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AmeriCorpsVISTA Support Grant

FY 2022 GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

These AmeriCorps Grant Program-Specific Terms and Conditions and the General Terms and Conditions are 

binding on the recipient. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. CHANGES FROM THE FY 2021 AMERICORPS VISTA SUPPORT GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS ..................1

II. NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY...............................................................................................................1

III. AWARD ACCEPTANCE ......................................................................................................................................1

IV. AWARD PERIOD ...............................................................................................................................................2

VI. RECOGNITIONOFFEDERAL FUNDING...............................................................................................................3

VII. EXTERNAL ANDDATA COLLECTION..................................................................................................................3

VIII. ALLOWABLE COSTS..........................................................................................................................................3

IX. SUBAWARDS PROHIBITED ...............................................................................................................................3

X. BUDGET ANDPROGRAMMATIC CHANGES.......................................................................................................3

XI. LOBBY DISCLOSURE .........................................................................................................................................4

XII. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TRAINING .............................................................................4

I. CHANGES FROM THE FY 2021 AMERICORPS VISTA SUPPORT GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Removed Encumbrance of Funds, Section V.

• Removed Member Payments Report, Section VI.

• Removed Portfolio Manager Authority, Section VII.

• Updated REPORTING REQUIREMENTS to include VISTA Progress Report Supplement (VPRS) and 

clarified Payment Management System reporting requirements as part of closeout, Section V. 

• Revised NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TRAINING to reflect current requirements 

and update the Litmos URL, Section XIV.

II. NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

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

agreement. Recipients are bound by the authorizations, restrictions and requirements contained in the 

Notice. If there are any inconsistencies between the Notice and any statute, regulation, guidance or cost 

principle, the statute, regulation, guidance, or cost principle take precedence over matters set forth in the 

Notice.

III. AWARD ACCEPTANCE

The signature on the SF‐424, including electronic signature via e‐authentication on eGrants, constitutes a 

binding offer and constitutes agreement to the terms and conditions of award. AmeriCorps 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 200.339‐340.
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IV. AWARD PERIOD

Unless otherwise specified, the award covers a one-year project period. In approving a multi-year project

period, AmeriCorps generally makes an initial award for the first year of operation. Additional funding for

subsequent budget periodsis contingent upon satisfactory performance, a recipient’s demonstrated capacity to 

manage an award and comply with award requirements, and the availability of Congressional appropriations. 

AmeriCorps reserves the right to adjust the amount of an award or elect not to continue funding for 

subsequent years. The project period and the budget are noted on the award document. 

V. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The recipient is responsible for timely submission of periodic financial, progress, and member reports

during the project period and a final financial report. 

Federal Financial Reports(AmeriCorps). The recipient shall complete and submit financial reports in 

eGrants (Financial Status Reports on menu tree) to report the status of all funds. The recipient must 

submit timely cumulative financial reports semi-annually, twice yearly in six month increments from the 

budget period start date of the grant. 

Final Federal Financial Report (AmeriCorps). A recipient must submit, in lieu of the last semi-annual 

financial report, a final financial report. The final FFR is cumulative over the performance period of the 

award. This final report is due no later than 120 days after the end of the project period. 

Reporting to the Department of Health and Human Services/Payment Management System (HHS/PMS).

AmeriCorpsissues VISTA Support Grant funds to sponsors through the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Service (HHS) Payment System. Sponsors receiving grant funds through this system must submit a 

Federal Financial Report (FFR) to report AmeriCorps federal funding disbursements and cash on hand, 30

days after each calendar quarter beginning with the first calendar quarter that contains the start date of the

grant. FFR/FCTRs must report disbursement of funds on a cumulative basis over the performance period of

the grant and be submitted through the HHS Payment Management System on the following schedule:

Period Covering: Report Due No Later Than:

January 1 to March 31 April 30

April 1 to June 30 July 30

July 1 to September 30 October 30

October 1 to December 31 January 30

As part of the closeout process, a recipient must submit all final disbursements on the FFR/Federal Cash 

Transaction Report to HHS/PMS no later than 120 days after the end of the project period.

Progress Reports. The sponsor shall complete and submit Project Progress Reports via AmeriCorps’

eGrants system. The Project Progress Reports shall report on the progress toward achievement of project 

performance targets. Refer to the Project Progress Report instructions for current due dates. (Also, see the 

Memorandum of Agreement.) Sponsors will also complete a VISTA Progress Report Supplement (VPRS) 

annually in November.

Requestsfor Extensions. 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 AmeriCorps, legitimately beyond the 

control of the grantee, and 2) AmeriCorpsreceives a written request explaining the need for an extension 

before the due date of the report.
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Extensions of deadlines for financial and progress reports may only be granted by the AmeriCorps 

Portfolio Manager. 

Other. The recipient shall meet with the AmeriCorps Regional Office or with other staff or consultants

designated by the AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager to exchange views, ideas, and information concerning the 

project as AmeriCorps determines necessary. The recipient shall submit such special reports asrequested 

by AmeriCorps.

VI. RECOGNITIONOFFEDERAL 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 AmeriCorps money, the grantee

receiving federal funds, including but not limited to state and local governments, shall clearly state (1) the

percentage of the total cost of the programwhich will be financed with AmeriCorps money, and (2) the

dollar amount of AmeriCorps funds for the project or program.

VII. EXTERNAL AND DATA COLLECTION

The recipient must cooperate with AmeriCorps and its evaluators in all monitoring and evaluation efforts. As

part of this effort, the grantee must collect and submit certain project data, as defined in the AmeriCorps

VISTA Progress Report Supplement, and must provide data as requested or needed to support external

evaluations.

VIII. ALLOWABLE COSTS

To be allowable under a VISTA grant award, costs must fit within the allowable cost categories specified in

the VISTA Support Grant Budget instructions.

IX. SUBAWARDS PROHIBITED

VISTA grant recipients may not make subawards of grant funds. Direct reimbursement to sites for travel 

and/or training expenses are not considered subawards.

X. BUDGET ANDPROGRAMMATIC CHANGES

Programmatic Changes. The recipient must first obtain the prior written approval of the AmeriCorps

Portfolio Manager before making any of the following changes (1 and 2): 

 

1 - Changes in the scope, objectives or goals of the program, whether or not they involve budgetary 

changes; 

2 - Substantial changes in the level of member supervision; 

 

Upon notification to the AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager, recipients may make programmatic changes due 

to, or in response to, an officially declared state or national disaster without written approval from 

AmeriCorps. As soon as practicable, recipients making disaster-related programmatic changes must 

discuss the recordkeeping, member activities, performance measure adjustments, and other AmeriCorps 

VISTA award requirements with the AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager. While written approval from 

AmeriCorps is not required before making disaster-related programmatic changes, AmeriCorps reserves 

the right to limit or deny disaster-related programmatic changes, including disallowing costs associated 

with the disaster related activities. 

 

Budgetary Changes. The recipient must obtain the prior written approval of AmeriCorps’ Portfolio 

Manager before deviating from the approved budget in any of the following ways: 

 
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1 - Specific Costs Requiring Prior Approval before Incurrence under the uniform administrative 

requirement, cost principles, and audit requirements for Federal awards at 2 CFR Parts 200 and 2205. 

Certain cost items in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 2205 require approval of the awarding agency for the cost to be 

allowable such as pre-award costs. Please ensure you consult the regulations prior to incurring costs to 

ensure allowability. 

2 - Unless the AmeriCorps share of the award is $100,000 or less, changes to cumulative and/or aggregate 

budget line items that amount to 10 per cent or more of the total budget must be approved in writing in 

advance by AmeriCorps. The total budget includes both the AmeriCorps and recipient shares. Recipients 

may transfer funds among approved direct cost categories when the cumulative amount of such transfers 

does not exceed 10 percent of the total budget. 

 

Approvals of Programmatic and Budget Changes. AmeriCorps Portfolio Managers are the only officials 

who have the authority to alter or change the terms and conditions or requirements of the award. 

Portfolio Managers will execute written amendments, and recipients should not assume approvals have 

been granted unless documentation from the Office of Grant Administration (OGA) has been received and 

executed via signature. Programmatic changes also require final approval of OGA after written 

recommendation for approval is received from the Portfolio Manager. 

XI. LOBBY DISCLOSURE

For awards exceeding $100,000, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352, the Grantee is required to file a disclosure 

report, Standard FormLLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, at the end of any quarter, when the Grantee

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

AmeriCorps Senior Portfolio Manager.

XII. NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TRAINING 

All recipients and subrecipients required to comply with National Service Criminal History Checks (NSCHC)

must complete and retain a certificate of completion of the AmeriCorps’ NSCHC e-course training every 

year to ensure that recipients and subrecipients conducting criminal history background checks comply 

with all NSCHC requirements. Refer to 45 CFR § 2540.200 for the list of entities required to comply with 

NSCHC. The AmeriCorps designated e-course provides a thorough overview of the requirements and can 

be found at: https://americorpsonlinecourses.litmos.com. Each grant recipient and subrecipient must 

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

requirement on behalf of the recipient or subrecipient. The grant recipient and subrecipient must retain 

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

certificate. Grant recipients and subrecipients should save certificates of completion from each year as 

grant records.