Welcome to the Introduction to AmeriCorps State and National presentation.  This is the

first in a series of presentations for potential grant applicants. It will provide introductory

information about CNCS programs, AmeriCorps state & National funding, and the

application process.

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The Corporation for National and Community Service is an independent, federal grant‐making

government agency whose mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic

participation through service and volunteering. For over 20 years, CNCS—through its programs:

Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Volunteer Generation Fund—has helped to engage millions of

citizens in meeting community and national challenges through service and volunteer action.

CNCS was created in 1993 through the signing of the National and Community Service Trust Act

which expanded opportunities for Americans to serve their communities through national service.

CNCS strives to connect Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to

their communities and our nation, and is the nation’s largest grant maker supporting service and

volunteering.

Each year millions of individuals of all ages and backgrounds will serve with national and community

non‐profit organizations, faith‐based groups, schools, and local agencies to meet needs in

education, health, the environment, economic opportunity, veterans, disaster services, and other

critical areas.

CNCS sponsors many initiatives as well as special days of service including the September 11

National Service Day of Service and Remembrance and Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service.

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AmeriCorps is an umbrella that consists of 3 distinct programs:  AmeriCorps VISTA, the

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program or NCCC, and AmeriCorps State

and National.  

AmeriCorps VISTA provides full‐time AmeriCorps members to non‐profits, faith‐based and

other community organizations, as well as public agencies, to create and expand

programs that bring low income individuals and communities out of poverty.

The AmeriCorps NCCC program is a full‐time residential program for men and women,

ages 18‐24 who engage in short‐term service projects across the country. The NCCC

operates on a regional basis, with five campuses in different parts of the country. NCCC

AmeriCorps members serve on teams and complete projects in the geographic region

served by their NCCC campus.  The NCCC program also leads the CNCS disaster services

initiative, FEMA Corps.

AmeriCorps State and National is the largest of the 3 AmeriCorps programs. Involving

hundreds of organizations and reaching all states and US territories. State and National

provides grants to eligible organizations  to meet needs in education, health, the

environment, economic opportunity, veterans services and disaster services.  The

remainder of this presentation will focus on AmeriCorps State & National.

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AmeriCorps State and National provides grants to non‐profits, faith & secular community‐

based organizations, public agencies, Indian tribes, and institutions of higher education.

These programs provide Americans, young and old, with opportunities to serve as

AmeriCorps members in communities across the country.  

Since 1994, more than 1 million men and women have provided service as AmeriCorps

members.

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AmeriCorps Grants provide partial funding to support AmeriCorps projects and programs.

Grant recipients must contribute match funding to support the project.  

AmeriCorps grants are solely for program expenses and cannot be used for general

organizational operating expenses.

AmeriCorps grants include an allotment of AmeriCorps member positions and the funds

awarded by CNCS are directly tied  to the specific number of members awarded.

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Recipient organizations, known as grantees, design activities for AmeriCorps Members that

demonstrate an evidence‐based or evidence‐informed approach to strengthening

communities and solving community problems.

AmeriCorps State and National grants allow organizations to more effectively address

community needs by using AmeriCorps resources to support existing programs. Also,

AmeriCorps allows organizations to reach previously underserved communities and expand

their activities beyond what they were able to do without AmeriCorps

Please note that AmeriCorps State and National funds cannot be used to duplicate, displace

or supplant resources that exist in a community.  AmeriCorps members or grant funds can

help meet unmet needs or can expand an organizations’ ability to better address

community needs, but they don’t take the place of community resources that already exist.

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Now that you know what AmeriCorps State and National is, let’s talk a little bit about

what these programs do.  

AmeriCorps programs use service and volunteerism to address a community’s compelling

needs through a wide range of activities, such as building affordable housing and

responding to natural disasters.

AmeriCorps programs engage AmeriCorps members and other volunteers  to meet the

identified needs, but members cannot take the place of existing staff or local volunteers.  

So as we mentioned earlier, AmeriCorps does not displace, supplant or duplicate any

assets that already exist in a community.

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There are two ways that an organization can become an AmeriCorps grantee and operate

an AmeriCorps program. Your organization can apply directly to the Corporation for

National and Community Service OR you can submit an application to a State Service

Commission.

The next few slides will explain how you decide where to submit your application.

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Single‐state AmeriCorps programs are implemented by organizations receiving an

AmeriCorps grant to address needs in only one state. These applications are submitted by

the program to their state service commission, and then the commission submits the

grant application to CNCS.

The link on this slide shows the contact information for each state commission.  Because

each commission has its own funding priorities and their own deadlines, you’ll need to

connect with your state commission early in the application process.  

The next slide will give you a little more background on State Service Commissions.

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State Service Commissions are boards of 15‐25 individuals nominated and appointed by a

state’s governor.  This appointed board oversees the implementation of national and

community service and volunteer initiatives in their particular state or US territory.

Most commissions employ a small professional staff to manage granting, monitoring and

evaluating single state AmeriCorps programs.  In addition, state commission staff also

often administer special, state specific volunteer initiatives.

Again, commissions provide funding to single state AmeriCorps programs through annual

grant competitions. State Commissions also provide feedback to the Corporation on the

multi‐state programs operating in their state.

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Multi‐State AmeriCorps programs are implemented by organizations that are awarded an

AmeriCorps grant to address community needs in at least two states.

Multi‐State AmeriCorps programs have relationships with entities in different states that

operate the local programs.

Multi‐state programs must consult with State Commissions in each of the states where

they operate to discuss their plans for future or current programming.  

Multi‐state applicants submit an AmeriCorps grant application directly to the Corporation

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AmeriCorps State and National sets aside 1% of our funding to support programs that are

developed and administered through federally recognized tribes. These include any

Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Native

village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation as defined under the Alaska Native

Claims Settlement Act, that the United States Government determines is eligible for

special programs and services provided under federal law to Indians because of their

status as Indians.  The definition also includes tribal organizations controlled, sanctioned,

or chartered by one of these entities.

A nonprofit that desires to apply for a grant as a “tribal organization” on behalf of a

federally‐recognized tribe, or multiple specific federally‐recognized tribes, must submit a

sanctioning resolution adopted by the Tribal Council (or comparable tribal governing

body) of each tribe. The resolution must identify the nonprofit by name as a “tribal

organization” and it must authorize the nonprofit organization to act on behalf of and

include the tribe in a CNCS grant application for the purpose of conducting the activities

and providing the services described in the application.

AmeriCorps releases a separate Notice of Funding Opportunity, or NOFO, specifically for

Indian Tribes. Programs eligible to apply for AmeriCorps Indian Tribes funding may choose

to apply to the AmeriCorps Indian Tribes NOFO.  Alternatively, Indian Tribes can apply

directly to the Corporation via the main AmeriCorps NOFO, or to a State Service

Commission

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In establishing a competition for AmeriCorps funds, CNCS releases a Notice of Funding

Opportunity, or NOFO, and application instructions.  These documents are generally

released in early fall.

A complete application consists of a narrative, a budget and performance measures, plus

a few supplementary items. The narrative will ask you to address specific criteria as

outlined in the NOFO.

At a minimum, the program budget will include the amount of funds you are requesting

and the number and type of AmeriCorps member positions you want for your program.

Some budgets will also include costs such as: personnel, member living allowance,

training, travel, supplies, and evaluation.

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Once you submit your application for funding, it goes through a particular process.

First let’s talk about single state programs– these applicants submit to their state commission and the

commission conducts a review of all of the applications it receives.  State commission deadlines, practices

and policies vary from state to state.  Once the state completes their initial review, they submit the most

competitive grants to CNCS for a national review.  Commissions submit applications to CNCS by the deadline

identified in the NOFO. It is important to remember that single state applicants must submit their

applications to commissions in advance of this deadline, so they should contact their state commissions early

in the application process.

The multi‐state programs and Indian Tribes will submit their applications directly to the Corporation by 5pm

EST of the deadline.  

After submission to CNCS, the rest of the process is identical.  All applications undergo a compliance check,

and then are moved to the review stage.

Each application will be assessed by several CNCS staff. Staff reviewers will evaluate the application using the

application review criteria, consider the comprehensiveness and feasibility of the application, and assess the

priorities and strategic considerations detailed in the Notice. External Reviewers will review and assess the

evidence base criteria in the Notice. After the reviewers complete their assessment, CNCS staff will review

the results for fairness and consistency. In addition, CNCS staff will also evaluate the risks to the program

posed by each applicant, including conducting due diligence to ensure an applicant's ability to manage

federal funds and the applicant’s past performance (if applicable.)

Following the review stage, CNCS will enter into a period of clarification.  During clarification, applicants

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could be contacted to provide clarifying information about their submission.  CNCS will notify all

applicants of the time period for clarifications a few weeks before clarifications begin.  

Once clarification is complete, CNCS will make final funding determinations and awards will be made.

Additional follow up may be needed prior to award to resolve any remaining issues. Generally this

entire process takes about four months.  We are anticipating making awards each year in the spring.  

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This concludes the Introduction to AmeriCorps State and National presentation, the first

in a series of technical assistance presentations available to help familiarize you with

AmeriCorps State & National funding. In addition, please review the Notice of Funding

Opportunity and other materials posted on our website.

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If you have any questions, please contact CNCS at AmeriCorpsGrants@cns.gov.

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