2016 FGP and SCP Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific 

Islanders Competition

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Updated May 18, 2016

This document supplements the 2016 Senior Corps FGP and SCP Indian Tribes, Native 

Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application 

Instructions. These FAQs will be updated periodically. New or updated questions will be 

clearly indicated within each section. 

Sections

1. AWARD INFORMATION...................................................................................................................... 1 

2. ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.............................................................................................................. 2 

3. SELECTION CRITERIA AND REVIEW .............................................................................................. 2 

4. EGRANTS............................................................................................................................................... 2 

5. BUDGET ................................................................................................................................................. 3 

6. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.................................................................................................................... 4 

7. VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS ............................................................................................................ 5 

8. APPENDIX A.......................................................................................................................................... 7 

9. OTHER..................................................................................................................................................... 8 

1. AWARD INFORMATION

1.1 What are the responsibilities of a sponsor with respect to project management 

responsibilities? For example, can the grantee contract out any of the responsibilities?

No. Please see the FGP and SCP regulation requirements below:

FGP Regulations – 45 CFR 2552.22 

A sponsor is responsible for fulfilling all project management requirements necessary to 

accomplish the purposes of the Foster Grandparent Program as specified in the Act. A sponsor 

shall not delegate or contract these responsibilities to another entity. A sponsor shall comply with 

all program regulations and policies, and grant provisions prescribed by the Corporation. 

SCP Regulations – 45 CFR 2551.22 

A sponsor is responsible for fulfilling all project management requirements necessary to 

accomplish the purposes of the Senior Companion Program as specified in the Act. A sponsor 

1 
shall not delegate or contract these responsibilities to another entity. The sponsor shall comply 

with all program regulations and policies, and grant provisions prescribed by the Corporation. 

2. ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS

2.1 Do you have a Senior Companion Program open for the US Territories to apply or 

would we be an eligible entity under the SC Indian Tribes Competition?

At this time, we do not have any available SCP opportunities other than the Senior Corps Tribal 

Competition. The legal entities that are eligible for this competition are Indian Tribes. Please 

refer to the Notice for the definition of Indian Tribe. 

2.2 Can a tribe that has lands or memberships in more than one state propose to serve in 

any or all of those states? 

Yes. 

3. SELECTION CRITERIA AND REVIEW

3.1 How should applicants address the selection criteria described in the Notice for cost 

effectiveness/budget adequacy?

Selection criteria Q15 and Q16 should be addressed through the text that can be entered in the 

narrative, work plans, and the budget section and should align with the other responses. 

3.2 How is the DUNS number used during the review?

The DUNS number is one of the items considered during the financial review. A DUNS number 

established an organization’s credit score and should be established as soon as possible prior to 

submitting an application. 

4. EGRANTS

4.1 When starting my application in eGrants, do I select ‘New’? 

All applicants should select ‘New’. 

4.2 How do I enter my authorized representative name in my application? 

The authorized representative for your organization must login to eGrants with their own user 

account, click on the assurances and conditions, and submit the grant application. This will allow 

their name to show up as the authorized representative for the grant application.

4.3 What should be entered in the “Other” narrative section? 

2 
The “Other” narrative section only applies to applicants that are proposing evidence-based 

programming. In the “Other” section of the application narrative, applicants must describe how 

additional funding will be used to engage volunteers in service activities related to one of more 

evidence-based programming models. 

Applicants interested in evidence-based programming should refer to Appendix C: Evidencebased Programs Instructions. 

4.4 Should applicant submit a station roster?

Applicants are not required to submit a station roster at the time of their initial application. 

However, if applicants have stations identified, applicants can submit those stations in eGrants.

4.5 Who should submit the application through eGrants?

A person with the legal authority to enter into contracts and grant agreements on behalf of the 

applicant must submit the application in eGrants. This person is the Authorized Representative. 

Someone else can prepare the initial application within eGrants, but the Authorized 

Representative must be the one to review and submit the application.

4.6 Are the application questions laid out within eGrants?

No. eGrants prompts applicants with the broader narrative categories (e.g. “Strengthening 

Communities”). The questions to be answered within each category are found in the Grant 

Application Instructions (https://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/senior-corps/2015/2016-

fgpscp-grant-application-instructions). It is recommended that applicants copy and paste each 

narrative question into the body of your application narratives so that your answers to each 

question are easily located.

5. BUDGET

5.1 Can a tribal applicant use BIA or other federal funds as match?

For the use of federal funds, it would depend on what those agencies’ own regulations and 

legislation say. We do not have a distinct prohibition. We would need the authority on their side 

that funds can be used in this way. 

5.2 What is the average amount awarded per year for this grant?

There is no average amount awarded for this competition. Grant applicants should request grant 

amounts based on a rate of $6,000 in CNCS funding annually per VSY for FGP and SCP.

5.3 Is there a waiver if an applicant cannot reach the minimum number of VSYs for the 

grant application?

3
Applicants should submit an application requesting the VSY number that they feel is appropriate 

for their community.

5.4 Can the Project Director’s salary be included in the budget?

Yes.

5.5 How does the indirect cost factor into the budget?

As stated in the Notice, CNCS allows applicants to include administrative indirect costs in the 

CNCS grant budgets. 

6. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

6.1 If our audit is not done for this year, can we submit last year’s audit?

Yes. The instructions say to submit your most recent audit. If this year’s audit is not finished, 

then the previous year’s audit is the most recent audit. 

6.2 When sending the attachments to FGPSCP@cns.gov, should I send each one separately 

or combine all the documents into one document?

When sending the required documents for your application, please ensure that each document is 

submitted as a separate attachment. If necessary, you can submit more than one email but all 

required documents for your application should be submitted as separate documents attached to 

the email(s). Please do not scan all documents into one PDF and send as one attachment. Name 

each attachment to correspond with the “Description of Attachment” found in the Grant 

Application Instructions.

6.3. Where can I find a form for the Negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement?

Forms are not provided for the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement as part of this 

competition. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement already in 

place, then you should have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from your cognizant 

federal agency. In that case, you would send a copy of that document as part of your application.

6.4. What is a statement of audit status and who is responsible for submitting an audit to 

the Audit Clearinghouse?

The statement of audit status is simply a short written statement from your organization that 

includes all of the information requested in item 12 of the document table of the Grant 

Application Instructions. If your organization is subject to an A-133 audit, your organization is 

responsible for submitting it to the Audit Clearinghouse.

6.5. Should information entered in the Aggregate Dollar Amount of Funding Form be for 

all funding for the entire organization, or only for the Senior Corps project?

4
The information should be for all funding for the organization.

7. VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS

7.1 Who can be volunteers and clients?

Tribal and non-tribal members may be volunteers and clients. 

7.2 Do volunteers have to be enrolled members of the tribe?

No. 

7.3. Does a volunteer have to live within the proposed service area?

No. 

7.4 Can an elder not living on tribal lands serve as a volunteer on tribal lands? If yes, does 

the elder have to be an enrolled tribal member?

Yes, an elder can serve as a volunteer. The elder does not need to be enrolled tribal member. 

7.5 Do all clients served have to live within the proposed service area?

Yes, all clients served must live in the proposed service area, unless the client is a student in the 

Foster Grandparent program attending school on tribal lands. 

7.6. Can a student not living on tribal lands but attending school on tribal lands be served?

Yes. 

7.7 Can elders be served through the Senior Companion program if they don’t live within 

the service area but do receive services through a station located in the service area?

Yes, an elder living within or receiving services in the service area designated in the grant can be 

served.

7.8 Can non-tribal members living on tribal lands be enrolled as a volunteer?

Yes. Race, ethnicity, or tribal identity cannot be used to determine volunteer or client eligibility.

7.9 For Senior Companion respite services, is the caregiver who is receiving respite services 

paid or unpaid?

The caregiver receiving respite services must be unpaid. Senior Companions cannot displace 

paid staff.

5
7.10 Can a Senior Companion volunteer take a client to the grocery store or post office?

Yes.

7.11 Can a client receiving services through a Title VI program also receive services 

through the Senior Companion Program?

Yes, as long as the Senior Companion is not displacing a paid caregiver. 

7.12 Can a Title VI member and a Senior Companion provide the same service?

A Senior Companion volunteer cannot replace or displace a paid employee; however, a client 

may be served by both an employee of a Title VI program and a Senior Companion volunteer. 

7.13 If a sponsor has both a Foster Grandparent program and a Senior Companion 

program, could the sponsor provide some in-service trainings that are jointly held for 

volunteers in both programs?

Yes, as long as the training topic is appropriate for both groups of volunteers. 

7.14 In certain cultures, it is disrespectable to not accept a gift or money from an older 

adult. Can you explain the regulation of appropriate gift-giving and/or the prohibition on 

accepting money and items of value?

Based on program regulations, a volunteer cannot request or receive a fee-for-service from the 

client or his/her family. However, an unsolicited token of appreciation of nominal value is 

permissible.

7.15 If my service area covers members from other tribes, do my tribal members take 

priority over other tribes?

The sponsoring organization will need to develop a policy regarding volunteer recruitment and 

placement and apply it uniformly. Race, ethnicity, or tribal identity cannot be used to determine 

volunteer or client eligibility.

7.16 How many children can a Foster Grandparent mentor?

A Foster Grandparent should provide direct one-on-one service to the child. A Foster 

Grandparent may provide services to more than one child in a day but assignments should not be 

concurrent. For example, a Foster Grandparent may serve with Child A from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 

then Child B from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

7.17 When reporting on the Foster Grandparent Program, does the outcome have to be tied 

to each child?

6
Yes. Each child served by a Foster Grandparent volunteer should be assessed in accordance with 

the data collection method proposed. In order to preserve student confidentiality, the program 

may collect aggregated data on children served as long as the underlying assessment is made on 

each child individually before the results are aggregated. The aggregated data should include 

only children served, not include all children within a school or classroom.

7.18 How do you pair a Foster Grandparent with a child?

The sponsoring organization will need to develop a policy regarding volunteer recruitment and 

placement and apply it uniformly. 

7.19 Can a Senior Companion volunteer take 2 of their clients out at the same time?

No. The intent of the Senior Companion Program is to develop a supportive a person-to-person 

relationship between the Senior Companion Volunteer and his/her client. 

7.20 Can a volunteer pick who they want to serve?

The sponsoring organization should develop policies and procedures to guide the process of 

placing volunteers with clients or children served. These policies and procedures should be 

applied universally. 

7.21 Does a volunteer have to have a physical examination? If so, how often?

Yes. The Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs require that volunteers complete a 

physical examination annually. The annual physical examination is an allowable cost 

reimbursement for volunteers.

8. APPENDIX A

8.1 Can a tribal applicant propose to serve an area outside the tribally controlled lands?

Yes, if there is no current sponsor serving that county. Other situations would need to be 

reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please clearly define your proposed service area in your 

application.

8.2 Can the applicant propose to serve a station that is a tribal office located in an urban 

area served by another grantee?

This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

8.3 Can a tribe apply to serve an entire county if that county is not currently served, or do 

they have to propose to serve only tribally controlled lands?

The applicant would need to serve at a minimum their tribally controlled lands.

7
8.4 Our federally recognized tribe does not own any tribal lands. How should we define our 

service area?

The applicant should define the service area in the way that makes the most sense. The applicant 

should explain why the service area was defined that way. 

9. OTHER

9.1 Do cultural ceremonies and programs fall under prohibited activities such as religious

activities? 

This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

9.2 Does each station need its own work plan, or can they be aggregated together in one 

work plan?

They can be aggregated in one work plan if those stations are using the same outputs, outcomes, 

and service activities. 

9.3 What is the difference between output and outcome?

An output is the type of measure that tabulates, calculates, or records the actual products or 

services delivered by a program, such as students receiving tutoring or older adults receiving 

companionship services. 

An outcome is a type of measure that indicates progress toward achieving the intended result of a 

program, which usually represents a change in the situation of beneficiaries of service. 

9.4 For the Senior Companion Program, how is the outcome assessed?

Clients are surveyed using the required Independent Living Survey available 

at http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/scp-surveys.

9.5 Can you change your work plan in year 2 or 3?

When a continuation application is submitted for year 2 and year 3, it is anticipated that very few 

changes will be needed to the work plans because the work plans are the goals to be achieved in 

the third year of the project; however, modifications may be allowable under certain 

circumstances.

9.6 Can a Senior Companion Program or Foster Grandparent Program have just one 

single station?

Yes, if that station serves the entire geographic area the applicant proposes to serve, and if that 

setup makes the most sense for the community. 

8
9.7 Does the sponsor need to have all policies set in place by the application deadline? 

No. 

9.8 Who is eligible to serve as a Foster Grandparent Program or Senior Companion

Program volunteer station?

A public or non-profit private organization, whether secular or faith-based; federally recognized 

tribes; state or local government agencies; and eligible proprietary health care agencies. All 

stations must be capable of serving as a volunteer station for the placement of volunteers and 

have a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the sponsoring organization. Each volunteer 

station must be licensed or otherwise certified, when required, by the appropriate state or local 

government. Private homes are not volunteer stations.

9.9 Can an Advisory Council be composed entirely of a tribal council?

An Advisory Council must include individuals knowledgeable of the human and social needs of 

the community, competent in the field of community service and volunteerism, capable of 

helping the sponsor meet its administrative and program responsibilities, has interest and 

knowledge of the capability of older adults, and of a diverse composition that reflects the 

demographics of the service area.

9.10 What is an unduplicated volunteer?

Each volunteer can be counted only once as an “unduplicated volunteer” across all of the 

proposed work plans even if that volunteer serves in more than one work plan. If a volunteer’s 

services fall into multiple work plans, that volunteer should be included in the “total volunteers” 

count of each work plan where his/her service is included. However, that volunteer should be 

included in the “unduplicated volunteers” count in only one work plan. The volunteer should be 

counted in the area where he/she will make the most impact--in terms of the type of service or in 

terms of the scope of service, such as the most number of hours served.

9.11 What is a work plan?

A work plan is a part of the grant application used to show how the sponsoring organization’s 

volunteers will serve in their communities and achieve specific results.

9.12 Do applicants who are federally recognized tribes need to attach a tribal resolution 

authorizing us to apply for this grant opportunity?

No. Resolutions need to be submitted only if the applicant is a nonprofit organization acting on 

behalf of a federally recognized tribe.

9