1 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FY 2019 Day of Service Funding Opportunities

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (MLK) 

September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance (September 11) 

Revised June 17, 2019 

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides the Notice of Funding Opportunity 

(Notice) and the Day of Service Application Instructions as the primary sources of information about the 

requirements of this grant competition. This FAQ resource is intended to provide further clarification,

and does not replace or override the information contained in the published documents. 

Key Resources (not exhaustive): 

2019 Day of Service Grant Competition webpage with the Notice, Application 

Instructions, webinar recording and presentation, FAQs, etc. 

•

• MLK Day of Service webpage

• September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance webpage

• Results of Prior CNCS Grant Competitions including MLK and September 11 [some 

requirements were different in prior years] 

• Code of Federal Regulations 

• eGrants log-in page 

• System of Award Management (SAM) log-in page (use IE11 or higher, Chrome, Firefox, 

Safari, etc.) 

• Financial Management Survey 

• DayofService@cns.gov mailbox for all general questions related to this competition 

• IntentToApply@cns.gov mailbox for all Intent to Applies, which are due June 5, 2019 

• CHC@cns.gov mailbox for questions related to the National Service Criminal History 

Checks

1. General Application Submission and Notice Questions 

1.1 How often is this competition offered? 

CNCS assesses needs and available appropriations annually as part of determining whether 

to do new competitions or not. CNCS posts all competitive funding opportunities here and 

encourages individuals to subscribe to this list-serve to receive updates via email directly. 

1.2 What is the project period for these grants?

 The project period is the total length of time the recipient is proposed for funding to 

 complete activities approved under the award. These grants will have a three-year project 

 period from September 2019-September 2022.

 Year one Day of Service activities will take place in calendar year 2020 as follows: MLK 

 activities in January 2020 and September 11 activities in September 2020. Subsequent 
2

 continuation funding is dependent on the availability of Congressional appropriations 

 and satisfactory performance. Any proposed changes in scope will be handled on a case-by- 

 case basis.

1.3 What are the different ways that an organization can implement a Day of Service award?

There are four ways an organization can implement a direct Day of Service award (Notice, 

page 3). Types of award:

a. Pass‐through entity: A pass-through entity selects subrecipients on a competitive basis 

through a sub-grant. Pass-through applicants should clearly describe their plan for 

subawarding in their application narratives. Subawards are to be made in annual amounts 

of $1,000 or more, per year. A pass-through entity does not plan activities for the Day of 

Service. Instead, only the subrecipients plan Day of Service activities. Pass-through entities 

are required to monitor their subrecipients. All of the CNCS requirements of the passthrough entity will be passed down to the subrecipients. 

b. Subgranting organization: A subgranting organization selects subrecipients on a 

competitive basis through a sub-grant. Subgranting organizations 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. A subgranting organization plans activities for 

the Day of Service and their subgrantees also plan activities for the Day of Service. 

Subgranting organizations are required to monitor their subrecipients Subrecipients are 

responsible for all of the same requirements as CNCS direct grantees. Applicants do not 

have to subgrant (see 1.3.d. Sole entity).

c. Partnership coordinators: A partnership coordinator works with partner organizations 

but may select them on a noncompetitive basis.

d. Sole entity: A sole entity does not provide any subaward funding. Instead, the applicant 

organization plans and implements all Day of Service activities. 

1.4 Do all partnerships or subgrantee agreements need to be in place and partners named at

the time the application is submitted? 

Applicants do not have to select or identify subgrantees at the time of application. They

should clearly describe their plan for subawarding in the application narrative. 

Applicants that want to apply with a formal partner(s) must name the partner(s) and 

include a plan that identifies how the partnership will be structured to carry out the grant.
3

1.5 My organization is considering applying for both MLK and September 11 funding. How 

do we submit applications for both Days of Service? 

To apply for both Days of Service funding opportunities, you will need to submit two 

separate applications in eGrants. Applicants may not submit more than one application to 

CNCS for each Day of Service. 

1.6 Can applicants submit an application directly to CNCS and also apply to be a sub-grantee

of another CNCS direct grantee?

Yes. Direct applicants to CNCS may also apply to other direct applicants and/or direct 

grantees as sub-grantees. If organizations apply to be both a direct grantee and a subgrantee, the applications should be for different and distinct activities. 

1.7 Are current CNCS grantees and sponsors eligible to apply for these grants?

Yes. All current CNCS grantees and sponsors are eligible to apply for these grants. These 

would be new grants for new activities, so current CNCS grantees will need to submit new 

applications, rather than amend existing CNCS awards.

1.8 If a current grantee organization includes personnel on this grant that previously had 

national service criminal history checks (CHCs), do the CHCs have to completed again?

In general, personnel currently working for an organization, but on another CNCS grant, 

who have previous CHCs completed in accordance CNCS’ CHC requirements (Notice, 

pages 15-16) do not have to be checked again if they will also be working on this grant for 

that organization. There are two exceptions. First, if personnel have episodic access to 

vulnerable populations on the current CNCS grant and will have recurring access on this 

grant. In that case, the personnel would also have to all three required checks completed 

(Notice, page 16). The second is if the personnel have had a break in service of longer than 

120 days. If there is such a break, then a new check must be performed. Additional 

information and resources to support CHCs is available here. 

1.9 Can current AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers participate in grant

funded Day of Service activities? 

Yes, provided the Day of Service activities are clearly identified. The hours served can only 

be attributed towards one CNCS grant.

1.10 Does this affect the forward-funding for year three of current Day of Service grants

 No. Current Day of Service grantees will receive guidance for the 2019 continuation 

 process separately. Current grantees may apply for new grants for new activities as part 

 of this competition.
4

1.11 After we submit our intent is there a way to get a list of other organizations that are 

interested so that we can network together?

For competitive grant processes, CNCS cannot share information about other potential 

applicants and applicants. After funding decisions have been publicly announced, all

applicants and the results of competitions will be posted on the Results of Prior CNCS 

Grant Competitions webpage.

1.12 Can I receive individual technical assistance to answer my questions about this 

 competition?

No, there is not a one-on-one technical assistance process as part of this grant process. 

Questions submitted to DayofService@cns.gov will be answered via email and posted in 

this FAQ resource on the competition website as appropriate to ensure all applicants 

receive the same information. This FAQ will be updated and reposted regularly. 

1.13 How do I create an e-Grants account?

New users can create e-Grants accounts here. Existing users should use their current 

accounts. Please contact the National Service Hotline at: 1-800-942-2677 for any technical 

issues with eGrants. 

1.14 Where can I learn more about the CNCS CHC requirements? 

More information about the requirements and resources are available here. Please note 

that CNCS has approved a contract with two vendors to provide all required checks and 

encourages grantees to use them.

1.15 I did not submit an intent to apply by the June 5, 2019 deadline. Can I still submit an 

 application by June 19, 2019? 

 Yes. Intent to applies are encouraged, but not required.

1.16 The Notice references a 10-page limit. What is included in that limit

 Please refer to pages 5-6 of the Notice for information about what is and is not included in 

 the 10-page limit.

1.17 Are performance measures required? If so, where should I include information about 

 performance measures? 

 Yes, performance measures are required. Please include performance measures for 

 review and scoring in the narrative under Program Design. Additionally, the eGrants

 system requires applicants to select, enter information, and validate a minimum of one 

 Performance Measure in the Performance Measures Module in order to submit an 

 application in the system. The content of the Performance Measures Module will not be 

 reviewed, and applicants will not be responsible for the targets set in the module. 

 Applicants will only be evaluated on performance information in the application narrative. 

 Screenshots are available on the competition website. 
5

1.18 Under performance measures on page 10 of the Notice, it states that reviewers will 

 assess whether “measurable outputs are identified that result from delivering the 

 intervention including specific identified targets for each year of the award.” Does this 

 mean we should identify the estimated number of volunteers each year? Do you want us 

 to track retention of volunteers each year?

 Yes. Please identify how many volunteers you anticipate engaging each year as well as the 

 number of volunteers you plan to serve in multiple years.

1.19 In the Executive Summary component of eGrants, must Focus Areas be selected from 

 one or more of the following: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, 

 environmental stewardship, healthy futures, veterans and military families, and other 

 community priorities. 

 No. If the application does not fall within a focus area, you do not need to include that 

 sentence in the Executive Summary.

1.20 CNCS’s FY 2019 appropriation includes language allocating Day of Service Funding 

equally between the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance and the 

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. Is that true for these grants as well? 

No, applicants can apply for just September 11 or MLK Day and, if you apply for both, you 

do not need to apply for equal funding for each planned day of national service. CNCS will 

review all applications received for both Days of Service using the review criteria outlined in 

the Notice. Funding decisions will be made accordingly. CNCS may also use these funds in 

support of the Day of Service and/or refocus some of the funds in the event of disaster or 

other compelling needs. 

1.21 This is my first time applying for Day of Service funding. I already receive CNCS 

 funding, and I do not believe my proposal will exceed $75,000.00. Do I need to complete 

 a Financial Management Survey (FMS)?

 As outlined on page 9 of the Notice, only New and Recompeting Day of Service applicants 

 requesting over $75,000 and All New to CNCS applicants regardless of funding 

 level are required to submit a Financial Management Survey (FMS) and supporting 

 documents located at http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/financialmanagement -

 select Financial Management Survey under the Application Certification Forms section. If 

 you are submitting the Financial Management Survey, please follow the guidance on page 9 

 of the Notice on sending the documents via email to AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov.

1.22 I am unable to apply for this funding through www.grants.gov.

CNCS does not accept applications to our Notices of Funding Opportunities through 

Grants.gov. Other federal agencies use Grants.gov for application submissions, however, 

CNCS only uses Grants.gov to post a synopsis of the Notice and then direct potential 

applicants to the competition webpage where they can access the entire Notice. CNCS only 

accepts applications submitted through eGrants. It is listed in the Notice that applicants 

must submit an application through eGrants (page 8). 
6

1.23 Can I apply for Day of Service activities that will take place in 2021 and 2022?

 No. An applicant cannot apply now in FY 2019 for projects in 2021 and 2022. The three-year 

 project period is based on satisfactory performance in the prior year(s). However, please 

 include any information about your plans to continue or deviate your projects in 2021 and 

 2022 if you have that information. CNCS will focus on your activities in 2019 but should be 

 advised if the plan for future years is different.

1.24 If I plan to do service projects in more than one state, should I use the state my 

 headquarters in in for “project state” in eGrants?

 Yes. Please include expected locations of the projects in the “Areas affected by the project”

 field in the Application Information component of eGrants.

1.25 Do organizations need to apply through state service commissions or can they apply 

 directly to CNCS?

 Organizations may apply directly to CNCS. State service commissions may also apply

 to CNCS. All applicants can implement Day of Service projects as outlined in 1.3 above.

1.26 I am a current Day of Service grantee. Should I select “existing, new, renewal?” 

 All applicants for this competition should select, “new.” Current Day of Service grantees 

 will receive instructions to submit continuation applications at a later date.

1.27 If we are not required to submit documents in eGrants, what should we select under

 Documents?

 Please advance to the next screen without selecting anything here unless you are 

 submitting documents via email to AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov (Notice pg. 9). 

 Information about submitting Financial Management Surveys is in 1.21 above.

1.28 Day of Service is not an option in the Project Initiative Type in eGrants. What should I

 select? 

 Any of the responses that are available in the project initiative section of the project 

 information is acceptable.

2. Budget

2.1 What amount should be included in the budget narrative?

 Enter your request for the year one. There is no minimum or maximum threshold for 

 this competition.

2.2 When are the funds released for these grants?
7

 The notice of grant award provides grantees with the authority to incur expenses allocated 

 in the budget. These grants will be awarded on a cost reimbursement basis, so 

 grantees may submit payment requests to the Payment Management System after they 

 incur the expenses. 

2.3 Where can I learn what budget items are allowable and unallowable? 

Please review the Notice carefully and consider if the cost is reasonable, necessary, allocable 

and allowable per 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E. In considering these items see especially 2 

C.F.R. §§ 200.403, 200.404, 200.405. Please include detailed descriptions of proposed 

expenses in your budget narrative to enable reviewers to determine whether they are 

reasonable, necessary, allocable and allowable.

2.4 Please provide an example of what it means to match 70% of the total project budget, 

 as required in statute for MLK. 

An applicant must provide at least 70% of the total project budget for MLK grants. As an 

example, if an applicant requests $60,000 in CNCS funding, the grantee share would be 

$140,000. This brings the total project budget to $200,000. The eGrants budget will help you 

identify the CNCS and match percentages as you enter the information.

Please note that there is no match requirement for September 11 applications this year.

2.5 Are there requirements about how much of the match can be cash and how much can 

 be in‐kind? 

 No. The match can be any combination of cash or in-kind or could be solely cash or in-kind.

 2.6 How should our organization’s plan to act as a pass-through entity, provide

 subgrants, or work with partners be represented in the budget? 

If you intend to provide funding to any other organizations, this should be represented in 

the budget as a line item (or multiple line items) in the Other Support Costs section of the 

budget. The line item (or multiple line items) should include detail to show the number of 

organizations you intend to support and the amount of funding provided to each.

2.7 Can a different department within the organization be considered a contractor for the 

 purposes of the budget? 

 Unless your department has a contract or other agreement with the other internal 

 department, the costs related to this grant should be included in the Project Personnel 

 Expenses and Personnel Fringe Benefits budget sections.

2.8 While volunteer time generally cannot be used as in-kind match, the webinar said it

 can be for an organizational function like an accountant. Please confirm and clarify.

 The time that volunteers perform activities as part of the service project itself cannot be 

 considered in-kind, however the time that support organizations carrying out the project 

 that they would otherwise have to pay for may be counted as in-kind providing they meet 
8

 the criteria outlined in 200.306 Cost Sharing or Matching. More information about in-kind 

 contributions is available here. 

2.9 I know I should only request funding for the first year of my project in this application. 

 If I request $50,000 for year one, will I receive $50,000 in years two and three as well?

 Generally, CNCS provides continuation grant funding at the same level as in year 1, 

 however, continuation awards, including funding, are based on satisfactory performance in 

 prior years and the availability of Congressional appropriations. 

2.10 For the 9/11 Day of Service proposal, must our costs exactly match our request from 

 CNCS, since no match is required? In other words, if the first year of the program costs 

 $85,000, should we request $85,000, even though most grants in the past topped out at 

 $50,000 per year ($150,000 total)? If we ask for more than CNCS decides to give, would 

 CNCS give us a lesser amount, or if the amount is too high, will CNCS reject the 

 proposal overall (e.g., does requesting “too much” increase our chance of being denied a 

 grant)? Should we request only $50,000 and show that we will use resources from other 

 sources? 

There is no minimum or maximum budget request amount for this grant competition. 

CNCS will evaluate all applications, including budget requests, on the criteria in the Notice. 

While not required, September 11 applicants may include matching funds in their budgets. 

Please note, matching funds are subject to the same requirements as funds received from 

CNCS. As part of the clarification process, CNCS may propose different funding amounts or 

ask questions about your budget proposal, the scope of your grant and your past 

expenditures. 

3. Program Implementation

3.1 Would [insert a specific type of activity] be considered eligible for these grants?

CNCS cannot comment on specific project ideas in competitive grant processes. Please 

review the Funding Priorities and Performance Measures sections of the Notice (pages 1-2) 

to determine if your proposed activity(s) would be eligible.

3.2 Is there a minimum number of volunteers that we are required to engage? 

There is no minimum number of volunteers you are required to engage, however, CNCS 

seeks projects that will engage a significant number of volunteers (Notice, page 2) to 

maximize these resources. 

3.3 Does our project have to address all of the items listed under “priority consideration” 

(Notice, page 2)? 

No. CNCS will give priority consideration to applications that address at least one of the 

items listed under “priority consideration” (Notice, page 2). Inclusion of these items does 

not guarantee funding. 
9

3.4 How are “service locations” (Notice, page 10) defined? 

It is up to the applicant to define a service location. A service location may be a 

neighborhood, a city, regional to cover multiple states, or some other area. The idea is for 

each applicant organization to have service activities at least ten different physical locations

every year. These activities may occur on the same or different days and do not have to be 

the same locations each year. Please refer to pages 1-2 of the Notice for more information on 

the expected timing of grant-funded activities.

3.5 Would college students count as “youth”, as that term is used in the priority section?

 For the purposes of this competition, college students are considered youth.

3.6 Can an agency be a pass-through entity and also host a project as one of the ten required

locations?

No. Based on the definition of pass-through entities in the Notice and in FAQ 1.3.a., passthrough entities cannot host service activities.

3.7 As a current Senior Corps grantee, can my Day of Service activities be intergenerational, 

 or am I restricted to volunteers age 55 and older for these grants as well? If I can engage 

 volunteers under age 55, do I need to track continued service activities?

 This grant competition does not have any age limitations for any applicants. 

 Intergenerational projects are great but you must track service activities as outlined in the 

 Notice, available here. You can engage youngers volunteers for the Day of Service activities 

 as long as you keep your Senior Corps grantees’ time and records separate from your Days

 of Service funding.

3.8 I am a current CNCS grantee. My intention is to enroll volunteers ages 55 and up into my 

 RSVP project. Is it required that participating volunteers’ continued service activity be 

 tracked separately through the Day of Service award, or can their service be incorporated 

 into my regular RSVP reporting?

 Yes, you must track and report all service activities attributable to the grant they are 

 supporting. The volunteers’ hours served can only be attributed towards one CNCS grant.

 However, a regular RSVP volunteer who is not receiving stipend can also serve an extra day 

 of service on your National Day of Service grant(s).