1 

NOTICE OF FUNDING 

OPPORTUNITY

Federal Agency Name: AmeriCorps

Funding Opportunity Title: Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Days of Service Grants

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

CFDA Number: 94.014 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

94.012 – September 11th Day of Service and

Remembrance

Disclosures: 

Publication of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (Notice) does not obligate AmeriCorps 

to award any specific number of grants or to commit any particular amount of funding. In 

September of 2020, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) 

rebranded its name. Although CNCS remains its legal name, CNCS now operates under 

the working name of AmeriCorps.

Important Dates

• Applications are due Thursday, June 30, 2022, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

• Successful applicants will be notified in August 2022.

Table of Contents

Important Dates ....................................................................................................................................... 1

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................................. 3

A.1. Purpose of Days of Service Funding............................................................................................. 3

A.2. Performance Goals or Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 4

A.3. Program Authority............................................................................................................................ 4

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION.................................................................................................... 4

B.1. Estimated Available Funds.............................................................................................................. 4

B.2. Estimated Award Amount ............................................................................................................... 4

B.3. Period of Performance..................................................................................................................... 4

B.4. Type of Award................................................................................................................................... 5

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION............................................................................................................... 5

C.1. Eligible Applicants ........................................................................................................................... 6

C.2. Cost Sharing or Matching ............................................................................................................... 6

C.3. Other Eligibility Requirements ....................................................................................................... 6

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION ......................................................................... 7

D.1. Address to Request an Application Package ............................................................................... 7

D.2.a Application Content ...................................................................................................................... 7

D.2.b. Page Limits .................................................................................................................................... 8
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D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)......................................... 8

D.4. Submission Dates and Times ......................................................................................................... 8

D.4.a. Application Submission Deadline........................................................................................... 8

D.4.b. Late Applications ...................................................................................................................... 9

D.5. Intergovernmental Review.............................................................................................................. 9

D.6. Funding Restrictions........................................................................................................................ 9

D.6.a. Award Funding Requirements ..............................................................................................10

D.6.b. Indirect Costs ..........................................................................................................................10

D.6.c. Pre-Award Costs..........................................................................................................................10

D.7. Other Submission Requirements ................................................................................................. 10

D.7.a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants ....................................................................10

D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents..................................................................................11

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION..........................................................................................11

E.1. Selection Criteria ............................................................................................................................11

E.2.d. Pre-Award Risk Assessment...................................................................................................13

E.2.e. Consideration of Integrity and Performance System Information .....................................14

E.2.f. Selection for Funding...............................................................................................................15

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION ................................................................15

F.1. Federal Award Notices ..................................................................................................................15

F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements .....................................................................15

F.2.a. Uniform Guidance ...................................................................................................................15

F.2.b. Requests for Monitoring or Payment Integrity Information................................................15

F.2.c. AmeriCorps Terms and Conditions.......................................................................................16

F.2.d. National Service Criminal History Check Requirements.....................................................16

F.2.e. Official Guidance.....................................................................................................................17

F.3. Use of Material ................................................................................................................................17

F.4. Reporting.........................................................................................................................................17

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS ...............................................................................18

H. OTHER INFORMATION ....................................................................................................................18

H.1. Re-Focusing of Funding................................................................................................................18

I. IMPORTANT NOTICES .......................................................................................................................18

FULL TEXT OF THE NOTICE
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A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.1. Purpose of Days of Service Funding

AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through

national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers 

serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps 

make service a cornerstone of our national culture.

AmeriCorps recently released its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan which defines the agency’s goals, 

objectives, and strategies to both meet and exceed the agency’s mission to improve lives and 

strengthen communities. Over the next 5 years, AmeriCorps will support the following goals to 

better position the agency to respond to national and local needs and help the communities it 

serves prosper: partner with communities to alleviate poverty and advance racial equity; 

enhance the experience for AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers; unite 

Americans by bringing them together in service; effectively steward federal resources; and 

make AmeriCorps one of the best and most equitable places to work in the Federal

government. 

Over the next five years, AmeriCorps will invest in existing and new partnerships with nonprofit, faith-based, and Tribal organizations, and state service commissions, to get things done 

for America. We will prioritize investment in the most critical issues of our time — public health, 

climate and the environment, and education and economic opportunity — within AmeriCorps’ 

Focus Areas (Appendix 1) and we will increase our efforts to ensure our AmeriCorps members 

and AmeriCorps Senior volunteers reflect the communities where they serve. We will target 

our investments toward communities where the need is greatest, particularly those with 

populations that face racial inequality and poverty. These steps will enable more Americans 

than ever to strengthen the communities that need it most across the nation through their 

service.

Days of Service grants include funding for both September 11th Day of Service and 

Remembrance (September 11th) and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (MLK). Applicant 

organizations may apply for either September 11th, MLK, or both. Applicants must submit a 

separate application for each Day of Service. Applicants may not submit more than one 

application for each Day of Service.

In 1994 and 2009 respectively, Congress designated AmeriCorps as the federal agency 

responsible for implementing the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (annually on the 3rd

Monday in January) on the federal holiday bearing his name and the September 11th National 

Day of Service and Remembrance. Projects developed for these days of service should occur 

on or near these days of service and offer ongoing opportunities to serve or volunteer 

throughout the year.

In addition, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service we encourage you to honor Dr. King’s 

life example and develop projects that increase economic, environmental, educational, or 

other forms of equity and that meet an important immediate community need or helps to 

addresses systemic issues.

For the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance, we encourage you to 

develop projects that honor and pay tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11, 
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2001, and those who rose in service in response to that tragedy as well as meet an important 

immediate community need or helps to addresses systemic issues.

AmeriCorps also expects each project plan to include offering ongoing opportunities to serve 

and to share information about how to serve with AmeriCorps.

A.2. Performance Goals or Expected Outcomes

• Martin Luther King Day of Service Activities shall be performed on or near January 16, 

2023

• 9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance shall be performed on or near September 11, 

2023

All recipients will be required to provide data on the following indicators in annual Progress 

Reports:

• Number of volunteers recruited, trained, and committed to one or more future service 

activities

• Number of organizations engaged and committed to one or more future service

activities that honor and reflect MLK Day or September 11th.

AmeriCorps will ask grantees to report not less than one month in advance of the Day of 

Service activities, locations, and projects being supported with federal funding and to register 

their projects in a projects registry tool that is discoverable in AmeriCorps’ search tool. For 

MLK Day, those reports will be due at the end of the first week of December. A spreadsheet 

will be provided for this purpose.

Additionally, recipients must report values for all indicators that are relevant to the activities

described in the approved grant application in annual progress reports. AmeriCorps expects 

the reported values to be reasonably ambitious and to correspond to the activities proposed 

by the recipient in the application.

A.3. Program Authority

Awards under this Notice are authorized by statute. For September 11th, Section 198(k) of 

the National and Community Service Act, (42 U.S.C. § 12653(k)). For MLK, Section 198(i) of 

the National and Community Service Act, (42 U.S.C. § 12653(i)).

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

B.1. Estimated Available Funds

AmeriCorps anticipates approximately $1,300,000 total for new Days of Service FY 2022 

awards. The process for continuation awards will be run separately. 

B.2. Estimated Award Amount

AmeriCorps expects to make up to eight individual grant awards between $100,000 and 

$500,000. Applicants that request less than $100,000 or more than $500,000 will not 

advance to the review process.

B.3. Period of Performance
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AmeriCorps anticipates making three-year grants. The agency generally makes an initial 

award for the first year of the period of performance, based on a one-year budget. 

Continuation awards for subsequent years are not guaranteed; they depend upon availability 

of appropriations and satisfactory performance.

B.4. Type of Award

Days of Service grants will be awarded on a cost reimbursement basis following a merit review 

process outlined in section E.2. This Notice allows recipients to act as pass-through entities, 

subgranting organizations, partnership coordinators, or as the sole entity implementing Days 

of Service activities.

Pass-through entities must select subrecipients on a competitive basis through a subgrant. 

Acting as a pass-through entity (subawarding) is not required. Pass-through applicants should 

clearly describe their plan for subawarding in their application narrative.

Subawards are to be made in annual amounts of $1,000 or more per year. AmeriCorps 

encourages Days of Service grant recipients that intend to award larger subawards, to do so to 

subrecipients that show higher levels of impact and effectiveness. Subrecipients must adhere 

to all AmeriCorps requirements of prime recipients in addition to any others imposed on the 

awards from prime recipients.

Recipients should provide sufficient public notice of the availability of Days of Service 

subawards to organizations within their network and out of their network community. Passthrough entities and subgranting organizations will ensure that the following information is 

available to all potential applicants:

• the types of organizations that are eligible for funding

• how to obtain and submit an application to the subawarding organization 

(subapplicants should apply to the Days of Service recipient and not to

AmeriCorps)

• the criteria (including appropriate subcriteria) that will be considered in 

reviewing applications

• any relative percentages, weights, or other means that will be used to 

distinguish applications

• reporting requirements of subrecipients.

Applicants may also apply to this Notice with a partner organization(s) and a partnership 

plan. Partners must be named in the application in the Organizational Capability narrative 

section at the time the application is submitted to AmeriCorps, and the partnership plan 

should clearly identify how the partnership is structured to carry out the project and grant 

requirements.

Award recipients will be assigned to an AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager, who will be 

responsible for assessing recipient performance, providing training and technical assistance, 

and serving as the agency’s primary point of contact.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
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C.1. Eligible Applicants 

The following non-Federal entities (all of which are defined in 2 CFR 200.1) are eligible to 

apply: 

• Indian Tribes 

• institutions of higher education 

• local governments 

• nonprofit organizations 

• state service commissions

• states and US Territories

 

In addition to Indian Tribes as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, tribal organizations that are controlled, 

authorized, or chartered by Federally recognized Indian Tribes are also eligible to apply. If an 

entity applies for an award as a tribal organization that is controlled or chartered by one or 

more Indian Tribes, the organization must provide copies of, or links to, documentation which 

demonstrates that the organization is controlled or chartered by a Federally recognized Indian 

Tribe. If an entity applies as an organization authorized by a Federally recognized tribe, or 

multiple specific Federally recognized tribes, it must submit a resolution or other 

authorization, adopted by the Tribal Council (or comparable tribal governing body) of each

Indian Tribe. The resolution(s) must identify the entity applying for an AmeriCorps award by 

name as a Tribal organization that is authorized by the Indian Tribe(s) for the purpose of 

applying for AmeriCorps funding (or Federal grant funds generally). 

Entities must have a valid SAM registration and Unique Entity Identifier to receive an award. 

See Section D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) for more 

information.

C.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

For MLK projects only, federal grant funds requested may not exceed 30 percent of the total 

program budget. Applicants are required to match funds equal to 70 percent of the total 

program budget. The applicant’s match can be cash and/or in-kind contributions matching 

funds. See section D.6. Funding Restrictions for more information.

For example, if an MLK applicant requests $100,000 in federal grant funds, then the applicant 

is required to provide $233,334 in matching funds for a total program budget of $333,334. 

For September 11th, there is no requirement that the grant applicant provide matching 

funds.

C.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

Applications that propose to engage in activities that are prohibited under AmeriCorps’ 

statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of its awards are not eligible to receive 

AmeriCorps funding.

Note that under appropriations provisions annually enacted by Congress, if AmeriCorps is 

aware that any corporation has any unpaid federal tax liability— 

• that has been assessed

• for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed

• that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority 
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responsible for collecting the tax liability— 

that corporation is not eligible for an award under this Notice. However, this exclusion will not 

apply to a corporation that a federal agency has considered for suspension or debarment and 

determined that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of the 

federal government.

Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization described in the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(4) that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to 

apply for AmeriCorps funding.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

This Notice should be read together with the Application Instructions. 

D.1. Address to Request an Application Package

All information associated with this funding opportunity is available through the AmeriCorps 

Funding Opportunities webpage: https://americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities. 

Applicants can also send an email to DaysofService@cns.gov for a printed copy of the Notice 

and Guidance. 

AmeriCorps also offers live text chat at https://americorps.gov/contact. 

D.2.a Application Content 

The application must include the following elements: 

• Standard Form 424 (SF-424) Face Sheet: This is automatically generated when 

applicants complete the data elements in the eGrants system. 

• Narrative Sections: 

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

o Program Design

o Organizational Capability

• Standard Form 424A Budget

• Authorization, Assurances, and Certifications 

(https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/ECERTS.HTM , and

https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/EASSUR.HTM) 

Although the application shell in the eGrants system includes fields for 

Performance Measures, Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy, Amendment 

Justification, and Continuation Changes, these fields will not be assessed. 

Please follow the Performance Measures section of the Application Instructions for 

how to complete this module with null information that will allow the application to 

be submitted. 

Please enter N/A into the Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy, Amendment 

Justification, Clarification Summary, and Continuation Changes fields. 
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Applicants that advance in the review process may be asked to add responses to

the Clarification Summary field at that time. Responses in the clarification summary 

field will inform funding decisions. 

 

D.2.b. Page Limits

Applications may not exceed 4 double-spaced pages as according to the pages printed out 

from eGrants. The application sections that count toward the page limit are the:

• SF-424 Face Sheet

• Executive Summary

• Program Design

• Organizational Capability

The application page limit does not include the Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy, 

Continuation Changes, Amendment Justification, Clarification Summary, Budget, Performance 

Measures, or any required additional documents. 

Please note that the length of the application as a word processing document may differ from 

the length of the document printed out from eGrants. The character limits in eGrants do not 

align with page limits set in the Notice. AmeriCorps strongly encourages applicants to print 

out the application from the “Review and Submit” tab in eGrants prior to submission in 

order to confirm that the application does not exceed the page limit.

AmeriCorps will not consider the results of any alternative printing methods when determining 

if an application complies with the page limit. Reviewers will also not consider material that is 

over the page limit, even if eGrants allows applicants to enter and submit additional text.

D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at 

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ and maintain an active SAM registration until the application 

process is complete. If an applicant is awarded a grant, it must maintain an active SAM 

registration throughout the life of the award. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees. 

SAM registration must be renewed annually. AmeriCorps suggests that applicants finalize a 

new registration or renew an existing one at least three weeks before the application deadline, 

to allow time to resolve any issues that may arise. Applicants must use their SAM-registered

legal name and physical address on all grant applications to AmeriCorps. The legal 

applicant’s name and physical address in eGrants must match exactly the applicant’s 

SAM-registered information. 

AmeriCorps will not make awards to entities that do not have a valid SAM registration and a 

SAM.gov-generated Unique Entity Identifier. If an applicant has not fully complied with these 

requirements by the time AmeriCorps is ready to make a Federal award, AmeriCorps may 

determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. 

D.4. Submission Dates and Times

D.4.a. Application Submission Deadline

Applications are due Thursday, June 30, 2022, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 
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AmeriCorps will not consider applications submitted after the deadline, except as noted in 

Section D.4.b. Late Applications. AmeriCorps reserves the right to extend the submission 

deadline. AmeriCorps will post a notification in the event of an extended deadline on 

AmeriCorps’ website. 

D.4.b. Late Applications

All applications received after the submission deadline published in this Notice, Thursday, 

June 30, 2022, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time, are presumed to be non-compliant. To overcome 

this presumption, the applicant must:

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

that caused the delay, including:

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

o the ticket number if a request for assistance was submitted to the 

AmeriCorps Hotline

o any information provided to the applicant by the AmeriCorps Hotline

o any other documentation or evidence that supports the justification

• ensure that AmeriCorps receives the written explanation or justification and any 

other evidence that substantiates the claimed extenuating circumstance(s), via 

email to LateApplications@cns.gov no later than 24 hours after the application 

deadline as stated in the Notice.

Communication with AmeriCorps staff, including an applicant’s portfolio manager, is not a 

substitute for a written explanation or justification of the extenuating circumstance that caused 

the delay as outlined above. Applicants are required to continue working in eGrants, 

AmeriCorps' web-based application system, and with the AmeriCorps Hotline to submit the 

application. AmeriCorps will determine whether or not to accept a late application on a caseby-case basis.

Applicants that do not meet the application submission deadline and do not submit a written 

explanation or justification or any other evidence to overcome the presumption of noncompliance within the published timeframe will be deemed noncompliant. If AmeriCorps 

sustains a noncompliant determination, the application will not be reviewed or selected for 

award.

AmeriCorps will not consider an advance request to submit a late application. Please carefully 

review and follow the guidance in this section and submit your application as soon as 

possible.

D.5. Intergovernmental Review

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

Programs.”

D.6. Funding Restrictions
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D.6.a. Award Funding Requirements

MLK awards under this Notice are subject to cost share or matching requirements. For MLK, 

the amount of federal funding provided under awards will be limited to 30 percent of the total 

allowable costs for the funded activity, as determined under 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E-Cost 

Principles. 

There are no cost share or matching requirements for September 11th awards.

There are also limitations on the use of federal funds to recover indirect costs. As provided in 2 

CFR 200.306(c), unrecovered indirect costs may be included as part of an applicant’s cost 

sharing or matching requirements.

Applicants who will be pass-through entities must include in their subawards terms and 

conditions that will ensure that the pass-through entity’s award under this Notice will comply 

with the cost share and matching requirements. See 2 CFR 200.332(a)(2)-(4) and 2 CFR 200.1.

D.6.b. Indirect Costs

Application budgets may include indirect costs. Based on qualifying factors, applicants may 

either use a federally-approved indirect cost rate, a 10 percent de minimis rate of modified 

total direct costs, or may claim certain costs directly, as outlined in 2 CFR § 200.413. States, 

local governments, and Indian Tribes may use previously-approved indirect cost allocation 

plans. All methods must be applied consistently across all federal awards. Applicants that have 

a federal negotiated indirect cost rate or that will be using the 10 percent de minimis rate must 

enter that information in the Organization section in eGrants.

The instructions for how to enter the organization’s indirect cost rate are located here: 

eGrants Indirect Cost Rate User Instructions. Applicants should not submit documentation 

addressing the indirect cost rate agreement via email.

Please note: To request a Federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, when 

AmeriCorps is the applicable cognizant agency for an organization’s indirect costs, the 

applicant must submit a request to indirectcostrate@cns.gov. The applicant may also obtain 

instructions and additional information by contacting the email address above.

D.6.c. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs, where authorized, are allowed after receiving written approval from 

AmeriCorps.

D.7. Other Submission Requirements

D.7.a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants

Applicants must submit applications electronically via eGrants, AmeriCorps’ web-based

application system. AmeriCorps recommends that applicants create an eGrants account and 

begin the application at least three weeks before the deadline. Applicants should draft the 

application as a Word document, then copy and paste the text into the appropriate eGrants 

field no later than 10 days before the deadline.

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

The authorized representative must use their own eGrants account to sign and submit the 
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application. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for this official representative to sign 

must be on file in the applicant’s office.

Applicants should contact the AmeriCorps Hotline at (800) 942-2677 or via eGrants Questions 

if they have a problem when they create an account, prepare, or submit the application. 

AmeriCorps Hotline hours are also posted.

Be prepared to provide the application ID, organization’s name, and the funding opportunity

to which the organization is applying. If the issue cannot be resolved by the deadline, 

applicants must continue working with the AmeriCorps Hotline to submit via eGrants.

If circumstances make it impossible for an applicant to submit in eGrants, applicants may send 

a paper copy of the application via overnight carrier below. Applicants must include a written 

explanation and any other documentation or evidence that support their inability to submit 

their application electronically.

AmeriCorps

ATTN: Office of Grant Administration (OGA)/Days of Service 

Application 250 E Street, SW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20525

Please use a non-U.S. Postal Service carrier to avoid security-related delays. All deadlines and 

requirements in this Notice also apply to paper applications. AmeriCorps does not 

accept applications submitted via fax or email.

D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents 

No additional documents are required at the time of submission. Do not submit any items that 

are not requested in this Notice. AmeriCorps will not review or return them.

Applicants that advance in the review process will be asked to provide an Operational and

Financial Management Survey to inform funding decisions. 

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1. Selection Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria using a merit review 

process: 

Executive Summary

Provide a concise, one-paragraph summary of the proposed project. If you are applying for 

both MLK and September 11th funding, you must submit a separate application for each Day 

of Service. Use the following template: The [Name of the organization] proposes to have 

[Number of] volunteers who will [what the volunteers will be doing] in [the locations the Day of 

Service activities will take place] on [Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service or September 11th 

Day of Service and Remembrance]. On the [MLK or September 11] Day of Service, [# of] 

volunteers will be responsible for [anticipated goals of project]. For MLK, the AmeriCorps

investment of $[amount of request] will be matched with $[amount of projected match], 
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$[amount of local, state, and federal funds] in public funding and $[amount of nongovernmental funds] in private funding.

Program Design

- The planned project(s) is important and meets a compelling need

- The project has a focus that aligns with the purpose and priorities of this Notice

- The project plans are clear and are likely to be successful

o Include the number of locations you will engage along with the partners for 

each location

o Include the metrics you will measure (please include for each location if they 

have different metrics)

Organizational Capability

- The organization will have strong community support and is leading service in 

underserved communities (especially those facing poverty) and historically 

underrepresented communities, including communities of color, immigrants and 

refugees, people with disabilities and people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+

community 

- The organization has the staffing, systems and processes, and organizational 

oversight to ensure success and grants management compliance

- The organization has an effective mechanism in place to report, without delay, any 

suspected criminal activity, waste, fraud, and/or abuse to both the AmeriCorps Office 

of Inspector General and AmeriCorps and a plan for training staff and participants on 

these reporting protocols. 

- The organization has sufficient policies, procedures, and controls in place to prevent, 

detect, and mitigate the risk of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, this can 

include an assessment of appropriate segregation of duties, internal oversight 

activities, measures to prevent timekeeping fraud, etc.

Budget

- The budget demonstrates that match requirements will be met (MLK grants only)

- The budget demonstrates that costs are reasonable, allocable, allowable and 

necessary and conform to the Uniform Guidance

E.2. Review and Selection Process

AmeriCorps will engage Staff Reviewers with relevant knowledge and expertise to assess and 

provide input on the eligible applications. The review and selection process is intended to 

produce a diversified set of high-quality programs that represent the priorities described in 

this Notice. The determinations made by AmeriCorps reviewers may be different from what 

the applicant self-determined upon submission of its application. The stages of the review and 

selection process follow:

E.2.a. Initial Application Compliance and Eligibility Review

AmeriCorps will conduct an initial Compliance and Eligibility Review to determine if an 

application meets the eligibility requirements published in this Notice and advances to the 

next stage of the review process.

An application is compliant if the applicant:

• is an eligible organization,
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• submitted an application by the submission deadline, and

• requested $100,000 - $500,000 in Federal Funds

Reviewing for eligibility is intended to ensure that only those applications that are eligible for 

award are further reviewed. However, determinations of eligibility can take place at any point 

during the application review and selection process. Applicants that are determined to be 

ineligible will not receive an award.

E.2.b. Application Review

AmeriCorps Staff Reviewers will assess the applications based on the Program Design, 

Organizational Capability, and Budget Selection Criteria (E.1). Staff Reviewers will also 

consider the priorities and strategic considerations detailed in this Notice. AmeriCorps will 

recruit and select Staff Reviewers on the basis of demonstrated expertise in Days of Service 

programming, as well as experience assessing applications. All Staff Reviewers will be 

screened for conflicts of interest. 

E.2.c. Applicant Clarification

AmeriCorps may ask applicants for clarifying information during the Clarification Stage of 

the review process. An Operational and Financial Management Survey will also be 

requested at this time. AmeriCorps staff will use this information to make funding 

recommendations. A request for clarification does not guarantee an award. Applicants may 

be recommended for funding even if they are not asked for clarifying information. An 

applicant’s failure to respond to a request for clarification adequately and in a timely manner 

may result in the removal of its application from consideration. 

E.2.d. Pre-Award Risk Assessment

AmeriCorps staff will assess the risks posed by applicants to determine an applicant’s 

ability to manage federal funds. This assessment is in addition to those about the 

applicant’s eligibility and the quality of its application on the basis of the Selection Criteria.

Results from this assessment will inform funding decisions. If AmeriCorps determines that 

an award will be made to an applicant with assessed risks, special conditions that 

correspond to the degree of assessed risk may be applied to the award. Additionally, if 

AmeriCorps concludes that the reasons for applicants having poor risk assessment are not 

likely to be mitigated, those applications may not be selected for funding.

In assessing risks, AmeriCorps may consider the following criteria:

Due Diligence:

• federal debt delinquency

• suspension and debarment

• information available through Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-

designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or 

financial integrity information, such as:

o Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

o U.S. Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Services

o System for Award Management (SAM)

o “Do Not Pay”

• reports and findings from single audits performed under Uniform

Administrative Guidance and findings of any other available audits or
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investigations

• IRS Tax Form 990

• Oversight.gov

• Public Litigation Records

Operational and Financial Management:

• financial stability 

Past Performance:

• an applicant’s record in managing previous AmeriCorps awards, cooperative 

agreements, or procurement awards, including:

• timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements

• accuracy of data reported

• validity of performance measure data reported

• conformance to the terms and conditions of previous federal awards

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

requirements imposed on award recipients

• timely closeout of other awards

• meeting matching requirements

• the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended 

prior to future awards

• national service criminal history check (NSCHC) compliance. See 

section F.2.d. National Criminal History Check Requirements and the 

NSCHC webpage for more information. 

Other Programmatic Risks:

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

E.2.e. Consideration of Integrity and Performance System Information

Prior to making any award that exceeds the $250,000, AmeriCorps is required to review 

and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and 

performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (See 41 U.S.C. 2313). 

Additionally, AmeriCorps may expand upon these requirements and use its discretion to 

review and consider information about any applicant receiving an award, including those 

under $250,000.

Any applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and 

performance systems accessible through FAPIIS and comment on any information about 

itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated 

integrity and performance system accessible through FAPIIS.

AmeriCorps may consider comments by any applicant, in addition to the other information in 

the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the 

applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when 

completing its review of risk posed by the applicant under the Risk Assessment Evaluation 

section of this Notice.
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E.2.f. Selection for Funding

The merit review and selection process is designed to:

• identify eligible applicants that are aligned with the application selection criteria 

(E.1), and

• build a diversified portfolio based on the meaningful representation of

organizations that have strong community support and are leading service in 

underserved communities (especially those facing poverty) and historically 

underrepresented communities, including communities of color, immigrants and 

refugees, people with disabilities and people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ 

community, based on the quality of response to the first selection criterion in the 

Organizational Capability section (E.1.).

AmeriCorps will endeavor to select a diverse portfolio of applications based on staff 

recommendations, alignment with selection criteria, and strategic considerations.

AmeriCorps reserves the right to award applications in an amount other than at the requested 

level of funding and will document the rationale for doing so.

AmeriCorps reserves the right to adjust or make changes to the review process, if 

unforeseen challenges or urgent circumstances make it impossible, impracticable, 

or inefficient to conduct the review process as planned. Any such adjustments or 

changes will not affect the selection criteria that will be used to assess 

applications.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

F.1. Federal Award Notices

AmeriCorps will make awards following the grant selection announcement. AmeriCorps 

anticipates announcing the results of this funding opportunity review process in August. 

All applicants, successful or not, will be notified of funding decisions via email.

Notification of an award is not an authorization to begin grant activities. The Notice of 

Grant Award signed by the Office of Grant Administration Grant Award Specialist is the 

authorizing document for grant activities. An awardee may not expend federal funds until 

the start of the Period of Performance identified on the Notice of Grant Award.

F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F.2.a. Uniform Guidance

All awards made under this Notice will be subject to the Uniform Administrative 

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform 

Guidance), in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 2205.

F.2.b. Requests for Monitoring or Payment Integrity Information

AmeriCorps will request documentation from recipients in order to monitor the grantee and 

award to ensure compliance with legal requirements, including the Payment Integrity 
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Information Act of 2019. Failure to make timely responses to these requests may result in 

award funds being placed on manual hold, reimbursement only status, or other remedies 

may be applied as appropriate.

F.2.c. AmeriCorps Terms and Conditions

All awards made under this Notice will be subject to the FY 2022 AmeriCorps General 

Terms and Conditions, and the FY 2022 Program-Specific Terms and Conditions for the 

particular program (when applicable). These Terms and Conditions contain detailed, 

mandatory compliance and reporting requirements. Current versions of the AmeriCorps 

General and Program-Specific Terms and Conditions for each of its programs is available 

at 9/11 Day resources | AmeriCorps and MLK Day | AmeriCorps.

F.2.d. National Service Criminal History Check Requirements

The National Service Criminal History Check (NSCHC) is a specific screening procedure 

established by law to protect the beneficiaries of national service. We encourage grantees to 

minimize barriers to service without putting their program beneficiaries at genuine risk. 

• In general, award recipients and subrecipients must conduct an NSCHC for 

AmeriCorps members, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers, and staff funded under, or 

whose salary is reflected as match on, the award.

• AmeriCorps strongly encourages applicants to review the regulations and additional 

guidance to fully understand how to comply with the requirements.

• AmeriCorps also strongly encourages funded applicants to utilize the two AmeriCorpsapproved vendors to conduct the required NSCHCs.

• Failure to conduct a compliant NSCHC may result in significant disallowed costs. 

• The cost of conducting NSCHC is an allowable expense under the award and the 

individual subject to the NSCHC may not be required to cover the cost without being 

reimbursed.

An NSCHC consists of a check of the:

1. National Sex Offender Public website through NSOPW.gov (nationwide check);

2. State criminal history record repository or agency-designated alternative for the 

individual's State of residence and State of service; and

3. Fingerprint-based check of the FBI criminal history record database through the State 

criminal history record repository or agency-approved vendor. 

All checks must be conducted, reviewed, and an eligibility determination made before the 

individual begins work or service. 

An individual is not eligible to serve or work in a position subject to the NSCHC requirements 

if: 

• the individual refuses to consent to a criminal history check;

• makes a false statement in connection with a criminal history check; 

• is registered, or is required to be registered, on a state sex offender registry or the 

National Sex Offender Registry; or

• has been convicted of murder. 
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See 45 CFR § 2540.200–§ 2540.207 and National Service Criminal History Check 

Resources for complete information and FAQs.

F.2.e. Official Guidance

All AmeriCorps active Guidance is available on the agency’s Guidance webpage:

https://www.americorps.gov/about/agency-overview/official-guidance. The contents of these 

documents do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any 

way unless incorporated into a contract or grant agreement. These documents are intended 

only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency 

policies.

F.3. Use of Material

To ensure that materials generated with AmeriCorps funding are available to the public 

and readily accessible to recipients and non-recipients, AmeriCorps reserves a royalty-free, 

nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to obtain, use, modify, reproduce, publish, or 

disseminate publications and materials produced under the award, including data, and to 

authorize others to do so (2 CFR §200.315).

F.4. Reporting 

Recipients are required to submit a variety of reports that are due at specific times during 

the life cycle of an award. All reports must be accurate, complete, and submitted on time.

Recipients are required to provide annual progress reports and semi-annual financial 

reports through eGrants, AmeriCorps’ web-based grants management system. All 

recipients must provide quarterly financial reports through the U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services Payment Management System.

In addition, at the end of the award period, a grantee must submit final financial and 

progress reports that are cumulative over the entire award period and consistent with the 

close-out requirements. The final reports are due 120 days after the end of the period of 

performance. 

Award recipients will be required to report at https://www.FSRS.gov on all subawards over

$30,000, and may be required to report on executive compensation for the recipient 

organization and its subrecipients. Recipients and subrecipients must have the necessary 

systems in place to collect and report this information. See 2 CFR Part 170 for more 

information and to determine how these requirements apply.

Once the grant is awarded, recipients will be expected to have in place data collection and 

data management policies, processes, and practices that provide assurance that they are 

reporting high quality performance measure data. At a minimum, recipients should have 

policies, processes, and practices that address the following five aspects of data quality for 

themselves and for subrecipients (if applicable):

i. the data measures what it intends to measure

ii. the data reported is complete

iii. the recipient collects data in a consistent manner

iv. the recipient takes steps to correct data errors

v. the recipient actively reviews data for accuracy prior to submission.
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Failure to submit accurate, complete, and timely required reports may affect the recipient’s 

ability to secure future AmeriCorps funding.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For more information or a printed copy of related material(s), applicants should email

DaysofService@cns.gov. AmeriCorps also offers live text chat at

https://questions.americorps.gov/app/ask.

For technical questions and problems with the eGrants system, call the AmeriCorps Hotline at 

(800) 942-2677. National Service Hotline hours are posted at

https://questions.americorps.gov/app/ask. Be prepared to provide the application ID,

organization’s name, and the name of the Notice to which the organization is applying.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

H.1. Re-Focusing of Funding

AmeriCorps reserves the right to re-focus program dollars for this funding opportunity in the

event of disaster or other compelling needs.

I. IMPORTANT NOTICES

Public Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for collection of information under this 

Notice of Funding is estimated to average six hours per submission, including reviewing 

instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing the application and 

reporting forms. AmeriCorps informs people who may respond to this Notice of Funding that 

they are not required to respond unless the OMB control number and expiration date are 

current valid. (See 5 C.F.R. 1320.5(b)(2)(i).) The OMB Control Number for the information 

collection is 3045-0187. It expires on 10/30/2023.

Privacy Act Statement: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C 552a) requires that we notify you that 

the information requested under this Notice of Funding is collected pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 

12592 and 12615 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 as amended, and 42

U.S.C. 4953 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 as amended. 

• Purposes and Uses - The information requested is collected for the purposes of

reviewing grant applications and granting funding requests. Routine uses may include

disclosure of the information to federal, state, or local agencies pursuant to lawfully

authorized requests. In some programs, the information may also be provided to

federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to determine the existence of any

prior criminal convictions. The information may also be provided to appropriate federal

agencies and contractors that have a need to know the information for the purpose of

assisting the government to respond to a suspected or confirmed breach of the

security or confidentiality or information maintained in this system of records, and the

information disclosed is relevant and unnecessary for the assistance.

• Effects of Nondisclosure - The information requested is voluntary; however, to be a

recipient of this grant program, disclosure of personal or sensitive information is

required to receive federal benefits.