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Retired Senior Volunteer Program 

FY 2020 GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

These Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) Grant Terms and Conditions are 

binding on the grant recipient. By accepting funds under this award, the Recipient agrees to 

comply with, and include in all awards and these program-specific Grant Terms and Conditions, 

the CNCS general grant terms and conditions, all applicable federal statutes, regulations and 

guidelines, and any amendments thereto. The Recipient agrees to operate the funded program in 

accordance with the approved grant application and budget, supporting documents, and other 

representations made in support of the approved grant application. The terms “recipient” or 

“Recipient” are used to connote the grant recipient as appropriate, throughout these Terms and 

Conditions. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

I. Changes from the 2019 RSVP Program Grants Terms and Conditions 1

II. Notice of Funding Opportunity 2

III. Award Acceptance 2

IV. Recognition Events 2

V. Grant Period 2

VI. Encumbrance of Award Funds 2

VII. Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) – Jan-Jun and Jul-Dec 2

VIII. Federal Financial Reports (FFRs) – Apr-Sep and Oct – Mar 3

IX. Federal Financial Reporting/Disbursements 3

X. Annual Progress Report 3

XI. Recognition of Federal Funding 3

XII. Authorities of Program Officer /Portfolio Manager/Grants Officer 4

XIII. Prohibition on Use of Program Grant Funds 4

XIV. External Evaluation and Data Collection 6

XV. Lobby Disclosure 6

XVI. Reporting Requirements 6

XVII. Audits and Attestation Requirements 7

XVIII. Monitoring 7

XIX. Program Income 7

XX. Budget and Programmatic Changes 8

XXI. Senior Corps Branding 9

XXII. National Service Criminal History Check Training 9

I. CHANGES FROM THE 2019 RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 

GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

- Section XII - Authorities of Program Officer/Portfolio Manager/Grant Officer– section 

edited 

- Section XV - Lobby Disclosure – section edited

- Section XVI (E, F) - Reporting Requirements – section edited

- Section XX (B, C) - Budget and Programmatic Changes – section edited
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II. NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and any amendments are hereby incorporated 

into these Grant Terms and Conditions. Recipients are bound by the authorizations, 

restrictions and requirements contained in the NOFO. If there is any inconsistency between 

the NOFO and any statute, regulation, guidance or cost principle, the statute, regulation, 

guidance or cost principle take precedence in matters relating to CNCS award funds.

III. AWARD ACCEPTANCE

The signature on the SF‐424, including electronic signature via e‐authentication on egrants, constitutes a binding agreement to the terms and conditions of award. CNCS 

reserves the right to withdraw the award if activity does not begin upon award and/or as a 

remedy for non‐compliance as described in 2 CFR 200.338‐339.

IV. RECOGNITION EVENTS

Recipient will ensure that at Recognition events, CNCS is acknowledged as the Federal 

agency responsible for the primary Federal funding of the project.

V. GRANT PERIOD

Unless otherwise specified, the award covers a three year project period. In approving a 

multiyear project period, CNCS makes an initial award for the first budget period. Additional 

funding for subsequent budget periods is contingent upon satisfactory progress and the 

availability of funds. The project period and the budget are noted on the award document.

VI. ENCUMBRANCE OF AWARD FUNDS

Award funds may not be encumbered or obligated by the recipient prior to or after the award 

period. Encumbrances or obligations outstanding as of the end of the award period may be 

liquidated (paid out) after the end of the award period. Such encumbrances or obligations 

shall involve only specified commitments for which a need existed during the award period 

and that are supported by approved contracts, purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, bills, 

or other evidence of liability consistent with the recipient's purchasing procedures and 

incurred within the award period. All encumbrances/obligations incurred during the award 

period shall be liquidated no later than 90 days after the end of the award period or prior to 

the expiration of the awarded funds, whichever is sooner.

VII. FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORTS (FFRs) – EXPENDITURES/JAN - JUN AND 

JUL - DEC

Recipients with budget periods starting in January or July paid through HHS/PMS must 

submit the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), semi-annually, from the 

start date of the award, to report the status of all funds. FFRs must report expenses on a 

cumulative basis over the performance period of the award and be submitted according to 

the following schedule:
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Period Covering: Report Due:

January 1 to June 30 July 30

July 1 to December 31 January 30

Programs completing the final year of their grant must submit a final FFR that is cumulative 

over the entire grant period. This FFR is due 90 days after the close of the grant.

VIII. FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORTS (FFRs) – EXPENDITURES/APR - SEP AND 

OCT - MAR.

Recipients with budget periods starting in April or October paid through HHS/PMS must 

submit the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), semi-annually, from the 

start date of the award, to report the status of all funds. FFRs must report expenses on a 

cumulative basis over the performance period of the grant and be submitted according to the 

following schedule:

Period Covering: Report Due:

April 1 - September 

30

October 30

October 1 - March 

30

April 30

Programs completing the final year of their grant must submit a final FFR that is cumulative 

over the entire grant period. This FFR is due 90 days after the close of the grant.

IX. FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORTING/DISBURSEMENTS

Recipients paid through HHS/PMS will report quarterly disbursements to HHS through the 

HHS/PMS FFR subsystem. Recipients will report disbursements using the web-based 

version of the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report, no later than 30 days following 

the end of each quarter. Failure to submit this report in a timely manner may result in HHS 

placing the Recipient’s funds on manual hold.

X. ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT

Recipients must prepare a full Progress report at the end of the budget period. The report 

must be submitted in the electronic records management system no later than 30 days after 

the end of the designated reporting period. Recipients must prepare and submit the Progress 

Report Volunteer Service Year production data elements at the end of the 2nd and 4th 

quarters of the budget period. These reports must be submitted in the electronic records 

management system no later than 30 days after the end of the designated reporting period.

XI. RECOGNITION OF FEDERAL FUNDING

When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, annual 

reports and other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with 

CNCS funds, the Recipient receiving such CNCS funds, including but not limited to 

recipients that are state and local governments, shall clearly state: (1) the percentage of the 
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total cost of the program which will be financed with CNCS funds, and (2) the dollar amount 

of CNCS funds for the project or program. 

XII. AUTHORITIES OF PROGRAM OFFICER/PORTFOLIO MANAGER/ GRANTS 

OFFICER

A designated official of the appropriate CNCS State Program Officer (e.g., Program 

Officer), or CNCS Regional Office (e.g., Portfolio Manager - PM), as well as a CNCS Grants 

Officer, are listed on the face page of the recipient’s Notice of Grant Award (NGA). The 

designation official has full authority to represent CNCS in connection with management of 

the technical aspects and programmatic performance of the grant award. However, the 

Grants Officer may make changes to the grant award terms and conditions, estimated costs, 

and periods of performance. 

XIII. PROHIBITION ON USE OF PROGRAM GRANT FUNDS

As specified in 42 U.S.C. § 5043(c) and 45 C.F.R. § 2553.91, while charging time to a 

Retired Senior Volunteer Program, accumulating service, or training hours, or otherwise 

performing activities supported by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program or CNCS, staff and 

volunteers may not engage in the following activities:

A. Political activities.

1. No part of any award shall be used to finance, directly or indirectly, any activity 

to influence the outcome of any election to public office, or any voter registration 

activity.

No project shall be conducted in a manner involving the use of funds, the 

provision of services, or the employment or assignment of personnel in a matter

supporting or resulting in the identification of such project with: 

a. Any partisan or nonpartisan political activity associated with a candidate, or 

contending faction or group, in an election; or 

b. Any activity to provide voters or prospective voters with transportation to 

the polls or similar assistance in connection with any such election; or

c. Any voter registration activity, except that voter registration applications and 

nonpartisan voter registration information may be made available to the 

public at the premises of the sponsor. But in making registration applications 

and nonpartisan voter registration information available, employees of the 

sponsor shall not express preferences or seek to influence decisions 

concerning any candidate, political party, election issue, or voting decision. 

2. Notwithstanding 42 U.S.C. § 5043(c) and 45 C.F.R. § 2553.91(a)(3), antilobbying language in CNCS’s current appropriations legislation (like antilobbying language in CNCS’s past appropriations legislation) prohibits 

recipients from using CNCS funds to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or 

contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity

designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, 

administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before the 
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Congress or any State government, State legislature or local legislature or 

legislative body, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative 

relationships or participation by an agency or officer of a State, local or tribal 

government in policymaking and administrative processes within the executive 

branch of that government. 

B. Non-displacement of employed workers. An RSVP shall not perform any service or 

duty or engage in any activity that would otherwise be performed by an employee of 

the sponsor, or that would supplant the hiring of, or result in the displacement of, 

employees, or impair existing contracts for services.

C. Compensation for service. An RSVP agency or organization to which RSVP

volunteers are assigned, or which operates or supervises any RSVP program shall not 

request or receive any compensation from RSVP volunteers or from beneficiaries for 

services of RSVP volunteers. 

1. The regulations do not prohibit a sponsor from soliciting and accepting 

voluntary contributions from the community at large to meet its local support 

obligations under the grant or from entering into agreements with parties other 

than beneficiaries to support additional volunteers beyond those supported by 

CNCS award;

2. A volunteer station may contribute to the financial support of the RSVP. 

However, this support shall not be a required precondition for a potential station 

to obtain RSVP services.

3. If a volunteer station agrees to provide funds to support additional RSVP

volunteers or pay for other volunteer support costs, the agreement shall be stated 

in a written Memorandum of Understanding. The sponsor shall withdraw 

services if the station's inability to provide monetary or in-kind support to the 

project under the Memorandum of Understanding diminishes or jeopardizes the 

project's financial capabilities to fulfill its obligations; 

4. Under no circumstances shall a RSVP volunteer receive a fee for service from 

service recipients (i.e., program beneficiaries), their legal guardians, members 

of their families, or friends. 

D. Labor and anti-labor activity. The sponsor shall not use grant funds directly or 

indirectly to finance labor or anti-labor organizations or related activities. 

E. Fair labor standards. A sponsor that employs laborers and mechanics for 

construction, alteration, or repair of facilities shall pay wages at prevailing rates as 

determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, as 

amended, 40 U.S.C. 276a. 

F. Religious activities. Neither an RSVP volunteer nor a member of the project staff 

funded by CNCS shall give religious instruction, conduct worship services, or engage 

in any form of proselytization as part of his or her service or duties. 

1. A sponsor or volunteer station may retain its independence and may continue to 

carry out its mission, including the definition, development, practice, and 

expression of its religious beliefs, provided that it does not use CNCS funds to 
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support any inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, 

or proselytization, as part of the programs or services funded. If an organization 

conducts such activities, the activities must be offered separately, in time or 

location, from the programs or services funded under this part. 

G. Nepotism. Persons selected for project staff positions shall not be related by blood or 

marriage to other project staff, sponsor staff or officers, or members of the sponsor 

Board of Directors, unless there is written concurrence from the community group 

established by the sponsor under Subpart B of this part and upon prior notification and 

approval by CNCS. 

XIV. EXTERNAL EVALUATION AND DATA COLLECTION

The Recipient must cooperate with CNCS and its evaluators in all monitoring and evaluation 

efforts. As part of this effort, the Recipient must collect and submit certain project data, as 

defined in the Progress Report Supplement (PRS) , and must provide data as requested or 

needed to support external evaluations.

XV. LOBBY DISCLOSURE

For grant awards exceeding $100,000, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352, the Recipient is required 

to file a disclosure report, Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, at the end 

of any quarter, when the Recipient has paid or agreed to pay any lobbying entity for 

influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 

Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in 

connection with a covered Federal action. The report must be submitted to the CNCS State 

Program Director or Senior Portfolio Manager, as appropriate. 

XVI. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The Recipient is responsible for timely submission of periodic financial and progress reports 

during the project period and a final financial report at the end of the period. 

A. Financial Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit financial reports in 

eGrants to report the status of all funds. The recipient must submit timely cumulative 

financial reports in accordance with CNCS guidelines and sections E and F, above.

B. Final Financial Report. A recipient must submit, in lieu of the last semi-annual 

financial report, a final financial report. These reports are due no later than 90 days 

after the end of the project period.

C. Reporting at the Dept. of Health and Human Services/Payment Management 

System. (HHS/PMS) All recipients must submit the Federal Financial Report (FFR) 

Cash Transactions Report on a quarterly basis to the HHS/PMS per the Electronic 

Funds Transfer Agreement.

D. Progress Reports. The recipient shall complete and submit timely progress reports, 

including a summary of accomplishments during the reporting period. This includes 

reporting on the progress to date made by the recipient for that reporting period. The 

report is submitted through the appropriate electronic system. Individual program 

guidance determines the due date for the reports.
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E. Requests for Extensions. Each recipient must submit a financial report by the given 

dates. Extensions of reporting deadlines will be granted only when 1) the report cannot 

be furnished in a timely manner for reasons, in the determination of CNCS, which are 

legitimately beyond the control of the Recipient, and 2) CNCS receives a written 

request explaining the need for an extension before the due date of the report.

Extensions of deadlines for financial reports may only be granted by the Field Financial 

Management Center (FFMC), or the PM, as appropriate. Extensions of deadlines for 

progress reports may only be granted by the Program Office or the appropriate regional 

office.

F. Other. The recipient shall meet as necessary with the CNCS Program Officer or the 

PM in the appropriate regional office or with other staff or consultants designated by 

the CNCS Program Official to exchange views, ideas, and information concerning the 

project. The recipient shall submit such special reports as may be reasonably requested 

by CNCS.

XVII. AUDITS AND ATTESTATION REQUIREMENTS

Recipients must comply with the audit requirements set forth in Subpart F – Audit 

Requirements of the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and must comply with the 

timeframes established in those regulations for the submission of their audits to the Federal 

Audit Clearinghouse. Recipients must notify their assigned CNCS Grants Officer of each 

audit conducted within the timeframe of the CNCS‐funded project at the time it is 

submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. 

XVIII. MONITORING

CNCS, through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to 

make site visits to review project accomplishments, financial and performance records, 

fiscal and administrative control systems, assess programmatic and fiscal compliance, and 

to provide such technical assistance as may be required. To the extent practicable, CNCS 

will notify the recipient at least two weeks in advance of any trip to the CNCS‐funded 

project site. If CNCS makes any site visit on the premises of a recipient, the recipient must 

provide all reasonable access to facilities, and provide assistance to ensure the safety and 

convenience of government officials in the performance of their duties. All site visits and 

evaluations are expected to be performed in a manner designed to not unduly delay or 

disrupt the implementation of the project.

XIX. PROGRAM INCOME

A. General. Income, including fees for service earned as a direct result of the grantfunded program activities during the award period, must be retained by the Recipient

and used to finance the grant’s non-CNCS share.

B. Excess Program Income. Program income earned in excess of the amount needed to 

finance the Recipient share must follow the appropriate requirements of 2 CFR § 

200.307(e)(1) and be deducted from total claimed costs, or with prior written approval 

from CNCS, the requirements of 2 CFR § 200.307(e)(2) through a budget amendment 

be used to enhance the program (additive process). Recipients that earn excess income 

must specify the amount of the excess in the comment box on the financial report.
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C. Fees for service. When using assistance under this grant, the Recipient may not enter 

into a contract for or accept fees for service performed by participants when:

1. The service benefits a for-profit entity;

2. The service falls within the other prohibited activities set forth in statute, 

regulation, or these award terms and conditions.

XX. BUDGET AND PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES

A. Programmatic Changes. The Recipient must obtain the prior written approval of 

CNCS before making changes:

1. in the scope, objectives or goals of the project, transfer of the project effort, or 

project timeline whether or not they involve budgetary changes;

2. in key personnel specified in the application or the federal award;

3. involving the disengagement from the project for more than three months, or a 

25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project by the approved Project 

Director.

B. Budgetary Changes. The recipient must obtain the prior written approval of CNCS’s 

Field Financial Management Center (FFMC) or the designated official in the Regional 

Office, as appropriate, before deviating from the approved budget in any of the 

following ways:

1. incurring specific costs requiring prior approval before incurrence under 2 CFR 

§ 200.407. Examples of costs requiring prior written approval before they are 

allowed include rearrangement and alteration costs, and pre-award costs;

2. purchasing equipment over $5,000 using grant funds, unless specified in the 

approved application and budget;

3. the Federal awarding agency may, at its option, restrict the transfer of funds 

among direct cost categories or programs, functions and activities for Federal 

awards in which the Federal share of the project exceeds the Simplified 

Acquisition Threshold (currently $250,000) and the cumulative amount of such 

transfers exceeds or is expected to exceed 10 percent of the total budget as last 

approved by the Federal awarding agency;

4. changing in the amount of approved cost-sharing or matching provided by the 

non-federal entity; or

5. including, unless waived by the federal awarding agency, costs that require prior 

approval for inclusion, in accordance with subpart E cost principles in 2 CFR.
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C. Authority to Make Programmatic and Budgetary Changes: CNCS’s Grants 

Officers and PMs are the only CNCS officials who have the authority to alter or change 

the programmatic and budgetary provisions or requirements of the grant. The FFMC 

or PM in the regional offices has authority to approve or not approve all recommended 

programmatic and budgetary changes. The Grants Officers in the Office of Grant 

Administration will execute written programmatic and budgetary changes (i.e., 

amendments). Therefore, recipients should not assume approvals have been granted 

unless they received documentation in the form of an NGA from an authorized official 

approving the recommended change(s). Under no circumstances may CNCS permit a 

transfer of funds to be used for purposes other than those consistent with the Federal 

appropriation of those funds.

XXI. SENIOR CORPS BRANDING

“RSVP” must be included in all references to the project. Accordingly, “RSVP” must be 

included in the title of the project as listed on the grant application, and in all project 

promotions for the duration of the project period, including, but not limited to, recruitment, 

recognition, and publicity. 

XXII. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TRAINING

All grant recipients must complete CNCS’s National Service Criminal History Check 

(NSCHC) training every year. The CNCS designated e-course provides a thorough 

overview of the requirements and can be found at: 

https://cncsonlinecourses.litmos.com/account/login?ReturnUrl=%2fhome%2fcourse%2f32

5500%3fr%3dFalse%26ts%3d63658973%25200256389711.&r=False&ts=63658973%200

256389711 unless otherwise notified by CNCS. Each grant recipient must identify at 

minimum one staff person who has some responsibility for NSCHC compliance to fulfill 

this requirement on behalf of the grant recipient. The grant recipient must retain the 

certificate of completion and assign staff to retake the course annually prior to the 

expiration of the certificate. Grant recipients must save certificates of completion from 

each year as grant records.