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2017 Terms and Conditions for AMERICORPS STATE and 

NATIONAL GRANTS 

Effective May 1, 2017

These Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) Grant Program 

Specific Terms and Conditions and the General Terms and Conditions, are binding 

on the recipient. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

I. Changes from the 2016 AmeriCorps Grant Provisions 2

II. Definitions 2

III. Affiliation with the AmeriCorps National Service Network 3

IV. Member Recruitment, Selection, and Exit 4

V. Supervision and Support 6

VI. Changes in Member Positions 9

VII. Release from Participation 11

VIII. Living Allowances, Other In-Service Benefits, and Taxes 12

IX. Member Records and Confidentiality 15

X. Budget and Programmatic Changes 17

XI. Reporting Requirements 18

XII. Award Period and Incremental Funding 20

XIII. Program Income 20

XIV. Safety 21

XV. National Service Criminal History Check Training 21

XVI. Fixed Amount Awards 21

XVII. Breaches of Personally Identifiable Information 22
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I. CHANGES FROM THE 2016 AMERICORPS GRANT PROVISIONS

For your convenience, we have identified changes from last year’s AmeriCorps State and 

National grant terms and conditions. The list below is general and informational in 

nature, not comprehensive. We reiterate the importance of reviewing all award terms and 

conditions, because recipients are responsible for knowing, understanding, and 

complying with all award terms and conditions.

1. Section VIII.F. – Changed the title of the section and included language 

regarding temporarily suspended members with regards to the childcare 

benefit program. 

2. Section X.C.I. - Updated the language regarding pre-approval of costs.

3. Revised Section XV. – Updated the link for the e-Course and included 

Litmos access information.

4. Section XVII – Added the section on Breaches of PII

II. DEFINITIONS

A. Recipient, for the purposes of this agreement, means the direct recipient 

of this award. The recipient is legally accountable to CNCS for the use of 

award funds, or member positions, and is bound by the provisions of the 

award. The recipient is responsible for ensuring that subrecipients or other 

organizations carrying out activities under this award comply with all 

applicable Federal requirements, including the CNCS General Terms and 

Conditions, these specific terms and conditions, regulations applicable to 

the program, and the NCSA.

B. Planning Grant, for the purposes of this agreement, is an award or 

subaward for the planning of a national service program. State Service 

Commissions may also award planning grants as part of their Formula 

Cost Reimbursement prime award. Planning grants do not include member

positions. Planning grants are awarded for a maximum of one year, and

may not exceed $75,000 per program.

C. Subrecipient refers to an organization receiving AmeriCorps award funds 

or member positions from a recipient of CNCS funds. See 2 CFR § 

200.93. 

D. Operating site means the organization that manages the AmeriCorps 

program and places members into service locations. State subrecipients 

(programs) are operating sites. National recipients must identify at least 

one operating site to which they can assign service locations in the state 

where they are placing members. 

E. Program refers to the activities supported under the award.
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F. Service Location means the organization where or with which a member 

actually provides his or her service in the community. Typical service 

locations are schools, food banks, health clinics, community parks, etc. 

The service location may be the same as the operating site, but only if the 

member actually serves at or with the operating site organization. A 

member may serve at multiple service locations, all of which must be 

listed in the portal, although the program must select only one for the 

member’s primary assignment. 

G. Member or participant means an individual:

1. Who has been selected by a recipient or subrecipient to serve 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 in a full-time, 

year-round youth corps or full-time summer program as defined in 

the NCSA (42 U.S.C. § 12572 (a)(3)(B)(x)), in which case he or 

she must be between the ages of 16 and 25, inclusive, and

4. Who has received a high school diploma or its equivalent, agrees 

to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent (unless this 

requirement is waived based on an individual education assessment 

conducted by the program) and the individual did not drop out of 

an elementary or secondary school to enroll in the program, or is 

enrolled in an institution of higher education on an ability to 

benefit basis and is considered eligible for funds under 20 U.S.C. §

1091 (See Section IX. B.).

 

H. NCSA means the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as 

amended. See 45 U.S.C. §§ 12501-12657.

III. AFFILIATION WITH THE AMERICORPS NATIONAL SERVICE 

PROGRAM

A. Identification as an AmeriCorps Program or Member. The recipient 

shall identify the program as an AmeriCorps program and members as 

AmeriCorps members. All agreements with subrecipients, operating sites, 

or service locations, related to the AmeriCorps program must explicitly 

state that the program is an AmeriCorps program and AmeriCorps 

members are the resource being provided.

B. The AmeriCorps Name and Logo. AmeriCorps is a registered service 

mark of CNCS. CNCS provides a camera-ready logo. All recipient and 

subrecipient websites shall clearly state that they are an AmeriCorps 

recipient and shall prominently display the AmeriCorps logo. Recipients 

and subrecipients shall use the AmeriCorps name and logo on service gear 
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and public materials such as stationery, application forms, recruitment 

brochures, on-line position postings or other recruitment materials, 

orientation materials, member curriculum materials, signs, banners,

websites, social media, press releases, and publications related to their 

AmeriCorps program in accordance with CNCS requirements. 

To publicize the relationship between the program and AmeriCorps, the 

recipient shall describe their program as “an AmeriCorps 

program.” Recipients shall provide information or training to their 

AmeriCorps members about how their program is part of the national 

AmeriCorps program and about the other national service programs of 

CNCS. Recipients are strongly encouraged to place signs that include the 

AmeriCorps name and logo at their service sites and may use the slogan 

“AmeriCorps Serving Here.” AmeriCorps members should state that they 

are AmeriCorps members during public speaking opportunities.

The recipient may not alter the AmeriCorps logo, and must obtain written 

permission from CNCS before using the AmeriCorps name or logo on 

materials that will be sold, or permitting donors to use the AmeriCorps 

name or logo in promotional materials. The recipient may not use or 

display the AmeriCorps name or logo in connection with any activity 

prohibited by statute, regulation, or CNCS General Terms and Conditions, 

and these specific award terms and conditions.

IV. MEMBER RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND EXIT

Member recruitment and selection requirements are in CNCS’s regulations at 45 

CFR §§ 2522.210 and Part 2540, subpart B. In addition, the recipient must ensure 

that the following procedures are followed:

A. Notice to CNCS’s National Service Trust. The recipient must notify 

CNCS’s National Service Trust, via the MyAmeriCorps Portal, within 30 

days of a member’s start of, completion of, suspension from, or release 

from, a term of service. Suspension of service is defined as an extended 

period during which the member is not serving, nor accumulating service 

hours or receiving AmeriCorps benefits. AmeriCorps members must 

complete their own enrollment and exit forms on-line in the 

MyAmeriCorps Member Portal. All competitive recipients and 

subrecipients that wish to utilize staff Portal enrollments and exits without 

members completing enrollment and exit forms must send a request to 

their CNCS Program Officer. (Subrecipient requests should be submitted 

by state commissions.) Requests will be approved in cases where the 

recipient or subrecipient is able to demonstrate that technological 

limitations make it impossible or extremely burdensome for members to 

complete their own enrollment and exit forms in the Portal. Technological 

limitations would include lack of internet access, computer, and/or cell 

phone, or a member population with low computer literacy skills that 
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cannot be addressed through training or technical assistance. For formula 

programs, state commissions may choose to review requests from their 

subrecipients, consistent with the conditions outlined above, or they may 

choose not to allow any subrecipients to use paper forms. Approved 

waivers are valid for one-year only. Recipients are required to reapply for 

a waiver each year as necessary. 

The recipient also must notify the Trust, via the My AmeriCorps Portal, 

when a change in a member’s term of service is approved and changed 

(i.e. from full-time to less than full-time or vice versa). Failure to report 

such changes within 30 days may result in sanctions to the recipient, up to 

and including, suspension or termination of the award. Recipients or 

subrecipients meet notification requirements by using the appropriate 

electronic system to inform CNCS of changes within the required time 

frames. Any questions regarding the Trust should be directed to the Trust 

Office (800) 942-2677. 

B. Parental Consent. Parental or legal guardian consent must be obtained 

for members under 18 years of age before members begin a term of 

service. Recipients may also include an informed consent form of their 

own design as part of the member service agreement materials. 

C. Reasonable Accommodation. Programs and activities must be accessible 

to persons with disabilities, and the recipient must provide reasonable 

accommodation to the known mental or physical disabilities of otherwise 

qualified members, service recipients, applicants, and staff. All selections 

and project assignments must be made without regard to the need to 

provide reasonable accommodation. See the FAQ for more information: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/upload/policy%20FAQs

%207.31.14%20final%20working%20hyperlink.pdf.

D. Assigning Members to Service Locations. The recipient is required to 

ensure that all operating sites and all service locations are entered in the 

My AmeriCorps portal for all members within 30 days of members’ 

starting a term of service. The recipient is required to include the name of 

the organization, and the full address or zip-plus-four of the service 

locations where each member will be serving. If a member is serving at 

multiple service locations, the program must select as the member’s

primary assignment the one where the member serves a majority of his or 

her hours. However, all service locations must be listed in the portal. 

E. Completion of Terms of Service. The recipient must ensure that each 

member has sufficient opportunity to complete the required number of 

hours of service to qualify for the education award. Members must be 

exited within 30 days of the end of their term of service. If this award 

expires or is not renewed, a member who was scheduled to continue in a 
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term of service may either be placed in another program, where feasible, 

or if the member has completed at least 15% of the service hour 

requirement, the member may receive a pro-rated education award. 

F. Member Exit. In order for a member to receive an education award from 

the National Service Trust, the recipient must certify to the National 

Service Trust that the member satisfactorily and successfully completed 

the term of service, and is eligible to receive the education benefit. The 

recipient (and any individual or entity acting on behalf of the recipient) is 

responsible for the accuracy of the information certified on the end-ofterm certification. 

G. Penalties for false information: Any individual who makes a materially 

false statement or representation in connection with the approval or 

disbursement of an education award or other payment from the National 

Service Trust may be liable for the recovery of funds and subject to civil 

and criminal sanctions. 

V. SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT

A. Planning for the Term of Service. The recipient must develop member 

positions that provide for meaningful service activities and performance 

criteria that are appropriate to the skill level of members. The recipient is 

responsible for ensuring that the positions do not include or put the 

AmeriCorps member in a situation in which the member is at risk for 

engaging in any prohibited activity (see 45 CFR § 2520.65), activity that 

would violate the non-duplication and non-displacement requirements (see 

45 CFR § 2540.100), or exceeding the limitations on allowable

fundraising activity (see 45 CFR §§ 2520.40-.45). The recipient must 

accurately and completely describe the activities to be performed by each 

member in a position description. Position descriptions must be provided 

to CNCS upon request. The recipient must ensure that each member has 

sufficient opportunity to complete the required number of hours to qualify 

for an education award. In planning for the member’s term of service, the 

recipient must account for holidays and other time off, and must provide 

each member with sufficient opportunity to make up missed hours.

B. Member Service Agreements. The recipient must require that each 

member sign a member service agreement that includes, at a minimum, 

the following:

1. Member position description;

2. The minimum number of service hours (as required by statute) and 

other requirements (as developed by the recipient) necessary to 

successfully complete the term of service and to be eligible for the 

education award;
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3. The amount of the education award being offered for successful 

completion of the terms of service in which the individual is 

enrolling;

4. Standards of conduct, as developed by the recipient or sub

recipient;

5. The list of prohibited activities, including those specified in the 

regulations at 45 CFR § 2520.65 (see paragraph C, below);

6. The text of 45 CFR §§ 2540.100(e)-(f), which relates to Nonduplication and Nondisplacement;

7. The text of 45 CFR §§ 2520.40-.45, which relates to fundraising by 

members; 

8. Requirements under the Drug-Free Workplace Act (41 U.S.C. § 

701 et seq.);

9. Civil rights requirements, complaint procedures, and rights of 

beneficiaries;

10. Suspension and termination rules;

11. The specific circumstances under which a member may be released 

for cause;

12. Grievance procedures; and

13. Other requirements established by the recipient.

The recipient should ensure that the service agreement is signed before 

commencement of service so that members are fully aware of their rights 

and responsibilities.

C. Prohibited Activities. While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, 

accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities 

supported by the AmeriCorps program or CNCS, staff and members may 

not engage in the following activities (see 45 CFR § 2520.65): 

1. Attempting to influence legislation; 

2. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; 

3. Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing; 

4. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining 

agreements; 

5. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed 

to influence the outcome of an election to any public office; 

6. 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; 

7. 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 
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primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, 

or engaging in any form of religious proselytization; 

8. Providing a direct benefit to—

a. A business organized for profit;

b. A labor union;

c. A partisan political organization;

d. A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the 

restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 

Revenue Code of 1986 related to engaging in political 

activities or substantial amount of lobbying except that 

nothing in these provisions shall be construed to prevent 

participants from engaging in advocacy activities 

undertaken at their own initiative; and

e. An organization engaged in the religious activities 

described in paragraph C. 7. above, unless CNCS

assistance is not used to support those religious activities; 

9. Conducting a voter registration drive or using CNCS funds to

conduct a voter registration drive; 

10. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; 

and 

11. Such other activities as CNCS may prohibit. 

AmeriCorps members may not engage in the above activities directly or 

indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary 

purpose of engaging in one of the activities listed above. Individuals may 

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

listed above on their initiative, on non-AmeriCorps time, and using nonCNCS funds. Individuals should not wear the AmeriCorps logo while 

doing so.

D. Supervision. The recipient must provide members with adequate 

supervision by qualified supervisors consistent with the award. The 

recipient must conduct an orientation for members, including training on 

what activities are prohibited during AmeriCorps service hours, and 

comply with any pre-service orientation or training required by CNCS. 

The recipient must ensure that it does not exceed the limitation on member 

service hours spent in education and training set forth in 45 CFR § 

2520.50. 

E. Performance Reviews. The recipient must conduct and keep a record of 

at least a midterm and an end-of-term written evaluation of each member’s 

performance for Full and Half-Time members and an end-of-term written 

evaluation for less than Half-time members. The end-of-term evaluation 

should address, at a minimum, the following factors:

1. Whether the member has completed the required number of hours;
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2. Whether the member has satisfactorily completed assignments; and

3. Whether the member has met other performance criteria that were 

clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

F. Timekeeping. The recipient is required to ensure that time and attendance 

recordkeeping is conducted by the AmeriCorps member’s supervisor. 

This time and attendance record is used to document member eligibility 

for in-service and post-service benefits. The recipient must have a 

timekeeping system that is compliant with 2 CFR § 200.430.

If a Professional Corps program wants to follow the timekeeping practices 

of its profession and certify that members have completed the minimum 

required hours, excluding sick and vacation days, it must get advance 

written approval from CNCS. If a State Commission Formula funded 

Professional Corps program wants to follow the timekeeping practices of 

its profession and certify that members have completed the minimum 

required hours, excluding sick and vacation days, it must get advance 

written approval from the State Commission.

G. Member Death or Injury. The recipient must immediately report any 

member deaths or serious injuries to the designated CNCS Program 

Officer. 

VI. CHANGES IN MEMBER POSITIONS

A. Changes that Require CNCS Approval. Circumstances may arise 

within a program that necessitate changing the type of unfilled 

AmeriCorps member positions awarded to a recipient or subrecipient, or 

changing the term of service of a currently enrolled member. Note that 

once a member is exited with a partial education award, the remaining 

portion of that education award is not available for use. The following 

changes require written approval from CNCS’s Office of Grants 

Management as well as written approval and concurrence from the State 

Commission or Direct (including National Direct, State Direct, Tribal, 

Territory Direct, or Education Award Only (EAP)) recipient:

1. A change in the number of member service year (MSY) positions 

in the award; and/or

2. A change in the funding level of the award.

B. Changing Types of Unfilled member positions. Recipients or 

subrecipients may change the type of member positions awarded to their 

program if: 

1. The change does not increase the total MSYs authorized in the 

Notice of Grant Award (e.g. one half-time position cannot be 

changed to one full-time position); and
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2. The change does not result in an increase in the value of the 

education award; and, 

3. If the award is a Full-cost Fixed Amount or Professional Corps 

Fixed Amount award, the member position will be filled by a 

member serving in a full-time capacity.

Changes in types of member positions may be made by the recipient 

directly in the My AmeriCorps Portal.

C. Changing a Term of Service for an enrolled Member. Changes in 

terms of service for enrolled members may not result in an increased 

number of MSYs for the program. With the exception of Education Award 

only awards, recipients with Fixed Amount awards may not convert 

members to less-than-full-time member positions. All changes to types of 

member positions are subject to availability of funds in the Trust. 

1. Full-time. State Commissions and National Direct Organizations 

may authorize or approve occasional changes of currently enrolled 

full-time members to less than full-time members. Impact on 

program quality should be factored into approval of such requests. 

CNCS-provided or funded health care or childcare costs are not 

available for less than full-time members. Recipients and 

subrecipients may not transfer currently enrolled full-time 

members to a less than full-time status simply to provide the 

member a less than full-time education award. 

2. Less than Full-time. CNCS discourages changing less than fulltime members to full-time because it is very difficult to manage, 

unless done very early in the member’s term of service. State 

Commissions and Direct recipients (including National Direct, 

State Direct, Tribal, Territory Direct, and Education Award Only 

recipients) may authorize or approve such changes so long as their 

current budget can accommodate such changes. Programs must 

keep in mind that a member’s minimum 1700 hours must be 

completed within 12 months of the member’s original start date. 

3. Refilling Member Positions. With the exception of recipients

whose awards have special award conditions under 2 CFR §§

200.207 or 200.338, AmeriCorps State and National programs that 

have fully enrolled their awarded member positions are allowed to 

replace any member who terminates service before completing 30 

percent of his/her term provided that the member who is 

terminated is not eligible for and does not receive a pro-rated 

education award. Programs may not refill the same member 

position more than once.
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As a fail-safe mechanism to ensure that resources are available in 

the National Service Trust to finance all earned education awards, 

CNCS will suspend refilling if either:

a. Total AmeriCorps enrollment reaches 97 percent of 

awarded member positions; or

b. The number of refills reaches five percent of awarded 

member positions.

4. Direct recipients may transfer refill member positions between 

operating sites as long as they can ensure and document that the 

same member position is not refilled more than once. Recipients 

and subrecipients will require the assistance of a CNCS Program 

Officer in order to transfer refill member positions between 

operating sites. Refilled member positions may not be combined 

with unfilled member positions.

D. Formula and State Competitive Award Member Position Transfers. 

State commissions are allowed to transfer member positions among their 

state formula and competitive subrecipients within a given prime grant in 

order to maximize enrollment and cost effectiveness without prior 

approval. State commissions may not transfer member positions between 

competitive and formula subrecipients, or vice-versa. State commissions 

may not transfer funds among their competitive subrecipients. 

E. Notice to Childcare and Healthcare Providers. Recipients and 

subrecipients must immediately notify CNCS’s designated agents, in 

writing, when a Member’s status changes in a manner that affects their 

eligibility for childcare or healthcare. See Section VIII.D.

VII. RELEASE FROM PARTICIPATION

Recipients may release members from participation for two reasons: (a) for 

compelling personal circumstances; and (b) for cause. See 45 CFR § 2522.230 for 

requirements. Whether the reason for the release amounts to circumstances 

beyond the member’s control is determined by the recipient, consistent with the 

criteria listed in 45 CFR § 2522.230(a). Failure to follow the requirements set 

forth in regulation (e.g., releasing an individual for a non-compelling personal 

circumstance, such as when the individual is leaving to go to school) is considered 

non-compliance with award requirements and may result in disallowed costs and 

other remedies for non-compliance. The recipient should retain the 

documentation supporting its determination to release an individual for 

compelling personal circumstances. In addition to the regulations, the following 

applies:

No Automatic Disqualification if Released for Cause: A release for cause 

covers all circumstances in which a member does not successfully complete 

his/her term of service for reasons other than compelling personal circumstances. 
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Therefore, it is possible for a member to receive a satisfactory performance 

review and be released for cause. For example, a member who is released for 

cause from a first term–e.g. the individual has decided to take a job offer–but 

who-otherwise performed well-would, not be disqualified from enrolling for a 

subsequent term as long as the individual received a satisfactory performance 

evaluation for the first period of service.

VIII. LIVING ALLOWANCES, OTHER IN-SERVICE BENEFITS, AND TAXES

Requirements related to member living allowances and benefits are in 45 CFR §§ 

2522.240 and 2522.250. In addition, recipients must ensure that the following 

procedures are followed:

A. Living Allowance Distribution. A living allowance is not a wage. 

Recipients must not pay a living allowance on an hourly basis. Recipients

should pay the living allowance in regular increments, such as weekly or 

bi-weekly, paying an increased increment only on the basis of increased 

living expenses such as food, housing, or transportation. Payments should 

not fluctuate based on the number of hours served in a particular time 

period, and must cease when the member’s service ceases.

If a member serves all required hours and is permitted to conclude his or 

her term of service before the originally agreed upon end of term, the 

recipient may not provide a lump sum payment to the member. Similarly, 

if a member is selected after the program’s start date, the recipient must 

provide regular living allowance payments from the member’s start date 

and may not increase the member’s living allowance incremental payment 

or provide a lump sum to make up any missed payments.

Education Award Program Fixed Amount awards (EAPs) and Partnership 

Challenge awards may provide a living allowance or other in-service 

benefits to their members, but are not required to do so. Full-cost and 

other Fixed Amount recipients must provide a living allowance to their 

members.

B. Waiving the Living Allowance. If a living allowance is paid, a member 

may waive all or part of the payment of a living allowance if, for example,

he or she believes his or her public assistance may be lost or decreased 

because of the living allowance. Even if a member waives his or her right 

to receive the living allowance, it is possible—depending on the specific 

public assistance program rules—that the amount of the living allowance 

that the member is eligible to receive will be deemed available. A 

member who has waived the living allowance may revoke the waiver at 

any time and may begin receiving the living allowance going forward 

from the date the individual revoked the waiver. A member may not 

receive any portion of the living allowance for the period of time the 
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living allowance was waived.

C. Taxes and Insurance. 

1. Liability Insurance Coverage. The recipient is responsible for 

ensuring adequate general liability coverage for the organization, 

employees and members, including coverage of members engaged 

in on- and off-site project activities.

2. FICA (Social Security and Medicare taxes). Unless the recipient

obtains a ruling from the Social Security Administration or the 

Internal Revenue Service that specifically exempts its AmeriCorps 

members from FICA requirements, the recipient must pay FICA 

for any member receiving a living allowance. The recipient also 

must withhold 7.65% from the member’s living allowance.

3. Income Taxes. The recipient must withhold Federal personal 

income taxes from member living allowances, requiring each 

member to complete a W-4 form at the beginning of the term of 

service and providing a W-2 form at the close of the tax year. The 

recipient must comply with any applicable state or local tax 

requirements.

4. Worker’s Compensation. Some states require worker’s 

compensation for AmeriCorps members. Recipients must check 

with State Departments of Labor or state commissions to 

determine worker’s compensation requirements. If worker’s 

compensation is not required, recipients must obtain Occupational, 

Accidental, and Death and Dismemberment coverage for members 

to cover in-service injury or incidents.

D. Healthcare Coverage. Except for EAPs, Professional Corps, Partnership 

Challenge awards, or members covered under a collective bargaining 

agreement, the recipient must provide, or make available, healthcare 

insurance to those members serving a 1700-hour full-time term who are 

not otherwise covered by a healthcare policy at the time the member 

begins his/her term of service. The recipient must also provide, or make 

available, healthcare insurance to members serving a 1700-hour full-time 

term who lose coverage during their term of service as a result of service 

or through no deliberate act of their own. CNCS will not cover healthcare 

costs for dependent coverage. 

Less-than-full-time members who are serving in a full-time capacity for a 

sustained period of time (e.g. a full-time summer project) are eligible for 

healthcare benefits. Programs may provide health insurance to less-thanfull-time members serving in a full-time capacity, but they are not required 

to do so. For purposes of this provision, a member is serving in a full-time 

capacity when his/her regular term of service will involve performing 

service on a normal full-time schedule for a period of six weeks or 
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more. A member may be serving in a full-time capacity without regard to 

whether his/her agreed term of service will result in a full-time Segal 

AmeriCorps Education Award.

Any of the following health insurance options will satisfy the requirement 

for health insurance for full-time AmeriCorps members (or less than fulltime members serving in a full-time capacity): staying on parents’ or 

spouse plan; insurance obtained through the Federal Health Insurance 

Marketplace of at least the Bronze level plan; insurance obtained through 

private insurance broker; Medicaid, Medicare or military 

benefits. AmeriCorps programs purchasing their own health insurance for 

members must ensure plans are minimum essential coverage (MEC) and 

meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. 

On Friday May 2, 2014 the U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) announced a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for 

members in AmeriCorps State and National programs, who are not 

provided health insurance options or who are provided short-term limitedduration coverage or self-funded coverage not considered MEC. Members 

in the AmeriCorps State and National programs and their dependents in 

the Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) are eligible to enroll in 

Marketplace coverage when they experience the following triggering 

events:

 On the date they begin their service terms; and

 On the date they lose any coverage offered through their program 

after their service term ends. (Source: 45 CFR § 155.420(d)(9)).

Members have 60 days from the triggering event to select a plan. 

Coverage effective date is prospective based on the date of plan selection. 

A copy of the HHS Notice, which provides instructions on how to activate 

the special enrollment period, is available at 

https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Regulations-andGuidance/Downloads/SEP-and-hardship-FAQ-5-1-2014.pdf. Members 

can also visit healthcare.gov for additional information about special 

enrollment periods: https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-openenrollment/special-enrollment-period/.

If coverage is being provided via the Healthcare Marketplace, and thus 

third party payment is not an option, programs must develop a process to 

reimburse members for monthly premiums. Reimbursements for health 

insurance premiums are considered taxable income for the member, and 

programs must have a way to document such reimbursements.

E. Administration of Childcare Payments. In general, CNCS will provide 

for childcare payments, which will be administered through an outside 

contractor. Requirements and eligibility criteria are in the AmeriCorps 

regulations, 45 CFR § 2522.250. CNCS will not cover childcare costs for 

members who served on a less than full-time basis for a sustained period 
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of time, or who have ceased serving. Programs may provide child care to 

less-than-full-time members serving in a full-time capacity, but they are 

not required to do so. Recipients that choose to provide childcare and will 

claim the costs of childcare as matching costs, as approved in their budget,

may contact the childcare contractor for technical assistance. The criteria 

for member eligibility are contained in 45 CFR § 2522.250. Also see the 

FAQs, 

(http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/upload/policy%20FAQ

s%207.31.14%20final%20working%20hyperlink.pdf) for more detailed

information on administering childcare and healthcare benefits.

F. Notice to Childcare Benefit Administrator and Providers. The program 

must notify CNCS’s designated agents in writing within five business days 

after a member’s status changes in a manner that affects the member’s 

eligibility for childcare. After five days, the recipient will be liable for any 

erroneous payments made to a childcare provider for an AmeriCorps 

member ineligible to receive AmeriCorps childcare benefits. Examples of 

changes in status include: changes to a member's scheduled service so that 

he/she is no longer serving on a full-time basis, terminating or releasing a 

member from service, suspending a member for cause for a lengthy or 

indefinite time period, temporarily suspending a member for cause for a 

lengthy or indefinite time period, temporarily suspending a member and/or 

any other change in the member’s service status that could have an impact 

on childcare benefit eligibility. Program directors should contact the 

childcare provider on childcare related changes. 

 

IX. MEMBER RECORDS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

A. Recordkeeping. The recipient must maintain records, including the 

position description, sufficient to establish that each member was eligible 

to participate and that the member successfully completed all program 

requirements. A program may store member files electronically and use 

electronic signatures if the program can ensure the validity and integrity of 

the record and signature is maintained.

The program’s electronic storage procedures and system must provide for 

the safe-keeping and security of the records, including: 

1. Sufficient prevention of unauthorized alterations or erasures of 

records; 

2. Effective security measures to ensure that only authorized persons 

have access to records; 

3. Adequate measures designed to prevent physical damage to 

records; and

4. A system providing for back-up and recovery of records; and 
16

The electronic storage procedures and system provide for the easy 

retrieval of records in a timely fashion, including: 

1. Storage of the records in a physically accessible location; 

2. Clear and accurate labeling of all records; and

3. Storage of the records in a usable, readable format.

B. Verification of Eligibility. Unless an individual’s social security number 

and citizenship was verified through the My AmeriCorps Portal, the 

recipient must obtain and maintain documentation as required by 45 CFR 

§ 2522.200(c). CNCS does not require programs to make and retain copies 

of the actual documents used to confirm age or citizenship eligibility 

requirements, such as a driver’s license, or birth certificate, as long as the 

recipient has a consistent practice of identifying the documents that were 

reviewed and maintaining a record of the review. 

Enrolling in the My AmeriCorps portal requires members to certify their 

high school status. Such certification fulfills the recipient’s verification 

requirement to obtain and maintain documentation from the member 

relating to the member’s high school education. If the member is 

incapable of obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent, as 

determined by an independent evaluation, the recipient must retain a copy 

of the supporting evaluation.

C. Confidential Member Information. The recipient must maintain the 

confidentiality of information regarding individual members. The recipient

must obtain the prior written consent of all members before using their 

names, photographs and other identifying information for publicity, 

promotional or other purposes. Recipients may release aggregate and 

other non-identifying information, and are required to release member 

information to CNCS and its designated contractors. The recipient must 

permit a member who submits a written request for access to review 

records that pertain to the member and were created pursuant to this 

award.

D. National Service Criminal History Check. The specific requirements of 

the National Service Criminal History Check, including the timing and 

recordkeeping requirements, are specified at 45 CFR §§ 2540.200 - .207.

See also the final rule and the CNCS website for more information. You 

must retain a record of the NSOPW search and associated results either by 

printing the screen(s) or by some other method that retains paper or digital 

images of the NSOPW checks, inclusive of the date record for when the 

search was performed. Inability to demonstrate that you conducted an 

NSOPW or the required criminal history check, as specified in the 

regulations, may result in sanctions, including disallowance of all or part 
17

of the costs associated with the non-compliance or other remedies that 

may be legally available (see 2 CFR § 200.338).

X. BUDGET AND PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES

A. Programmatic Changes. The recipient must first obtain the prior written 

approval of the AmeriCorps Program Office before making any of the 

following changes (1-3):

1. Changes in the scope, objectives or goals of the program, whether 

or not they involve budgetary changes;

2. Substantial changes in the level of member supervision;

3. Entering into additional sub awards or contracts for AmeriCorps 

activities funded by the award, but not identified or included in the 

approved application and award budget.

Upon notification to the AmeriCorps Program Office, recipients

may make programmatic changes due to, or in response to, an 

officially-declared state or national disaster without written 

approval from CNCS. As soon as practicable, recipients making 

disaster-related programmatic changes must discuss the 

recordkeeping, member activities, performance measure 

adjustments, and other AmeriCorps award requirements with the 

AmeriCorps Program Office. While written approval from CNCS 

is not required before making disaster-related programmatic 

changes, CNCS reserves the right to limit or deny disaster-related 

programmatic changes, including disallowing costs associated with 

the disaster related activities.

B. Program Changes for Formula Programs. State Commissions are 

responsible for approving the above changes for state formula programs.

C. Budgetary Changes. The recipient must obtain the prior written approval 

of CNCS’s Office of Grants Management before deviating from the 

approved budget in any of the following ways:

1. Specific Costs Requiring Prior Approval before Incurrence under 

the uniform administrative requirement, cost principles, and audit 

requirements for Federal awards at 2 CFR Parts 200 and 2205. 

Certain cost items in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 2205 require approval of 

the awarding agency for the cost to be allowable such as pre-award 

costs. Please ensure you consult the regulations prior to incurring 

costs to ensure allowability. 

2. Purchases of Equipment over $5,000 using award funds, unless 

specified in the approved application and budget.
18

3. Unless the CNCS share of the award is $100,000 or less, changes 

to cumulative and/or aggregate budget line items that amount to 10 

per cent or more of the total budget must be approved in writing in 

advance by CNCS. The total budget includes both the CNCS and 

recipient shares. Recipients may transfer funds among approved 

direct cost categories when the cumulative amount of such 

transfers does not exceed 10 percent of the total budget.

D. Approvals of Programmatic and Budget Changes. CNCS’s Grants 

Officers are the only officials who have the authority to alter or change the 

terms and conditions or requirements of the award. 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. Programmatic changes also require final approval of 

CNCS’s Office of Grants Management after written recommendation for 

approval is received from the Program Office.

E. Exceptions for Fixed Amount Awards. Recipients with Fixed Amount 

awards are not subject to the requirements in Section C., Budgetary 

Changes, above.

XI. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

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

submission of periodic financial and progress reports during the project period 

and a final financial report and for setting submission deadlines for its respective 

subrecipients that ensure the timely submission of recipient reports. 

A. Recipient Progress Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit 

progress reports in eGrants to report on progress toward achievement of its 

approved performance targets. 

Due Date Reporting Period Covered

April 30 Start of award through March 31

October 31 Start of award year through end of award year or 

September 30, whichever is sooner

B. Financial Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit financial 

reports in eGrants (Financial Status Reports on menu tree) to report the 

status of all funds. The recipient must submit timely cumulative financial 

reports in accordance with CNCS guidelines according to the following 

schedule: 

Due Date Reporting Period Covered

April 30 Start of award through March 31

October 31 April 1 – September 30
19

A recipient must set submission deadlines for its respective subrecipients

that ensure the timely submission of recipient reports. 

Cost reimbursement Professional Corps recipients submit one financial 

report per year. 

All recipients, including Fixed Amount recipients, must submit the 

Federal Financial Report (FFR) - Cash Transactions Report on a quarterly 

basis to the Department of Health and Human Services Payment 

Management System per the Electronic Funds Transfer Agreement.

C. Reporting Other Federal Funds. The recipient shall report the amount 

and sources of federal funds, other than those provided by CNCS, claimed 

as matching funds. This includes other federal funds expended by 

subrecipients and operating sites and claimed as match. This information 

shall be reported annually on the financial report due October 31st or at the 

time the final financial report is submitted if the final report is due prior to 

October 31st. Fixed Amount recipients are not required to report this 

information.

D. Requests for Extensions. Each recipient must submit required reports by 

the given dates. 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 

recipient, 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 

Office of Grants Management, and extensions of deadlines for progress 

reports may only be granted by the AmeriCorps Program Office.

E. Final Financial Reports. A recipient must submit, in lieu of the last 

semi-annual financial report, a final financial report. This final report is 

due no later than 90 days after the end of the project period.

F. Final Progress Reports. A recipient must submit, in addition to the last 

semi-annual project report, a final project report. This final report is due 

no later than 90 days after the end of the project period.

G. Financial Reports for Fixed Amount Awards. Fixed Amount recipients

are not required to submit financial reports to CNCS, including the final 

financial report.
20

XII. AWARD PERIOD AND INCREMENTAL FUNDING

For the purpose of the award, a project period is the complete length of time the 

recipient is proposed to be funded to complete approved activities under the 

award. A project period may contain one or more budget periods. A budget 

period is a specific interval of time for which Federal funds are being provided to 

fund a recipient’s approved activities and budget.

Unless otherwise specified, the award covers a three-year project period. In 

approving a multi-year project period, CNCS generally makes an initial award for 

the first year of operation. Additional funding is contingent upon satisfactory 

performance, a recipient’s demonstrated capacity to manage an award and comply 

with award requirements, and the availability of Congressional appropriations. 

CNCS reserves the right to adjust the amount of an award, or elect not to continue 

funding for subsequent years. The project period and the budget period are noted 

on the award document.

A planning grant covers a one-year project period.

XIII. PROGRAM INCOME

A. General. Income, including fees for service earned as a direct result of 

the award-funded program activities during the award period, must be 

retained by the recipient and used to finance the award’s non-CNCS share.

B. Excess Program Income. Program income earned in excess of the 

amount needed to finance the recipient share must follow the appropriate 

requirements of 2 CFR Part 200 and be deducted from total claimed costs. 

Recipients that earn excess income must specify the amount of the excess 

in the comment box on the financial report.

C. Fees for Service. When using assistance under this award, the recipient 

may not enter into a contract for or accept fees for service performed by 

members when:

1. The service benefits a for-profit entity,

2. The service falls within the other prohibited activities set forth in 

these award provisions, or

3. The service violates the provisions of 42 U.S.C. § 12637 –

Nonduplication and Nondisplacement.

D. Full-Cost and Professional Corps Fixed Amount Awards and 

Partnership Challenge Awards. The recipient must notify its Grants 

Officer if it earns program income in excess of the amounts needed to 

cover all expenditures under the award. The Grants Officer will determine 

the disposition of the excess program income. 
21

XIV. SAFETY 

The recipient must institute safeguards as necessary and appropriate to ensure the 

safety of members. Members may not participate in projects that pose undue 

safety risks.

XV. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TRAINING

All recipients and subrecipients must complete CNCS NSCHC training every 

year. The CNCS designated e-course provides a thorough overview of the 

requirements and can be found at: 

https://cncsonlinecourses.litmos.com?C=325500. To request Litmos account 

access, email serviceresources@cns.gov. Each grant recipient and subrecipient

must identify at minimum one staff person who has some responsibility for 

NSCHC compliance to fulfill this requirement on behalf of the recipient or 

subrecipient. The grant recipient and subrecipient must retain the certificate of 

completion and assign staff to retake the course annually prior to the expiration of 

the certificate. Grant recipients and subrecipients should save certificates of 

completion from each year as grant records.

XVI. FIXED AMOUNT AWARDS

Fixed Amount awards are not subject to the cost principles in 2 CFR, Part 200, 

Subpart E. Fixed Amount awards must comply with the remaining provisions of 

2 CFR Part 200, including Subpart F relating to audit requirements. Fixed 

Amount awards include Education Award program (EAP) Fixed Amount awards, 

Professional Corps Fixed Amount awards, Full-Cost Fixed Amount awards, and 

Partnership Challenge awards.

For Education Award programs (EAP), the fixed federal assistance amount of the 

award is based on the approved and awarded number of full-time members 

specified in the award. For full-cost and Professional Corps Fixed Amount 

awards, the fixed federal assistance amount of the award is based on the approved 

and awarded numbers of full-time members and the members’ completion of their 

terms of service.

For EAPs, the final amount of award funds that the recipient may retain is 

dependent upon the recipient’s notifying CNCS’s National Service Trust of the 

members that it has enrolled. All EAP members must carry out activities to 

achieve the specific project objectives as approved by CNCS. At closeout, CNCS

will calculate the final amount of the award based on Trust documentation. 

CNCS will recover any amounts drawn down by the recipient in excess of the 

final award amount allowed based on member selection documentation in the My 

AmeriCorps Portal. 

For all other Fixed Amount awards, the recipient may draw funds from the HHS 

Payment Management System based on the number of members who complete a
22

full term of service or if the member leaves before completing service, a pro-rated 

amount based on hours served. 

Full-cost and Professional Corps programs may draw up to 20% of the funds 

within the first two months to cover start-up costs (recruitment and application, 

training, criminal history checks, etc.); however, total funds drawn should be 

based on the number of members on board at the time and the percentage of hours 

completed. Bi-annually, in some cases quarterly, and at closeout, CNCS will 

calculate the final amount of the award for the year or entire project period (at 

closeout) based on the number of successfully completed terms of service (as 

certified by the program) as well as the hours served that were not certified as 

successfully completed.

Partnership Challenge programs are awarded only member positions, but not 

federal funds. Therefore, Partnership Challenge programs will not draw any 

funds from the HHS Payment Management System. 

XVII. BREACHES OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION (PII)

All recipients and subrecipients need to be prepared for potential breaches of 

Personally Identifiable Information, PII. OMB defines PII as any information 

about an individual, including, but not limited to, education, financial 

transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and 

information which can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, such 

as their name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden 

name, biometric records, etc., including any other personal information which is 

linked or linkable to an individual. All recipients and subrecipients must ensure 

that they have procedures in place to prepare for and respond to breaches of PII, 

and notify the Federal awarding agency in the event of a breach.

If your CNCS grant-funded program or project creates, collects, uses, processes, 

stores, maintains, disseminates, discloses, or disposes of PII within the scope of 

that Federal grant award, or uses or operates a Federal information system, you 

must establish procedures to prepare for and respond to a potential breach of PII, 

including notice of a breach of PII to CNCS. Grantees experiencing a breach 

should immediately notify CNCS’ Office of Information Technology, your CNCS 

Program Officer, and CNCS’ Office of Inspector General.