Social Innovation Fund

FY 2014 Grant Competition

Creating an Application in eGrants

Corporation Note: Screenshots in this presentation are intended as illustration 

only. The content of screenshots should not be interpreted as formal 

guidance from the Corporation. 1
Introduction

• These slides are intended to illustrate the eGrants 

guidance provided in the application instructions.

• Detailed guidance of what to include in the 

application is contained in the Notice of Funding 

Availability (Notice) and the application instructions, 

which can be found here: 

http://www.nationalservice.gov/build-yourcapacity/grants/funding-opportunities/2014/socialinnovation-fund-grants-fy-2014

Please note: Although the screen shots used in this 

presentation are from 2010, the information and illustrations is 

accurate. 

2
3
4
Once you’ve created an account in eGrants, log in and from your eGrants home page, 

select New.

5
Click on the Select a program area drop down menu and choose 

Other then click on Go.

6
Select the Social Innovation Fund 2014 NOFA and click on Next.

7
Applicant Info: Verify that you selected the correct NOFA (Social Innovation Fund 

2014) and then click on create a new project. Notice the toolbar on the left side of 

the screen. Clicking on any of the titles will take you directly to that section.

8
Applicant Info: Type in your Project Title (we recommend using the name of the lead 

organization as your Project Title). The Project State is the state where your organization resides 

(even if you have partners or subgrantees in other states). The same is true for the other contact 

information. The email address is the address of the primary contact person. Click on Save & 

Close when finished.

9
Applicant Info: Click on the Select a project drop down menu and choose the name of 

the project you just created. Click on the Select a project initiative drop down menu 

and choose from the list of seven SIF options. Choose the one that best describes the 

type of SIF you are proposing. Enter your organization’s web address and click Next.

10
Applicant Info: Choose the Project Director from the drop down menu. This list is 

populated from the eGrants account you set up prior to starting your SIF application. 

There may be multiple users within your organization or there may be one, as seen 

below. Type in your Project Website, if applicable, and click Next.

11
Application Info: Complete these fields following the guidance in the application 

instructions. Click Next.

12
13

Narratives: Click on the view/edit narrative for each of the six narrative fields. 

Once you have entered information in each of the narratives, a green check box will 

appear in front of the section title. You must include text in each of the narrative 

fields in order for your application to validate.
A note on narrative fields

• The maximum length of the application can be found in the 

Notice. 

• Reviewers will be instructed to stop reading once they’ve 

reached the page limit, even if eGrants allows you to submit a 

longer application. 

• See the Notice of Funding Available for the recommended 

page allocations for Executive Summary, and each of the 

narrative fields. 

• Do not use bold face, bullets, underlines or other types of 

formatting, charts, diagrams, and tables. They will not copy 

accurately into eGrants.

14
Documents: See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for information on Match 

Verification. Match Verification letters must be sent to SIFApplication@CNS.gov; they 

cannot be attached through eGrants. Once you have sent them through email, click on 

the Match Verification drop down menu and select Sent. 

15
Documents: Please note that no additional documentation is required and so 

other documentation will not be considered during application review. 

16
Section VI Budget of the application instructions includes detailed guidance for 

accurately completing the budget.

Budget Section 1: While your Program Design may describe activities for up to a 

five year period, your budget is just for the first year of programming. 

17
Budget Section 1 Project Personnel Expenses: Click on add a new budget 

item.

18
Budget Section 1 Project Personnel Expenses: Type in the title or name of the position. Enter 

the number of positions with the same title/name. Enter the full-time equivalent salary for this 

position and the percentage of time that will be used for SIF activities. The Total Amount is 

calculated automatically. Enter the CNCS Share and Grantee share. Both must add up to the 

Total Amount. Click on save & close. If you have multiple positions, click on add a new budget 

item as needed.

19
Budget Section 1 Personnel Fringe Benefits: Click on add a new budget item. Enter the type of 

fringe benefits (e.g., FICA, workers' compensation) and for what position they cover. Enter the 

calculation used to compute the benefit. Enter in the total amount and divide between the CNCS 

share and the Grantee share. Click on save & close. If you have multiple items, click on add a 

new budget item as many times as needed.

20
Budget Section 1 Travel: Click on add a new budget item. Enter the purpose of the travel. Enter 

the calculation used to compute the travel. Enter the total value for travel and divide between 

the CNCS share and the Grantee share. Click on save & close. If you have multiple items, click on 

add a new budget item as many times as needed.

21
Budget Section 1 Equipment: Click on add a new budget item. Enter the item and/or purpose of 

the Equipment. Enter the quantity and the unit cost. The Total Amount is auto populated. Divide 

between the CNCS share and the Grantee share. Click on save & close. If you have multiple 

items, click on add a new budget item as many times as needed. (The application instructions 

explain the distinction between equipment and supplies.)

22
Budget Section 1 Supplies: Click on add a new budget item. Enter the supply items. 

Enter the calculation used to determine the cost of these supplies. Enter the total 

amount for this supplies and divide between the CNCS share and the Grantee share.

Click on save & close. If you have multiple items, click on add a new budget item as 

many times as needed.

23
Budget Section 1 Contractual and Consultant Services: Click on add a new budget item. Enter 

the type of contractual or consultant service. Enter the calculation used to determine the cost of 

these services. Enter the total amount and divide between the CNCS share and the Grantee 

share. Click on save & close. If you have other Contractual and Consultant Services items, click 

on add a new budget item as many times as needed.

24
Budget Section 1 Other Costs: Click on edit in the Subgrants line. 

25
Budget Section 1 Other Costs: Type in the total amount you plan to subgrant

and divide between the CNCS share and the Grantee share. Click on save & 

close. Remember that at least 80% of the Federal funds you request must be 

subgranted. 

26
Budget Section 1 Other Costs: Click on add a new budget item to add “Criminal History Background Checks” 

as directed in the NOFA. Follow this same process to add “Evaluation” and “Training” costs and any additional 

costs. Enter the purpose. Enter the total amount and divide between the CNCS share and the Grantee share. 

Click on save & close.

27
28

Budget Section 1 Other Costs: Be sure this section includes the costs associated with:

• Subgrants

• Training

• Evaluation

• Criminal History Background Checks
Budget Section 1 Subtotals: This section will automatically populate based 

on what you entered in each of the budget sections. Click on Next.

29
Budget Section 2: Click on Enter Source of matching funds.

30
Budget Section 2 Enter Source of matching funds: Enter a description for the match 

you have secured. Enter the amount of the Match. Choose the Match Classification 

“Cash” from the drop down menu (must be “Cash”). Choose the Match Source from 

the drop down menu. Click on save & close. 

31
Budget Section 2 Enter source of matching funds: If you have other matching fund 

sources, click on Enter Source of matching funds as many times as needed. Complete 

and then click on save & close. 

32
Budget Section 2 Federally Approved Indirect Cost Rate: Click on edit. For 

more information on Indirect Costs Rates, see the Notice. 

33
Budget Section 2 Federally Approved Indirect Cost Rate: Choose the Cost Type from 

the drop down menu. Choose Cost Basis from the drop down menu. Enter the 

Calculation, Rate, and Rate Claimed. Enter the total amount and divide between the 

CNCS share and the Grantee share. Click on save & close.

34
Budget Section 2: Once your budget is complete, click on Validate this 

budget. 

35
If the CNCS request is more than the grantee (or applicant) share (proposed 

matching funds), you will get an error as stated below. Click on close and 

make necessary changes until the grantee share is greater than or equal to 

the CNCS share and click on Validate this budget. 

36
You will receive this message when your budget is entered correctly.

37
Review: Now you can Review your application. The reports to view/print your full 

application include the following: Application for Federal Assistance, Budget, and 

Budget Narrative. Click on view/print report. The other links are inoperable for the 

purposes of the SIF application. When you view the application, ensure that it doesn’t 

exceed the maximum page limit. 

38
Authorize and Submit: Once you have made all the edits to your application, the Authorized 

Representative can Authorize and Submit. See the application instructions for a description of this 

role. The Authorized Representative must sign into his or her eGrants account in order to complete 

the following steps. 

39
Authorize and Submit: Click on the I Agree radio button.

40
Authorize and Submit: You will see Authorized By: (name) and ! Authorized on 

(date) when correctly authorized. The radio button will still be open, but as long 

as the Authorized by: information is there, the application has been authorized. 

Next move to Assurances and click on view/print certification.

41
Authorize and Submit: Read the Assurances (including the specific 

Assurances for the Social Innovation Fund found near the end.)

42
Authorize and Submit: Once you have thoroughly read the Assurances (and 

agreed to them), click on the I Agree radio button. You will see Authorized 

By: (name) and ! Authorized on (date) when the Assurances are correctly 

authorized. 

43
Authorize and Submit: Next move to Certifications and click on view/print 

certification.

44
Authorize and Submit: Read the Certifications.

45
Authorize and Submit: Once you have thoroughly read the Certifications (and agree to 

them!), click on the I Agree radio button. You will see Authorized Certifying Official: 

(name) and ! Certified on (date) when the Assurances are correctly certified. Now 

click on Verify this Grant Application.

46
If there are any errors in your application, you will receive a message similar 

to what is listed below. Go back to each section and correct the issues. Click 

on Verify this Grant Application again.

47
This is the message you receive when your application has no errors.

48
The last step is to click on Submit grant application to CNCS.

49
Once submitted, you will receive this message.

50
Contact the Help Desk

Phone: 1-800-942-2677

Online: http://www.nationalservice.gov/questions/app/ask

Hours of operation: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern time, Monday 

through Friday

Be prepared to provide your application ID and organization's 

name. 

The Application and Submission Information section of the 

Notice explains what to do if you experience technical difficulties 

in eGrants.

Questions?

51