and the percentage of time devoted to VI STA supervision **.** Click “a dd a new budget item ” and complete the requested information to apply for supervis ion support funds :
 For “Position/Title” enter the current or intended title of the individual(s) devoted to supervis ion
.
 For “ Qty” enter the number of individuals who match this exact title, salary and who will spend the same percentage of time devoted to supervis ion . You s hould complete new line items for individuals with different characteristics.

 For “Annual Salary” enter the annual salary for one individual.

 For “ % Time ” enter the percentage of time that each person listed above will spend on supervis ion
. The percent listed should n ot exceed the percentage of actual time devoted to supervision by

each individual
.
 Click into the box called “CNCS Share.” R efer to the “Total Amount” calculated by eGrants and enter the portion of the amount that you are requesting from CNCS . For example, if the “T otal Amount ” field shows $10,000 and you wish to request CNCS will fund half of these supervision costs, then you would enter $5000 in the “CNCS Share” box.

 For “Grantee Share” refer to the “ Total Amount” calculated b y eGrants and enter the portion of the amount that your organization will provide. The amounts entered in “CNCS Share” and “Grantee Share” must add up to equal the “Total Amount.” Note: Organizations with multiple supervisors with different salaries, titles or other differing characteristics should create separate line items. **P ersonnel Fringe Benefits**  C omplete this line item to apply for grant funds for the costs of personnel benefits for the individuals who will be supervising VISTAs, Leaders and/or Summer Associates.5

Fringe benefits are allowable VI STA support grant line items only for individuals listed above in “ Project Personnel Expenses ” and who are receiving salary support from CNCS . Allowable benefits include FICA, Health Insurance, Retirement, and Life Insurance. Benefit items should only include the items that are paid b y the organization to other staff. The percentage of benefits paid must be less than or equal to the percentage of salary support being requested. To determine the maximum percentage of salary support that can be requested, refer to the relevant “Project Personnel Expenses” line item pop
- u p window and divide “CNCS Share” b y “Total Amount.” This percent can be multiplied by each fringe benefit’s total cost to determine the maximum amount that can be requested from CNCS. In formation about each fringe benefit request should be listed along w ith a description ; total fringe benefit annual amount; the percentage of time devoted to VI STA supervision **;** and the percentage of the overall fringe benefit costs being requested from CNCS **.** Click “a dd a new budget item ” and complete the requested information to apply for fringe benefit support funds. Example: An individual will spend 20% of their time devoted to VI STA supervision and the applicant organization is requesting grant funds from CNCS for 50% of the costs of salary support for that time
. In total, this applicant is requesting VI STA support grant funds to pay for 1 0% (0.20 * 0.50 = 0.10) of the annual supervisor salary . Thus, they may only request CNCS Share to cover up to 1 0% of total annual fringe benefits: **Item:** Health Insurance for Supervisor 1 **Description of personnel fring e benefits**  **:**

- Annual Health Insurance costs for Supervisor 1 are $4000.

- 20% of Supervisor 1’s time will be spent supervising VISTAs.

- We are requesting that CNCS provide grant funds to cover 50% of the costs fo r Supervisor 1’s annual health insurance costs of this time, or 1 0% (20% * 50% = 10%)
. **Total Amount** : = ( $ Total annual fringe c osts ) * ( % of t ime s upervising VISTAs )

= $ 4000 * 20% = $ 800 **CNCS Share :**  = ( $ Total amount) * (% requested from CNCS)

= $ 800 * 50% = $ 40 0 **Grantee Share** : = ( $ Total Amount)

– ( $ CNCS Share )

= $800
- $400 = $ 40 0 NOTE: Grantees must complete National Service Criminal History Checks on the supervisors who receive part or all of the salary from CNCS federal funds. You can find more information on the CNCS website at **http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_organizations/manage/history_checks.asp** . **Local Travel** C omplete this line item to apply for grant funds for the costs of travel incurred for local subrecipient monitoring by the individuals who will be supervising VISTAs, Leaders and/or Summer Associates.6

Local travel support funds may be requested by

your organization for full or partial funding to cover travel expenses incurred for local subrecipient monitoring, but only in those cases where such support is necessary

for compliance and for the effective functioning of the VI STAs, leaders, or summer associates on the project and where such support for project staff travel cannot be met within the yo ur organization’s own structure and resources. Grants for project staff travel are in the amount of the costs of public transportation or, where public transportation is not adequate, in the amount of the Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) Mileage Reimb ursement Rate. The POV mileage reimbursement rate should be at least the rate applied to all travel within your organization and no greater than the federal mileage rate. If there is no standard rate within your organization, then the federal mileage rat e sh ould be applied. (Current federal mileage rates can be found at : http://www.gsa.gov/mileage ) Your organization will be responsible for an y expenses incurred for such travel over the agreed amount. Click “a dd a new budget item ” and complete the requested information to apply for local travel support funds for project staff: For “Purpose” enter i nformation about the purpose of local travel , including position title of project staff. (e.g. Project Supervisor travel to monitor local sites A , B and C.) For “Calculation” enter a description in the form of an equation
. ( e.g., 1 Supervisor traveling @ $25/trip for 2 trips = $50
. Include costs for transportation and other related expenses , such as bus passes to local sites, mileage rates, etc. ) E nter information into the “CNCS Share” box for resources you are requesting from CNCS . Enter information into the “ Grantee Share ” box for resources your organization is contributin g. Do not enter an y information into the “ Member Support ” box
. **Long Distance Travel** C omplete this line item to apply for grant funds for the costs of travel incurred for long distance s ubrecipient monitoring by the individuals who will be supervising VISTAs, Leaders and/or Summer Associates. Lo ng distance travel support funds may be requested by

your organization for full or partial funding to cover travel expenses incurred for su brecipient monitoring, but onl y in those cases where such support is necessary

for compliance and for the effective functioning of the VI STAs, leaders, or summer associates on the project and where such support for project staff travel cannot be met within your organization’s own struc ture and resources. Grants for project staff travel are in the amount of the costs of public transportation or, where public transportation is not adequate, in the amount of the Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) Mileage Reimbursement Rates. The POV mileage reimbursement rate sho uld be at least the rate applied to all travel within your organization and no greater than the federal mileage rate. If there is no standard rate within your organization, then the federal mileage rate should be applied. (Current federal mileage rates can be found at: http://www.gsa.gov/mileage )7

Your organization will be responsible for an y expenses incurred for such travel over the agreed amount. Click “a dd a new budget item ” and complete the requested infor mation to apply

for project staff travel support funds: For “Purpose” enter i nformation about the purpose of project staff travel , including position title. . (e.g. Project Supervisor travel to monitor sites A and B ) For “Calculation” enter a descriptio n in the form of an equation
. ( e.g., 1 Supervisor traveling @ $25 0 /trip for 2 trips = $50 0 . Include costs for transportation and other related expenses, such as bus passes , mileage rates, hotel expenses, etc. ) E nter information into the “CNCS Share” box for resources you are requesting from CNCS . Enter information into the “ Grantee Share ” box for resources your organization is contributing. Do not enter an y information into the “ Member Support ” box
. **Equipment /**  **Supplies /C**  **ontractual Services** Equipment , s upplies and contractual services are not allowable costs for VISTA Support Grants. You may - add line items to document the resources that your organization will provi de to support the VI STA project. **Other Volunteer Support Costs**  The Communications, Printing and Logistics line items are not allowable costs for VI STA Support Grants. You may wish to add line items to document the resources that your organization will provi de to support the VI STA project. Audits Audits are allowable costs if your organization meets OMB threshold requirements
. The current requirement sets forth that a single or program
- specific audit is required if a Non
- Federal entit y expends $500,000 or more in a year in Federal awards. I f an audit is required because your organization meets the threshold, VISTA grant funds may be provided on a pro
- rated charge that is determined among the federal programs involved. You may forecast the amount of audit costs based on your funding history

and contact your CNCS State Office if the amount changes. In formation about audits can be added to this section. Click “Add a New Budget item” to enter a udit information
. For “Item” enter i nformation about the audit, including the total amount and the portion s of funding that your organization receives from various federal agencies. E xample: I f an organization received 50% of their federal funding from Health and Human Services, 40% of federal funding from the Department of Education, and 10% of federal funding from CNCS , then a reasonable allocation of costs might be to charge the audit according to the percent of federal funds received (10% for CNCS in this example)
. This applicant m ight request CNCS t o cover up to 10% of total annual audit amount : **Item** : Our total audit costs are $4000. 5 0% of our funding is from HHS, 40% is from8 DOE, and 10% will be from CNCS. We are requesting that CNCS provide funds to cover costs for 10% of total audit costs. **Total Amount** : = ($Annual audit costs) * (% of funding from CNCS)

= $4000 * 10% = $ 4 00 **CNCS Share** : = ($Total amount) * (% requested from CNCS)

= $400 * 100% = $400 **Grantee Share** : = ($Total Amount)

– ($ CNCS Share)

= $400
- $400 = $0 **Indirect Costs** Due to the limited scope of a VI STA Support Grant, this line item is not an allowable cost for VISTA Support Grants. **Budget Section 2.**  **Volunteer Expenses (Required)** You must complete certain budget line items in this section. Your proposed budget should be sufficient to allow you to perform the tasks described in your proposal narrative. You may wish to add line items to document the resources that your organization will provide to support the VI STA project. **Full Time ( Federal)**  Only complete this line item to apply for non - cost share positions. For information about cost share, contact your CNCS State Offic e . Click “a dd a new budget item ” under Full
- time (Federal) and complete the requested information to apply for VISTAs or Leaders. For Description/sit es, use a project site name and county ( e.g. , Crawford County F inancial Fitness/Richland County)
. For the “# Mbr” field, e nter th e number of requested members that will serve with that project component . Select the living allowance rate. Living allowance rates are determined b y county. For the current county living allowance rate, contact your CNCS State Office. The total amount should calculate and appear in the “ Federal Share” column , Note: If you propose to have VISTAs serving in different project components at different sites, add a new budget item and provide specific information about that component. For example, VI STAs proposed for three sites in three different counties may receive dif

ferent living allowance rates, so you would complete a budget item for Site 1, then for Site 2, and then for Site 3. Also, VI STAs and Leaders receive different living allowance rates and should be entered separatel y. A dd as man y budget items as needed by selecting “ add a new budget item. ”9

**Full Time ( non**  **- Federal)**  Only complete this section to apply for cost share positions. For information about cost share, contact your CNCS State Offic e . Click “a dd a new budget item ” under Full
- time (non - Federal) and complete the requested information to apply for cost share VISTAs or Leaders. For Description/sit es, use a project site name and issue area (e.g. , Crawford County F inancial Fitness/Asset Building )
. For the “# Mbr” field, e nter th e number of requested cost share members that will serve with that project component
. Select the living allowance rate. Living allowance rates are determined b y county. For the current county living allowance rate, contact your CNCS State Office. The total amount should calculate and appear in the “Grantee Share” column. Note: If you propose to have VISTAs serving in different project components at different sites, add a new budget item and provide specific information about that component. For example, VI STAs proposed for three sites in three different counties may receive different living allowance rates, so you would complete a budget item for Site 1, then for Site 2, and then for Site 3. Also, VI STAs and Leaders receive different living allowan ce rates and should be entered separatel y. A dd as man y budget items as needed by selecting “ add a new budget item. ” **Summer Associate (Federal) and Summer Associate (non -**  **Federal) Summer Associate (Federal) and Summer Associate (non**  **- Federal)**  Only existing sponsors may participate in the Summer Associate program. Unless you have been directed to complete an amendment to specifically add Summer Associates or the CNCS State Office has not indicated in the system that your organization can apply for Summer Associates, you will not see this option in your budget. For i nformation about the Summer Associate program, contact your CNCS State Offic e . **Education and End of Service Awards**  VI STAs have a choice between two end
- of
- service options, an education award and a cash stipend, both of which are provided after a successful completion of service. Nationally , about 80 percent of members choose the education award; 20 percent choose the cash stipend. However for the purposes of this project application it is not necessary to estimate the number of VISTAs selecting each option. The budget will calculate the total dollar amount of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for each of the VISTAs and VI STA Leaders.
**Health coverage**  The total amount of the cost of health care coverage will be auto
- calculated using the current dollar amount per VISTA and VI STA Leader.10

**Travel** C omplete this line item to request VISTA support grant funds for service
- related transportation for VISTAs, Leaders and Summer Associates serving on the project
. Service
- related transportation is transportation related to fulfilling the VISTA's day
- to - day service duties at the project site. Do not list daily commute, CNCS invitational training travel or relocation travel costs in this section. You may also wish document the resources that your organization will provide to support the VISTA project. Sponsors are responsible for the costs of service
- related transportation for VISTAs, Leaders, and Summer Associates. Support grant funds may be requested by

your organization for full or partial funding for service
- related transportation of VISTAs, L eaders, or S ummer A ssociates, but only in those cases where such support is necessary and appropriat e to ensure that a VISTA, L eader, or S ummer A ssociate has available such service
- related transportation necessary to carry out the purpose of the VISTA program and to perform effectively the work to which the y are assigned and where yo ur organization is unable to provide such service
- related transportation with its own structure and resources. Grants for service
- related transportation are in the amount of the costs of public transportation or, where public transportation is not adequate, in the amount of Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) Mileage Reimbursement Rates. The POV mileage reimbursement rate should be at least the rate applied to all travel within your organization, up to the federal mileage rate. If there is no standard rate within your organizati on, then use the feder al mileage rate
. You will be responsible for an y expenses incurred for service
- related transportation over the agreed amount. A grant for service
- related transportation may not be used to:  Cover relocation costs of a VISTA, Leade r or Summer Associate, since those costs are provided directl y b y CNCS  Cover the costs of VISTAs, L eaders, or S ummer A ssociates traveling from their residence to and from their service site ( i
. e ., daily commuting costs)  Cover costs of p rovid ing direct services to the beneficiaries of the VISTA project (e.g., delivering meals)  Cover travel costs for training (e.g., Pre - Service Orientation) Click “a dd a new budget item ” and complete the requested information to apply for service
- related trans portation support grant funds
. For “Item/Description” enter a description of the purpose of the service
- related transportation. For “Calculation” provide a description in the form of an equation that includes costs for transportation and other related expenses for members to travel outside their service location or between sites, such as bus passes to local sites, mileage reimbursement for use of car, etc. For example: 3 VI STAs traveling @ $2.50 / bus trip for 10 trips = $75
. For “Total Amount” enter the total cost for service
- related transportation for the VISTA project
.11

For “CNCS Share” enter the portion of the “Total Amount” that you are requesting from CNCS . For “Grantee Share” enter the portion of the “Total Amount” that your organization will provide from its own resources. Do not enter an y information into the “ Member Support ” box
. **Other Volunteer Expenses** Pre
- Service Orientation (PSO) It is the responsibility

of the VI STA program to provide funding and access to P re - Servi ce Orientation (P SO ) to ensure the VI STAs’ ability to effectively

carry out their assignments. In exceptional instances, CNCS may determine that a sponsor should implement the PSO curriculum on behalf of CNCS . In such instances , the organization may be eligible to receive VI STA support grant funds to do so
. To be eligible to receive VISTA support grant funds to implement PSO, CNCS must make a determination that:  It is in the interests of the VI STA program  The sponsor is capable of implementing the curriculum and managing the logistics to ensure that VI STAs have the training necessary to carry out the purpose of the VISTA program and to perform effectivel y the work to which the VISTAs are assigned. An applicant interested in implementing the PSO should contact the CNCS State Office. If CNCS determines that an application for grant funds for PSO is warranted, the applicant request s funds by clicking “a dd a new budget i tem ” and complet ing the requested inf ormation. Applicants should:  Describe the purpose of the training  Id entify

the number of individuals that will be trained, along with an estimated cost per individual  Describe an y training
- related travel needs, such as costs for transportation, lodging, per diem, and other travel related expenses multiplied by the number of trips/participant  Describe costs for fingerprinting of VI STA candidates and members for criminal history check CNCS determines the amount of the grant for PSO based on the actual costs of the training and available funds. **Once you have entered your budget information in eGrants, you will be asked to validate your budget, and eGrants will check your submission for errors.**  **FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CASH GRANT APPLICANTS**  CNCS uses the Health and Human Services (HHS) “Pay ment Management Sy stem” for the disbursement of grant funds. HHS requires that all CNCS grantees and potential CNCS grantees complete these account set - up f orms to be ready for entry in the “Payment Management Sy stem.”12

Preparation and submission of the forms in coordination with your grant application is encouraged. However, submission of these forms does not guarantee that your application will be approved for funding. Please note th at current grantees already using the PMS sy stem do not need to re - submit the forms. Before a grant award can be made, you must complete the following three documents to prepare to set up your “Pay

ment Management Sy stem” account:  Direct Deposit Sign
- Up fo rm (SF
- 1199A);  Recipient Contact Form; and  F inancial Management Survey (FMS) Form. Please read the instructions very c arefully
. An y mistakes that are made on the forms will cause HHS/PMS to reject them. Mistakes include: any alteration of the text of the form; erasure of text; whited out text; or scratched out text. The documents may b e downloaded from the Forms Library o n the CNCS website or requested from your CNCS State Office. Please submit original forms only (photocopies will not be accepted) via traceable mail or courier to the address below. ATTN: 1199A FORMS VI STA Corporation for National and Community Service Field Financial Management Center (FFMC) The Curtis Center 601 Walnut Street Room 876 - E Philadelphia, PA 1910613