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NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Agency Name: Corporation for National and Community Service

Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2020 Day of Service Grants

Announcement Type: Amended Announcement

CFDA Number: 94.014 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

94.012 – September 11th Day of Service and 

Remembrance

Disclosure: Publication of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (Notice) does not obligate the 

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to award any specific number of 

grants or to commit any particular amount of funding. The 2020 President’s Budget proposed the 

elimination of CNCS. The actual level and timing of grant funding will be subject to the 

availability of annual appropriations. 

Important Dates

• Applications are due March 25, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

• Successful applicants will be notified in June 2020.

FULL TEXT OF THE NOTICE

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Purpose of Day of Service Funding

The mission of CNCS is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement 

through service and volunteering. Through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Volunteer 

Generation Fund, CNCS has helped to engage millions of citizens in meeting community and 

national challenges through service and volunteer action.

The Day of Service grant competition includes funding for both September 11th Day of Service 

and Remembrance (September 11th) and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (MLK). 

Applicant organizations may apply for either September 11th, MLK, or both. Applicants must 

submit a separate application for each Day of Service. Applicants may not submit more than one 

application for each Day of Service. 

The purpose of the September 11th grant funding is to mobilize more Americans to engage in 

service and remembrance activities that meet community needs and honor the sacrifice of those 

who lost their lives or family members on September 11, 2001, or who rose in service because of 

that tragedy. 

The purpose of the MLK grant funding is to mobilize more Americans to observe the Martin 

Luther King Jr. federal holiday as a day of service in communities, to encourage those who serve 

on this holiday to make a long-term commitment to community service, and to bring people 

together to focus on service to others.
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2. Funding Priorities

CNCS is looking for applications that feature major activities occurring on September 11th or 

MLK Day in 2021 as applicable or within approximately one week of the actual Day, and engage 

a significant number of volunteers. In order to carry out Congress’s intent and to maximize the 

impact of investment in national service, this Day of Service Notice prioritizes grant funding in 

distinct areas for September 11th and MLK.

For September 11th, CNCS will give priority consideration to applications that include a central 

focus on:

• engaging and supporting Veterans and Military Families in September 11th National Day 

of Service and Remembrance activities

• developing educational materials, educating and engaging youth in service to honor 

September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance

• training volunteers who make a commitment for future service

• preparing communities for disasters.

For MLK, CNCS will give priority consideration to applications that include a central focus on:

• providing support and/or facilitating access to services and resources for economically 

disadvantaged people

• training volunteers who make a commitment for future service.

To receive priority consideration, applicants must show that the priority area is a significant part 

of the program focus and intended outcomes, and must include a high-quality program design.

Please note that priority consideration does not guarantee funding.

3. Performance Measures 

All recipients will be required to provide data on the following indicators in annual Progress 

Reports:

• Number of volunteers recruited, trained, and committed to one or more future service 

activities

• Number of organizations engaged and committed to one or more future service activities 

that honor and reflect MLK or September 11th.

Additionally, recipients must report values for all indicators that are relevant to the activities 

described in the approved grant application in annual progress reports. CNCS expects the 

reported values to be reasonably ambitious and to correspond to the activities proposed by the 

recipient in the application.

4. Program Authority

Awards under this Notice are authorized by statute. For September 11th, Section 198(k) of the

National and Community Service Act, (42 U.S.C. § 12653(k)). For MLK, Section 198(i) of the

National and Community Service Act, (42 U.S.C. § 12653(i)).
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B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimated Available Funds

CNCS anticipates approximately $3,200,000 for Day of Service awards. The actual level of 

funding is subject to the availability of annual appropriations. CNCS may prioritize 

continuations over new and recompete applications.

2. Estimated Award Amount

Award amounts will vary, as determined by the scope of the projects. CNCS encourages funding 

requests in the range of $20,000 to $200,000, but there is no minimum or maximum amount 

under this Notice. CNCS reserves the right to fund requests, in full or part, and may fund either 

MLK or September 11th applications, or may fund both MLK and September 11th applications 

from individual applicants. Specifics will be resolved through the clarification process as 

applicable. 

3. Project Period

CNCS anticipates making three-year grant awards. CNCS generally makes an initial award for 

the first year of operation, based on a one-year project period. Continuation awards for 

subsequent years are not guaranteed; they depend upon availability of appropriations and 

satisfactory performance.

4. Type of Award 

Day of Service grants will be awarded on a cost reimbursement basis. This Notice allows 

applicants to act as pass-through entities, subgranting organizations, partnership coordinators, or 

as the sole entity implementing Day of Service activities.

Pass-through entities must select subrecipients on a competitive basis through a subgrant. Acting 

as a pass-through entity (subawarding) is not required. Pass-through applicants should clearly 

describe their plan for subawarding in their application narrative.

Subawards are to be made in annual amounts of $1,000 or more per year. CNCS encourages Day 

of Service grant recipients that intend to award larger subawards, to do so to subrecipients that 

show higher levels of impact and effectiveness.

Recipients should provide sufficient public notice of the availability of Day of Service 

subawards to organizations within their network and out of their network community. Passthrough entities and subgranting organizations will ensure that the following information is 

available to all potential applicants:

• the types of organizations that are eligible for funding

• how to obtain and submit an application to the subawarding organization (subapplicants 

should apply to the Day of Service recipient and not to CNCS)

• the criteria (including appropriate subcriteria) that will be considered in reviewing 

applications

• any relative percentages, weights, or other means that will be used to distinguish 

applications

• reporting requirements of subrecipients.
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Applicants may also apply to this Notice with a partner organization(s) and a partnership plan. 

Partners must be named in the application in the Organizational Capability narrative section at 

the time the application is submitted to CNCS, and the partnership plan should clearly identify 

how the partnership is structured to carry out the project and grant requirements.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following non-federal entities (as defined in 2 CFR §200.69) are eligible to apply: 

• Indian tribes (2 CFR §200.54)

• institutions of higher education (2 CFR §200.55)

• local governments (2 CFR §200.64)

• nonprofit organizations (2 CFR §200.70)

• states (2 CFR §200.90),

In addition to Indian tribes as defined in 2 CFR 200.54, tribal organizations that are controlled, 

sanctioned, or chartered by federally recognized Indian tribes are also eligible to apply. If an 

entity applies for an award as a tribal organization that is controlled or chartered by one or more 

Indian tribes, the organization must provide copies of, or links to, documentation which 

demonstrates that the organization is controlled or chartered by a federally recognized Indian 

tribe. If an entity applies as an organization sanctioned by a federally recognized tribe, or 

multiple specific federally recognized tribes, it must submit a sanctioning resolution, adopted by 

the Tribal Council (or comparable tribal governing body) of each Indian tribe. The resolution(s) 

must identify the entity applying for a CNCS award by name as a tribal organization that is 

sanctioned, the Indian tribe(s) for the purpose of applying for CNCS funding (or federal grant 

funds generally). 

New Applicants

CNCS encourages organizations that have not received prior funding from CNCS to apply.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

For MLK projects only, federal grant funds requested may not exceed 30 percent of the total 

program budget. Applicants are required to match funds equal to 70 percent of the total program 

budget. The applicant’s match can be cash and/or in-kind contributions matching funds. See 

section D.6. Funding Restrictions for more information.

For example, if an MLK applicant requests $60,000 in federal grant funds, then the applicant is 

required to provide $140,000 in matching funds for a total program budget of $200,000.

For September 11th, there is no requirement that the grant applicant provide matching funds.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

Activities that are prohibited under CNCS’s statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions will 

not be selected to receive CNCS funding.
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Note that under appropriations provisions annually enacted by Congress, if CNCS is aware that 

any corporation has any unpaid federal tax liability—

• that has been assessed

• for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed 

• that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority 

responsible for collecting the tax liability—

that corporation is not eligible for an award under this Notice. However, this exclusion will not 

apply to a corporation which a federal agency has considered for suspension or debarment and 

has made a determination that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of 

the federal government.

Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization described in the Internal 

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

apply for CNCS funding.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

This Notice should be read together with the Application Instructions. These documents are 

available online at www.nationalservice.gov/dayofservice.

1. Address to Request an Application Package

Applicants should refer to CNCS Funding Opportunities for more information and instructions 

on how to fully respond to this Notice. Applicants can also send an email to 

dayofservice@cns.gov for a printed copy of the Notice and Application Instructions. CNCS also 

offers live text chat at www.NationalService.gov/contact-us. 

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Application Content

Complete applications must include the following elements: 

• Standard Form 424 (SF-424) Face Sheet: This is automatically generated when applicants 

complete the data elements in the eGrants system. 

• Narrative Sections: 

o Executive Summary: This is a brief description of the proposed program. 

o Program Design

o Organizational Capability

o Cost-Effectiveness & Budget Adequacy

• Standard Form 424A Budget

• Authorization, Assurances, and Certifications.

b. Page Limits

Applications may not exceed ten double-spaced pages as the pages print out from eGrants. The 

application sections that count towards the page limit are the:

• SF-424 Face Sheet 

• Executive Summary 

• Program Design, Organizational Capability, and Cost-Effectiveness & Budget Adequacy 

narratives.
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The application page limit does not include the Budget, Performance Measures, or any required 

additional documents. 

Please note that the length of the application as a word processing document may differ from the 

length of the document printed out from eGrants. CNCS strongly encourages applicants to 

print out the application from the “Review and Submit” tab in eGrants prior to submission 

in order to confirm that the application does not exceed the page limit.

CNCS will not consider the results of any alternative printing methods when determining if an 

application complies with the page limit. Reviewers will also not consider material that is over 

the page limit, even if eGrants allows applicants to enter and submit additional text.

3. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System for Award 

Management (SAM) 

Applications must include a DUNS number and an Employer Identification Number. The DUNS 

number does not replace an Employer Identification Number. Applicants can obtain a DUNS 

number at no cost by calling the DUNS number request line at (866) 705-5711 or by applying 

online at the DUNS Request Service. CNCS recommends registering at least 30 days before the 

application due date. 

After obtaining a DUNS number, all applicants must register with the System for Award 

Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ and maintain an active SAM registration 

until the application process is complete. If an applicant is awarded a grant, it must maintain an 

active SAM registration throughout the life of the award. Please note SAM.gov has a new login 

process. Please go to the General Services Administration (GSA) SAM Update page for more 

information: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

SAM registration must be renewed annually. CNCS suggests that applicants finalize a new 

registration or renew an existing one at least three weeks before the application deadline, to 

allow time to resolve any issues that may arise. Applicants must use their SAM-registered 

legal name and address on all grant applications to CNCS.

CNCS will not make awards to entities that do not have SAM and DUN numbers. See the SAM 

Quick Guide for Grantees at:

https://sam.gov/SAM/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf.

4. Submission Dates and Times

a. Application Submission Deadline

Applications are due March 25, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

CNCS will not consider applications submitted after the deadline, except as noted in Section 

D.4.c. Late Applications. CNCS reserves the right to extend the submission deadline. CNCS will 

post a notification in the event of an extended deadline on CNCS’s website. 
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b. Additional Documents Deadline

Additional documents are due by the application submission deadline. See Sections D.4.a. 

Application Submission Deadline and D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents for more 

information.

c. Late Applications

All applications received after the submission deadline published in this Notice are presumed to 

be non-compliant. In order to provide administrative relief to applicants affected by the loss of 

operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis, these applicants will 

overcome the presumption of non-compliance due to lateness if they:

• submit their application by Wednesday, April 1, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time in 

eGrants AND 

• submit to LateApplications@cns.gov in no more than 200 words a compelling written 

explanation or justification of the extenuating circumstance(s) that caused the delay, 

including a description of the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the 

COVID-19 crisis.

Applicants submitted late for other reasons than the above are also presumed to be noncompliant. To overcome this presumption, the applicant must:

• submit a written explanation or justification of the extenuating circumstance(s) that 

caused the delay, including: 

o the timing and specific cause(s) of the delay

o the ticket number if a request for assistance was submitted to the National Service 

Hotline

o any information provided to the applicant by the National Service Hotline

o any other documentation or evidence that supports the justification

• ensure that CNCS receives the written explanation or justification and any other evidence 

that substantiates the claimed extenuating circumstance(s), via email to 

LateApplications@cns.gov no later than 24 hours after the application deadline stated in 

the Notice.

Communication with CNCS staff, including an applicant’s program officer/portfolio manager, is 

not a substitute for a written explanation or justification of the extenuating circumstance that 

caused the delay as outlined above. Applicants are required to continue working in eGrants, 

CNCS’s web-based application system and with the National Service Hotline to submit the 

application. CNCS will determine whether or not to accept a late application on a case-by-case 

basis. 

Applicants that do not meet the application submission deadline, and do not submit a written 

explanation or justification or any other evidence to overcome the presumption of noncompliance within the published timeframe, will not be reviewed or selected for award.

Please note: CNCS will not consider an advance request to submit a late application. Please 

carefully review and follow the guidance in this section and submit your application as soon as 

possible.
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5. Intergovernmental Review

This Notice is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs.” 

6. Funding Restrictions 

a. Award Funding Requirements

MLK awards under this Notice are subject to cost share or matching requirements. For MLK, the 

amount of federal funding provided under awards will be limited to 30 percent of the total 

allowable costs for the funded activity, as determined under 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E-Cost 

Principles.

There are no cost share or matching requirements for September 11th awards.

There are also limitations on the use of federal funds to recover indirect costs. As provided in 2 

CFR 200.306(c), unrecovered indirect costs may be included as part of an applicant’s cost 

sharing or matching requirements. 

Applicants who will be pass-through entities must include in their subawards terms and 

conditions that will ensure that the pass-through entity’s award under this Notice will comply 

with the cost share and matching requirements. See 2 CFR 200.331(a)(2)-(4) and 2 CFR 200.74.

b. Indirect Costs

Application budgets may include indirect costs. Based on qualifying factors, applicants may 

either use a federally-approved indirect cost rate, a 10 percent de minimis rate of modified total 

direct costs, or may claim certain costs directly, as outlined in 2 CFR § 200.413. States, local 

governments, and Indian tribes may use previously-approved indirect cost allocation plans. All 

methods must be applied consistently across all federal awards. Applicants that have a federal 

negotiated indirect cost rate or that will be using the 10 percent de minimis rate must enter that 

information in the Organization section in eGrants.

The instructions for how to enter the organization’s indirect cost rate can be located 

here: eGrants Indirect Cost Rate User Instructions.

Please note: If CNCS serves as the cognizant agency, the applicant must file a request. To file a 

request, send an email to IndirectCostRate@cns.gov.

c. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs, where authorized, are allowed after receiving written approval from the Office 

of Grant Administration. 

7. Other Submission Requirements

a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants

Applicants must submit applications electronically via eGrants, CNCS’s web-based application 

system. CNCS recommends that applicants create an eGrants account and begin the application 

at least three weeks before the deadline. Applicants should draft the application as a Word 
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document, then copy and paste the text into the appropriate eGrants field no later than 10 days 

before the deadline.

The applicant’s authorized representative must be the person who submits the application. The 

authorized representative must use their own eGrants account to sign and submit the application. 

A copy of the governing body’s authorization for this official representative to sign must be on 

file in the applicant’s office.

Applicants should contact the National Service Hotline at (800) 942-2677 or via eGrants 

Questions if they have a problem when they create an account, prepare, or submit the 

application. National Service Hotline hours are 

• Mon - Fri, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Jan)

• Mon - Thu, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Feb and Mar).

Be prepared to provide the application ID, organization’s name, and the competition to which the 

organization is applying. If the issue cannot be resolved by the deadline, applicants must 

continue working with the National Service Hotline to submit via eGrants.

If circumstances make it impossible for an applicant to submit in eGrants, applicants may send a 

paper copy of the application via overnight carrier below. Applicants must include a written 

explanation and any other documentation or evidence that support their inability to submit their 

application electronically. 

Corporation for National and Community Service 

ATTN: Office of Grant Administration (OGA)/Day of Service Application 

250 E Street, SW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20525

Please use a non-U.S. Postal Service carrier to avoid security-related delays. All deadlines and 

requirements in this Notice also apply to paper applications. CNCS does not accept 

applications submitted via fax or email.

b. Submission of Additional Documents 

The Operational and Financial Management Survey (OFMS) is required to be submitted by 

applicants submitting a New and/or Recompete application requesting over $75,000. If the 

applicant is new to CNCS grant programs, regardless of funding level, then they are required to 

submit an Operational and Financial Management Survey (OFMS) and supporting documents 

located at http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/financial-management. Select the link for 

the Operational and Financial Management Survey under the Application Certification Forms 

section and download the electronic form.

Failure to submit the required additional documents by the deadline will have a negative effect 

on the assessment of your application. 

Additional documents must be emailed to AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov with the following 

subject line: “Legal Applicant Name” – “Application ID Number.” Emails should include: 

• the legal applicant name and its point of contact information
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• the application ID number

• a list of documents that are attached to the email

• individually attached files that are clearly labeled, and that include the legal applicant

name and application ID number within the heading of each document.

Do not submit any items that are not requested in this Notice. CNCS will not review or return 

them.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Review Criteria

Applications should include a well-designed plan with clear and compelling justifications for 

receiving the requested funds. Reviewers will assess the quality of applications by using the 

selection criteria described below and will rate them accordingly. They will also consider the 

weights assigned to each criterion.

Categories/Subcategories Percentage

Program Design 60

• Goals and Objectives 30

• Performance Measures 15

• Description of Activities 15

Organizational Capability 30

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 10

a. Executive Summary (0 percent) 

Provide a concise, one-paragraph summary of the proposed project. If you are applying for both 

MLK and September 11th funding, you must submit a separate application for each Day of 

Service. 

Use the following template: 

The [Name of the organization] proposes to have [Number of] volunteers who will [what the 

volunteers will be doing] in [the locations the Day of Service activities will take place] on 

[Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service or September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance].

On the [MLK or September 11] Day of Service, [# of] volunteers will be responsible for 

[anticipated goals of project]. This program will focus on the CNCS focus area(s) of [Focus 

Area(s)]. For MLK, the CNCS investment of $[amount of request] will be matched with 

$[amount of projected match], $[amount of local, state, and federal funds] in public funding and 

$[amount of non-governmental funds] in private funding.

b. Program Design (60 percent): Please note that each bulleted item within the components 

below are weighted equally: 

Goals and Objectives (30 percent): 

Reviewers will assess the following: 

• at least ten clearly identified sites for each Day of Service: target communities, states, or 

regions that will be served
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• a program design that supports and engages individuals in activities reflecting on one or 

both as applicable: 

o the sacrifice of those who lost their lives or family members on September 11, 

2001 and in honor of those who rose in service and continue to serve as a result of 

that tragedy 

o the life and teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

• a reasonable and feasible timeline for major activities under the grant ensuring that 

activities occur either on September 11th or MLK Day as applicable or in close proximity 

to that date 

• utilizes existing community resources, such as other service organizations and 

community volunteers, to implement goals and objectives and bring additional beneficial 

resources to the community 

• a clear and comprehensive plan for carrying out partner engagement or subgrantee 

selection or a comprehensive plan for implementing projects directly. 

Performance Measures (15 percent): 

Reviewers will assess the following: 

• the number of grant-supported activities that focus on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday 

or September 11th and provides opportunities to connect to service beyond the Day of 

Service 

• measurable outputs are identified that result from delivering the intervention including 

specific identified targets for each year of the award 

• data collection plan that includes tools, data storage, data analysis, and reporting.

Description of Activities (15 percent): 

Reviewers will assess the following: 

• identifies need(s) that will be addressed 

• demonstrates opportunities to engage new and diverse groups and individuals 

• demonstrates the ability to connect volunteers to ongoing opportunities to serve. 

c. Organizational Capability (30 percent): 

Reviewers will assess the following: 

• a sound organizational structure including experience managing federal grants, staffing, 

and management structure to plan and implement the proposed program 

• a description of the relevant background and experience of key staff members and their 

respective roles, or the applicant’s plans to recruit, select, train, and support additional 

staff, and their proposed roles 

• the experience or the capacity to successfully implement their proposed partner 

engagement or subgranting plan including monitoring plans* 

• a plan to oversee and provide technical assistance and support for multiple programs at 

different locations 

• robust financial management systems and that will ensure compliance with federal 

regulations. 
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*This criterion will only be assessed if using a subgranting, pass-through entity, or partner 

engagement process. If the applicant does not propose any of these three plans, six points from 

this criterion will be allocated to other organizational capability criteria.

d. Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (10 percent): 

Reviewers will assess the following: 

• clarity and completeness of the budget and budget narrative to support the program

design 

• the extent to which the applicant demonstrates diverse non-federal resources for program 

implementation and sustainability**. 

**This criterion is for MLK applications only. September 11th applications will be assessed only 

on the other criterion for cost-effectiveness and budget adequacy.

2. Review and Selection Process

CNCS will engage External and Staff Reviewers with relevant knowledge and expertise to assess 

and provide input on the eligible applications. The review and selection process is intended to 

produce a diversified set of high-quality programs that represent the priorities and strategic 

considerations described in this Notice. The stages of the review and selection process follow:

a. Compliance and Eligibility Review

CNCS will conduct a Compliance Review to determine if an application meets the compliance 

requirements published in this Notice and advances to the next stage of the review process. 

An application is compliant if the applicant: 

• is an eligible organization

• submitted an application by the submission deadline

Reviewing for eligibility is intended to ensure that only those applications that are eligible for 

award are further reviewed. However, determinations of eligibility can take place at any point 

during the application review and selection process. Applicants that are determined to be 

ineligible will not receive an award.

b. Application Review 

Panels of Blended Reviewers (a combination of External Reviewers and CNCS Staff Reviewers) 

will assess applications based on the Program Design, Organizational Capability, and CostEffectiveness and Budget Adequacy Selection Criteria. CNCS will recruit and select reviewers on 

the basis of demonstrated expertise in Day of Service programming and/or the Focus Areas, as 

well as experience assessing applications. All reviewers will be screened for conflicts of interest.

c. Post-Review Quality Control 

After the initial review process is complete, CNCS staff will review the initial results for fairness 

and consistency. Some applications may be selected for a Post-Review Quality Control 

assessment. This additional level of review will be used to ensure fairness and provide 

assurances that an application was not disadvantaged in the original review.
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d. Applicant Clarification 

CNCS may ask an applicant for clarifying information, including requested funding amounts for 

MLK and/or September 11th. CNCS staff will use this information to make funding 

recommendations. A request for clarification does not guarantee an award. Applicants may be 

recommended for funding even if they are not asked for clarifying information. An applicant’s 

failure to respond to a request for clarification adequately and in a timely manner may result in 

the removal of its application from consideration. CNCS staff may conduct a site visit inspection 

as part of the clarification process, as appropriate.

e. Risk Assessment

CNCS staff will evaluate the risks to the program posed by each applicant, including conducting 

due diligence to ensure an applicant’s ability to manage federal funds. This evaluation is in 

addition to the assessment of the applicant’s eligibility and the quality of its application on the 

basis of the Selection Criteria. Results from this evaluation will inform funding decisions. If 

CNCS determines that an award will be made to an applicant with assessed risks, special 

conditions that correspond to the degree of assessed risk may be applied to the award.

Additionally, if CNCS concludes that the reasons for applicants having poor risk assessment are 

not likely to be mitigated, those applications may not be selected for funding. 

In evaluating risks, CNCS may consider some of the following criteria: 

• financial stability

• financial capacity to manage Federal funds

• quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed 

in applicable OMB Guidance

• applicant’s record in managing previous CNCS awards, cooperative agreements, or 

procurement awards, including: 

o timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements

o accuracy of data reported

o validity of performance measure data reported

o conformance to the terms and conditions of previous federal awards 

o meeting matching requirements

o the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to 

future awards

• information available through OMB-designated repositories of government-wide 

eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, such as:

o Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

o U.S. Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Services

o Dun and Bradstreet

o SAM

o “Do Not Pay” 

• reports and findings from single audits performed under Uniform Administrative 

Guidance and findings of any other available audits or investigations

• IRS Tax Form 990

• applicant organization’s annual report

• publicly available information, including information from the applicant organization's 

website
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• applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements 

imposed on award recipients

• responses to the Applicant Operational and Financial Management Survey and supporting 

documentation.

f. Consideration of Integrity and Performance System Information

Prior to making any award that exceeds $150,000, CNCS is required to review and consider any 

information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system 

accessible through SAM and FAPIIS (see 41 U.S.C. 2313). Additionally, CNCS may expand 

upon these requirements and use its discretion to review and consider information about any 

applicant receiving an award, including those under $150,000.

Any applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance 

systems accessible through FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a federal 

awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance 

system accessible through FAPIIS.

CNCS may consider comments by any applicant, in addition to the other information in the 

designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's 

integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing its 

review of risk posed by the applicant under the Risk Assessment Evaluation section of this

Notice. 

g. Selection for Funding

The review and selection process is designed to: 

• identify how well eligible applications are aligned with the application review criteria

• build a diversified portfolio based on the following strategic considerations: 

o CNCS Funding Priorities (See Section A.2. Funding Priorities)

o meaningful representation of 

 geographic diversity 

 rural communities

 small and medium programs 

 faith-based organizations

 Focus Areas

 high ratio of match and/or other revenue to CNCS investment.

Based on the evaluation of these strategic considerations, applications may be selected for 

funding over applications with a greater degree of alignment with the review criteria. In selecting 

applicants to receive awards under this Notice, the Chief Executive Officer will endeavor to 

include a diverse portfolio of applications based on staff recommendations and strategic 

considerations.

CNCS reserves the right to prioritize funding existing awards over making new awards. 

CNCS reserves the right to award applications in an amount other than at the requested level of 

funding and will document the rationale for doing so.
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CNCS reserves the right to adjust or make changes to the review process, if unforeseen 

challenges or urgent circumstances make it impossible, impracticable, or inefficient to conduct

the review process as planned. Any such adjustments or changes will not affect the selection 

criteria that will be used to assess applications.

3. Feedback to Applicants

Following awards, applicants will receive summary comments from the Blended Review of their 

compliant applications. This feedback will be based on the review of the original application and

will not reflect information provided during clarification.

4. Transparency in Grant-making

CNCS is committed to transparency in grant-making. The following information for new and recompeting applications will be published on CNCS Results of Grant Competitions within 90 

business days after all grants are awarded:

• a list of all compliant applications submitted

• data extracted from the SF-424 Face Sheet 

• a list of all external reviewers who completed the review process.

Submitted program narratives for successful applications will be available upon request.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

CNCS will make awards following the grant selection announcement. CNCS anticipates 

announcing the results of this competition in June contingent on the availability of congressional 

appropriations. All applicants, successful or not, will be notified of funding decisions via email.

Notification of an award is not an authorization to begin grant activities. The Notice of Grant 

Award signed by the grant officer is the authorizing document for grant activities. An awardee 

may not expend federal funds until the start of the Project Period identified on the Notice of 

Grant Award.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. Uniform Guidance

All awards made under this Notice will be subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, 

Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), in 2 CFR 

Parts 200 and 2205.

b. Requests for Improper Payment Information

CNCS may, from time to time, request documentation from recipients in order to monitor the 

award or to comply with other legal requirements, such as the Improper Payments Information 

Act of 2002, as amended. Failure to make timely responses to these requests may result in award 

funds being placed on temporary manual hold, reimbursement only status, or other remedies may 

be applied as appropriate. 
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c. CNCS Terms and Conditions 

All awards made under this Notice will be subject to the 2020 CNCS General Terms and 

Conditions, and the 2020 Specific Terms and Conditions for the particular program (when 

applicable). These Terms and Conditions contain detailed, mandatory compliance and reporting 

requirements. Current versions of the CNCS General and Specific Terms and Conditions for 

each of its programs is available at https://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/terms-andconditions-cncs-grants.

d. National Service Criminal History Check Requirements

The National Service Criminal History Check (NSCHC) is a specific screening procedure 

established by law to protect the beneficiaries of national service. The law requires grantees to 

conduct and document NSCHCs on persons (including award-funded staff, national service 

participant, or volunteer) receiving a salary, living allowance, stipend, or education award 

through a program receiving CNCS funds. This includes staff that receive part of their salary 

through a subgrant. An individual is ineligible to serve in a position that receives such CNCS 

funding if the individual is registered, or required to be registered, as a sex offender or has been

convicted of murder. The cost of conducting NSCHCs is an allowable expense under the award.

Grantees should utilize two vendors CNCS has engaged to conduct the required NSCHCs. Failure to 

conduct an NSCHC may result in significant disallowed costs.

Unless CNCS has provided a grant recipient with a written exemption or written approval of an 

alternative search procedure, recipients must perform the following checks:

All award-funded staff and national service participants must undergo NSCHCs that include:

• A nationwide name-based search of the National Sex Offender Public Website 

(NSOPW); and

• Either

o A name- or finger-based search of the statewide criminal history registry in the 

person’s state of residence and in the state where the person will serve/work or

o A fingerprint-based FBI criminal history check.

Special Rule for Persons Serving Vulnerable Populations. Award-funded staff, national service 

participants, and volunteers with recurring access to vulnerable populations (i.e., children age 17 

or younger, individuals age 60 or older, or individuals with disabilities) must undergo NSCHCs 

that include:

• A nationwide name-based check of the NSOPW; and 

• Both 

o A name- or fingerprint-based search of the statewide criminal history registry in 

the person’s state of residence and in the state where the person will serve/work; 

and

o A fingerprint-based FBI criminal history check.

See 45 CFR § 2540.200–§ 2540.207 and CNCS Criminal History Check Resources for complete 

information and FAQs.

As of December 31, 2019, many pre-approved Alternative Search Procedures (ASPs) and any 
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existing, individual ASP/Exemption requests will expire and will no longer be available for use.

3. Use of Material

To ensure that materials generated with CNCS funding are available to the public and readily 

accessible to recipients and non-recipients, CNCS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and 

irrevocable right to obtain, use, modify, reproduce, publish, or disseminate publications and 

materials produced under the award, including data, and to authorize others to do so (2 CFR 

§200.315).

4. Reporting

Recipients are required to submit a variety of reports which are due at specific times during the 

life cycle of an award. All reports must be accurate, complete, and submitted on time.

Recipients are required to provide annual progress reports and semi-annual financial reports 

through eGrants, CNCS’s web-based grants management system. All recipients must provide

quarterly financial reports through the Payment Management System (PMS) at the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services.

In addition, at the end of the award period, recipients must submit final financial and progress 

reports that are cumulative over the entire award period and consistent with the close-out 

requirements. The final reports are due 90 days after the end of the agreement. 

Award recipients will be required to report at www.FSRS.gov on all subawards over 

$25,000, and may be required to report on executive compensation for the recipient organization 

and its subrecipients. Recipients and subrecipients must have the necessary systems in place to 

collect and report this information. See 2 CFR Part 170 for more information and to determine 

how these requirements apply. 

Once the grant is awarded, recipients will be expected to have data collection and data 

management policies, processes, and practices that provide reasonable assurance that they are 

reporting high quality performance measure data. At a minimum, recipients should have policies, 

processes, and practices that address the following five aspects of data quality for themselves and 

for subrecipients (if applicable):

• the data measures what it intends to measure

• the data reported is complete

• the recipient collects data in a consistent manner

• the recipient takes steps to correct data errors

• the recipient actively reviews data for accuracy prior to submission. 

Failure to submit accurate, complete, and timely required reports may affect the recipient’s 

ability to secure future CNCS funding.

For further guidance and training resources see: Resources: Data Collection and Instruments.

5. Continuation Funding Information and Requirements 
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Organizations that have current Day of Service awards and would like to request funding for 

year 2 or year 3 of funding (referred to as Continuation Applicants) must submit an application 

in order to be eligible to receive funding. Please see the Application Instructions. Requests by 

existing continuation applicants for increases in the level of funding will be assessed using the 

review criteria published in this Notice. 

The review will also be based on grantee performance to date, the federal financial report, and 

CNCS staff’s knowledge of the grant program. To be approved for continuation funding, 

recipients must demonstrate satisfactory performance with respect to key program goals and 

requirements, as well as compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant. 

CNCS reserves the right to award applications in an amount other than at the requested level of 

funding and will document the rationale for doing so.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For more information or a printed copy of related material(s), email DayofService@cns.gov.

CNCS also offers live text chat at www.NationalService.gov/contact-us.

For technical questions and problems with the eGrants system, call the National Service Hotline 

at (800) 942-2677. National Service Hotline hours are:

• Mon - Fri, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Jan)

• Mon - Thu, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Feb and Mar)

Potential applicants can also use this link: eGrants Questions. Be prepared to provide the 

application ID, organization’s name, and the name of the Notice to which the organization is 

applying.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Technical Assistance

CNCS will host a technical assistance call to answer questions about the funding opportunity and 

eGrants. CNCS strongly encourages all applicants to participate in these sessions. Call-in 

information for the technical assistance calls is on CNCS’s 

website: www.nationalservice.gov/dayofservice.

2. Re-Focusing of Funding

CNCS reserves the right to re-focus program dollars for this competition in the event of disaster 

or other compelling needs. 

I. IMPORTANT NOTICES

Public Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for collection of information under this 

Notice of Funding is estimated to average eighteen hours per submission, including reviewing 

instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing the application and 

reporting forms. CNCS informs people who may respond to this Notice of Funding that they are 

not required to respond unless the OMB control number and expiration date are current valid. 
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(See 5 C.F.R. 1320.5(b)(2)(i).) The OMB Control Number for the information collection is 3045-

0187. It expires on 9/30/2020.

Privacy Act Statement: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C § 552a) requires that we notify you 

that the information requested under this Notice of Funding is collected pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 

12592 and 12615 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 as amended, and 42 

U.S.C. 4953 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 as amended. Purposes and Uses -

The information requested is collected for the purposes of reviewing grant applications and 

granting funding requests. Routine uses may include disclosure of the information to federal, 

state, or local agencies pursuant to lawfully authorized requests. In some programs, the 

information may also be provided to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to 

determine the existence of any prior criminal convictions. The information may also be provided 

to appropriate federal agencies and contractors that have a need to know the information for the 

purpose of assisting the government to respond to a suspected or confirmed breach of the 

security or confidentiality or information maintained in this system of records, and the 

information disclosed is relevant and unnecessary for the assistance. Effects of Nondisclosure -

The information requested is voluntary; however, to be a recipient of this grant program, 

disclosure of personal or sensitive information is required to receive federal benefits.