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NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Agency Name: Corporation for National and Community Service

Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2020 RSVP Competition

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

CFDA Number: 94.002

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.

Important Dates

• CNCS encourages applicants to submit a Notification of Intent to Apply for this 

competition. Notifications of Intent to Apply should be submitted by Friday, August 30, 

2019 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

• Applications are due Wednesday, September 25, 2019 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

• Successful applicants will be notified by early March 2020.

FULL TEXT OF THE NOTICE

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Purpose of Senior Corps RSVP 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.

Established in 1971 and now one of the largest senior volunteer programs in the nation, RSVP 

engages people age 55 and older in a diverse range of volunteer activities. RSVP volunteers tutor 

children, renovate homes, teach English to immigrants, assist victims of natural disasters, 

provide independent living services, recruit and manage other volunteers, and serve in their 

communities in many other ways. Senior Corps RSVP volunteers choose how, where, and how 

often they want to serve, with commitments ranging from a few hours to a maximum of 40 hours 

per week. While serving, RSVP volunteers improve their own lives by staying active and 

civically engaged.

The National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended by the Serve America Act, 

emphasizes measuring the impact of service and focusing on a core of issue areas. In order to 

carry out Congress’s intent and to maximize the impact of investment in national service, CNCS 

has the following Focus Areas: Disaster Services; Economic Opportunity; Education; 

Environmental Stewardship; Healthy Futures; and Veterans and Military Families. CNCS’s six 

Focus Areas and the key goal of Capacity Building are described below:
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Disaster Services

Grants will help individuals and communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate 

disasters and increase community resiliency. Activities may include assisting in disaster 

preparedness, response, recovery, and/or mitigation. 

Economic Opportunity

Grants will provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to 

the improved economic well-being and security of individuals who are economically 

disadvantaged. Activities may include providing housing-related assistance for economically 

disadvantaged people, including homeless individuals.

Education

Grants will provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to 

improved educational outcomes for people who are economically disadvantaged, especially 

children, and for children with special and/or exceptional needs. Activities may include 

providing support and/or facilitating access to services and resources that contribute to school 

readiness; providing support that improves academic performance; and providing support that 

improves academic engagement.

Environmental Stewardship

Grants will provide services that contribute to increased energy and water efficiency, renewable 

energy use, or improved at-risk ecosystems. Grant activities will support increasing citizen 

behavioral change leading to increased efficiency, renewable energy use, and ecosystem 

improvements particularly for economically disadvantaged households and communities. 

Activities may include improving at-risk acres (land and/or water) in national, state, city or 

county parks, or other public or tribal lands.

Healthy Futures

Grants will assist with meeting health needs within communities including: access to care, aging 

in place, and childhood obesity. Activities may include supporting the ability of adults who are 

homebound or older adults and individuals with disabilities, to live independently and assisting 

individuals with access to food resources.

Veterans and Military Families

Grants will positively impact the quality of life of veterans and improve military family strength.

Activities may include supporting veterans, veterans' family members, military service members, 

and military service members’ families.

Capacity Building

In addition to the Focus Areas described above, grants will also provide support for volunteer 

capacity building activities provided by national service participants. These activities are indirect 

services that enable CNCS-supported organizations to recruit and manage community volunteers.

RSVP grant applications must: 

• Propose to serve the entire geographic service area associated with the funding 

opportunities in Appendix A. Each opportunity number in Appendix A is associated with 
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a specific geographic service area, which applicants should not propose to alter.

• Applicants may apply for more than one funding opportunity; however, each opportunity 

applied for requires a separate application

• Support the minimum number of volunteers listed for the opportunity in Appendix A

• Include a budget proposal that utilizes exactly the amount of federal funding associated 

with the funding opportunity as listed in Appendix A

• Meet the National Performance Measure requirements and other criteria established in 

this Notice

• Minimize, to the extent possible, disruptions to the current volunteers associated with any 

incumbent RSVP project (See Appendix C) 

Please note, a complete list of all available funding opportunities is provided in Appendix A 

on the competition website: www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition.

2. Funding Priorities 

Applicants are required to address one or more of the Focus Areas above. CNCS will not 

consider applications that do not address any of the Focus Areas. In addition to the Focus Areas, 

CNCS is particularly interested in supporting applications that propose to include one or more of 

the specific priorities listed below. 

• Evidence-based Program Implementation: Work plans, in any focus area, in which 

Senior Corps RSVP volunteers support the implementation of evidence-based program 

models. Evidence-based programs are models in which a set of activities and practices is 

supported by a theory of change tested through a rigorous program evaluation

• Access to Care - Opioid Abuse: Work plans that focus Senior Corps RSVP volunteers 

on assignments that increase access to care and participation in health education activities 

designed to prevent or reduce prescription drug and opioid abuse

• Aging in Place – Elder Justice: Work plans that focus Senior Corps RSVP volunteers on 

assignments addressing elder justice including activities that mitigate the potential that 

clients and caregivers will be victims of financial fraud, abuse, and/or neglect and/or that 

provide assistance and support services to victims of elder abuse, neglect, and 

exploitation

• Aging in Place – Independent Living: Work plans that focus Senior Corps RSVP 

volunteers on assignments addressing independent living for older adults and individuals 

with disabilities including activities such as companionship that ease loneliness and 

social isolation and/or activities that give respite to informal caregivers

• Economic Opportunity – Workforce Development: Work plans that focus Senior 

Corps RSVP volunteers on assignments that support programs designed to increase the 

number of economically disadvantaged individuals receiving job training and other skill 

development services

• Education – Intergenerational Programming: Work plans that focus Senior Corps 

RSVP volunteers on assignments that address ways to increase older adult engagement 

with young people in the areas of school readiness and K-12 success

• Disaster Services: Works plans that focus Senior Corps RSVP volunteers on improving 

community resiliency through disaster preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation

• Veterans and Military Families: Work plans that focus Senior Corps volunteers on 
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positively impacting the quality of life of veterans and improving family military strength

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. 

Applicants proposing programs that receive priority consideration are not guaranteed funding. 

3. National Performance Measures

CNCS expects applicants to use National Performance Measures as part of a comprehensive 

performance measurement strategy that relies on both performance and evaluation data to learn 

from their work and make tactical and strategic adjustments to achieve their goals. 

Applicants are required to use the specific performance measures outlined in this Notice. For 

more information, please refer to Appendix B for the RSVP National Performance Measures 

Instructions at www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition. 

Applicants must identify a Primary Focus Area and work plans must include service activities in 

the selected Primary Focus Area. 

This funding opportunity requires applicants to demonstrate cost-effective practices in achieving 

performance goals through the service described in the proposed work plans. Applicants must 

include work plans that meet the following minimum requirements: 

• Work plans, when combined, must —at minimum—include the total number of 

unduplicated volunteers* listed in Appendix A for the geographic service area affected. 

• For every $1,000 in annual base federal funding, at least one unduplicated RSVP 

volunteer* must be placed in work plans that result in national performance measure 

outcomes. 

* Unduplicated RSVP Volunteers: Each volunteer can only be counted once even if they are 

assigned to more than one service activity. The volunteer should be counted in the area where 

he/she will make the most impact – in terms of the focus area, the type of service, or the scope of 

service (such as the most number of hours served).

4. Program Authority

Awards under this Notice are authorized by the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as 

amended, (42 U.S.C. § 12501 et seq.) and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as 

amended (42 U.S.C. § 5001).

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimated Available Funds

CNCS anticipates approximately $21,000,000 for 2020 RSVP Competition awards. The actual 

level of funding is subject to the availability of annual appropriations.
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2. Estimated Award Amount

Award amounts will vary, as determined by the scope of the projects. CNCS expects to make 

awards in the range of $40,000 to $470,000.

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 depend upon availability of appropriations and satisfactory performance and 

are not guaranteed.

4. Type of Award 

The 2020 RSVP Competition grants will be awarded on a cost reimbursement basis.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following non-federal entities (as defined in 2 CFR §200.69) that have DUNS numbers and 

are registered in System for Award Management (SAM) 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 Indian tribes are also eligible to apply. If an entity applies for an 

award as a tribal organization on behalf of a federally-recognized tribe, or multiple specific 

federally-recognized tribes, it must submit a sanctioning resolution, applicable to the entirety of 

the performance period to which the applicant is applying, adopted by the Tribal Council (or 

comparable tribal governing body) of each Indian tribe. 

The resolution(s) must identify the entity by name as a tribal organization and indicate whether it 

is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by an Indian tribe(s). It must authorize the entity to be the 

legal applicant and act on behalf of and include the Indian tribe(s) in a CNCS application for the 

purpose of conducting the activities and providing the services described in the application. A 

current resolution will not suffice to meet this requirement unless the resolution applies to the 

entire performance period of the award. Current resolutions that are applicable to a previous 

Senior Corps award at the time of application submission but expire during the prospective 

performance period of a new award do not meet this requirement. 

2. Matching

Applicants are required to partially match funds for their projects through local, non-federal 

contributions. The required local contribution in Year 1 of the grant is at least 10 percent of the 

total project budget. The required portion is at least 20 percent in Year 2 and at least 30 percent in 

Year 3 and subsequent years, if the grant is renewed beyond three years. 
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The applicant’s match can be cash and/or in-kind contributions. Applicants must demonstrate the 

ability to meet the 10 percent match requirement at the time of application submission in the 

Budget sections of the application. See Section D.6. Funding Restrictions for more information. 

Incumbents only: Incumbent RSVP sponsors that are applying for funding in this grant 

competition are required to budget and raise at least 30 percent of the total project budget only 

when applying for the funding opportunity in which they are the incumbent sponsor. However, if 

a current RSVP sponsor applies for a new service area where they are not the incumbent, the 

application is considered new. For this service area, the sponsor must meet the required local 

contribution of at least 10 percent of the total project budget in Year 1, at least 20 percent in Year 

2, and at least 30 percent in Year 3 and subsequent years, if the grant is renewed beyond three 

years. 

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

The legal applicant, whether located within the service area of the proposed RSVP grant or 

located outside of it, must demonstrate sufficient local presence, knowledge, and administrative

capacity to directly manage the proposed RSVP grant. The management of an RSVP grant 

cannot be delegated to another organization, even if the other organization is an affiliate of the 

legal applicant.

Applications that propose to engage in activities that are prohibited under CNCS’s statutes, 

regulations, or the terms and conditions of its awards are not eligible to receive CNCS funding.

Note that under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub.L. 115-141,Title VII, Division 

E, section 745 (March 23, 2018), 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, including Appendix A: List of Available Funding Opportunities by State and 

Appendix B: RSVP National Performance Measure Instructions, should be read together with the 

RSVP Regulations, (45 CFR Part 2553) and the RSVP Application Guidance. These documents 

are available online at www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition. 
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1. Address to Request an Application Package

Applicants should refer to www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition for more information and 

instructions on how to fully respond to this Notice. If applicants are unable to access the site, 

send an email to 2020RSVP@cns.gov for electronic copies of the information and instructions 

provided on the competition website. CNCS also offers live text chat at 

www.nationalservice.gov/contact-us from 9 am to 7 pm ET Monday-Friday.

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 eGrants. 

• Narrative Sections:

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

service activity in the application’s Primary Focus Area. The Executive Summary 

should not be longer than one page. Executive Summaries of all compliant 

applications are published on the CNCS website following grant awards.

o Strengthening Communities

o Recruitment and Development of Volunteers

o Program Management

o Organizational Capability

• Standard Form 424A Budget

• Performance Measures

• Authorization, Assurances, and Certifications.

b. Page Limits

Applications may not exceed 15 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 

• Strengthening Communities, Recruitment and Development of Volunteers, Program 

Management, and Organizational Capability narratives.

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 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 15-page limit, even if eGrants allows applicants to enter and submit additional text.
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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 www.sam.gov 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 SAM Update page for more 

information.

SAM registration must be renewed annually. CNCS suggests finalizing a new registration or 

renewing 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.

Applicants that do not comply with these requirements may become ineligible to receive an 

award. 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. Notification of Intent to Apply

CNCS encourages applicants to submit a Notification of Intent to Apply by Friday, August 30, 

2019 at 5:00 PM Eastern. Please submit your intent by using this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CNCSIntentToApply2020RSVP.

b. Application Submission Deadline

Applications are due Wednesday, September 25, 2019 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

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

D.4.d. 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. 

c. Additional Documents Deadline

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

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

information.

d. Late Applications

All applications received after the submission deadline published in this Notice are presumed to 
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be non-compliant. In order to overcome this presumption, the applicant must:

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

caused the delay, including: 

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

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

Hotline via webform or by calling 1-800-942-2677

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

 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 one business day after the application deadline 

stated in the Notice.

Communication with CNCS staff, including an applicant’s program officer, is not a substitute for 

a written explanation of the extenuating circumstance that caused the delay as outlined above. 

Applicants are required to continue working in eGrants 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.

5. Intergovernmental Review

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

Programs.” 

6. Funding Restrictions 

a. Award Funding Requirements

Awards under this Notice are subject to matching requirements. The amount of federal funding 

provided will be limited to the required percentage of the total allowable costs for the funded 

activity, as determined under 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles and described in Section 

C.2. Eligibility Information. 

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 
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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. The option utilized must be applied 

consistently across all federal awards.

7. Other Submission Requirements

a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants

Applicants must submit applications electronically via eGrants. CNCS recommends that 

applicants create an account and begin the application at least three weeks before the deadline. 

Applicants are recommended to draft the application as a Word document, then copy and paste 

the text into the appropriate fields in eGrants no later than 10 days before the deadline to ensure 

sufficient time to make corrections or address any potential technical issues faced during 

submission.

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

authorized representative must use their own eGrants account in order 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 webform if they 

have a problem when they create an account or prepare or submit the application. The general 

public hours for the National Service Hotline are as follows: 

• Mon - Fri, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Jan, May, June, July, Aug, Sept)

• Mon - Thu, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec)

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 to the following address:

Corporation for National and Community Service 

ATTN: Office of Grants Policy and Operations/2020 RSVP Competition 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.
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b. Submission of Additional Documents

Applicants should refer to the RSVP Grant Application Guidance for a complete list of required 

documents. Applicants are required to submit all related documents by the application 

submission deadline. 

Required documents must be emailed to RSVPAttachments@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

• 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. To ensure that all 

required additional documents are received, please provide each document as an 

individual file. Please do not send all documents as one scanned file.

• if the size of an applicant’s files requires multiple emails, please also include an ordering 

system in the subject line, such as “(1 of 3)”

Do not submit any items that are not requested in this Notice and RSVP Application

Instructions. 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.

The rating system for the selection criteria includes four categories: Excellent, Good, Fair, and 

Does Not Meet. To achieve an Excellent rating, applicants address the question fully while going 

above and beyond with relevant additional information in the selection criteria. To achieve a 

Good rating, applicants adequately address the questions in the selection criteria. 

Basic Selection Criteria: Categories and Respective Weights

Categories/Sub-Categories Percentage Relevant Part of the Application

Program Design 50%

• Strengthening Communities 35% Narratives and Work Plans

• Recruitment and Development of 

Volunteers

15% Narrative

Organizational Capability 30%

• Program Management 15% Narrative

• Organizational Capability 15% Narrative

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 20%

• Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 20% Budget, Narratives, and Work Plans
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a. Program Design (50 percent): 

Strengthening Communities (35 percent)

Reviewers will assess the extent of the narratives and work plans proposed in the application 

through the following criteria:

• Q1. (7%)

Narratives and work plans describe and demonstrate the community need. 

• Q2. (7%)

Narratives and work plans articulate a theory of change – meaning, how service activities 

will address the community needs, and how the service activity described provides a 

significant contribution to the outcomes listed in the work plans. This question will focus 

on the work plans that lead to National Performance Measures outcomes. (See Appendix 

B). 

• Q3. (7%)

Work plans logically connect the four major elements to each other:

a. The community need(s) identified

b. The service activities that will be carried out by RSVP volunteers

c. The instrument description and data collections plans

d. The work plans that include target numbers leading to outcomes or outputs and 

that are appropriate for the total number of volunteers assigned

• Q4. (7%)

Work plan outputs and outcomes are aligned with National Performance Measure 

instructions. (See Appendix B)

• Q5. (7%)

Work plans have outputs and outcomes that are achievable based on resources, program 

design, and the number of volunteers engaged. 

Recruitment and Development of Volunteers (15 percent)

Reviewers will assess the extent to which the narrative demonstrates a plan and infrastructure for 

effective RSVP volunteer recruitment and management through the following criteria:

• Q6. (5%)

Narratives demonstrate a plan and infrastructure to ensure RSVP volunteers received 

training needed to succeed in the service activities described in the work plan

• Q7. (5%)

Narratives describe the demographics of the community served and plans to recruit a 

volunteer pool reflective of the community served. This could include but not limited to 

the following: 

a. Individuals from diverse races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, or degrees of 

English language proficiency

b. Veterans and military family members as RSVP volunteers

c. RSVP volunteers with disabilities
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d. RSVP volunteers between the ages of 55 and 70 years old (Baby Boomers)

• Q8. (5%)

Narratives demonstrate a plan and infrastructure to retain and recognize RSVP 

volunteers. 

b. Organizational Capability (30 percent):

Program Management (15 percent)

Reviewers will assess the extent to which the: 

• Q9. (5%)

Narratives describe the plans and infrastructure to ensure management of volunteer 

stations are in compliance with the RSVP program regulations

• Q10. (5%)

Narratives demonstrate plans and infrastructure to develop and/or oversee volunteer 

stations to ensure that volunteers are performing their assigned service activities

• Q11. (5%)

Narratives demonstrate an organizational track record in work plans that lead to National 

Performance Measure outcomes (See Appendix B)

Organizational Capability (15 percent)

Reviewers will assess the extent to which the:

• Q12. (5%)

Narratives describe the plans and infrastructure to provide sound programmatic and fiscal 

oversight (both financial and in-kind) and day-to-day operational support to ensure the 

following: 1) compliance with RSVP program requirements (statutes, regulations, and 

applicable OMB circulars); 2) accountability, and 3) efficient and effective use of 

available resources

• Q13. (5%)

Narratives clearly define paid staff positions, including identification of current staff 

assigned to the project (name, title, and brief position description) and how these 

positions will ensure the accomplishment of program objectives

• Q14. (5%)

Narratives demonstrate organizational capacity to develop and implement internal 

policies and operating procedures to provide governance and manage risk, such as 

accounting, personnel management, and purchasing

c. Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (20 percent):

Reviewers will assess the extent to which the applicant has demonstrated to:

• Q15. (10%)

Have a reasonable cost per volunteer in proposed work plans that lead to National 

Performance Measure requirements (See Appendix B)
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• Q16. (10%)

Have plans and infrastructure to secure the non-federal share including dedicated staff, 

grant proposal processes and other plans. 

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 funding priorities and 

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

are as follows:

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

• submitted an application for the entire geographic service area as described in Appendix 

A as only areas listed in Appendix A are eligible for this competition.

• has not been denied refunding of a CNCS Senior Corps grant in the past three years

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 noncompliant and/or ineligible will not receive an award.

b. Application Review 

Blended Review

Panels of Reviewers (a combination of External Reviewers, CNCS Staff Reviewers, and/or 

Federal Staff Reviewers) will assess applications based on the Program Design, Organizational 

Capability, and Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy Selection Criteria. CNCS will recruit 

and select reviewers on the basis of demonstrated expertise in RSVP programming and/or the 

Focus Areas, as well as experience assessing applications. All reviewers will be screened for 

conflicts of interest. 

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.

 

c. Applicant Clarification

CNCS may ask an applicant for clarifying information. CNCS staff will use this information to

make funding recommendations. A request for clarification does not guarantee an award.
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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.

Funding decisions may be affected by a reduction of the total number of unduplicated volunteers 

in outcome work plans or in work plans that engage volunteers in evidence-based programs. 

d. 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: 

• financial stability

• 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 if applicable, 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 DUNS and SAM

o “Do Not Pay” 

• reports and findings from single audits performed under 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F –

Audit Requirements and findings and reports of any other available audits

• IRS Tax Form 990

• applicant organization’s annual report

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

website

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

imposed on award recipients
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e. 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. 

f. 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 with respect to the different needs of urban and rural 

communities

 Focus Areas, in particular, Disaster Services and Veterans and Military 

Families

 evidence-based programs

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 adjust or make changes to the review process, in the event that 

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.
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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 organizations that submitted a compliant applications

• executive summaries of all compliant applications

• data extracted from the SF-424 Face Sheet and the submitted program narratives for 

successful applications

• a blank template of the external review worksheet

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

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 by early March 2020, 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), now 

consolidated 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. 

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 www.nationalservice.gov/resources/terms-and-conditions-cncsgrants.
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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 recipients to 

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

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

through a program receiving CNCS funds. 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.

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 must undergo NSCHCs that include:

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

and

• Either of the following:

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.

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 
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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 bi-annual progress reports and bi-annual financial and 

narrative progress reports through eGrants. All recipients must provide quarterly expense 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 of CNCS’s Office of Grants Management. The final reports are due 90 days after 

the end of the agreement. 

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:

• 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.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For more information or a printed copy of related material(s), email 2020RSVP@cns.gov. CNCS 

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

For technical questions and problems with eGrants, call the National Service Hotline at (800) 

942-2677 or via webform. 

The general public hours for the National Service Hotline hours are as follows: 

• Mon. – Fri. 9 am to 7 pm Eastern Time (Jan., May, July, Aug., Sept)

• Mon. – Thurs. 9 am to 7 pm Eastern Time (Feb., Mar., Apr., Oct., Nov., Dec.)

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
20

CNCS will host technical assistance calls 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/rsvpcompetition. 

2. Re-Focusing of Funding

CNCS reserves the right to re-focus program dollars estimated 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 six 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. 

(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. 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.