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Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions Program

2019 GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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

binding on the grant recipient. By accepting funds under this award, the Recipient agrees to

comply with, and include in all awards and 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 Recipient 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 terms “recipient” or

“Recipient” are used to connote the grant recipient as appropriate, throughout these Terms and

Conditions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Changes from the 2018 FGP and SCP Program Grants 1

II. Notice of Funding Opportunity 2

III. Award Acceptance 2

IV. Stipends 2

V. Recognition Events 2

VI. Failure to Maintain VSYs 2

VII. Grant Period 2

VIII. Encumbrance of Award Funds 2

IX. Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) – Expenditures/Jan - Jun and Jul – Dec 3

X. Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) – Expenditures/Apr - Sep and Oct – Mar 3

XI. Federal Financial Reporting/Disbursements 3

XII. Annual Progress Report 3

XIII. Recognition of Federal Funding 4

XIV. Authorities of Program Officer and Grants Officer 4

XV. Prohibition on Use of Program Grant Funds 4

XVI. External Evaluation and Data Collection 6

XVII. Lobby Disclosure 6

XVIII. Reporting Requirements 7

XIX. Audits and Attestation Requirements 8

XX. Program Income 8

XXI. Monitoring 8

XXII. Budget and Programmatic Changes 9

XXIII. Senior Corps Branding 10

XXIV. National Criminal History Checking Training 10

I. CHANGES FROM THE 2018 FOSTER GRANDPARENTS AND SENIOR

COMPANIONS PROGRAM GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

- Section changes have been made from letters to Roman numeral format in the Table of

Contents and the body of this document

- Section II. - Notice of Funding Opportunities – Section added

- Section III. - Award Acceptance – Section added

- Section VIII. - Encumbrance of Award Funds – Section added
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- Section XIX. - Audits and Attestation Requirements – Section added

- Section XX – Monitoring – Section added

- Section XXIII – Senior Corps Branding –Section added

II. NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

The Notice of Funding opportunity (NOFO) and any amendments are hereby incorporated

into the Grant Terms and Conditions. Recipients are bound by the authorizations, 

restrictions and requirements contained in the NOFO. If there is any inconsistency between 

the NOFO and any statute, regulation, guidance or cost principle, the statute, regulation,

guidance or cost principle take precedence in matters relating to CNCS award funds.

III. AWARD ACCEPTANCE

The signature on the SF‐424, including electronic signature via e‐authentication on e-grants,

constitutes a binding agreement to the terms and conditions of award. CNCS reserves the

right to withdraw the award if activity does not begin upon award and/or as a remedy for

non‐compliance as described in 2 CFR 200.338‐339.

IV. STIPENDS

The recipient may not expend funds approved for payment of stipends for any other purpose

without the prior written approval of CNCS’s Grants Officer.

V. RECOGNITION EVENTS

Recipient will ensure that at recognition events, CNCS is acknowledged as the Federal agency

responsible for the primary Federal funding of the project.

VI. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VSYs

Failure of the Recipient to maintain Volunteer Service Year (VSY) program levels in

accordance with the approved work plan and budget covered by the Notice of Grant

Award may result in a reduction of funding for the succeeding year in accordance with CNCS

policies.

VII. GRANT PERIOD

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

VIII. ENCUMBRANCE OF AWARD FUNDS

Award funds may not be encumbered or obligated by the recipient prior to or after the award

period. Encumbrances or obligations outstanding as of the end of the award period may be

liquidated (paid out) after the end of the award period. Such encumbrances or obligations shall

involve only specified commitments for which a need existed during the award period and that

are supported by approved contracts, purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, bills, or other
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evidence of liability consistent with the recipient's purchasing procedures and incurred within

the award period. All encumbrances/obligations incurred during the award period shall be

liquidated no later than 90 days after the end of the award period or prior to the expiration of

the awarded funds, whichever is sooner.

IX. FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORTS (FFRS) – EXPENDITURES/JAN - JUN AND JUL

- DEC

Recipients with budget periods starting in January or July paid through HHS/PMS must

submit the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), semi-annually, from the start

date of the award, to report the status of all funds. FFRs must report expenses on a cumulative

basis over the performance period of the award and be submitted according to the following

schedule:

Period Covering: Report Due:

January 1 to June 30 July 30

July 1 to December 31 January 30

Programs completing the final year of their grant must submit a final FFR that is cumulative

over the entire grant period. This FFR is due 90 days after the close of the grant.

X. FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORTS (FFRS) – EXPENDITURES/APR - SEP AND

OCT - MAR.

Recipients with budget periods starting in April or October paid through HHS/PMS must

submit the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), semi-annually, from the start

date of the award, to report the status of all funds. FFRs must report expenses on a cumulative

basis over the performance period of the grant and be submitted according to the following

schedule:

Period Covering: Report Due:

April 1 - September 30 October 30

October 1 - March 30 April 30

Programs completing the final year of their grant must submit a final FFR that is cumulative

over the entire grant period. This FFR is due 90 days after the close of the grant.

XI. FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORTING/DISBURSEMENTS

Recipients paid through HHS/PMS will report quarterly disbursements to HHS through the

HHS/PMS FFR subsystem. Recipients will report disbursements using the web based

version of the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report, no later than 30 calendar days

following the end of each quarter. Failure to submit this report in a timely manner may result

in HHS placing the Recipient’s funds on manual hold.

XII. ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT

Recipients must prepare a full Progress report at the end of the budget period. The report

must be submitted in the electronic records management system no later than 30 days after

the end of the designated reporting period. Recipients must prepare and submit the Progress
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Report Volunteer Service Year production data elements at the end of the 2nd and 4th

quarters of the budget period. These reports must be submitted in the electronic records

management system no later than 30 days after the end of the designated reporting period.

XIII. 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 Recipient 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.

XIV. AUTHORITIES OF PROGRAM OFFICER AND GRANTS OFFICER

A designated official of the appropriate CNCS State Program Office (Program Officer), as

well as a CNCS Grants Officer, are listed on the face page of the Recipient’s Notice of Grant

Award. The Program Officer has full authority to represent CNCS in connection with

management of the technical aspects and programmatic performance of the grant award.

However, only the Grants Officer may make changes to the grant award terms and

conditions, estimated costs, and periods of performance.

XV. PROHIBITION ON USE OF PROGRAM GRANT FUNDS

As specified in 42 U.S.C. § 5043(c), as well as in 45 C.F.R. §§ 2551.121 and 2552.121,

while charging time to a Foster Grandparent or Senior Companion program, accumulating

service, or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the Senior

Companion or Foster Grandparent Program or CNCS, staff and volunteers may not engage

in the following activities:

A.Political activities.

1. No part of any award shall be used to finance, directly or indirectly, any activity

to influence the outcome of any election to public office, or any voter registration

activity. No project shall be conducted in a manner involving the use of

funds, the provision of services, or the employment or assignment of

personnel in a matter supporting or resulting in the identification of such

project with:

a. Any partisan or nonpartisan political activity associated with a candidate, or

contending faction or group, in an election; or

b. Any activity to provide voters or prospective voters with transportation to

the polls or similar assistance in connection with any such election; or

c. Any voter registration activity, except that voter registration applications and

nonpartisan voter registration information may be made available to the

public at the premises of the sponsor. But, in making registration

applications and nonpartisan voter registration information available,

employees of the sponsor shall not express preferences or seek to influence
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decisions concerning any candidate, political party, election issue, or voting

decision.

2. Notwithstanding 42 U.S.C. § 5043(c), 45 C.F.R. §§ 2551.121(a)(3) and

2552.121(a)(3), language in CNCS’s current appropriations prohibits 

recipients from using CNCS funds to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or 

contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity 

designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, 

administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before the 

Congress or any State government, State legislature or local legislature or 

legislative body, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative 

relationships or participation by an agency or officer of a State, local or tribal 

government in policymaking and administrative processes within the executive 

branch of that government.

B. Non-displacement of employed workers. A Senior Companion or Foster Grandparent

Program Volunteer shall not perform any service or duty or engage in any activity that

would otherwise be performed by an employee of the sponsor, or that would supplant

the hiring of, or result in the displacement of employees, or impair existing contracts

for services.

C. Compensation for service. A Senior Companion or Foster Grandparent Program

agency or organization to which SCP or FGP volunteers are assigned, or which operates or 

supervises any SCP or FGP program, shall not request or receive any compensation from

SCP or FGP volunteers or from beneficiaries for services of SCP or FGP

volunteers.

1. The regulations do not prohibit a sponsor from soliciting and accepting

voluntary contributions from the community at large to meet its local support

obligations under the grant or from entering into agreements with parties other

than beneficiaries to support additional volunteers beyond those supported by

the CNCS award;

2. A volunteer station may contribute to the financial support of the Foster 

Grandparent or Senior Companion Program. However, this support shall not be a 

required precondition for a potential station to obtain Foster Grandparent or Senior

Companion services;

3. If a volunteer station agrees to provide funds to support additional Foster

Grandparent Volunteers or Senior Companion Volunteers, or pay for other 

volunteer support costs, the agreement shall be stated in a written Memorandum of 

Understanding. The sponsor shall withdraw services if the station's inability to 

provide monetary or in-kind support to the project under the Memorandum of 

Understanding diminishes or jeopardizes the project's financial capabilities to 

fulfill its obligations;

4. Under no circumstances shall Foster Grandparent or Senior Companion volunteers

receive fees for service from service recipients, their legal guardians, members of 

their family, or friends.
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D. Labor and anti-labor activity. The sponsor shall not use grant funds directly or

indirectly to finance labor or anti-labor organizations or related activities.

E. Fair labor standards. A sponsor that employs laborers and mechanics for

construction, alteration, or repair of facilities shall pay wages at prevailing rates as

determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, as

amended, 40 U.S.C. 276a.

F. Religious activities. A Foster Grandparent volunteer or Senior Companion volunteer

or a member of the project staff funded by CNCS shall not give religious instruction,

conduct worship services or engage in any form of proselytization as part of his or her

duties.

1. A sponsor or volunteer station may retain its independence and may continue to

carry out its mission, including the definition, development, practice, and

expression of its religious beliefs, provided that it does not use CNCS funds to

support any inherently religious activities,such as worship, religious instruction,

or proselytization, as part of the programs or services funded. If an organization

conducts such activities, the activities must be offered separately, in time or

location, from the programs or services funded under this part.

G. Nepotism. Persons selected for project staff positions shall not be related by blood or

marriage to other project staff, sponsor staff or officers, or members of the sponsor

Board of Directors, unless there is written concurrence from the community group

established by the sponsor under Subpart B of this part and upon prior notification and

approval by CNCS.

XVI. EXTERNAL EVALUATION AND DATA COLLECTION

The Recipient must cooperate with CNCS and its evaluators in all monitoring and evaluation

efforts. As part of this effort, the Recipient must collect and submit certain project data, as

defined in the Progress Report Supplement (PRS), and must provide data as requested or

needed to support external evaluations.

XVII. LOBBY DISCLOSURE

For grant awards exceeding $100,000, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352, the Recipient is required

to file a disclosure report, Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, at the end

of any quarter, when the Recipient 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 Corporation

State Program Director.
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XVIII. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The recipient is responsible for timely submission of periodic financial and progress reports

during the project period and a final financial report at the end of the period.

A. Financial Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit financial reports in

eGrants to report the status of all funds. The recipient must submit timely cumulative

financial reports in accordance with CNCS guidelines and sections E and F, above.

B. Final Financial Report. 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.

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

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

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

Funds Transfer Agreement.

D. Progress Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit timely progress reports,

including a summary of accomplishments during the reporting period. This includes

reporting on the progress to date made by the recipient for that reporting period. The

report is submitted through the appropriate electronic system. Individual program

guidance determines the due dates for the reports.

E. Requests for Extensions. Each Recipient must submit a financial report 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, which are

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 Field Financial

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

only be granted by the Program Office.

F. Other. The recipient shall meet as necessary with the CNCS Program Office or with

other staff or consultants designated by the CNCS Program Official 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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XIX. AUDITS AND ATTESTATION REQUIREMENTS

Recipients must comply with the audit requirements set forth in Subpart F – Audit

Requirements of the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and must comply with the 

timeframes established in those regulations for the submission of their audits to the 

Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Recipients must notify their assigned CNCS Grants

Officer of each audit conducted within the timeframe of the CNCS‐funded project at

the time it is submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse.

XX. PROGRAM INCOME

A. General. Income, including fees for service earned as a direct result of the grantfunded program activities during the award period, must be retained by the Recipient

and used to finance the grant’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 §

200.307(e)(1) and be deducted from total claimed costs, or with prior written approval

from CNCS, the requirements of 2 CFR § 200.307(e)(2) through a budget amendment

be used to enhance the program (additive process). 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 grant, the Recipient may not enter

into a contract for or accept fees for service performed by participants when:

1. The service benefits a for-profit entity;

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

regulation, or these award terms and conditions.

XXI. MONITORING

CNCS, through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to

make site visits to review project accomplishments, financial and performance records, 

fiscal and administrative control systems, assess programmatic and fiscal compliance, and 

to provide such technical assistance as may be required. To the extent practicable, CNCS

will notify the recipient at least two weeks in advance of any trip to the CNCS‐funded

project site. If CNCS makes any site visit on the premises of a recipient, the recipient

must provide all reasonable access to facilities, and provide assistance to ensure the safety

and convenience of government officials in the performance of their duties. All site visits 

and evaluations are expected to be performed in a manner designed to not unduly delay or

disrupt the implementation of the project.
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XXII. BUDGET AND PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES

A. Programmatic Changes. The Recipient must obtain the prior written approval of

CNCS before making changes

1. in the scope, objectives or goals of the project, transfer of the project effort, or

project timeline whether or not they involve budgetary changes;

2. in key personnel specified in the application or the federal award;

3. involving the disengagement from the project for more than three months, or a

25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project by the approved Project

Director.

B. Budgetary Changes. The Recipient must obtain the prior written approval of CNCS’s

Field Financial Management Center (FFMC) before deviating from the approved

budget in any of the following ways:

1. specific costsrequiring prior approval before incurrence under 2 CFR § 200.407.

examples of costs requiring prior written approval before they are allowed

include rearrangement and alteration costs, and pre-award costs;

2. purchases of equipment over $5,000 using grant funds, unless specified in the

approved application and budget;

3. the Federal awarding agency may, at its option, restrict the transfer of funds

among direct cost categories or programs, functions and activities for Federal

awards in which the Federal share of the project exceeds the Simplified

Acquisition Threshold (currently $250,000) and the cumulative amount of such

transfers exceeds or is expected to exceed 10 percent of the total budget as last

approved by the Federal awarding agency. The Federal awarding agency cannot

permit a transfer that would cause any Federal appropriation to be used for

purposes other than those consistent with the appropriation;

4. changes in the amount of approved cost-sharing or matching provided by the

non-federal entity;

5. the inclusion, unless waived by the federal awarding agency, of coststhat require

prior approval in accordance with sub part E cost principles in 2 CFR.

C. Authority to Make Programmatic and Budgetary Changes: CNCS’s Grants

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

programmatic and budgetary provisions or requirements of the grant. To that end, the

appropriate CNCS State Program Office may submit a recommendation for

programmatic change(s) or budgetary change(s) to CNCS’s Field Financial

Management Center (FFMC) for final approval. The FFMC has authority to approve

or not approve all recommended programmatic and budgetary changes. The FFMC

Grants Officers will execute written programmatic and budgetary changes (i.e.,
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amendments). Therefore, Recipients should not assume approvals have been granted

unless they received documentation from an FFMC official (usually the FFMC Grants

Officer) approving the recommended change(s).

XXIII. SENIOR CORPS BRANDING

“FGP” or “SCP”, as appropriate, must be included in all references to the project.

Accordingly, “FGP” or “SCP”, as appropriate, must be included in the title of the project as

listed on the grant application, and in all project promotions for the duration of the project

period, including, but not limited to, recruitment, recognition, and publicity.

XXIV. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TRAINING

All grant recipients must complete CNCS’ National Service Criminal History Check

(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/account/login?ReturnUrl=%2fhome%2fcourse%2f32 

5500%3fr%3dFalse%26ts%3d63658973%25200256389711.&r=False&ts=63658973%200

256389711unless otherwise notified by CNCS. Each grant recipient must identify at

minimum one staff person who has some responsibility for NSCHC compliance to fulfill

this requirement on behalf of the grant recipient or sub-recipient. The grant recipient must

retain the certificate of completion and assign staff to retake the course annually prior to

the expiration of the certificate. Grant recipients must save certificates of completion from

each year as grant records.