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ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING AVAILABILITY

Federal Agency Name: Corporation for National and Community Service 

Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2015 Training and Technical Assistance—Regional

Training Conferences 

Announcement Type: Amended Announcement

CFDA Number: 94.009 

Important Dates 

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NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPLY DEADLINE: Applicants are strongly encouraged 

to send a Notice of Intent to Apply by Friday, July 31, 2015.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications are due Thursday, August 20, 2015 by 5:00 

pm Eastern Time. 

Successful applicants will be notified by September 30, 2015. 

Disclosure: Publication of this Notice of Federal Funding Availability (Notice) does not 

obligate the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to award any 

specific number of cooperative agreements or to obligate any particular amount of 

funding.

FULL TEXT OF THE NOTICE 

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

This Notice should be read together with the Universal Application Instructions, which can be 

found at: http://www.nationalservice.gov/ttanofa. 

1. Purpose of the Training and Technical Assistance—Regional Training Conferences 

Funding 

The mission of CNCS is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement 

through service and volunteering. Through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation 

Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, CNCS has helped to engage millions of citizens in 

meeting community and national challenges through service and volunteer action. 

This Notice announces the availability of funding for planning and delivering regional training 

conferences that focus on strengthening and building the capacity of AmeriCorps programs and 

Senior Corps projects across the country. CNCS acknowledges the need for flexibility in 

determining the regions where the conferences will be delivered. Regions may align with each of 

CNCS’s five regional clusters as defined in section B. Federal Award Information, or applicants 

may choose to propose, with justification, one or more geographic region(s) different from the 

existing CNCS regional clusters.

The primary target audiences for training at these regional training conferences are AmeriCorps 

State and National programs and Senior Corps projects. These regional training conferences are a 
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critical component of CNCS’s training and technical assistance (TTA) strategy for 2015-2016,

and CNCS intends for these conferences to build on and leverage previous investments to 

increase the capacity for national service resources to impact communities. 

While AmeriCorps State and National programs and Senior Corps projects are the primary 

audiences, it is expected that other national service programs will be invited to participate such 

as AmeriCorps Indian Tribes programs, AmeriCorps VISTA programs (especially multi-site 

projects), Social Innovation Fund recipients, and AmeriCorps National Civilian Community 

Corps (NCCC) staff. Although the entire agenda of these conferences may not be specific to 

these programs, having broad representation from CNCS programs increases the potential for 

strong and integrated community impact. 

The National and Community Service Act of 1990 (NCSA) authorizes CNCS to provide TTA to 

improve the programmatic quality and accountability of current and potential national service 

programs and projects. The current TTA strategy focuses on the implementation of CNCS’s 

performance measures, recipient compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, as well 

as the fiscal and administrative requirements for managing CNCS grants, a unique set of 

knowledge and skills specific to CNCS programs and projects. 

2. Funding Priorities 

In evaluating applications for this Notice, CNCS will give substantial weight to the 

demonstration of the following: 

Delivering an Excellent Conference Experience for Participants, Including: 

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Securing meeting facilities, associated meals, and lodging as appropriate, at a 

reasonable cost for attendees 

Conducting outreach and marketing targeted primarily to AmeriCorps programs and 

Senior Corps projects in the applicant’s defined region. Outreach will also include the 

full CNCS program network (e.g., Social Innovation Fund, AmeriCorps National 

Direct, AmeriCorps Indian Tribes, AmeriCorps VISTA, and AmeriCorps NCCC) 

Designing and carrying out an accessible and easy registration process 

Providing event support, planning, production, and materials design and production 

Understanding the rules and regulations that apply to conference activities funded 

with federal funds 

Ensuring reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities in accordance with 

the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act 

of 1973

Collecting and reporting on CNCS designated performance reporting criteria, 

including evaluation of customer satisfaction with the conference experience using 

CNCS approved survey instruments, and basic conference outputs (numbers of 

attendees, etc.). See section F. Federal Award Administration Information for more 

information.
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Conducting an Inclusive Conference Planning Process: 

 Establishing and implementing a planning process for developing the final conference 

outcomes, agenda, content, and dates for delivery that includes reasonable 

representation of AmeriCorps programs and Senior Corps projects on a regional 

planning committee (as well as other national service programs and partner 

organizations in the region as appropriate). 

Measuring and Reporting CNCS Expected Training Outcomes: 

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Through these conferences, CNCS seeks to invest in expanding regional capacity and 

strengthening leadership. At the same time, CNCS seeks to ensure delivery of critical 

programmatic and fiscal training in a consistent manner across the country. 

Therefore, CNCS will provide and deliver up to eight hours of core curriculum that 

will address the required training outcomes listed in this section. The actual hours will 

be determined prior to grant award. 

While CNCS staff will provide some of the core curriculum training, awardees will 

be responsible for integrating core content sessions into the overall conference 

agenda, reporting the numbers of participants who participated (see section VI. Award 

Administration Information for more information). Conference curriculum can be 

delivered online, face-to-face, or through a combination of both. 

Expected Outcomes: 

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TTA Goal: Performance Measures: AmeriCorps programs and Senior Corps 

projects will demonstrate evidence of impact and report on their respective CNCS 

National Performance Measure Outputs and Outcomes through the CNCS eGrants 

Performance Module. 

Training Outcome: Conference participants will demonstrate knowledge of CNCS 

performance measurement and evaluation competencies, such as: use of theory of 

change or logic models, understanding of performance measurement and evaluation, 

application of evidence based approaches, application of data collection method, as 

well as how to access resources for continued learning. 

TTA Goal: Compliance: AmeriCorps programs and Senior Corps projects will 

successfully meet CNCS program and federal grants management requirements. 

Training Outcome: Conference participants will demonstrate knowledge of CNCS 

compliance competencies, such as: grants administration, criminal history checks, 

program and financial management, as well as how to access resources for continued 

learning. 

Awardees are required to include additional capacity building topic areas. Topics may include, 

but are not limited to evaluation, participant recruitment, and development (particularly in 

traditionally underserved populations, including disabled individuals and disconnected youth). 

CNCS staff will deliver the core curriculum/compliance competency sessions. Awardees will 

contract directly with consultants qualified to design and/or deliver the remaining curriculum, 

and should use available, online CNCS resources as appropriate. 
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Awardees can expect the participation of designated staff to attend the event. CNCS will work 

with awardees to identify appropriate CNCS staff members to attend based upon the proposed 

agenda, pending schedules, and availability of travel funds.

Awardees will have flexibility with curriculum and session design and delivery. In addition, 

awardees must submit final agendas to CNCS for review and approval prior to publicizing the 

event to potential attendees. 

Making Conference Participation Affordable and Otherwise Desirable: 

 Awardees must make the conference attractive for CNCS-funded programs and 

projects from all parts of the applicant-defined region in terms of travel expenses and 

time, reasonable cost for registration and lodging rates, and other relevant factors.

Applicants must include projected costs and expected revenue in the budget section of 

the application (see section D. Application and Submission Information for more 

information). Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose reduced rates,

registration fees, or processes for providing assistance with other costs to qualifying 

attendees.

3. National Performance Measures (Not Applicable) 

4. Program Authority

The National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 12501 et seq.). The 

Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4950 et seq.). The full 

regulations are available online at http://www.nationalservice.gov/build-yourcapacity/grants/managing-americorps-grants. 

The funding mechanism for the FY 2015 Training and Technical Assistance—Regional Training 

Conferences grant competition is a cooperative agreement, which provides for substantial 

involvement by CNCS with the awardees as the approved grant activities are 

implemented. CNCS’s legal authority to enter into a cooperative agreement to fund these 

activities is found at Section 198(c) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 

(NCSA), Pub.L.No. 101-610, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 12653(c)). 

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 

1. Estimated Available Funds 

CNCS anticipates awarding approximately $300,000 for 2015 Training and Technical 

Assistance—Regional Training Conferences cooperative agreements.

2. Estimated Award Amount 

CNCS expects to make awards of approximately $50,000-$60,000 to support a CNCS regional 

cluster. Grant awards will vary depending upon applicant-defined regions and final negotiations.
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CNCS expects to make between three and seven awards. The final number of awards will be 

based on establishing reasonable access to at least one event for the target audiences in the 

applicant-defined region. 

CNCS acknowledges the potential need for flexibility in defining regions. If applicants choose to 

propose a geographic region different from the existing CNCS regional clusters, a justification 

for defining the proposed region must be included in the application. 

Applicants should request a reasonable amount of grant funds to conduct a regional conference 

with the knowledge that the expected, combined total amount to be awarded is $300,000. The 

final amount of each individual grant will be negotiated at the time of award.

CNCS Regional Clusters

Applicants choosing to use the existing CNCS clusters as their geographic guide should use the 

following list. The regional clusters are: 

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Pacific (AK, American Samoa, CA, Guam, HI, ID, MT, Northern Mariana Islands, NV, 

OR, UT, WA, and WY) 

Southwest (AR, AZ, CO, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, and TX) 

North Central (IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI) 

Southern (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV) 

Atlantic (CT, DC, DE, MA, ME, MD, NH, NJ, NY, PA, Puerto Rico, RI, US Virgin 

Islands, and VT). 

3. Project Period 

The award covers a three-year project period. CNCS generally makes an initial award for the

first year of operation. Continuation funding for subsequent years is not guaranteed and may be 

dependent upon availability of appropriations and satisfactory performance. CNCS reserves the 

right to adjust the amount of an award or elect not to continue funding.

Each awardee is expected to conduct and have completed a regional cluster conference by June 

30th of each year of the award. 

4. Type of Award 

The funding mechanism for the 2015 Training and Technical Assistance—Regional Training 

Conferences grant competition is a cooperative agreement, which provides for substantial 

involvement by CNCS with the recipient organizations as the approved cooperative agreement 

activities are implemented. The assigned CNCS program officer will confer with the awardees 

on a regular and frequent basis to develop and/or review service delivery and project status, 

including work plans, budgets, periodic reports, evaluations, etc. CNCS anticipates having 

substantial involvement in: 

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Integrating core competency components into the overall agenda 

Identifying CNCS staff for conference participation 

Serving as an advisor to the conference planning committee 
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Participating in required planning/status meetings with other awardees, which might 

occur as frequently as weekly once awards are made 

Determining consistent look and feel of conference agendas and event materials 

Reviewing overall agenda, including sign-off authority with particular focus on event 

sessions that deal with national initiatives or policies relevant to national service 

Documenting and sharing lessons learned through a CNCS-sponsored learning 

community.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 

1. Eligible Applicants 

This competition is open to State Service Commissions on National and Community Service, and 

alternative administrative entities, as defined by Section 178(a) of the NCSA, only. 

Organizations that have been convicted of a federal crime may not receive assistance described 

in this Notice. Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization described in 

Section §501 (c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. §501 (c)(4), that engages in 

lobbying activities is not eligible to apply. 

Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline will be ineligible 

for review and consideration in this competition. 

2. Cost Share or Matching 

There is no cost share or matching requirement associated with the award of the funding in this 

Notice. However, applicants are encouraged to include revenue projections from registration fees 

in their proposed budgets, as well as in-kind donations and/or sponsorships to off-set registration 

fees and other costs to participants (see section C.3.a. Program Income for more information).

3. Other Requirements 

a. Program Income 

All awardees shall use the deductive method for calculating program income. Fees earned as a 

direct result of grant-funded activities must be used to finance the grant’s non-CNCS share of 

costs related to this award only. Any excess program income earned must reduce the federal 

award accordingly. 

For example: If CNCS awards $50,000 in federal funds, the total expenditure for the conference 

is $65,000, and the recipient earns $19,000 in registration fees from participants, only $46,000 of 

the CNCS grant may be used (i.e., $50,000 plus $15,000 in expenses = $65,000; $65,000 minus 

$19,000 profit from registration fees = remaining federal share of $46,000). 
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D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

This Notice should be read together with the TTA Training and Technical Assistance Regional 

Conference Application Instructions, which can be found at: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/ttanofa.

1. Address to Request Application Package 

Applicants should refer to the CNCS website to obtain the necessary information to apply. 

Applicants can also send an email to ttanofa@cns.gov or call (202) 606-7515, for a printed copy 

of the application package. The TTY (Text Telephone) number is (800) 833-3722. 

2. Content and Form of Application Submission 

a. Applicant Content 

The completed application must have the following components and must be submitted by the 

application deadline: 

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

complete the data elements in the eGrants system. When applicants complete the 

application in eGrants, many of the fields will automatically be filled with information 

entered during the registration process. 

Narrative 

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Executive Summary: This is a brief description, maximum of one page. The 

Executive Summaries of all compliant applications are published on the CNCS 

website following grant awards. 

Program Design 

Organizational Capacity 

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 

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Standard Form 424A Budget 

Performance Measures – Not Applicable for this Notice

Authorization, Assurances, and Certifications. 

b. Page Limits 

Applications may not exceed 10 double-spaced pages for the Narratives, including the SF-424 

and Executive Summary, as the pages print out from eGrants. The page limit does not include the 

Budget and Performance Measures. 

Reviewers will not consider material past the page limit in the printed report, even if eGrants 

allows applicants to enter and submit text over the limit. CNCS strongly encourages applicants to 

print out the application from the “Review and Submit” page prior to its submission in order to 

check that it does not exceed the page limit. 

3. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System for Award 

Management (SAM) 
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Applications must include a DUNS number and an Employer Identification. The DUNS number 

does not replace an Employer Identification Number. Applicants can obtain a DUNS number at 

no cost by calling the DUNS number request line at (866) 705-5711 or by applying online at 

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. CNCS recommends applicants register at least 30 days before 

the application due date. 

After obtaining a DUNS number, all applicants must register with the System for Award 

Management (SAM, www.sam.gov), maintain an active SAM registration until the application 

process is complete, and, if a cooperative agreement is awarded, throughout the life of the award. 

SAM registration must be renewed annually. CNCS suggests finalizing a new registration or 

renewing an existing one at least two weeks before the application deadline to allow time to 

resolve any issues that may arise. 

Applicants that do not comply with these requirements may become ineligible to receive an 

award. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at: 

https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf.

4. Submission Dates and Times 

a. Notice of Intent to Apply

CNCS strongly encourages applicants to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by July 31, 2015. 

Notifications should be sent to ttanofa@cns.gov with the email subject line: Training and 

Technical Assistance—Regional Training Conferences Notice of Intent to Apply. The Notice of 

Intent to Apply must include the name of the applicant organization, address, contact person, 

email address, and phone number as well as the regional cluster you intend to cover. All Notices 

of Intent to Apply will receive an email response acknowledging receipt. 

b. Application Submission Deadline 

Applications are due Thursday, August 20, 2015 by 5:00 pm Eastern Time. CNCS will not 

consider applications received after the deadline, except as noted below. CNCS reserves the right 

to extend the submission deadline and will post any extended deadline on the CNCS website.

c. Late Applications 

CNCS may consider an application after the deadline, but only if the applicant submits a letter to 

LateApplications@cns.gov explaining the extenuating technical circumstances that caused the 

delay. CNCS must receive the letter within a business day after the deadline. If technical issues 

prevent an applicant from submitting an application on time, the letter should include the eGrants 

ticket number provided by the National Service Hotline. Communication with CNCS staff, 

including an applicant’s program officer, is not a substitute for sending the letter. CNCS will 

determine whether or not to accept a late application on a case-by-case basis. Please be advised 

that CNCS will not consider an advance request to submit a late application. 

5. Funding Restrictions 
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Cooperative agreements under this program are subject to the:

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Applicable Cost Principles under OMB Circulars A-21 (2 C.F.R. part 220), A-122 (2 

C.F.R. part 230, or A-87 (2 C.F.R. part 225) 

Uniform Administrative Requirements for grants under A-102 (45 C.F.R. part 2541) or 

A-110 (45 C.F.R. 2543 or 2 C.F.R. part 21) 

Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) if an award goes to a for-profit organization.

See www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/circulars for further information on the Circular(s) that apply to 

your organization(s). Awards will also be subject to the law(s) under which the award is made 

(e.g., NCSA), as well as specific terms and conditions established for cooperative agreements or 

defined in Provisions or Special Conditions attached to an award. If necessary, applicants will 

have an opportunity to negotiate conditions before they accept an award. 

Indirect Cost 

CNCS allows applicants to include administrative (indirect) costs in CNCS cooperative 

agreement budgets. Applicants have the option of using an indirect cost rate that is approved by 

their cognizant state or federal agency, claiming selected costs directly, or another method 

consistent with the applicant’s organizational policy. The option utilized must be applied 

consistently across all federal awards. 

6. Other Submission Requirements 

a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants 

Applicants must submit applications electronically via eGrants, CNCS’s web-based application 

system (https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp). CNCS 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 processing document, then copy and paste it into eGrants 

no more than 10 days before the deadline. 

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

authorized representative must be using eGrants under his or her own account in order to sign 

and submit the application. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for this official 

representative to sign must be on file in the applicant’s office.

Contact the National Service Hotline at (800) 942-2677 or via 

(https://questions.nationalservice.gov/app/ask_eg) if a problem arises when creating an account 

or preparing or submitting the application. National Service Hotline hours are Monday through 

Friday, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Be prepared to provide the application ID, 

organization’s name, and the Notice to which the organization is applying. If the issue cannot be 

resolved by the deadline, applicants must continue working with the National Service Hotline to 

submit via eGrants. 

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

may send a paper copy of the application via overnight carrier to the following address: 
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Corporation for National and Community Service 

ATT: Office of Grants Policy and Operations/FY 2015 Training and Technical 

Assistance—Regional Training Conferences Application 

1201 New York Avenue, NW 

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. Paper applications must include 

a cover letter detailing the circumstances that make it impossible to submit via eGrants. CNCS 

does not accept applications submitted via fax or email. 

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 

1. Criteria 

Applications should include a well-designed plan with clear and compelling justifications for 

receiving the requested funds. Reviewers will assess the applications against the selection criteria 

and rate them accordingly considering the weights assigned to each criterion: 

Categories/Subcategories Percentage

Program Design 35

 Regional design; outreach; logistics; curriculum design; evaluation 25

 Timeline; staff roles; approach; flexibility 10

Organizational Capability 45

 Prior event success; proven TTA on relevant topics 30

 Programmatic and fiscal oversight; existing systems; experienced staff 15

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 20

 Cost effectiveness; budget to support event and oversight 20

a. Program Design (35%) 

Primary Criteria (25%) 

In determining the quality of the application reviewers will assess the following criteria: 

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Rationale for region proposed 

Plan and infrastructure to secure appropriate meeting facilities, lodging, meals, and 

logistics support 

Outreach, marketing, and engagement plan to include: 

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Enrollment targets for Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, 

RSVP project directors, and AmeriCorps program directors 

Outreach and marketing plans to other CNCS-funded programs 

 Plan for conference design, topics to be covered and outcomes, curriculum development, 

securing presenters and facilitators, integration of the required CNCS curriculum, and 

learning outcomes 
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 Proposed methodology and approach for collecting conference outputs and customer 

satisfaction for reporting purposes. 

Secondary Criteria (10%) 

In determining the quality of the application reviewers will assess the following criteria: 

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Reasonableness and thoroughness of timeline 

Identification of capacity required and roles needed to design and implement a successful 

conference experience 

Rationale for overall approach to the conference event 

Capacity to expand and/or contract event size to accommodate larger or smaller regions. 

b. Organizational Capability (45%) 

Primary Criteria (30%) 

In determining the quality of the application reviewers will assess the following criteria: 

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Demonstrated success in designing, implementing, and overseeing conferences 

Has proven experience in providing TTA on client-defined training needs, which may 

include compliance and performance measures, to national service grantees and projects,

particularly AmeriCorps and Senior Corps.

Secondary Criteria (15%) 

In determining the quality of the application reviewers will assess the following criteria: 

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Level of experience and expertise of key staff proposed for program oversight and their 

familiarity with Senior Corps and AmeriCorps requirements, as well as grants 

management 

Organization’s relevant systems, structure, and staffing to support this program

Capacity to provide fiscal compliance oversight 

Proposed project manager and depth of experience in planning and delivering 

conferences and meetings.

c. Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (20%) 

In determining the quality of the application reviewers will assess the following criteria: 

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Cost-effectiveness of approach to requirements and reasonable cost factors 

Sufficiency and completeness of budget to accommodate proposed plan 

Sufficiency and completeness of financial oversight plan.
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2. Review and Selection Process 

The assessment of applications involves a wide range of considerations. CNCS will engage staff 

reviewers with relevant knowledge and expertise to assess and provide input on the eligible 

applications. In the end, the review and selection process will produce a diversified set of highquality programs that represent the priorities and strategic considerations described in this 

Notice.

a. Stages in the Review Process 

Compliance and Eligibility Review 

CNCS staff will review all applications to determine compliance with the eligibility, deadline,

and completeness. Applications determined non-compliant will not be considered. An 

application is compliant if the applicant: 

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Is an eligible organization 

Submitted an application by the submission deadline 

Submitted an application that is complete, in that it contains all required elements and 

follows the instructions provided in this Notice.

CNCS will screen applications in accordance with the requirements in this Notice to determine if 

the applicant has met all eligibility and submission requirements. The screening may occur at 

various stages of the grant-making process. Applicants determined to be ineligible will not 

receive an award. 

Internal Staff Review 

CNCS staff reviewers will assess the applications based on the Program Design, Organizational 

Capability, and Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy Selection Criteria. Reviewers will also 

consider the comprehensiveness and feasibility of the application, as well as the priorities and 

strategic considerations detailed in this Notice. CNCS will recruit and select staff reviewers on 

the basis of demonstrated expertise in training and technical assistance, as well as experience 

assessing applications. All reviewers will be screened for conflicts of interest. 

Clarification Process 

CNCS may ask some applicants to provide clarifying information. This information is used by 

CNCS staff 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 clarification. 

Failure to respond to a request for clarification in a timely fashion will result in removal of the 

application from consideration. CNCS staff may conduct a site visit inspection, as appropriate. 

Risk Assessment Evaluation 

CNCS staff will evaluate the risks to the program posed by each applicant, including conducting 

due diligence to ensure an applicant’s ability to manage federal funds. This evaluation is in 

addition to the evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility and the quality of its application on the 

basis of the Selection Criteria, and results from this evaluation will inform funding decisions. If

CNCS determines that an award will be made, special conditions that correspond to the degree of 

risk assessed may be applied to the award. 
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In evaluating risks, CNCS may consider the following: 

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Financial stability 

Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed 

in applicable OMB Guidance 

Applicant’s record in managing previous CNCS awards, cooperative agreements, or 

procurement awards, including: 

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Timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements 

Accuracy of data reported 

Conformance to the terms and conditions of previous federal awards 

If applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be 

expended prior to future awards 

 Information available through OMB-designated repositories of government-wide 

eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, such as: 

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Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) 

Duns and SAM 

“Do Not Pay”

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Reports and findings from single audits performed under Subpart F – Audit 

Requirements, 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and findings and reports of any other available audits 

IRS Tax Form 990 

Applicant organization’s annual report

Publicly available information, including information from the applicant organization's 

website 

Applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements 

imposed on award recipients.

Selection for Funding 

The review and selection process is designed to: 

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Identify eligible applications that demonstrate: 

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High alignment with the selection criteria 

High alignment with the priorities outlined in the Notice 

Yield a diversified portfolio based on the following strategic considerations: 

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Geographic representation (representing all five CNCS regional clusters) 

Equitable treatment of: Senior Corps projects and AmeriCorps programs 

In order to obtain a diversified portfolio, the Chief Executive Officer will select the final 

awardees based on the staff recommendations, priorities, and strategic considerations.

To ensure the most effective access to the conferences and support for the targeted audience, 

CNCS reserves the right to request that an applicant consider expanding or reducing its plans to 

include a larger or smaller number of participants and/or participants from beyond their proposed 

region. Modifying plans is not required, but if an applicant (a) is interested, and (b) has the 

capacity to do so – particularly for expansion - the applicant should address this in its 

application.
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3. Feedback to Applicants 

Following awards, compliant applicants will receive summary comments from the Staff Review. 

This feedback will be based on the review of the original application and will not reflect 

information that may have been provided in response to clarification. 

4. Transparency in Grant-making

CNCS is committed to transparency in grant-making. The following information about 

applications submitted will be published on the CNCS website 

(http://nationalservice.gov/about/open-government-initiative/transparency/results-grantscompetition) within 90 business days after all cooperative agreements are awarded: 

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A list of all compliant applications submitted 

Executive Summaries of all compliant applications submitted by the applicant 

Data extracted from the SF-424 Face Sheet and the submitted program narratives by 

successful applicants.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 

1. Federal Award Notices 

CNCS will make awards following the cooperative agreement selection announcement. CNCS 

anticipates announcing the results of this competition by late September 2015, contingent on the 

availability of congressional appropriations. Applicants will be notified via email as to funding 

decisions. This notification is not an authorization to begin cooperative agreement activities. The 

Notice of Grant Award signed by the grant officer is the authorizing document for cooperative 

agreement activities. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive a notification that their 

application was not approved for funding.

An awardee may not expend federal funds until the start of the Project Period identified on the 

Notice of Grant Award. 

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 

The Notice of Grant Award incorporates the approved application as part of the binding 

commitments under the cooperative agreement, as well as the requirements of applicable 

sections of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and other applicable statutes. 

Awards will also be subject to the specific terms and conditions established for a cooperative 

agreement or defined in the Terms and Conditions or Special Conditions attached to the award. If 

necessary, applicants will have an opportunity to negotiate conditions before they accept an 

award. 

Cooperative agreements under this program are subject to the Uniform Administrative 

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

now consolidated in 2 C.F.R. Parts 200 and 2205). This final guidance supersedes and 
15

streamlines requirements from OMB Circulars A-21, A-87, and A-122 (the former Cost 

Principles), A-110 and A-102 (the former Administrative Requirements), A-133 and A-50 (the 

former Audits and Audit Follow up), and A-89 (the former Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program Information). 

3. National Service Criminal History Check Requirements 

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

law to protect the beneficiaries of national service. The law requires recipients to conduct and 

document NSCHCs on any person (including award-funded staff, national service participant, or 

volunteer) receiving a salary, living allowance, stipend or education award through a program 

receiving CNCS funds. An individual is ineligible to serve in a position that receives such CNCS 

funding if the individual is registered, or required to be registered, as a sex offender or has been 

convicted of murder. The cost of conducting NSCHCs is an allowable expense under the award.

Unless CNCS has provided a recipient with a written exemption or written approval of an 

alternative search procedure, recipients must perform the following checks–

All award-funded staff, national service participants, and volunteers must undergo NSCHCs 

that include:

1. A nationwide name-based search of the National Sex Offender Public Website 

(NSOPW); and

2. Either





A name- or fingerprint-based search of the statewide criminal history registry in the 

person’s state of residence and in the state where the person will serve/work or

A fingerprint-based FBI criminal history check. 

Special Rule for Persons Serving Vulnerable Populations. Award-funded staff, national 

service participants, and volunteers with recurring access to vulnerable populations (i.e., 

children age 17 or younger, individuals age 60 or older, or individuals with disabilities) must 

undergo NSCHCs that include: 

1. A nationwide name-based check of the NSOPW; and

2. Both





A name- or fingerprint-based search of the statewide criminal history registry in the 

person’s state of residence and in the state where the person will serve/work; and

A fingerprint-based FBI criminal history check. 

See 45 C.F.R. § 2540.200–§ 2540.207 and http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/criminalhistory-check for complete information and FAQs.

4. Use of Material

To ensure that materials generated with CNCS funding are available to the public and readily 

accessible to recipients and non-recipients, CNCS 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 C.F.R. §
16

200.315).

5. Reporting 

Recipients are required to submit a variety of reports which 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 semi-annual progress reports and semi-annual financial reports. The 

semi-annual narrative progress report is submitted through the CNCS’s web-based grants 

management system, eGrants, no later than 30 days after the close of each reporting period. For 

the progress report, awardees will report data collected during and after the conference using 

provided templates. 

In addition, at the end of the award period, recipients must submit final financial and progress 

reports that are cumulative over the entire award period and consistent with the close-out 

requirements of CNCS’s Office of Grants Management. The final reports are due 90 days after 

the end of the agreement. Recipients must also submit a financial report that provides budget to 

actual data on grant revenue and expenditures. 

Award recipients will be required to report at (www.FSRS.gov) on all subawards over 

$25,000, and may be required to report on executive compensation for the recipient organization 

and its subrecipients. Recipients must have the necessary systems in place to collect and report 

this information. See 2 C.F.R. Part 170 for more information and to determine how these 

requirements apply. 

At the time of award or soon after, awardee(s) will be provided with a list of the required 

sessions that must be included in the curriculum and will be presented by CNCS staff. 

Once the cooperative agreement is awarded, recipients will be expected to have data collection 

and data management policies and practices that provide reasonable assurance that they are 

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

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











The data measures what it intends to measure. 

The data reported is complete. 

The recipient collects data in a consistent manner. 

The recipient takes steps to correct data errors. 

The recipient actively reviews data before it submits it. 

Failure to submit accurate, complete, and timely required reports may affect the recipient’s 

ability to secure future CNCS funding. 

For further guidance and training resources, see Resources: Data Collection and Instruments: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/evaluation/implementing-evaluation. 

6. Other Requirements

a. Access for Persons with Disabilities 
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All cooperative agreement recipients will ensure that training and technical assistance activities 

and online environments are accessible to persons with disabilities as required by law. 

Awardees will: 









Notify potential participants that reasonable accommodations will be provided upon 

request.

Provide sign language interpreters, special assistance, and documents in alternate 

formats.

Use accessible locations for training events. 

Use accessible technology including captioning videos. Avoid non-voice-over formats 

and, when indicating a telephone number, include a non-voice telephone alternative such 

as TTY or email.

Provide materials that are accessible to persons with disabilities, and incorporate into all 

activities planning for needs of participants without Internet access, by using accessible 

technology, providing materials in alternate formats upon request. 

b. Additional Requirements 

Awardees must: 







Submit digital copies of all curricula, handouts, and other materials developed to CNCS.

As directed, use the CNCS brand and graphic templates on materials produced and/or 

reproduced and distributed under this grant. 

Attend face-to-face or virtual convening(s) of all awardees under this Notice for purposes 

of orientation and overview of the training and technical assistance needs of all CNCS 

audiences, introduction to core competencies, review of CNCS brand guidelines and draft 

reporting templates, and to encourage efficiencies across recipients through collaboration 

and sharing.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS 

For more information or a printed copy of related material(s), call (202) 606-7515, or email 

ttanofa@cns.gov. The TTY number is (800) 833-3722. 

The 2015 Training and Technical Assistance—Regional Training Conferences grant competition 

Notice and Application Instructions can be found online at: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/ttanofa. 

For technical questions and problems with the eGrants system, call the National Service Hotline 

at (800) 942-2677. National Service Hotline hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 7:00 

pm Eastern Time. Potential applicants can also use this link: 

https://questions.nationalservice.gov/app/ask for questions. Be prepared to provide the 

application ID, organization’s name, and the name of the Notice to which the organization is 

applying. 
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H. OTHER INFORMATION 

1. Technical Assistance 

CNCS will host two technical assistance calls to answer questions about the funding opportunity 

and eGrants. CNCS strongly encourages all applicants to participate in these sessions. The first 

call will be held on July 31, 2015, at 3:30 pm Eastern Time. The second call will be held on 

August 10, at 3:30 pm Eastern Time. Call-in information for the technical assistance calls can be 

found on CNCS’s website: http://www.nationalservice.gov/ttanofa. 

2. Re-Focusing Funding 

CNCS reserves the right to re-focus program dollars in the event of disaster or other compelling 

needs.