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AmeriCorps State and National FY 2017 Annual Plan

FY Appropriation: $369,939,901

Target Member Level: 64,159

Key Milestones:

 FY 2017 application deadline – January 18, 2017

 FY 2017 awards – May 15, 2017

 FY 2018 NOFO release – Summer 2017

 Grantee Meeting – August/September 2017

Funding Priorities:

Consistent with the Serve America Act, AmeriCorps State and National will seek to 

fund programs in the following six focus areas that use an evidence-based approach 

to create community impact and solve community problems. 

 Disaster Services

 Education

 Environmental Stewardship

 Healthy Futures

 Economic Opportunity

 Veterans and Military Families 

CNCS is required to select at least two focus areas in making competitive 

AmeriCorps State and National Grants. For the 2017 AmeriCorps State and National 

competition, CNCS seeks to prioritize investment of national service resources in the 

following priority areas: 

 Disaster Services - improving community resiliency through disaster 

preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation

 Education - improving student academic performance in Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and/or Mathematics (STEM) 

 Economic Opportunity - increasing economic opportunities for communities by 

engaging opportunity youth, either as the population served and/or as 

AmeriCorps members 

 Environmental Stewardship - 21st Century Service Corps 

 Healthy Futures – reducing and/or preventing prescription drug and opioid 

abuse.

 Veterans and Military Families - positively impacting the quality of life of 

veterans and improving military family strength

 Governor and Mayor Initiatives 

 Programming that supports My Brother’s Keeper 
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 Multi-focus intermediaries that demonstrate measureable impact and primarily 

serve communities with limited resources and organizational infrastructure, i.e. 

rural and other underserved communities 

 Safer communities 

 Evidence Based Intervention Planning Grants

 Encore Programs

Accountability: AmeriCorps State and National will continue to place a high priority 

on accountability and will devote significant effort and resources to oversight and 

monitoring to maximize compliance with all applicable rules and regulations. 

Special efforts will be made to help partners and grantees implement performance 

measurement and comply with all administrative and financial reporting 

requirements.

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: For FY 2017, AmeriCorps 

State and National will continue to make available to its grantees all of the agency’s 

16 Priority Performance Measures and will continue to allow the use of 

Complementary Program Measures and applicant determined Performance 

Measures. Agency priority performance measures can be found here: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/resource/ny-08-cncs-goalspriority-measures.pdf

Operation AmeriCorps: In FY 2015, CNCS engaged in this pilot program that allowed 

applicant organizations to apply for up to all three types of AmeriCorps through a 

single competitive application process. These two year grants were awarded to 10 

organizations in FY 2015. During FY 2017, they will be completing their activities 

and the grants will be closing or continuing through the regular process of applying 

for CNCS resources. 
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AmeriCorps VISTA FY 2017 Annual Plan

FY Appropriation: $92,364,000

Target Member Level: 8,000 

Key Milestones: 

 October 2016: Issue Program Guidance (which articulates AmeriCorps 

VISTA programming priorities) to CNCS State Offices and Field

 October 2016 – September 2017: Hold 35-40 Pre-Service Orientations and 

Supervisor Trainings to train and assign new AmeriCorps VISTA members 

and supervisors

 December 2016: Host convening of VISTA sponsor organizations to provide 

additional training and share best practices and lessons learned

Programming Priorities: 

AmeriCorps VISTA was created with the purpose of reducing poverty and building 

economic opportunity. AmeriCorps VISTA members build the organizational and 

financial capacity of local programs that help low income Americans gain skills and 

resources they need to break the cycle of poverty. 

This year, AmeriCorps VISTA will prioritize the expansion of programming in 

persistent poverty areas, Native American communities, and rural community 

development, including projects that help prevent and treat drug abuse. 

Ultimately, CNCS expects to invest no less than 80 percent of AmeriCorps VISTA 

resources toward building the capacity of programs and organizations in the 

following focus areas:

 Economic Opportunity (Housing, Employment, Financial Literacy) 

 Education (School Readiness, Academic Engagement and Performance, High 

School Graduation, Opportunity Youth and Post-Secondary Success) 

 Healthy Futures (Food Security, Access to Health Care)

 New Americans, refugee and immigrant communities

 Veterans and Military Families

Additionally, AmeriCorps VISTA continues to build out its virtual training resources 

and is intensifying training and technical assistance for VISTA supervisors in FY17.

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: AmeriCorps VISTA will seek 

to support projects that demonstrate the effectiveness of their proposed 

intervention in addressing community needs. In addition to measuring project 

performance in organizational and financial capacity building, AmeriCorps VISTA 

will measure the value members receive from their national service experience.
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AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)

FY 2017 Annual Plan 

FY Appropriation: $30,000,000

Target Member Level (Traditional): 1,200

Target Member Level (FEMA Corps): 1,000 (FEMA Corps members are largely 

supported by FEMA funds)

Key Milestones & Campus Start Dates:

 Renegotiation of Interagency Agreement with FEMA to continue FEMA Corps 

past February 2017

 October 2017: Southwest Region (Denver, CO) and Pacific Region 

(Sacramento, CA) Traditional 

 February 2017: North Central Region (Vinton, IA) and Atlantic Region 

(Baltimore, MD) Traditional

 February 2017: Pacific Region (Sacramento, CA), Southern Region 

(Vicksburg, MS) FEMA Corps 

 July 2017: Southern Region (Vicksburg, MS) Traditional 

 July 2017: Southern Region (Vicksburg, MS) FEMA Corps 

Funding Priorities: 

The Serve America Act authorizes the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community 

Corps (NCCC) to operate a residential national service program that provides young 

people with leadership and team-building opportunities to meet national and 

community needs.

To evaluate the program’s effectiveness and efficiency, AmeriCorps NCCC measures 

key objectives and targets, including the impact of member service and the 

opportunities and training provided to its members. 

AmeriCorps NCCC Service Projects and Special Initiatives:

In 2017, AmeriCorps NCCC project outreach and implementation will reflect a 

continued focus on the NCCC specific service areas as outlined in the Serve America 

Act: response to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, 

environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and 

rural development. 

To further build upon programmatic strengths such as our residential design and 

intensive member training program, AmeriCorps NCCC will continue in its role as 

the agency’s lead responders in times of disasters as well as disaster preparation, 

mitigation, and recovery. 
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AmeriCorps NCCC will continue its partnership with the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA) to support the goal of an additional 1,000 AmeriCorps 

NCCC members, who will work solely on FEMA-sponsored projects during their 

term of service. 

AmeriCorps NCCC Members:

The Serve America Act mandates that AmeriCorps NCCC engage participants from 

economically, geographically, and ethnically diverse backgrounds. Additionally, 

AmeriCorps NCCC was directed to conduct outreach to increase participation of 

disadvantaged youth to a target enrollment of 50 percent by the year 2012. In 2017, 

we anticipate reaching more than 40 percent, accompanied by an aggressive 

strategy for keeping us moving toward the very ambitious goal. To meet this goal, 

AmeriCorps NCCC will continue to implement measures as outlined in AmeriCorps 

NCCC’s Annual Recruitment plan, including:

 

 Expand AmeriCorps NCCC recruitment efforts by conducting outreach to 

organizations and institutions that support youth from disadvantaged 

circumstances;

 Collaborate with state and local corps programs to promote second year of 

service opportunities with AmeriCorps NCCC among their membership;

 Promote AmeriCorps Week, Mayor’s Day and all National Days of Service as 

opportunities to introduce school-aged children to service and volunteering;

 Increase use of all social media outlets to recruit new members; and

 Expand the strategic use of the approximately 20,000 AmeriCorps NCCC 

alumni in recruitment efforts to increase the applicant pool for Corps 

Members and Team Leaders and aggressively promote national service.

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

AmeriCorps NCCC will contribute to seven of the 16 agency-wide priority 

performance measures. 
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Senior Corps: Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) 

FY 2017 Annual Plan 

FY Appropriation: $48,902,000

Target Volunteer Level: 210,845

Key Milestones:

 Total estimated grant awards in FY 2017: 555

 Competitive awards under the RSVP FY 2017 Competition. Award grants 

beginning in March 2017. Awards will be made for new and vacant RSVP 

service areas. Estimated total number of competitive grant awards in FY 2017: 

21

 Administrative renewal of grants competitively awarded in FY 2014 (as 

required by statute), to also including

 Performance measures linking federal funding to outcomes

 Increased funding for grantees proposing evidence-based programing

 Increased funding to small grantees of up to $40K

 Continuation of grants competitively awarded in FY 2013, 2015, and 2016

 Possible additional grant and/or non-grant activities, to be determined based 

on availability of FY 2017 funds, to include, among other things, augmentations 

for evidenced based programming and disaster services

Funding Priorities:

 Competitive and continuation grants fulfilling program priorities

 Compete and award grant augmentation for evidence based programing 

 Technical assistance and training for grantees’ compliance, financial 

management and tribal program implementation

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

All RSVP grants have been competed, and all successful applicants will have 

adopted the National Performance Measures. In FY 2017, awards will be made for 

new and vacant RSVP service areas under the new performance measures. In 

addition, all renewed grants will compete under a refinement of the previous 

performance measures. Previously, 10% of all volunteers need to be placed in 

outcome based performance measures. Beginning in 2016, in accordance with 

OMB’s Uniform Guidance for grants, we began to link federal funding to outcomes. 

At the time of their administrative renewal, grantees are required to place one 

volunteer in a service activity that either leads to an outcome, or supports an 

evidence-based health promotion activity for every $1,000 in annual federal 

funding.
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Senior Corps: Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) FY 2017 Annual Plan 

FY Appropriation: $107,702,000

Target Volunteer Level: 22,421

Key Milestones: 

 Total estimated grant awards in FY 2017: 306

 Competitive New Awards to Replace Relinquished in FY17: 5

 FY 2017 renewal and continuation grants will be awarded non-competitively 

(as required by statute)

 Possible additional grant and/or non-grant activities, to be determined based 

on availability of FY 2017 funds

Currently, all grants and Volunteer Service Years relinquished in any state are 

centralized to CNCS for budget contingencies. Priority uses for centralized funding 

will be a FGP competitive process to award a combination of augmentation of grants 

supporting evidence-based programs and replacement sponsor competitions. 

Funding Priorities:

 Competitive and continuation grants fulfilling program priorities

 Compete and award grant augmentation for evidence based programing 

 Technical assistance and training for grantees’ compliance, financial 

management and tribal program implementation

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

FGP performance measures are aligned with Strategic Plan Focus Areas, and the 

majority of FGP measures are subsets of CNCS agency-wide measures. The emphasis 

on education aligns with the Strategic Plan, as well as the purpose of the FGP 

program. In addition, all renewed grants will compete under a refinement of the 

previous performance measures. Previously, 75% of all FGP volunteers need to be 

placed in outcome based performance measures. Beginning in 2016, in accordance 

with OMB’s Uniform Guidance for grants, we began to link federal funding to 

outcomes. At the time of their administrative renewal, grantees are required to

place one Volunteer Service Year in a service activity that either leads to an 

outcome, or supports specific legacy programing associated with serving 

individuals with disabilities for every $6,000 in annual federal funding. As a result, 

this will mean that all FGP grantees will have adopted the national performance 

measures.
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Senior Corps: Senior Companion Program (SCP) FY 2017 Annual Plan 

FY Appropriation: $45,512,000

Target Volunteer Level: 10,264

Key Milestones: 

 Total estimated grant awards in FY 2017: 188

 Competitive new awards to replace relinquished grants in FY17: 5

 FY 2017 renewal and continuation grants will be awarded non-competitively 

(as required by statute) 

 Possible additional grant and/or non-grant activities, to be determined based 

on availability of FY 2017 funds 

Funding Priorities:

 Competitive and continuation grants fulfilling program priorities

 Compete and award grant augmentation for evidence based programing 

 Technical assistance and training for grantees’ compliance, financial 

management and tribal program implementation

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

SCP performance measures are aligned with Strategic Plan Focus Areas, and the 

majority of SCP measures are subsets of CNCS agency-wide measures. The emphasis 

on education aligns with the Strategic Plan, as well as the purpose of the SCP 

program. In addition, all renewed grants will compete under a refinement of the 

previous performance measures. Previously, 90% of all volunteers need to be 

placed in outcome based performance measured. Beginning in 2016, in accordance 

with OMB’s Uniform Guidance for grants, we began to link federal funding to 

outcomes. At the time of their administrative renewal, grantees are required to 

place one Volunteer Service Year in a service activity that either leads to an 

outcome, or supports specific legacy programing associated with serving 

individuals with disabilities for every $6,000 in annual federal funding. As a result,

all SCP grantees will have adopted the national performance measures. 
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Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2017 Annual Plan

FY Appropriation: $50,000,000

Please note that as of 9/2016, SIF is in the midst of its FY 2016 grant processes and 

hasn't yet started planning for FY 2017. Information presented below, therefore, is 

subject to change.

Key Milestones:

The SIF has not yet begun the planning process for its upcoming competitions, so dates 

are tentative and details are not yet available. Updates will be provided.

 SIF Classic Grant Competition

 Notice of Funding Availability Release: February 2017

 Application deadline: April 2017

 Notification of funding decisions: July 2017

 SIF Pay for Success (PFS) Grant Competition

 Notice of Funding Availability Release: April 2017

 Application deadline: June 2017

 Notification of funding decisions: August 2017

 Annual Grantee Convening: September 2017

SIF Issue Areas:

The following are the broad areas in which the SIF focuses its funding:

 Youth Development – Preparing America’s youth for success in school, active 

citizenship, productive work, and healthy and safe lives;

 Economic Opportunity – Increasing economic opportunities for economically 

disadvantaged individuals; and/or

 Healthy Futures – Promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing the risk factors 

that can lead to illness.

Funding Priorities:

 Social issues, geographic areas and populations that have not typically been 

the focus of PFS projects

 Traditionally underserved and underrepresented geographic areas and 

populations, which include rural and economically depressed communities, 

tribal communities, disabled populations, and veterans.

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

SIF will continue its use of pilot performance measures, requiring grantees to select 

and report on those most relevant for their programs.
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Subtitle H FY 2017 Annual Plan

(Volunteer Generation Fund, Call to Service –

MLK and September 11th Days of Service)

FY Appropriation: $4,800,000*

Key Milestones:

• September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance and MLK Day of Service

 A new combined competitive application process will allow applicants to 

apply for either 9-11 funding, MLK funding, or both. Previously this 

funding was awarded through two separate grant competitions.

 NOFO released December 2016

 Applications due February 2017

 Grants will be awarded April 2017

• Volunteer Generation Fund 

 NOFA released February 2017

 Applications due May 2017

 Grants will be awarded competitively-July 2017

Funding Priorities:

• September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance: Grantees may competitively 

subgrant or work with partner agencies so that a portion of the federal funds 

are provided to eligible organizations to plan and carry out direct service 

activities. Grantees will plan and carry out direct service activities that honor 

those lost on September 11th, 2001 and those who rose in service as a result of 

that tragedy. Activities may include ongoing service learning, ongoing direct 

service, and planning leading up to the events, but the majority of activity takes 

place on or close to September 11th. 

• MLK Day of Service: Grantees may competitively subgrant or work with partner 

agencies so that a portion of the federal funds are provided to eligible 

organizations to plan and carry out direct service activities. Activities may 

include ongoing service learning, ongoing direct service, and planning leading 

up to the events, but the majority of activity takes place on or close to the MLK 

holiday.

• Volunteer Generation Fund: Grantees must provide evidence that subgrantees 

have enhanced their capacity to fulfill the following requirements:

 Engage local partner organizations that use volunteers in a collaborative 

process of planning and implementation for increasing the impact of 

volunteers in meeting critical needs 

 Provide relevant, competency-based volunteer roles and opportunities 

that attract and retain high caliber volunteers 

 Develop the internal operational and financial management systems that 

will provide organizational sustainability
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Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation:

Performance measures for Subtitle H funds must include reports on the number of 

community volunteers recruited and/or managed by CNCS supported organizations 

and national service participants. 

9-11 Day of Service grantees were required to begin using National Performance 

Measures in FY 2015. Grantees use Performance Measures in the Focus Areas of 

Disaster Services and Veterans and Military Families as well as the key goal of 

Capacity Building. Grantees will continue to use Performance Measures in FY 2017.

MLK Day of Service grantees were required to begin using National Performance 

Measures in FY 2015. Grantees can use Performance Measures in all six CNCS Focus 

Areas as well as the key goal of Capacity Building. Grantees will continue to use 

Performance Measures in FY 2017.

*FY 2016 annual plan amount included Subtitle H funding that is not used to make 

grant awards.
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AmeriCorps Affiliate FY 2017 Annual Plan

FY Appropriation: $15,600,000 in Education Awards; $2,300,000 of this is for 

continuations 

Key Milestones:

 December 2016: FY 2017 Notice released; applications will be accepted and 

reviewed on a rolling basis three times during the year

 February, June, and September 2017: Applications due, results announced 

approximately 90 days after due date

 February 2017: Continuation Applications Due

Programming Priorities:

Started in FY 2016, AmeriCorps Affiliate is a pilot initiative that created a stream of 

service – distinct from other AmeriCorps programs – relying on authorities in the 

Serve America Act that CNCS had not previously used. The new initiative created a 

100 hour service term available only to AmeriCorps Affiliate and allowed members 

as young as 14 to serve. The new service terms and youth component puts 

AmeriCorps Affiliate in the unique position to expand summer service 

opportunities. In Fiscal Year 2016, the pilot project was only open to organizations 

invited to apply. During FY 2017, the noncompetitive process will be open to any 

eligible organization.

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

For FY 2017, CNCS will make available to its AmeriCorps Affiliate sponsors all of the 

agency’s 16 Priority Performance Measures and will allow the use of 

Complementary Program Measures and applicant determined Performance 

Measures.
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State Commission Support Grants and Commission Investment Funds 

FY 2017 Annual Plan

FY Appropriation: $21,823,000

Target Member/Volunteer Level: Not Applicable

Key Milestones:

• FY 2017 partial awards – December 2016

• FY 2017 balance of award– April/May 2017

Funding Priorities: 

As required by the National and Community Service Act, funding will be awarded on 

a formula basis to support State Service Commissions as they implement service as a 

strategy to address local problems, such as leading disaster response and readiness 

efforts, addressing high school dropout rates, increasing mentoring efforts, training 

and technical assistance, supporting persons with disabilities, and establishing 

volunteer centers, online matching platforms, and other systems to effectively 

engage citizens in service. Funds will also be used in their outreach to prospective 

AmeriCorps grantees, administration of grant competitions, oversight and 

monitoring of grants and programs.

In addition, Commission Administrative Grants and Commission Investment Funds 

will be used to cultivate high-performing organizations by strengthening their

training and technical assistance, accountability, and grant oversight activities.

Performance Measure Adoption and Implementation: 

Each State Service Commission is required to report on a standard performance 

measure that is selected by CNCS as well select any additional performance 

measures it determines based on individual state service plan.