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2020 Volunteer Generation Fund Continuation Guidance

Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Important Notices

This application guidance conforms to CNCS’s online grant application system, eGrants. 

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act

Grant 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 recipients and subrecipients. Recipients 

must have the necessary systems in place to collect and report this information. See 2 CFR Part

170 for more information and to determine how these requirements apply.

Universal Identifier

Applications must include a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 

number and register with the System for Award Management (SAM). All grant recipients are 

required to maintain an active registration. 

APPLICATION GUIDANCE

Commissions with VGF grants in continuation will use the eGrants instructions below to create 

and submit an application. 

FY 2020 Allocation Levels 

ContinuationVGF applicants may request additional funding greater than their 2019 award level. 

CNCS reserves the right to award applications in an amount other than at the requested level of 

funding. 

Continuation Application Review Process 

CNCS staff will review all applications for Volunteer Generation Fund continuation applications

according to the following criteria: 

1) Timely submission of a complete Continuation application; 

2) Compliance with grant requirements during current VGF grant; 

3) Satisfactory performance and progress to date; 

4) Continuation Changes – Identify proposed changes to the program structure/design and 

describe challenges from previous years and the plan to address these challenges. Note 

any other relevant changes;

5) Budget – The previous year’s budget will automatically populate into the Continuation 

application; please edit as needed. 

The deadline for continuation applications is Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern 

Time. Applicants will be notified of funding no later than July 6, 2020. 

Commissions may receive a request to provide clarifying information. Clarification information is used 

by CNCS staff in making final recommendations. Failure to respond to requests for information in a 

timely fashion may result in the removal of applications from consideration. Clarification responses 
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should be complete and correct upon submission. The duration of the clarification process will be June 8-

22, 2020. 

How to Submit the Continuation Application 

To create the continuation application in eGrants, click Continuation/Renewal on the eGrants 

home page. A list of continuable grants will appear. Select the VGF grant to be continued. Do 

not start a new application. Edit the continuation application as directed in the continuation 

request instructions below. When complete, click the SUBMIT button. 

The submission of a continuation application does not obligate CNCS to provide continuation 

funding. Continuation funding is contingent upon the selection criteria listed above. CNCS 

reserves the right to adjust the amount of an additional grant award in subsequent years, or elect 

not to continue funding, based on these criteria. 

If you experience problems using eGrants, contact the eGrants Help Desk at (800) 942-2677 or 

online at https://questions.nationalservice.gov/app/ask_eg. 

REMINDER: The Authorized Representative must ‘sign’ the Certifications and Assurances 

prior to submission. The Authorized Representative is the official within an applicant 

organization with the legal authority to give assurances, make commitments, enter into 

contracts, and execute such documents on behalf of the applicant as may be required by a 

grantmaker. The signature of the Authorized Representative certifies that commitments made on 

grant proposals will be honored and ensures that the applicant agrees to conform to the 

grantmaker's regulations, guidelines, and policies. 

What to Include in the Continuation Application 

I. Applicant Info and Application Info 

Update the Applicant Info and Application Info Sections in eGrants, if necessary. If applicable, 

note these changes in the Continuation Changes field. 

II. Narrative (Narratives Section) 

Executive Summary: Please update the one-paragraph summary of the proposed program as 

needed (500 character limit). 

Continuation Narrative Updates: The 2019 application will appear in the narrative sections. 

Do not enter continuation changes in the original narrative fields. Please document 2020

Continuation Changes in the Continuation Narrative field in eGrants. Do not delete 2019 content 

from this field. Create a heading called Year 3 Continuation Changes” and follow the 

instructions below: 

a. Please describe any proposed changes to the scope or design of the previously 

approved program. Continuation changes may include but are not limited to: any 

planned changes to the structure/design of the program; a revised 

schedule/timeline for the program; changes in partner sites; explanation of any 

changes in the budget; adjustments to the evaluation; and staffing or approved 
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activities. As applicable, these changes may also need to be reflected in the 

budget and the performance measures. 

b. If no changes are being proposed, enter “No Changes” in the Continuation 

Narrative field. 

c. Please describe any challenges from previous years and how these challenges are 

being addressed. 

d. Describe any major accomplishments from the most recent year of operation. 

Accomplishments might include details about progress toward intended impact 

and outcomes, significant partnerships, etc. 

e. If you are carrying over funds, please note the dollar amount of carry over you 

are including in the budget.

f. If you are requesting an expansion, please note the dollar amount of expansion 

you are including in the budget. 

III. Performance Measures (Performance Measures Section) 

Performance measures are populated from the previous year’s application. All continuation 

applicants must revise their performance measures to align with the 2020 VGF Performance 

Measure Instructions. 2020 VGF continuation applicants are required to use the National 

Performance Measures identified below:

• G3-3.4 (output): Number of organizations that received capacity building services

AND

• G3-3.10A (outcome): Number of organizations that increased their effectiveness, 

efficiency, and/or program scale/reach*

*In the Described Instrument section of measure G3-3.10A, applicants must specifically describe 

how they will measure organizational effectiveness, efficiency, or program scale/reach with 

respect to volunteer recruitment or management.

Applicants may optionally continue to use additional performance measure(s), either CNCS 

performance measures or applicant determined performance measures, to describe the type and 

amount of activities carried out by volunteers managed and/or generated through VGF. All 

performance measures must align with the 2020 VGF Performance Measure Instructions posted 

on the CNCS website. Note: the number of volunteers recruited/coordinated/supported by your 

grant, and the number of hours served by these volunteers, will be reported via standard 

Performance Data Elements and should no longer be included as performance measures.

IV. Budget (Budget Section) 

Provide a detailed budget for the upcoming year. The budget from the previous year’s 

application is copied into the continuation request. Please make necessary changes. 
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Unexpended Funds 

To maximize funds available, we will allow grantees to carry over the amount of unexpended 

funds from the previous year’s grant. Grantees need to include allowable carryover funds in the 

budgets submitted to be able to expend those funds.

CNCS will not implement a Supplemental Funding process for VGF grants. 

Administrative/Indirect Costs

CNCS allows applicants to include administrative (indirect) costs in grant budgets. Based on 

qualifying factors, applicants have the option of using a federal or state approved indirect cost 

rate, a 10% de minimus rate of modified total direct costs or may claim certain administrative 

costs directly as outlined in 2 CFR § 200.413. States, local governments, and Indian tribes may 

use previously-approved indirect cost allocation plans. All methods must be applied consistently 

across all federal awards.

Applicants who hold a state or federally negotiated indirect cost rate or will be using the 10% 

de minimus rate must enter that information in the Organization section in eGrants. However, 

under section 121(d) of the NCSA and CNCS’ regulations at 45 CFR 2517.710, no more than 

five percent of award funds may be used to recover indirect costs on VGF grants.

The instructions for how to enter the organization’s indirect cost rate can be located 

here: eGrants Indirect Cost Rate User Instructions.

(Note: The language in both should change to are located here for the instructions.)

Match Requirements 

Grantees are required to meet an overall matching rate that increases over time. The federal share 

of the allowable costs of carrying out a Volunteer Generation Fund program (whether the 

program is carried out directly or through sub-grants) may not exceed: 80 percent for the first 

year; 70 percent for the second year; 60 percent for the third year; and 50 percent for the fourth 

and any later year in which a recipient receives assistance from the VGF. The match can be cash

or in-kind sources. Grant applicants must describe the expected source of their cash or in-kind 

share in their application.

Match Rates

Year 1 20%

Year 2 30%

Year 3 40%

Year 4 and beyond 50%

Source of Funds 

In the Source of Funds field that appears at the end of Budget Section II, enter a brief description 

of the Source of Funds (Match) including the amount, the match classification (Cash, or In-kind) 

and Match Source (State/Local, Federal, Private, or Other) for the entire match. (The total 

amount in the Source of Funds field should match the total amount in the budget narrative 
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exactly.) Define any acronyms the first time they are used. Please note whether the funds are 

committed or proposed.