AmeriCorps VISTA Support Grant 

FY 2018 GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 Effective October 1, 2017
 

These Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) Grant Terms and Conditions are binding 

on the recipient. By accepting funds under this award, the recipient agrees to comply with, and include 

in all awards, these program-specific Grant Terms and Conditions, the CNCS general grant terms and 

conditions, all applicable federal statutes, regulations and guidelines, and any amendments thereto. The 

grantee agrees to operate the funded program in accordance with the approved grant application and 

budget, supporting documents, and other representations made in support of the approved grant 

application. The term recipient is used to connote either grant recipient or subrecipient, as appropriate, 

throughout these Grant Terms and Conditions. 

Table of Contents 

A. Grant Period ...................................................................................................................................... 2 

B. Reporting Requirements ................................................................................................................... 2 

C. Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) .................................................................................................... 3 

D. Federal Financial Reporting/Disbursements.................................................................................... 3 

E. Project Progress Report ..................................................................................................................... 3 

F. Recognition of Federal Funding ........................................................................................................ 3 

G. Program/Project Manager Authority ............................................................................................... 3 

H. External and Data Collection .......................................................................................................... 3 

I. Allowable Costs ................................................................................................................................. 4 

J. Subawards Prohibited ....................................................................................................................... 4 

K. Budget and Programmatic Changes................................................................................................. 4 

L. Lobby Disclosure .............................................................................................................................. 4 

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A. Grant	Period

Unless otherwise specified, the award covers a one year project period. If approving a multiyear project period, 

CNCS makes an initial award for the first budget period. Additional funding for subsequent budget periods is 

contingent upon satisfactory progress and the availability of funds. The project period and the budget are noted 

on the award document. 

B. ReportingRequirements

This section applies only to the recipient. The recipient is responsible for timely submission of periodic 

financial, progress, and member reports during the project period and a final financial report and for setting 

submission deadlines for its respective subrecipients, if applicable, that ensure the timely submission of recipient 

reports. 

1. Financial Reports (CNCS). The recipient shall complete and submit financial reports in eGrants to

report the status of all funds. The recipient must submit semi-annual cumulative financial reports 

in accordance with CNCS guidelines. 

2. Final Financial Report (CNCS). A recipient must submit, in lieu of the last semi-annual financial

report, a final financial report. These reports are due no later than 90 days after the end of the 

project period. 

3. Reporting at the Dept. of Health and Human Services/Payment Management System

(HHS/PMS). All recipients must submit the Federal Financial Report (FFR) and Cash 

Transactions Report on a quarterly basis to the HHS/PMS per the Electronic Funds Transfer 

Agreement. 

4. Progress Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit timely progress reports to include a

summary of accomplishments during the reporting period. This includes reporting on the progress to 

date made by the recipient and subrecipients for that reporting period. The report is submitted through 

eGrants. Individual program guidance determines the due date for the reports. 

5. Member Payments Report. The sponsor shall submit to the CNCS State Program Office at least

monthly, a report of AmeriCorps VISTA member payments disbursed, showing each member by 

name, and the amount of living allowances and deductions disbursed to AmeriCorps VISTA members. 

A photocopy of a computer printout or accounting ledger is acceptable proof of payments. 

6. Requests for Extensions. Extensions of reporting deadlines will be granted only when 1) the report

cannot be furnished in a timely manner for reasons, in the determination of CNCS, legitimately 

beyond the control of the grantee, and 2) CNCS receives a written request explaining the need for an 

extension before the due date of the report. 

Extensions of deadlines for financial reports may only be granted by the Field Financial 

Management Center (FFMC), and extensions of deadlines for progress reports may only be granted 

by the Program Office. 

7. Other. The recipient shall meet as necessary with the CNCS State Office or with other staff or

consultants designated by the CNCS Program Officer to exchange views, ideas, and information 

concerning the project. The recipient shall submit such special reports as may be reasonably requested 

by CNCS. 

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C. Federal	Financial	Reports	(CNCS)

CNCS Semi-Annual SF-425 Federal Financial Report. Sponsors complete a semi-annual Federal Financial Report 

(FFR), twice yearly in six month increments from the budget start date of the grant to report federal expenditures 

of funding. 

CNCS Final Federal Financial Report. Sponsors completing the final year of their grants must submit, in lieu of 

the last semi-annual FFR, a final FFR. The final FFR is cumulative over the performance period of the grant 

within 90 days after the close of the grant. Final FFRs must report expenditure of funds on a cumulative basis 

over the budget period of the grant, and must be submitted through the CNCS eGrants system. 

D. Federal	Financial	Reporting/Disbursements	(HHS)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System SF-425 

Federal Financial Report/Federal Cash Transaction Report (FCTR). CNCS issues VISTA Support grant funds to 

sponsors through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) Payment System. Sponsors receiving 

grant funds through this system must submit a Federal Financial Report (FFR) to report AmeriCorps VISTA 

CNCS federal funding disbursements and cash on hand, 30 days after each calendar quarter beginning with the 

first calendar quarter that contains the start date of the grant. FFR/FCTRs must report disbursement of funds on 

a cumulative basis over the performance period of the grant and be submitted through the HHS Payment 

Management System on the following schedule: 

Period Covering: Report Due No Later Than: 

January 1 to March 31 April 30 

April 1 to June 30 July 30 

July 1 to September 31 October 30 

October 1 to December 31 January 30 

E. Project	Progress	Report

The sponsor shall complete and submit Project Progress Reports via CNCS’ eGrants system to the CNCS State 

Program Office. The Project Progress Reports shall report on the progress toward achievement of project 

performance targets. Refer to the Project Progress Report instructions for current due dates. 

F. Recognition	of	Federal	Funding

When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, annual reports and other 

documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with CNCS money, the grantee receiving 

federal funds, including but not limited to state and local governments, shall clearly state (1) the percentage of the 

total cost of the program which will be financed with CNCS money, and (2) the dollar amount of CNCS funds for 

the project or program. 

G. Program/Project	ManagerAuthority

The Program/Project Manager for this award is listed on the first page of the Notice of Grant Award. The 

Program/Project Manager has full authority to represent CNCS in connection with management of the technical 

and programmatic performance of the award. They are not authorized to change the terms and conditions, 

estimated costs, or period of performance, or to give approvals, written or verbal, specifically reserved for the 

Grant Officer. 

H. External	and	Data	Collection

The grantee must cooperate with CNCS and its evaluators in all monitoring and evaluation efforts. As 

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part of this effort, the grantee must collect and submit certain project data, as defined in the AmeriCorps VISTA 

Progress Report Supplement, and must provide data as requested or needed to support external evaluations. 

I. Allowable	Costs

To be allowable under a VISTA grant award, costs must fit within the allowable cost categories specified in 

the VISTA Support Grant Budget instructions. 

J. Subawards	Prohibited

VISTA grant recipients may not make subawards. 

K. Budget	and	Programmatic	Changes

Approvals of Programmatic and Budget Changes. CNCS’s Grants Officers are the only officials who have the 

authority to alter or change the provisions or requirements of the grant. Programmatic changes also require final 

approval of CNCS’s Field Financial Management Center (FFMC) after written recommendation for approval is 

received from the CNCS State Office. The Grants Officers will execute written amendments, and Recipients 

should not assume approvals have been granted unless documentation from the Grants Office has been received. 

L. Lobby	Disclosure

For grant awards exceeding $100,000, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352, the Grantee is required to file a disclosure 

report, Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, at the end of any quarter, when the Grantee has 

paid or agreed to pay any lobbying entity 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 a covered Federal action. The report must be submitted to the CNCS State Program Director. 

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