AmeriCorps Seniors

Grant Application Instructions

AmeriCorps Form 424-NSSC

OMB Control No. 3045-0035 Expiration: 11/30/2024

Updates made 10/17/23
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 3

GENERAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................... 4

Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 4

Notices of Funding Opportunity......................................................................................... 4

AmeriCorps Seniors Program Regulations......................................................................... 5

Instructions for Logging into eGrants (for New and Continuation/Renewals 

Applicants) .......................................................................................................................... 5

REQUIRED SECTIONS OF THE GRANT APPLICATION............................................................... 5

Face Sheet Instructions: eGrants Account Registration, “Applicant,” “Application,” 

and “Funding Demographics” Sections............................................................................ 6

Instructions for Creating an Organizational Profile (for New Organizations/New 

Applicants only)................................................................................................................... 6

Instructions for Starting a Grant Application for your Organization ................................. 8

Unique Entity Identifier Update......................................................................................... 11

Project Narratives Instructions (eGrants “Narratives” Sections) ........................................ 12

PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND WORK PLANS- EGRANTS SECTION ................................. 13

About Work Plan Requirements........................................................................................ 14

How to Enter AmeriCorps Seniors Work Plans .................................................................. 17

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS LIST (EGRANTS “DOCUMENTS” SECTION).......... 19

BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS (EGRANTS “BUDGET” SECTIONS).................................................... 20

VOLUNTEER STATION ROSTER (EGRANTS “VOLUNTEER STATIONS” SECTION) ..................... 27

REVIEW, AUTHORIZE, AND SUBMIT......................................................................................... 28

APPENDIX............................................................................................................................... 29

Work Plan Development Template.................................................................................. 30

Budget Worksheet (eGrants Budget Section)................................................................. 32

Sample Budget Line Items................................................................................................ 35
GENERAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Purpose

The AmeriCorps Seniors grant application is for use by prospective and existing sponsors 

of AmeriCorps Senior projects under the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP (RSVP), AmeriCorps 

Seniors Foster Grandparents Program (FGP), AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion 

Program (SCP), and AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Demonstration Program (SDP). The forms 

in this package conform to AmeriCorps web-based electronic grants management 

system, eGrants. 

The AmeriCorps Seniors Grant Application Instructions guide the following application 

processes:

• AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP grants

o Competitive grant application submissions

o Non-competitive administrative renewals (only as applicable)

o Continuation grant application submissions (current grantees only,

for second or third years of a three-year grant)

• AmeriCorps Seniors FGP and AmeriCorps Seniors SCP grants (stipended

programs)

o Competitive grant application submissions

o Non-competitive administrative renewals (only as applicable)

o Continuation grant application submissions (current grantees only,

for second or third years of a three-year grant)

• AmeriCorps Seniors SDP grants

o Competitive grant applications submissions

o Continuation grant application submissions (current grantees only)

Instructions in this package apply to all applicants. The instructions address the types of 

information that must be included to fulfill application and grant requirements.

Notices of Funding Opportunity

For all grant opportunities please use these Grant Application Instructions in conjunction 

with the appropriate Notice of Funding Opportunity (Notice/NOFA) and Program 

Regulations (Citations). These documents include deadlines, eligibility requirements, 

submission requirements, review criteria, and other important information. Notices are

available on the AmeriCorps Funding Opportunities & Resources page of the

AmeriCorps website for new and recompete funding opportunities. For current grantees

continuing or renewing awards, continuation/renewal Notices are available on the 

Foster Grandparents, RSVP, Senior Companion, and Senior Demonstration grantee 

page.
AmeriCorps Seniors Program Regulations

For general information, eligibility and responsibility of a sponsor, volunteer eligibility, 

status, cost reimbursements, terms of service, responsibilities of volunteer stations,

placements and assignments, client served, application and fiscal requirements, 

performance measurement and restrictions and legal representation:

• AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparents Program Regulations: §2552

• AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program Regulations: §2551

• AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Program Regulations: §2553

• AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Demonstration Projects: 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).

Instructions for Logging into eGrants (for New and 

Continuation/Renewals Applicants)

Click on the eGrants link to begin: https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp. 

You may have to temporarily enable pop-ups to move forward with your grant application.

New applicants: If you do not have a grantee account in eGrants, please establish your 

profile.

1. Click “Don’t have an eGrants account? Create an account” link.

2. Click on the “Create a Grantee account” link.

3. Click on the “This is my first time. I want to create a new account with eGrants...” link.

4. Continue your application by following instructions in the next section of this

document.

Continuations, Renewals, and or previous grantees: If you are a current or 

previous funding recipient, enter your username and password to log in to 

eGrants. Do Not create a new account. 

REQUIRED SECTIONS OF THE GRANT APPLICATION

All applicants that are applying for an AmeriCorps Seniors competitive grant, or current 

AmeriCorps Seniors grantees applying for a new multi-year renewal or continuation 

grant, must complete all sections of the grant application:

o Face Sheet (Modified Standard Form 424 NSSC)

o Project Narratives
o Performance Measures and Work Plans

o Required Documents

o Budget (NSSC Form 424A)

o Volunteer Station Roster (required for continuations/renewals; for new applicants,

it is due six months after award)

o Assurances (Standard Form 424B)

o Certifications (NSSC Form 424C)

Submission of a grant application does not assure receipt of a grant award. 

Face Sheet Instructions: eGrants Account Registration, 

“Applicant,” “Application,” and “Funding Demographics” 

Sections

Information entered when creating your eGrants account, including the Applicant 

Info, Application Info, Funding/Demographics, and Review and Submit sections will

populate the SF 424 Face Sheet in the eGrants system. The items below coincide to 

sections of the SF 424 Face Sheet.

Instructions for Creating an Organizational Profile (for New Organizations/New 

Applicants only)

Follow the prompts, entering all requested information. There are 6 sections that will 

need to be completed in chronological order. Note: Fields with a red asterisk (*) are 

required.

1. Login Information

Complete the requested fields to move to the next section. Click the “next”

button once complete.

2. Enter EIN #

Enter your Employer Identification Number (EIN) as assigned by the Internal

Revenue Service. Click the “next” button once complete.

3. Select an Organization

After you have typed in your EIN number, you will have two choices:

1)Select the organizational profile you are submitting a grant application for, or

2)Create a new organizational profile for your EIN number.
Click the “next” button once you have selected a radio button for a new

organization or an existing one.

Depending on whether you created a new organizational profile or selected

one in the previous screen, you will have one of two screens appear 

corresponding to your choice.

4. Organization Information

Selecting an existing Organizational Profile

If you have selected an account for an existing organization, you will be able to

review the organizational information. If the information matches the

organization for which you are applying, click “Submit.” This sends a request to

the grantee administrator for your organization asking for access to the profile.

The grantee administrator must grant you access before you can submit an

application in eGrants under the selected organization.

If a new employee of your organization needs to create an eGrants account

(ex. Project Director, Authorized Representative, Bookkeeper) they would follow

these same steps to create an account linked to your organization. Any eGrants

accounts for employees who are no longer at the organization should be

disabled by the grantee administrator.

If an existing organizational profile is listed and you are unable to access it through the 

grantee administrator, please do not create a new organization. Instead, work with the

AmeriCorps Hotline (800-942-2677) to gain access to your pre-existing organization.

Creating a New Organizational Profile

If your organization has not created an Organizational Profile in eGrants before,

you will be prompted to create one. When creating a new organizational profile 

under the EIN number, you will need to complete all fields to move forward in 

the process.

Enter your Organization’s Sam.gov-generated Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Enter the complete name of the organization that will be legally responsible for 

the grant. The legal applicant’s name and physical address in eGrants must 

match the legal applicant’s name and physical address in the SAM registration 

exactly. This is not the name of the organizational unit within the legally 

responsible organization. For example, indicate “National University” instead of

“Liberal Arts Department.” Select the appropriate organization type from the list 

provided. 

Consult the list of characteristics of applicants and select all the corresponding 

characteristics that apply.
1. Enter your organization’s phone numbers.

Enter your organizations daytime, evening, fax, and/or cell phone numbers.

2. Review and Submit

Finally, please review and verify that all information you are submitting is

correct. If any information is incorrect, click on “edit” to make changes. If

everything is correct click “submit.” To continue with your application, on

the following screen click “next.”

Instructions for Starting a Grant Application for your Organization

If you are not already in eGrants, click on the following link and enter your username 

and password at the login screen: https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp. If you 

cannot remember your eGrants username or password, please contact the National

Service AmeriCorps Hotline at 800- 942-2677. The general public hours for the 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)

If you have an existing account, please do not open a new account. Work with the 

AmeriCorps Hotline to gain access to your pre-existing grantee account.

1. Under “Creating an Application”:

o New Applications: Click on the “New” link

o Continuations and Renewal: Click “Continuations/ Renewal” and skip

to step 6. * Do not select New.

2. Select the program area “Senior Corps.” Click the “Go” button. *eGrants may still

display Senior Corps.

3. A list of NOFA options will appear. Refer to the title of the Notice you are

applying under and select the appropriate NOFA from the list. Click the

“Next” link.

4. Follow the prompts entering all requested information. There are 11 sections that

will need to be completed.

5. Review and verify that you have selected the correct NOFA. It should match

the title of the NOFA (Notice of funding Opportunity) under which you are

applying. Near the bottom of the screen, click on the “create a new project”

link to enter information about your project. (Hint: Select a unique project

name for each application that you submit.)

6. Select the appropriate dropdown project or enter/edit the following project

information:
o The title of the project. AmeriCorps Seniors [program] must be included in

the title as well as a short description of the geographic area. (For

example, [RSVP, FGP, SCP, or SDP] of Cabot County).

o Your organization’s complete address with the 5-digit ZIP code and the 4-

digit extension. The 4- digit ZIP code extension is required.

o The name and contact information of the project director or other person

to contact on matters related to this application. The contact person

needs to be the individual who can best answer questions about the

application.

o Continuation/renewal applications: Use the view/edit link to review the

project name and address and update as necessary and confirm that the

project name associated with this request matches the project name

used last year.

7. List all the geographic locations where the service will occur or is occurring.

Please list the county or counties first. You may include the name of a city,

town, parish, etc. in parentheses after the county name. For example, Mason

County (Maysville, Minerva), Fleming County (Flemingsburg, Ewing, Mt.

Carmel). Please include all counties applicable. Refer to the Notice and

Appendix A for listing requirements.

8. Fill in the project start and end dates. This is the period of time covered by the

project, generally three years. If other than three years, the Notice will indicate

the project period.

9. Indicate if this application is subject to review by the state "Executive Order

12372 Process" by checking the box. Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental

Review of Federal Programs," was issued with the desire to foster the

intergovernmental partnership and strengthen federalism by relying on state

and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed federal

financial assistance and direct federal development. The Order allows each

state to designate an entity to perform this function. A list of these "Single Point

of Contact" entities can be found on the White House Office of Management

and Budget’s web site. The most recent “Single Point of Contact (SPOC) list” in

the “Resources and Other Information” section. Contact the Single Point of

Contact to determine whether your application is subject to the state

intergovernmental review process.

If Yes, indicate the date a copy of your application was submitted to the state for review 

under the Executive Order 12372 Process. In the State Application Identifier field, enter the 

State Application Identifier assigned by your state as part of the EO 12372 Process. If No, check

the appropriate box.
10. Indicate if applicant is delinquent of any federal debt by checking the

appropriate box. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the

person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of debt include

delinquent audit disallowances, loans, and taxes. If Yes, include an explanation.

11. Estimated Funding: Enter the estimated amount requested or to be contributed

during this performance period on the appropriate line, as described below. The

value of in-kind contributions should be included in these amounts, as

applicable. Continuations/renewals- Federal funding amount should match the

amount listed in Appendix A.

• Total - The applicant's estimate of the total funding amount for the

agreement. This amount is automatically populated based on budget

sections I and II.

• Federal - The total amount of federal funds being requested from

AmeriCorps in the budget. This amount is automatically populated

based on budget sections I and II.

• Applicant - The total amount of the applicant share as entered in the

budget. This amount is automatically populated based on budget

sections I and II.

• Local - The amount of the applicant share that is coming from local

sources.

• State - The amount of the applicant share that is coming from state

sources.

• Other - The amount of the applicant share that is coming from other

sources. This includes any federal funding other than what you are

requesting from AmeriCorps.

• Note: AmeriCorps legislation permits the use of nonAmeriCorps federal funds as match for the grantee share of

the budget. Please discuss your intention of using federal

funds to match an AmeriCorps grant with the other agency

prior to submitting your application. Section 121(e)(5) of the

National Community Service Act requires that grantees who

use other federal funds as match for an AmeriCorps grant

report the amount and source of these funds to

AmeriCorps. If you use other federal funds as match, you

must ensure you can meet the requirements and purpose

of both grants. Grantees who use federal funds as match

will be required to report the sources and amounts on the

Federal Financial Report (FFR).

• Income - The amount of the applicant share that is coming from income

generated by programmatic activities.
12. Check the box to indicate whether your organization is funded by AmeriCorps.

13. Enter the total number of unduplicated volunteers or Volunteer Service Years

(VSYs) in the box marked “unduplicated volunteers.” This number should match

the number of unduplicated volunteers or VSYs entered in the Work Plans. (See

the Notice and corresponding Appendix A for unduplicated volunteer or VSY

requirements.)

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

representative. The authorized representative must be using eGrants under their

own account to submit the application. The project director and authorized

representative may not be the same person. Please note that this is an

electronic signature that results from submitting the grant application in the

electronic grants management system, eGrants. A copy of the governing

body’s authorization for this official representative to sign must be on file in the

applicant’s office.

Falsification or concealment of a material fact or submission of false, fictitious, or fraudulent 

statements or representations to any department or agency of the United States Government

may result in a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, 

or both. (18 U.S. Code Section 1001).

Unique Entity Identifier Update

Effective April 4, 2022, the federal government transitioned the authoritative entity 

identifier from the Dun & Bradstreet unique identifier number, known as DUNS, to the

SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier.

This means AmeriCorps will not issue awards (amendments, continuations, new,

recompete, and renewal awards) to recipients that have not entered a valid SAM.gov

Unique Entity Identifier into eGrants. Please ensure that your Grant Administrator adds its

SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier to your organization’s attributes in eGrants to avoid 

award processing delays. Review the Frequently Asked Questions for guidance on how 

to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier and enter it into eGrants. 

If your entity information does not match the information presented in SAM.gov, you

should create an incident and provide documentation to complete validation. Once 

you create an incident, the entity validation service will review your ticket and contact

you via email if they require additional information or documentation. If needed, you 

can go to your SAM.gov workspace and add more documents. Please respond 

promptly to any emails requesting documentation or clarification. You will receive an 

email notification once validation is complete instructing you to go back into SAM.gov

to accept the match. Please review Things You Should and Should Not Do when

creating an incident, attaching documents, and checking status. Following these 

instructions will reduce review time and speed up processing of your entity validation 
incident. For more information on entity validation, please visit the GSA Federal Service 

Desk Service Portal.

Project Narratives Instructions (eGrants “Narratives”

Sections)

As you write your grant application narratives, please focus your descriptions on how 

you will achieve the outcomes anticipated. The narrative section of the application is

your opportunity to convince reviewers that your project meets the selection criteria as 

outlined in of the Review Criteria section of the Notice.

Below are some general recommendations to help you present your project in a way 

the reviewers will find compelling and persuasive.

• Lead from your program strengths and be explicit. Do not make the mistake of

trying to stretch your proposed program description to fit funding priorities and

special considerations articulated in the regulations or the Notice.

• Be clear and succinct. Do not use jargon, boilerplate, rhetoric, or exaggeration.

Describe clearly what you intend to do and how your project responds to the

selection criteria.

• Avoid circular reasoning. The problem you describe should not be defined as the

lack of the solution you are proposing. Explain how.

• Avoid simply stating that the criteria will be met. Explicitly describe how the

proposed.

• Don’t make assumptions. Even if you have received funding from AmeriCorps

in the past, do not assume your reviewers know anything about you, your

proposed program, your partners, or your beneficiaries.

• Avoid overuse of acronyms. Use an impartial proofreader. Before you submit

your application, let someone who is completely unfamiliar with your project

read and critique the project and budget narratives.

• Follow the instructions and discuss each criterion in the order they are presented

in the instructions. Use headings to differentiate narrative sections by criterion.

The Narratives Section may also include fields for Clarification Summary, Amendment 

Justification, and Continuation Changes. Please enter “N/A” in these fields. They may be used 

at a later date to enter information for resolution following review, to request amendments

once a grant is awarded, and to enter changes to the narrative for continuation requests.

In eGrants, you will enter text for Categories and Subcategories of the NOFA: 
1. Executive Summary

2. Program Design

o Strengthening Communities

o Recruitment and Development

3. Organizational Capability

o Program Management

o Organizational Capability

4. Other Narrative

o Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy

o Evaluation

1. Executive Summary

Please complete the executive summary per the instructions in the Notice. Note: 

AmeriCorps will post these summaries on www.americorps.gov in the interest of 

transparency and Open Government.

2. Program Design: (Strengthening Communities and Recruitment and Development)

In assessing Program Design, reviewers will examine the degree to which the applicant 

demonstrates how AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers and the proposed intervention are 

particularly well-suited to addressing the identified community problem. Reviewers will 

consider the quality of the application’s response to the criteria listed in the Notice for 

both category and subcategories.

3. Organizational Capability: (Program Management and Organizational Capability)

Reviewers will assess the extent to which the applicant demonstrates organizational 

background and staffing and structures, including compliance and accountability, to 

support the proposed program. See the Notice for specific criteria for this for both 

category and subcategories.

4. Other Narrative: Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy and Evaluation)

In assessing Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy, reviewers will examine the 

degree to which the budget is cost effective and appropriate for the program being 

proposed. Not all Notices include a narrative section for Cost Effectiveness and Budget 

Adequacy. See the Notice for specific criteria for this narrative section if applicable.

This section is also used, as needed, to address any additional program requirements

that appear in the Notice and/or supplemental instructions. Do not enter information 

into this section unless instructed to do so.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND WORK PLANS- EGRANTS 
SECTION

For AmeriCorps Seniors new and recompete applicants, this section must be completed. 

For continuation/renewal applicants, you MUST UPDATE the continuation or renewal

grant application to reflect any changes from the previous submission to ensure that 

Performance Measures and Work Plans are aligned to the proposed activities and 

outcomes in the upcoming year.

See the Notice and corresponding Appendix A for Unduplicated Volunteer or

Volunteer Service Year (VSY) requirements and Appendix B: Performance Measures for 

additional guidance for selecting the performance measures.

About Work Plan Requirements

About Work Plans

o A Work Plan is a task plan with action steps to address a specified community

need. In the grant application, these Work Plans form the basis for a proposed

project plan: the need the volunteers will address, what they will do, and what

their service should accomplish.

o Work Plans follow a standard format.

o Work Plans capture the focus of the volunteers’ services in standard categories.

These include Focus Areas and Service Activities.

o Your Work Plans should align with the Strengthening Communities Narrative

section of this grant application. Work Plans translate the narrative information

that you provided into organized task plans that include the inputs, unduplicated

volunteers or VSYs, service activities, outputs, and outcomes. The Work Plans also

provide a place for you to set targets for outputs and outcomes.

How many Work Plans are needed?

The number of Work Plans needed is determined by how you place your unduplicated 

volunteers or VSYs and by the types of service activities they will undertake.

How are Work Plans completed?

Data that you enter into the eGrants Performance Measures Module (PMM) are the 

basis for your Work Plans. As you enter data on the community need and select your 

outcomes, outputs, service activities and other information, the eGrants PMM will build 

your Work Plans for you.

The Work Plan Development Template, (available in the Appendix of this document) is 

designed to help you plan your performance measures. The worksheet can help to 

organize how you will fit your performance measures together with the volunteer 

activities. We recommend that you use the worksheets and instructions to map out your

Work Plans, and then use the completed worksheets to transfer the information into the 

eGrants Work Plan. 
Which sections of the Work Plans must be completed and what is the purpose of each 

section?

The following sections must be completed for all Work Plans with one exception. This 

exception is the Work Plans for “Other Community Priorities.”

o Description of Community Need: The description of the community need must be

completed for each output you select. This statement should explain the

compelling need that will be addressed by the volunteers and should be tailored

for each Work Plan. When you develop your community need, be sure to:

o Describe the need in enough detail to convey its importance in the

community. Include the specific county or counties to be served through

this work plan. Use of local statistics to make your case and provide the

source of the statistics. This data should be no more

than 5 years old.

o Describe the consequences of the need going unmet in the community.

o Describe why AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers can be effective resources to

meet the need.

o Describe the need clearly to people unfamiliar with your community. Do

not assume that other readers have an existing understanding.

o Output: Outputs are the immediate results of the volunteers’ services. These are

usually count- numbers of individuals served, etc. The output is selected using the

pull-down menu in the eGrants PMM.

o Service Activity: The service activity (or activities) is the task that the volunteers

will perform. For each output, you may select more than one service activity. The

service activities are selected using the pull-down menu in the eGrants PMM. For

each service activity selected, the eGrants PMM will create a separate Work

Plan. The service activity description for each Work Plan should explain what the

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are doing to achieve the outputs and outcomes.

State who the beneficiaries are, and what the volunteers will be doing with the

beneficiaries. State how often volunteers will provide the service and for how

long. State where the service will take place.

o Number of Unduplicated Volunteers:

o AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP - This is the proposed number of volunteers who

will be performing each service activity. Each volunteer can only be

counted once when assigned to a service activity. The volunteer should be

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

the type of service or in terms of the scope of service, such as the greatest

number of hours served. See the Notice for Cost Per Unduplicated

Volunteer requirement.

o AmeriCorps Seniors FGP and SCP - This is the proposed number of

volunteer service years (VSY) that will be performed for each service

activity. One VSY equals 1,044 hours of service. Each VSY can only be
counted once. To calculate the VSYs for a single work plan, divide the

total number of hours volunteers expect to serve under that work plan 

by 1,044. Because eGrants only allows whole numbers, normal 

rounding rules apply. See the Notice for Cost Per VSY requirement.

o AmeriCorps Seniors SDP- Please refer to your Notice for whether you

track unduplicated volunteers or VSYs and cost per volunteer

requirements. If your Notice specifies tracking unduplicated volunteers,

please follow the instructions for AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP. If your Notice

specifies tracking VSYs, please follow the instructions for AmeriCorps

Seniors FGP and SCP.

o Total Number of Volunteers: Enter the total volunteers engaged in the activities if

you were to assign all of them according to each activity. In this way, volunteers

can be counted more than once. For example, if the same volunteer does two

different types of activities such as tutoring AND mentoring, you can account for

both assignments in this field. For stipended programs, it also indicates how

many volunteers will be working toward achieving the VSYs.

o Output Target: The target is the number that you anticipate achieving in the

third year of the performance period. For example, if you think your volunteers

will serve 50 children in Head Start in the third year of the performance period,

you will enter 50 as your target.

o Instrument used for Tracking Output: This is the tool that will be used for data

collection. The Instrument is selected using the pull-down menu in the eGrants

PMM. Include an instrument description to provide detail on how the instrument

will be used, including how and when data will be collected and by whom.

o Outcome: Outcomes are the longer term, permanent change, or improvement

expected in the community due to the volunteers and their services. The

outcome is selected using the pull-down menu in the eGrants PMM.

o Outcome Target: The target is the number that you anticipate will achieve the

outcome in the third year of the performance period. For example, if you think

that 45 of the 50 children served in the Head Start program will show gains in

school readiness, you will enter 45 as your target.

o Number of Unduplicated Volunteers: This is the number of unduplicated

volunteers or VSYs that must be placed in assignments/ activities that lead to

outcomes. Please see the appropriate Notice for information about how to

calculate or determine the number of unduplicated volunteers or VSYs that

must be placed in outcome-based Work Plans.

o Instrument used for Tracking Outcome: This is the tool that will be used for data

collection. The instrument is selected using the pull-down menu in the eGrants

PMM. Include an instrument description to provide detail on how the

instrument will be used, including how and when data will be collected and

analyzed and by whom.
Which sections of the Work Plan must be completed in the “Other Community Priorities”

work plan?

The following sections must be completed in the “Other Community Priorities” work

plan. No other sections are required.

o Description of Community Need: The description should briefly state the needs

that the volunteers will meet. Please refer to the Notice for specific

requirements for the “Other Community Priorities” Work Plans.

o Output: There is one pre-determined output for the “Other Community Priorities”

work plan – “Grantee met its target for community priority activity Yes/No.” This

will be the only option available when entering the Community Priority work

plan.

o Number of Unduplicated Volunteers (VSYs for stipended programs): This is the

proposed number of unduplicated volunteers or VSYs that will be contributing to

each service activity.

o Number of Volunteers: The total number of volunteers proposed, when counting

the volunteers by assignment. Volunteers can be counted more than once (such

as one volunteer serving in nursing homes and also at the library).

o Total Number of Volunteer Stations: The total number of placement sites or

volunteer stations.

How to Enter AmeriCorps Seniors Work Plans

1. Click to enter the work plan Performance Measure Module.

2. Click Begin to start entering Work Plans.

3. The Objective tab displays the Focus Area options for work plan development.

See Notice and associated Appendix B: Performance Measure Instructions for

list of available Focus Areas and Objectives for the Notice. eGrants may show

Focus Areas or Objectives that are not listed in Appendix B. Only select Focus

Areas and Objectives that are in Appendix B for the Notice under which you are

applying.

4. Clicking on each Focus Area will show specific objectives available for that

Focus Area. Check the boxes next to each objective to create Work Plans for

that particular objective.

5. For AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP and other Unstipended programs, when all

objectives have been selected, choose a Primary Focus Area from the dropdown list at the bottom. Only the Focus Areas that are part of the objectives that

were previously selected will show up on this list.

6. When all necessary objectives have been selected, click “Next” or the

Performance Measure tab to move to the Performance Measure tab.
7. The Performance Measure tab allows you to create sets of aligned performance

measures for all the grant activities you will measure. The Work Plans you will

develop are for the objectives that were previously selected.

8. Begin by selecting a Category Title from the drop-down options.

Applicants who experience issues finding the appropriate measures for Education Focus Areas 

in the Performance Measure Module of eGrants should ensure that the objectives of the

measures they would like to use are marked in the “Objective” tab. Then, in the “Performance 

Measure” tab, verify that the “Other” category in “Select Category Title” is selected.

9. Select an objective for your aligned Performance Measure. The objectives

dropdown list will generate based on the category title selected. eGrants

may show objectives that are not included in Appendix B for your Notice.

Only select objectives that are in Appendix B for the Notice under which

you are applying.

10. Provide a brief description of the community need your project will

address in this Performance Measure.

11. Select the output you wish to measure in this set of Work Plans. The output

dropdown list will generate based on the objective selected. Refer to

Appendix B: Performance Measure Instructions for allowable outputs.

12. Select the instrument you plan to use to measure the output. The instrument

dropdown list will generate based on the output selected. Enter an instrument

description. Give the name of the instrument and briefly describe who will collect

the data from whom, and when it will be collected.

13. Select the outcome you wish to measure in this set of Work Plans. The outcome

dropdown list will generate based on the output selected. If the output does not

have corresponding outcomes available, outcome options will not be available

in the dropdown list. All Outputs, except for Other Community Priorities, must be

paired with the appropriate outcome. See Appendix B: Performance Measure

Instructions for the available output and outcome pairings.

14. Select the instrument you plan to use to measure the outcome. The instrument

dropdown list will generate based on the outcome selected. Enter an instrument

description. Give the name of the instrument and briefly describe who will collect

the data from whom, and when it will be collected.

15. Select all the service activities that apply. The service activities that appear are

generated based on the objective selected. Each service activity selected will

create a new work plan. Enter a description of the service activity in the

corresponding text box. The service activity description should explain what the

volunteers are doing in a way that shows how they will achieve the outcome or
output. State who the beneficiaries are, and what the volunteers will be doing 

with the beneficiaries. State how often volunteers will provide the service and for 

how long. State where the service will take place.

16. Click Complete PM after completing the information for each objective.

17. As Work Plans are completed for each objective, the objectives will appear at

the top of the screen.

18. After all Work Plans have been completed, click Next or the Target tab to move

to the Target tab. The Target tab allows Targets to be set for each work plan. First,

enter the project’s total number of unduplicated volunteers/VSYs in the volunteer

calculator.

19. For every work plan, enter the output target, outcome target, number of

unduplicated volunteers or VSYs, number of total volunteers contributing, and

number of volunteer stations. Targets must be whole numbers, not percentages.

The Volunteer Calculator at the top of the screen will update accordingly to

display the percentage of unduplicated volunteers or VSYs for the Performance

Measure requirements. As you enter target numbers, click on Review Allocations

to update the volunteer calculator. Once all Performance Measure requirements

are met, the success notice will populate in the volunteer calculator.

20. Click Next or the Summary tab to move to the Summary tab. This page provides

a summary of all the information you have entered in the module. To print the

entire summary, click Print PDF for all Performance Measures.

21. To print one performance measure, expand the measure and click Print This

Measure.

22. Click Edit Performance Measures to return to the Performance Measure tab.

23. Click Validate Performance Measures to validate the module prior to submitting

your application. If all Performance Measures are validated successfully, the

following message will appear, “Success: All Performance Measures are valid.

Please exit performance measures section and go back to the main

application.”

24. Click Back to eGrants Application to return to the rest of the application and exit

the Performance Measure module.

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS LIST (EGRANTS 

“DOCUMENTS” SECTION)

Please refer to the Notice for list of additional documents and the specific submission 

instructions. Unless otherwise noted in the Notice, use eGrants to indicate the status of 

documents: Already on file at AmeriCorps, Not Applicable, Not Sent, and Sent.

Document Status Definitions
• Sent: means you have sent the document to AmeriCorps.

• Not Sent: means you intend to send the document to AmeriCorps but have not

yet done so. If Not Sent is selected, the application cannot be submitted in

eGrants.

• Not Applicable: means the document is not required for this application.

• Already on file at AmeriCorps means the document is already on file at

AmeriCorps because it was submitted with a previously awarded

application.

Include your eGrants Application ID number and organization name with all 

documents.

The following documents may need to be submitted with applications, refer to Notice 

for required documents:

• Tribal organization eligibility documentation.

• Applicant Operational and Financial Management Survey (OFMS).

• Explanation of federal debt delinquency (when applicable).

• Cost share or matching fund verification letters are not required and should be

marked as Not Applicable.

By signing the application, an official of the grantee organization certifies that any

attachment not included has not changed from the prior submission that is on file with 

AmeriCorps.

BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS (EGRANTS “BUDGET” SECTIONS) 

For New applications, please refer to the Notice, which includes the elements of cost 

effectiveness and budget adequacy that will be highlighted during the competition.

Briefly describe:

• The reasonable cost per unduplicated volunteer or VSY that will be proposed in

the work plan section and lead to national performance measures

requirements

• The plans and infrastructure to secure the non-federal share, including dedicated

staff, grant proposal processes, and other plans

Multiyear applications - Complete the SF 424A Budget form requesting funds for the first 

annual budget period, following the instructions below. Multiyear project approval

does not guarantee that the application will be approved for additional funding. If we 

approve an application and enter into a multiyear award agreement, we will issue a 
Notice of Grant Award (NGA) that will provide funding only for the first year unless

otherwise specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. You must submit a

continuation application, via eGrants, with a budget that reflects one year of

programming plus any carry forward from the prior program year, if applicable.

Single-year applications - Complete the SF 424A Budget form for the 12-month period,

following the instructions below. Unless otherwise instructed by an agent of AmeriCorps, 

or referenced in the Notice or supplemental guidance, all grants are multiyear.

Unexpended funding for continuation applicants only - AmeriCorps will allow you to use

unexpended grant funds in continuation grants to enhance program activities, which is

often referred to as carry forward. If you wish to carry forward unexpended funds to 

supplement your FY 2024 baseline funding, you must include them in the FY 2024

continuation budget. If your continuation application does not include a request to 

enhance your FY 2024 budget with all of the unexpended funds, AmeriCorps will fully 

fund your 2024 award and may offset the new funds awarded by the amount of 

unexpended funds not requested in the budget. The Office of Grant Administration will 

send you detailed instructions for submitting a completed unexpended funds form that 

aligns with your continuation application. 

General Instructions for SF 424A Budget form

1) Under “Total Amount”, enter the total project cost for that line item from all sources.

2) Under “CNCS Share”, enter the amount of AmeriCorps funding requested for each

line item.

3) Under “Grantee Share”, enter the amount of resources for the item that is expected

to be covered by grantee resources or resources the grantee expects to receive

from other sources, including cash and in-kind support.

See Notice for required Non-Federal Share requirements.

4) OPTIONAL: Enter any contributions in excess of required non-federal share in the

optional Excess column, as stipulated in Section 224 of the Domestic Volunteer

Service Act, as amended. Please note that if you include Excess resources, they are

not included in the base for indirect costs or referenced in the Source of Funds

section.

5) Briefly describe all amounts in the CNCS and Grantee Shares of each line item.

Please note that you are required to enter the total cost of all line items and identify the 

source of matching funds as appropriate.

Section I. Volunteer Support Expenses 

Source of Matching Funds: 
Enter a brief description of the match. Identify each match source separately. Identify if 

the match is secured or proposed. Include dollar amount, the match classification 

(cash or in-kind), and the source type (Private or State/Local) for your entire match. The 

total amount in the Source of Funds field must match the total amount in the budget 

narrative exactly. Define all acronyms the first time they are used. Note: Do not include 

the source of any excess resources (from optional Excess column) in this section.

AmeriCorps Seniors applicants may apply for a full or partial match waiver at any time 

in their period of performance. More information about these waivers, including how to 

apply, is on the Manage your grant webpage on the AmeriCorps web site.

Section I.A. Project Personnel Expenses – Under “Position/Title Description,” list each

staff position separately and provide salary and the percentage of effort as a 

percentage of FTE devoted to this award. Each staff person’s role listed in the budget 

must be described in the application narrative and each staff person mentioned in the

narrative must be listed in the budget as either CNCS or Grantee share. Because the 

purpose of this grant is to enable and stimulate volunteer community service, do not 

include the value of direct community service performed by volunteers. However, you 

may include the value of volunteer services contributed to the organization for 

organizational functions such as accounting, audit work, or training of staff.

Section I.B. Personnel Fringe Benefits – Under “Purpose/Description,” identify the types of 

fringe benefits to be covered and the costs of benefit(s) for each staff position.

Allowable fringe benefits typically include FICA, Worker’s Compensation, Retirement, 

SUTA, Health and Life Insurance, IRA, and 401K. You may provide a calculation for total 

benefits as a percentage of the salaries to which they apply or list each benefit as a 

separate item. If a fringe benefit amount is over 30% of the related salary, please list the 

covered items separately and justify the high cost. Holidays, leave, and other similar

vacation benefits are not included in the fringe benefit rates, but are absorbed into the 

personnel expenses (salary) budget line item.

Section I.C. Project Staff Travel – Project Staff Travel is broken into two sections, 

reflective of the travel area.

Describe the purpose for which program staff will travel. Provide a calculation that 

includes itemized costs for airfare, transportation, lodging, per diem, and other travelrelated expenses multiplied by the number of trips/staff. Where applicable, identify the 

current standard reimbursement rate(s) of the organization for mileage, daily per diem, 

and similar supporting information. The standard mileage reimbursement should not 

exceed the federal mileage rate unless a result of the applicant’s policy and justified in 

the budget narrative.

• Local Travel – Local travel is travel within the project service area as shown in 

item 12 of the Face Sheet. Briefly list the purpose of anticipated local travel and 

the basis for cost calculations. Include only travel costs for staff listed under 

budget Section I.A. and who directly support the grant activities described in 

your application.
• Long Distance Travel – Long distance travel includes all travel outside the service 

area. Show the purpose for each trip and break out for each the cost of 

transportation, meals and lodging, and other travel costs. Include only travel 

costs for staff listed under budget line A and who directly support the grant 

activities described in your application. Please refer to the Notice for 

requirements around budgeted travel for project director and other staff 

training.

Section I.D. Equipment – Equipment is defined as tangible, non-expendable personal 

property having a useful life of more than one year AND an acquisition cost of $5,000 

(five thousand) or more per unit (including accessories, attachments, and 

modifications). If applicable, show the unit cost and number of units you are requesting. 

Provide a brief justification for the purpose of the equipment. Include items that do not 

meet this definition in Section I.E. Supplies below.

Section I.E. Supplies – Include the funds for the purchase of consumable supplies and 

materials that do not fit the definition above. You must individually list any single item 

costing $1,000 (one thousand) or more.

Section I.F. Contractual and Consultant Services – Enter the cost of contracts and 

consultants as appropriate, including all services documented in a contract such as 

clerical support, training consultants, equipment repair and maintenance, or 

bookkeeping services. Itemize each contract or consultant and provide a brief 

justification of the need for each. The cost calculation should provide a basis for 

determining the cost, such as a daily or hourly rate. Note that there is no maximum daily 

rate.

Section I.I. Other Volunteer Support Costs – Briefly describe all other allowable Volunteer 

Support Expenses not included elsewhere in Section I, such as National Service Criminal 

History Checks (noted in eGrants as Criminal Background Checks), training, evaluation 

services, recruitment expenses, and other items. Criminal background checks are

required for all employees or other individuals who receive a salary or similar payment 

from the grant (federal or non-federal share). If you do not budget Criminal 

background check costs, please provide an explanation in the budget narrative for 

how these costs will be covered. .

Section I.J. Indirect Costs –

Definition

Administrative or indirect costs are general or centralized expenses of the overall 

administration of an organization that receives AmeriCorps funds and do not include 

particular project costs. These costs may include administrative staff positions. For 

organizations that have an established indirect cost rate for federal awards, 

administrative costs are those costs included in the organization’s indirect cost rate

agreement. Such costs are generally identified with the organization’s overall operation 

and are further described in Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance.

Options for Calculating Administrative/Indirect Costs (Choose A or B)
AmeriCorps Seniors applicants may calculate allowable administrative costs using a 

federally approved indirect cost rate method if they have one or a de minimis method.

When entering indirect costs details in the budget, specify the approved indirect cost 

rate type when applicable (i.e., provisional, predetermined, fixed, or final) or state that 

you are using the 10% de minimis rate. Note the base upon which the rate was 

calculated (direct salaries, salaries and fringe benefits, etc.) and enter the approved 

indirect cost rate percentage. AmeriCorps does not restrict the overall indirect cost rate 

claimed. Applicants have discretion to claim all or part of the allowable indirect costs.

If you choose to claim a lower rate, please include the rate claimed in the appropriate 

eGrants field.

Applicants using a Federally Approved Indirect Cost Rate or a De Minimis Rate must 

enter the details of their indirect cost rate in eGrants, following the instructions. The

instructions for entering the organization’s indirect cost rate in eGrants are located 

here: AmeriCorps eGrants Indirect Cost Rate (IDCR) User Instructions. . Applicants 

should not submit documentation addressing the indirect cost rate agreement via 

email.

A. Federally Approved Indirect Cost Rate

If you have a federally approved indirect cost rate, this method must be used, and the 

rate will constitute documentation of your administrative costs. Specify the Cost Type 

for which your organization has current documentation on file, i.e., Provisional, 

Predetermined, Fixed, or Final indirect cost (IDC) rate. Supply your approved IDC rate 

(percentage) and the base upon which this rate is calculated (direct salaries, salaries 

and fringe benefits, etc.). AmeriCorps does not restrict the overall indirect cost rate 

claimed. It is at your discretion whether or not to claim your entire IDC rate to calculate 

administrative costs. If you choose to claim a lower rate, please include this rate in the 

Rate Claimed field. 

1. Determine the base amount of direct costs to which you will apply the IDC rate, 

including both the CNCS and Grantee shares, as prescribed by your established rate 

agreement (i.e., based on salaries and benefits, total direct costs, or other). 

2. Multiply the sum of the total share of Sections I and II by the amount of the rate or 

the rate claimed. This is the maximum amount you can claim as the total share of 

indirect costs.

3. Determine the amount you will allocate to the CNCS and grantee shares.

B. De Minimis Rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs

Organizations who do not currently have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate 

(except for those non-federal entities described in Appendix VII to Part 200—States 

and Local Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost Proposals, paragraph (d)(1)(B)) 

and who receive less than $35 million in direct federal funding may indefinitely use a 

de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). Additional information 
regarding what is included in MTDC and use of this option can be found in the Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 

Awards (2 CFR 200) under Indirect (F&A) costs and Definitions. If you elect to use this 

option, you must use it consistently across all federal awards. 

1. Determine the base amount of direct costs to which you will apply the de minimis 

rate, including both the CNCS and Grantee shares. MTDC includes all direct salaries 

and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up 

to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the 

subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, 

charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, 

participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other 

items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the 

distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for 

indirect costs. 

2.Mulltiply the base amount of direct costs by 0.10 to determine the total amount of 

allowable costs you may claim as indirect costs.

3. Determine the amount you will allocate to the CNCS and grantee shares.

TOTAL BUDGET SECTION I – Enter the sum of direct and indirect costs from Section I as 

appropriate.

Section II. Volunteer Expenses

Source of Matching Funds: Enter a brief description of the match. Identify each match 

source separately. Identify if the match is secured or proposed. Include dollar amount, 

the match classification (cash or in-kind), and the source type (Private or State/Local) 

for your entire match. (The total amount in the Source of Funds field must match the 

total amount in the budget narrative exactly.) Define all acronyms the first time they are 

used. Note: Do not include the source of any excess resources (from optional Excess 

column) in this section.

AmeriCorps Seniors applicants may apply for a full or partial match waiver at any time in their

period of performance. More information about these waivers, including how to apply, is on

the Manage your grant webpage on the AmeriCorps web site.

Section II.A. Stipends – Stipends are applicable only to AmeriCorps Seniors Stipended 

Programs (FGP, SCP and some SDP). Please enter, as appropriate, the number of 

Volunteer Service Years (VSYs) proposed in each category and multiply the numbers of 

VSYs times the annual stipend. Note: See the Notice for the current approved annual

stipend amount.
Do Not include monetary incentives for AmeriCorps Seniors SCP Leaders in the stipend 

line item.

• AmeriCorps-funded x Annual Stipend = $

• Non-AmeriCorps-funded x Annual Stipend = $

• Non-Stipended:

For stipended programs, Volunteer Service Year (VSY) is a budget term which equals 

1,044 hours per year. For example, a volunteer serving 2,080 hours per year (averaging 40 hours

per week) serves 2 VSYs, while a volunteer serving 783 hours per year (averaging 15 hours per 

week) serves 3⁄4 of a VSY.

Section II.B. Other Volunteer Costs – Please be aware that volunteer insurance is a 

required line item as detailed in 45 CFR §2551.46, §2552.43 and §2553.46. Other 

allowable volunteer costs include meals, uniforms, recognition, volunteer travel, and

physical examinations.

Volunteers may also be reimbursed for costs incurred while performing assignments –

including transportation, equipment, supplies, etc. – provided such costs are described 

in the Memorandum of Understanding negotiated with the volunteer station where the 

volunteer is assigned. For AmeriCorps Seniors SCP only, monetary incentives for 

AmeriCorps Seniors SCP Leaders should be listed in Section I.I.: Other Volunteer Support 

Costs. Use the Narrative for the corresponding line to provide explanation or show 

calculations, as needed.

Volunteer travel includes volunteer transportation costs such as cost of agency vehicles

(leased or purchased), insurance, prorated maintenance costs applicable to vehicles based 

on usage, and drivers’ salaries and fringe benefits chargeable to the grant. Assignmentrelated travel is also allowable.

TOTAL BUDGET SECTION II- Enter the sum of direct and indirect costs from Section I as 

appropriate.

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS – The sum of the totals for Sections I and II in each column.

FUNDING PERCENTAGES - Totals will auto-calculate in eGrants.

By validating your entire Budget section, you will be able to view or edit any errors on 

the list that pops up. To ensure you have validated the budget, the link will turn green 

with a check mark.

To complete the budget section, you will be required to provide the applicant share 

breakdown for the application. 
VOLUNTEER STATION ROSTER (EGRANTS “VOLUNTEER 

STATIONS” SECTION)

While completing your continuation and renewal application, you will notice a section: 

Station Roster.

Below are the instructions for entering your Volunteer Station Roster. New applicants will 

be asked by their Portfolio Manager to submit their Station Roster within 6 months if 

awarded. 

Review the instructions for entering your volunteer station information. Click on the “add 

a new” link to enter you volunteer station information.

A pop-up screen will appear to enter each volunteer station. Fields with a red asterisk 

(*) are required for completion of each volunteer station.

Enter data for each field. For help, click the help text icon ( ) to understand the

description of whatshould be entered into that specific field. For example, the street 

address line should be entered as the actual physical address location where 

AmeriCorps Senior volunteers will serve. Do not enter post office boxes.

You should have at least one volunteer station per county listed 

in your Geographical Service Area (GSA).

For the Focus Areas and Objectives, you will have to select one Focus Area and 

Objective at a time. For example, if you have selected Healthy Futures – Other Healthy

Futures, you will need to click “save & close” on the pop- up screen in order to add 

another Focus Area and Objective for this station roster.

Active MOU: check this box to indicate that there is a current signed MOU with this 

station.

Active: Once a volunteer station is created it cannot be deleted. If an organization was 

entered in error or is no longer an active AmeriCorps Seniors station, uncheck this box.

Click “save & close” on the pop-up screen.

If you have another Focus Area and Objective to enter for a volunteer station, click on 

the “view/edit” link for that station to add additional Focus Areas and Objectives.

Note: Please ensure that you enter all of the Focus Areas and Objectives that occur at 

that particular volunteer station.

The recent entries will be included on the Volunteer Stations screen. Repeat steps 

above until all volunteer stations have been completely entered for this grant.

Click on the ‘next’ link once all volunteer stations have been added.
You will notice the next screen you will see the Review screen. Review all information to 

ensure that you have completed all information for the application. Click “next” to go 

to the next screen.

REVIEW, AUTHORIZE, AND SUBMIT

Under the “Review” and “Authorize and Submit” sections, you should review each 

section of your application. In the case of competitive grants, reviewers will not

consider material submitted over the page limit specified in the Notice. We strongly

encourage you to print out your application. The page limit does not include the

budget and Work Plans.

On the next screen, the authorizing representative will be able to select the “I Agree” 

radio button for the Authorization, Assurances, and certifications for this grant 

application. To submit your continuation application, click on the ‘Submit application 

for grant continuation.’

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

representative. The authorized representative must be using eGrants under their own 

account in order to submit the application. The project director and authorized 

representative may not be the same person.
APPENDIX
Work Plan Development Template

Focus Area: [Choose One] Objective: [Choose One]

Community Need:

[Complete on your own, using the prompts in the NOTICE and Grant Application Instructions]

A B C D E F G H I J 

Output Output 

Instrument

Service Activity 

(each selected will 

generate a separate 

work plan)

# of 

Unduplicated

Volunteers 

# of Total 

Volunteers

# of 

Volunteer

Stations 

Output 

Target

Outcome Outcome 

Instrument

Outcome 

Target

[Choose one of the 

output measures 

listed in the table 

alongside this 

Objective in 

Appendix B. For 

example, D1A: 

Number of 

individuals served is 

an output 

associated with the 

“Assistance 

Provided” Objective 

in the Disaster 

Services Focus Area]

[Choose 

the option 

that best 

describes 

the tool

you will use 

to measure 

the number 

of outputs 

achieved.]

[Complete from the 

available Service 

Activities in the table 

alongside this 

output. For example, 

“Disaster 

Preparation” is a 

Service Activity listed 

with the output D1A]

[Identify 

how many 

unduplicated

volunteers 

or VSYs will 

have this 

as the 

area 

where 

he/she 

intends to 

make the 

most 

impact]

[Identify 

how many 

volunteers 

in all will 

contribute 

to this 

work plan]

[Identify 

how 

many 

stations 

will 

contribute

to this 

work 

plan]

[Estimate

your 

target 

for the 

output 

you 

identified

 in 

Column 

A]

[Choose one of the 

outcome measures 

listed in the table 

alongside this 

output. For 

example, D5: 

Number of 

individuals reporting 

increased disaster 

readiness is the only 

outcome 

associated with 

output D1A]

[Choose 

the option 

that best 

describes 

the tool

you will use 

to measure 

the number 

of outputs 

achieved.]

[Estimate 

your 

target for 

the 

output 

you 

identified 

in

Column 

A]

Total number of unduplicated volunteers/VSYs in National Performance Measure Work Plans: _[COMPLETE]

Update this as you complete Work Plans to reflect the cumulative number of unduplicated volunteers/VSYs programmed into National Performance Measure 

Work Plans. For example, if this is the first work plan completed, and it includes 10 Unduplicated Volunteers or 10 VSYs in Column D, the value would be 10. If

this is my second, and I have included 10 Unduplicated Volunteers or 10 VSYs in Column D in each work plan, it would be 20, and so on.
Service Activity Description(s)

[Complete on your own, using the prompts in the Notice, Appendix B, and the Grant Application Instructions. Be sure to provide all the

information requested.]

Output Instrument Description(s)

[Complete on your own, using the prompts in the Notice, Appendix B, and the Grant Application Instructions. Be sure to provide all the

information requested.]

Outcome Instrument Description(s)

[Complete on your own, using the prompts in the Notice, Appendix B, and the Grant Application Instructions. Be sure to provide all the

information requested.]
Budget Worksheet (eGrants Budget Section)

Below is a checklist to help you make certain that you submit an

accurate budget narrative that meets AmeriCorps requirements.

In Compliance? Section I. Volunteer Support Expenses

Yes No __ Costs charged under the Personnel line item directly relate to the operation of the 

AmeriCorps project?

Yes No __

The types of fringe benefits to be covered and the costs of benefit(s) for each staff 

position are described? Allowable fringe benefits typically include FICA, Worker’s 

Compensation, Retirement, SUTA, Health and Life Insurance, IRA, and 401K. You 

may provide a calculation for total benefits as a percentage of the salaries to 

which they apply or list each benefit as a separate item. If the fringe amount is 

over 30%, the benefits are listed separately?

Yes No __

Holidays, leave, and other similar vacation benefits are not included in the fringe 

benefit rates but are absorbed into the personnel expenses (salary) budget line 

item?

Yes No __

The purpose for all staff travel is clearly identified?

• identify number of travelers, calculations provided, number of days, and

daily per diem rate)

• Mileage reimbursement rates should be noted when applicable and not

exceed the federal rate unless a result of the applicant’s policy and is

justified in the budget narrative.

Yes No __ All single equipment items over $5000 per unit are specifically listed?

Yes No __ Justification/explanation of equipment items is included in the budget narrative?

Yes No __ All single supply items over $1000 per unit are specifically listed and explained in 

the budget narrative?

Yes No __ A brief justification of the need for each contract/consultant is included? 

Yes No __ Consultant daily rates and/or contract costs are indicated?

Yes No __

Have you budgeted the cost of criminal background checks? If not, have you 

provided an explanation of how the costs will be covered?

Yes No __

Applicant has a current approved indirect cost rate-the type of rate, the IDC rate 

percentage, the rate claimed and the base to which the rate is applied has been 

specified?
In Compliance? Section I. Volunteer Support Expenses

Yes No __ Applicant has an approved indirect cost rate and the information has been 

entered into eGrants to support the costs budgeted?

Yes No __

Applicant does not have a federally approved indirect cost rate and is choosing to 

use a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs? If the de minimis rate is 

being used, is it noted in the budget narrative? Is the de minimis rate information 

entered into eGrants to support the costs budgeted?

Yes No __ Are all line items in the budget narrative itemized and the purpose of the funds 

justified? Are all calculations correct?

In 

Compliance? Section II. Volunteer Expenses

Yes No __ Is the stipend (applicable to stipended programs only) at the current rate?

Yes No __ Are all required costs (three types of insurance [accident; personal liability, and 

excess auto liability insurance] budgeted?

Yes No __ Are all line items in the budget narrative itemized and the purpose of the funds 

justified? Are all calculations correct?

In 

Compliance? Source of Funds

Yes No __ Is the overall match being met at the required level, based on the year of funding?

Yes No __

For all matching funds, proposed vs secured, the source(s) [private, state, local, 

and/or federal], the type of contribution (cash or in-kind), and the amount of 

match, are clearly identified in the narrative and in the Source of Funds field in 

eGrants?

Yes No __ The amount of match is for the entire amount in the budget narrative? (The total 

amount of match equals the amount in the budget exactly?)
In 

Compliance? Total Budget

Yes __ No __ Does the requested federal funding amount (Total CNCS share) match the Total Annual 

Funding Available in Appendix A List of Available Funding Opportunities and/or the 

Notice (if applicable)?

In

Compliance? Cost per VSY (applicable to stipended programs only)

Yes No __

Is the cost per VSY at or below the maximum?
Sample Budget Line Items

When preparing your budget narrative, please include sufficient detail within the line-item 

descriptions, making sure the detail calculations equal the budgeted amount, to allow 

AmeriCorps staff to evaluate that costs are reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary.

Section I. C. Project Staff Travel

2. Long Distance Travel

This line-item description 

for long distance travel 

provides sufficient

detail. 

Purpose-Destination-Other Travel-Trans. AmountMeals/Lodging

PD travel to CNCS-sponsored Convening: Per diem -

$70/day x 4 days; Lodging - $300/night x 3 nights; Round trip 

airfare - $350; Local transportation - $50. Meals/lodging: 

$1,180; Trans: $400; Other: $0

This line-item description 

for long distance travel 

does not provide 

sufficient detail.

Purpose-Destination-Other Travel-Trans. AmountMeals/Lodging

Travel to conference: $1,580

Section II. B. Other Volunteer Costs

This line-item description 

for recognition provides 

sufficient detail. 

Item- Description

Recognition: Lunch event for 76 volunteers. Facility rental: 

$400; meals: $22.75/person; recognition gift: $20/volunteer

This line-item description 

for recognition does not 

provide sufficient detail. 

Item- Description

Recognition: $3,649 for annual lunch event