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2018 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. The Evidence Tier discussion in the NOFO references the evidence checklist, but I am 

unable to find it. Can you please let me know where I can locate it? [Updated 11/16/17] 

The Evidence Checklist is now available on the NOFO page. 

2. As a Tribe, do we need to apply through our state commission or may we apply directly 

to CNCS? Additionally, if our tribal seat is located in one state but the funds would be 

used for a program in another, which commission should we apply to? 

Tribal applicants normally apply directly to CNCS, but may apply through a commission. If you 

apply through a commission, you would need to do so in the state where your program plans to 

operate (not where you are based). We will also have a separate 2018 Tribal Notice of Funding 

Opportunity that will be released later in the year with the applications due in the spring. That 

competition is open only to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes (as defined in 2 C.F.R. §200.54) 

and tribal organizations controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by Indian Tribes. You are welcome 

to submit your application to either the general competition with applications due in January or 

the AmeriCorps Indian Tribes Grants competition with applications due in the spring. 

3. The Notice, Application Instructions, and Mandatory Supplemental Guidance were 

amended on October 6, 2017. What are the changes made to the documents? 

1) 2018 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Corrected link on page 19. 

Deleted link: 

https://www.nationalserviceresources.gov/files/guidance_for_grantees_approval_of_alternative

_evaluation_approach.pdf

And replaced it with: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/resource/Alternative-EvaluationApproach-Guidance-FINAL-5.17.17.pdf

2) 2018 Mandatory Supplemental Guidance: Correction on page 20. The highlighted 

language in the original passage below was corrected to reflect the 15 page limit for Rural 

Intermediaries. 

Rural Intermediaries: 

CNCS recognizes that severely under-resourced communities may have limited capacity to 

successfully apply for and implement an AmeriCorps program, due to the size and 

organizational capacity of eligible applicant/host site organizations or the lack of available 

matching funds in these communities. Thus it may be effective for a single eligible applicant 

(intermediary) to develop an application and oversee the implementation of an AmeriCorps 

program that engages multiple grassroots non-profits/eligible applicants (referred to as a 

consortium) that, individually, do not have the necessary organizational or fundraising capacity 

to apply for and run an AmeriCorps program. Given the desire to address community needs 

holistically, the nonprofits/eligible applicants that make up the consortium may have, but are 
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not required to have, different focus areas (including the non-focus area capacity building) and 

thus the non profit/eligible applicant intermediary will be multi-focused. 

Applicants seeking consideration under this priority must demonstrate that they will be serving 

in rural severely under-resourced communities; that their application represents a consortium, 

that the activities provided by the consortium collectively address a compelling community need 

or set of needs; and that they have sufficient financial and management capacity to act as an 

umbrella organization for the consortium. Applicants seeking consideration under this priority 

may submit a narrative that does not exceed 18 pages. Applicants should refer to the Page Limits 

section in the Notice for information specific to Multi-focus Intermediary requirements. 

3) 2018 Application Instructions: The highlighted text below was deleted, as continuation 

applicants may not request funding and/or slot increases during the continuation process. 

IV. Performance Measures (Performance Measures Section) 

Your performance measures are copied from your previous year’s application into your 

continuation request. If you made changes to your program, such as adding or changing grantfunded activities, or requesting additional slots or MSYs, you may need to revise your 

performance measures. To revise performance measures, “View/Edit” the performance 

measures that copy over from your original application, or add new performance measures (see 

Attachment A). Note in the Continuation Changes field that you have updated your 

performance measures. If you are proposing to significantly increase or decrease output or 

outcome targets for existing performance measures, provide a justification for this change. 

4. In 2018, continuation applicants are not able to request expansions. Can a continuation 

applicant submit both a continuation application and a new/recompete application for 

the same program in order to have an expansion request considered? [Added 11/9/17]

No. An organization may not submit multiple requests for identical projects to the same 

competition. Guidance regarding new/same project appears below: 

 If an applicant is applying for a different program model (a new project), they should 

apply as New. Current and previous grantees need to get approval from their Program 

Officer to be considered a new project. CNCS will consider a project to be new if there 

is a meaningful difference between it and previous projects in a comparison of the 

following characteristics, among others: the objectives and priorities of the projects; the 

nature of the services provided; the program staff, participants, and volunteers involved; 

the geographic locations in which the services are provided; the populations served; and 

the proposed community partnerships. (§ 2522.340). 

 Requests for approval to be considered a new project should include information about 

how the new project differs from the previous project in the characteristics noted above. 

The request should also include the proposed name of the new project. CNCS staff will 

review the request to determine if the proposed project does represent a meaningful 

difference from the previous project or if the proposed project is an example of natural 

program evolution over time. If it is determined that the project is new, the Program 

Officer will create a new project in eGrants. 
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5. We are applying for Alternative Match. Do we submit the budget with the required 

match amount or the requested amount? [Added 11/9/17] 

Applicants need to submit the budget at the required rate. If the Alternative Match request is 

approved, then they would resubmit at the lower rate. 

6. Can we apply for funding under multiple focus areas in a single program? [Added 

11/9/17] 

Yes, a single program can encompass more than one focus area. 

7. How does CNCS measure the term “significant” in relation to priority funding areas? 

[11/9/17] 

There is no set minimum percentage with respect to the Funding Priority areas. Applicants should 

make a compelling case in their applications that the priority area is a significant part of the program 

focus and intended outcomes and includes a high quality program design. 

8. We are currently a Partnership Challenge grantee. Are we eligible to apply for the 2018 

AmeriCorps State & National Competition? [Added 11/16/17] 

Partnership Challenge is not specifically referenced in the 2018 Notice of Funding 

Opportunity. However, programs funded via the Partnership Challenge competition in 2015 may 

submit an application to the 2018 AmeriCorps State and National Competition and can apply under 

the grant type that best suits their program model and available resources. To help understand the 

various grant types that are available as part of this competition: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/2017/2018-categories-americorps-grants Please 

ensure that your proposed program meets the requirements articulated in the NOFO for that 

particular grant type; for example, organizations that propose to operate in only one state must apply 

through the Governor-appointed State or Territory Commissions, while organizations that propose 

to operate AmeriCorps programs in more than one State or Territory apply directly to CNCS (see p. 

5 of the NOFO). 

9. If we are planning to transition from one grant type (fixed-price) to another grant type 

(cost-reimbursement), how would this affect our grantee status for the 2018 NOFO? 

[Added 11/16/17] 

In completing the SF-424 worksheet and listing applicant information, if you are applying for a 

different grant type (e.g., a cost reimbursement grant rather than a fixed amount grant), you should 

select New. However, per the definition of “Same Project” in the Mandatory Supplemental 

Guidance, two projects will be considered the same if they address the same issue areas, address the 

same priorities, address the same objectives, serve the same target communities and population, or 

utilize the same sites. 
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10. What should a continuation grantee do if one or more of their National Performance 

Measures is no longer present in the Performance Measure Instructions? [Added 

11/16/17]

Continuation grantees may continue to use deleted National Performance Measures through the end 

of their current three-year grant cycle. If the grantee submits a new or recompete application, the 

grantee must follow the National Performance Measure selection rules specified in the updated 

Performance Measure Instructions. 

11. We have a commission grantee who was awarded a grant with all full-time members, but 

historically converted some slots to less than full time. For their continuation 

application, can they request the same number of MSYs (and CNCS share) with a 

different slot configuration or do they have to continue to request full-time members 

(and convert as needed)? [Added 11/16/17] 

Since continuation applications cannot include expansions, the request should not exceed the 

number of MSY and slots that were previously approved. Please ensure that any slot 

reconfigurations by the program after the grant is awarded are consistent with the commission 

policy related to program slot conversions. 

12. We were funded in 2017 under the competitive Targeted Priority NOFO and had fewer 

than 20 members in our program design. We are applying as a continuation application 

in 2018. Does the 20 member minimum apply to us? [Added 11/16/17] 

The 20 member minimum does not apply to continuations, so the program can submit the 2018 

continuation application with the same number of member slots they were approved for previously. 

13. The definitions of various outcomes as detailed in the logic model template fit programs 

that work directly with participants/individuals. Are there other definitions you can 

share that help an environmental program ensure they put outcomes in the correct 

columns of the logic model? [Added 11/16/17] 

The definitions that are provided in the logic model are examples for a typical program. If they do 

not fit your program design, you can modify which columns you put the outcomes in as long as they 

accurately tell the story of your program design and its intended community impact. For example, 

you can have change in condition as either your short-term, medium-term, or long-term outcome 

depending on the specific program design. What is important is the relationship between the outputs 

and different level outcomes, rather than whether your intended outcomes fit within the provided 

definitions in short-term, medium-term, or long-term columns. 

14. Will the learning memo that is required to be submitted by recompeting applicants be 

included in the evidence base assessment? [Added 11/16/17] 

Per the Notice of Funding Opportunity, any applicant required to submit an evaluation report in order to 

comply with CNCS evaluation requirements must also submit a learning memo that describes how 

they are using the evaluation to improve and to inform their activities in the next funding cycle. This 

Learning Memo will not be included in the two-part assessment of an applicant’s evidence base, 

which consists of the assignation of an evidence tier and an assessment of the applicant’s evidence 
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and overall capacity to collect and use data. Content that an applicant intends to include for 

assessment as part of the evidence base should be included in the Evidence section of the 

application and/or in submitted evaluation briefs, reports and/or studies, as applicable to the 

evidence tier. 

15. When trying to select Teacher Corps Performance Measures, I get a validation error that 

will not allow me to continue. What should I do? [11/16/17] 

Applicants selecting Teacher Corps measures currently receive an error message in the Performance 

Measure Module that reads: “You must select ED12 and ED13 as outputs and ED14 and ED17 as 

outcome. You must also select either ED1 or ED2 as output.” 

Per the 2018 Performance Measure Instructions, New/Recompete applicants should no longer use 

ED13 and ED14. A technical fix has been requested to remove this validation error, but this fix may 

not be completed prior to the time applicants are working in the Performance Measure Module. If 

you are a Teacher Corps program and you receive this validation error, you may use the workaround 

detailed below: 

 Select the measures required by the system, including the discontinued measures ED13 and 

ED14. Per the 2018 Performance Measure Instructions selection rules, ED1 should not be 

included in the same aligned measure as ED12 and ED17, so you should create a separate 

measure that uses ED1 (to avoid eGrants error messages, do this prior to creating the 

Teacher Corps measure). Do not select the discontinued measure ED2. 

 For those measures required by eGrants but which you do not intend to use, including 

discontinued measures ED13 and ED14, enter “1” as the Target.

 For those measures required by eGrants but which you do not intend to use, including 

discontinued measures ED13 and ED14, enter “NULL” in the “Described Instrument” 

field. 

When a technical fix has been enacted, we will initiate corrections to the measures for those 

applicants/grantees impacted. 

16. For commissions, does the $18,000 cost/MSY maximum for formula apply to each 

individual formula prime or to the aggregate of primes? [12/6/17] 

The maximum applies to the aggregate of formula primes. 

17. Is there a limit on the number of applications an organization may submit? [Added 

12/6/17] 

No, there is no limit as long as applications are not submitted for the same projects (see the 

definition of “Same Project” in the Mandatory Supplemental Guidance). 
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18. Section I. A under Purpose of AmeriCorps Funding of the RFA states that AmeriCorps 

members must be high school graduates or GED recipients or be working towards a 

diploma or GED. If we are interested in enrolling individuals with developmental 

disabilities as AmeriCorps members, would a certificate of completion or proof of aging 

out of Special Education High School be sufficient enough for eligibility? [Added 

12/6/17] 

The applicant should consult with their state Department of Education to determine whether a 

certificate of completion from a Special Education High School would be considered a high school 

diploma or equivalent. If it is not a HS diploma or equivalent, then the guidance from policy FAQ 

B.14 would apply 

(https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/upload/policy%20FAQs%207.31.14%20final

%20working%20hyperlink.pdf). The applicant should explain in the application its plans to ensure 

that the program model would meet member eligibility requirements. 

19. Under the updated Performance Instructions, can we include applicant-determined 

outputs, without associated outcomes as secondary measures? [Added 12/4/17] 

No, output-only measures only apply to National Performance Measures. Applicant-determined 

outputs must be accompanied by relevant outcomes. 

20. Can competitive or formula continuation applicants request more funding in CNCS 

share to cover the increase in the living allowance? [Added 12/15/17] 

Competitive continuation applicants cannot request expansions in CNCS funds, but can amend their 

non-CNCS share of the budget to cover the increase. Formula funding levels are a commission 

determination. 

21. What is the page limit for Evidence-Based Intervention planning grant applications? 

[Added 12/19/17] 

The page limit for Evidence-Based Intervention Planning Grants is the same as for implementation 

grants. 

22. As a national direct applicant, we are planning to operate in South Dakota. How do we 

complete the consultation process in this state? [Added 12/19/17]

South Dakota does not have an established State Service Commission. Therefore, a consultation is 

not possible. 

23. Is a logic model required for an evidence-based planning grant? [Added 1/4/18] 

Planning Grant applicants will be assessed on the criteria exactly as written in the NOFO in the 

instructions for Evidence-Based Intervention Planning Grants which do not include logic model 

instructions or scoring. There is no prohibition on completing the logic model. 
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24. What are the page limits for planning grants? [Added 1/4/18]

The page limits for planning grant applicants are the same as those for traditional grants.