FY 2018 GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Retired Senior Volunteer Program 

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 

RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER (RSVP) 

PROGRAM GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

A Recognition Events 1 

B Grant Period 1 

C Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) – Sep - Feb and Mar – Aug 2 

D Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) – Apr - Sep and Oct – Mar 2 

E Federal Financial Reporting/Disbursements 2 

F Annual Progress Report 2 

G Recognition of Federal Funding 3 

H Program/Project Manager Authority 3 

I Prohibition on Use of Program Grant Funds 3 

J External Evaluation and Data Collection 5 

K Lobby Disclosure 5 

L Reporting Requirements 5 

M Program Income 6 

N Budget and Programmatic Changes 7 

O Senior Corp Branding 7 

P National Service Criminal History Check Training 8 

A. 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. 

B. 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 
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progress and the availability of funds. The project period and the budget are noted on the 

award document. 

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C. 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. 

D. 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. 

E. 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. 
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F. 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 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. 

G. 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. 

H. Authorities of Program Officer and Grants Officer 

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

as well as the 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. 

I. Prohibition on Use of Program Grant Funds 

As specified in 42 U.S.C. § 5043(c) and 45 C.F.R. § 2553.91, while charging time to a 

Retired Senior Volunteer Program, accumulating service, or training hours, or otherwise 

performing activities supported by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program or CNCS, staff 

and volunteers may not engage in the following activities: 

1. Political activities. 

a. 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: 

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

contending faction or group, in an election; or 
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ii. Any activity to provide voters or prospective voters with transportation to the 

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

iii.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 decisions concerning any 

candidate, political party, election issue, or voting decision. 

b. Notwithstanding 42 U.S.C. § 5043(c) and 45 C.F.R. § 2553.91(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 

executivelegislative 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. 

2. Non-displacement of employed workers. An RSVP 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. 

3. Compensation for service. An RSVP agency or organization to which RSVP 

volunteers are assigned, or which operates or supervises any RSVP program shall not 

request or receive any compensation from RSVP volunteers or from beneficiaries for 

services of RSVP volunteers. 

i 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 CNCS award; 

ii A volunteer station may contribute to the financial support of the 

RSVP. However, this support shall not be a required precondition 

for a potential station to obtain RSVP services. 

iii If a volunteer station agrees to provide funds to support additional 

RSVP 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; 
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iv Under no circumstances shall a RSVP volunteer receive a fee for 

service from service recipients (i.e., program beneficiaries), their 

legal guardians, members of their families, or friends. 

4. 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. 

5. 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. 

6. Religious activities. An RSVP 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 service or duties. 

i 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. 

7. 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. 

J. EXTERNAL 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. 

K. 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. 

L. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 
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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. 

1. 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. 

2. 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. 

3. 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. 

 

4. 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 date for the reports. 

5. Requests for Extensions. Each Recipient must submit a financial report by the given 

date. 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 State Program Office. 

6. Other. The recipient shall meet as necessary with the CNCS State 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. 

M. PROGRAM INCOME 

1. General. Income, including fees for service earned as a direct result of the grant-funded 

program activities during the award period, must be retained by the Recipient and used to 

finance the grant’s non-CNCS share. 

2. 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. 
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3. 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: 

i. The service benefits a for-profit entity; 

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

regulation, or these award terms and conditions. 

N. BUDGET AND PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES 

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

before making changes: 

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

timeline whether or not they involve budgetary changes;

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

c. 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.

2. 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: 

a. specific costs requiring 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; 

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

approved application and budget; 

c. 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 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; 

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

nonfederal entity; or 

e. The inclusion, unless waived by the federal awarding agency, of costs that require 

prior approval in accordance with subpart E cost principles in 2 CFR. 

3. 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 
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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., 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). 

O. SENIOR CORPS BRANDING

“RSVP” must be included in all references to the project. Accordingly, “RSVP” 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. 

P. 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: 

http://cncstraining.articulateonline.com/4240214797 unless 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 . 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.