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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

AmeriCorps Seniors Questions

Last update 01/07/2022

AmeriCorps Seniors has updated our program specific COVID Frequently Asked Questions 

(FAQs) to provide guidance to current programs. The FAQs do not have the force and effect of 

law. This document is intended to provide clarity to current grantees regarding existing 

requirements under the law or agency policies. You should refer to AmeriCorps’ statute and 

regulations for applicable requirements. The COVID-related FAQs below have been identified as 

still being relevant and critical to the effective management of AmeriCorps Seniors grants. 

Current AmeriCorps Seniors grantees should also reference Appendix 21 Disaster and 

Emergency Response in each program’s handbook for the most current guidance on how to 

administer AmeriCorps Seniors grants during times of disasters and emergencies. 

To secure a historical record of all FAQs posted, a link is provided at the bottom of this document 

that includes the original 55 COVID-19 related FAQs. Important note, the original numbering of

the FAQs has not been changed to help facilitate ease of referencing past FAQs. 

I am an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer with questions about my service/benefits, who should I 

contact?

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers with questions can review the FAQs below or contact their 

program supervisor. 

1. What precautions are AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors taking regarding Coronavirus 

(COVID-19)?

AmeriCorps continues to monitor information and recommendations provided by the U.S. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to the COVID-19. All grantees should 

follow local, state, and federal health recommendations for their local communities. To help 

address general concerns, AmeriCorps has released agency-wide FAQs that can be found here. 

[updated 12/23/2021]

2. Can I mail my volunteers gift cards as a form of recognition?

Yes. Grantees may issue gift cards to SCP, FGP, and RSVP volunteers as an allowable form of 

recognition. See 45 CFR 2551.46(e), 45 CFR 2552.46(e), and 45 CFR 2553.43(c). However, you 

must use a feasible mail delivery service to help safeguard and track the delivery to ensure the 

gift card is delivered to the intended volunteer recipient. 

Please be mindful that giving gift cards as a form of recognition must be done in accordance 

with sound business practices, which should include written proof that the intended volunteer 

recipient received the gift card. During this time of social distancing, we strongly encourage 

programs to explore effective ways that you can acquire written proof of receipt (e.g., 

signatures) from the intended AmeriCorps Seniors
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volunteer that they received the gift card. While not exhaustive, some examples of potential 

acceptable methods of documentation of receipt are a certified mail receipt (check cost of 

certified mail); an email confirmation from the intended volunteer recipient that they received 

the mail delivery; or provide a signed confirmation letter with a pre-stamped addressed 

envelope that can be mailed back to you. [updated 12/23/2021]

3. COVID-19 impacted our organization’s ability to perform basic activities such as producing 

required progress reports. How will this affect my upcoming Performance Progress Report (PPR)?

Grantees are required to report on progress toward meeting approved performance targets

and follow Appendix B: Performance Measure Instructions when reporting your outputs and 

outcome actuals. Please continue to use your best judgment to report on outputs and 

outcomes achieved. Grantees or sponsors should identify the impact of COVID-19 on their 

operations within the relevant narratives section of the progress report. This includes challenges 

that COVID-19 has had on operations, partnership/collaboration development, and securing 

non-federal share funding. You should also include a summary of any challenges faced for each 

Performance Measure in the Grantee Note associated with each Performance Measure. Finally, 

AmeriCorps is also interested in learning more about the critical work that AmeriCorps Seniors 

project sponsors are doing to address the needs of COVID-19 within their community. [updated 

12/23/2021]

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5. What does a “Memo to File” need to include?

AmeriCorps’ Office of Monitoring recognizes that due to COVID-19, grant recipients may 

experience challenges related to documenting grant program activities and expenditure 

changes due to COVID-19. In these occurrences, grant recipients are encouraged to include a 

memo to the file that clearly describes the compliance limitations related to documentation, 

including applicable dates and references to OMB Memo M-20-17 or Agency specific guidance 

(i.e. found here) that support the grant recipient’s approach to documentation during this 

period. To assist in development of the memo to file, AmeriCorps recommends that the 

following details are provided in your memo to the file, if applicable:

• Information, if available, from the sponsoring agency regarding restrictions of program 

operations. Include specific dates.

• Information regarding any local government orders, such as shelter in place, stay-athome, or non-essential business closures. Include specific dates or local orders.

• Statement regarding what policies or procedures have been temporarily modified and a 

description of the changes. 

• For example, a statement may address that AmeriCorps Seniors FGP/SCP 

volunteer timesheets were unable to be signed by each volunteer, due to the 

fact that local COVID-19 orders prohibited volunteers from attending their 

volunteer stations. Project staff reviewed timesheets, verified the volunteer hours 

served with the volunteer, and certified the completion and accuracy of 

timesheets during this period of time.

• Indicate the timeframe for the change in policy or procedure.

• Project Director signature (may be electronic) and date signed. 

[updated 3/27/2020]

6. Are FGP and SCP volunteers still able to get their meal reimbursements if they are on 

emergency leave?
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AmeriCorps Seniors programs should follow existing internal policies and procedures when 

determining if volunteers can still receive meal reimbursements while on leave or while receiving 

their temporary allowance. [updated 3/25/2020]

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11. My organization does not currently have a pay policy that addresses continuation of pay 

under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances. May we prepare and implement a policy 

now? 

Yes. If your grantee organization does not currently have continuation of pay policies that 

address unexpected or extraordinary circumstances, it is important that you prepare and 

implement such policies immediately. 

Moreover, the policies must provide for continuation of hourly pay or salaries under unexpected 

or extraordinary circumstances, even when the funding source of an employee’s pay is from 

another source other than the AmeriCorps Seniors grant, such as a local funding source. The 

policy must be applicable to the grant recipient’s entire workforce. 

If you are updating your organization’s continuation of pay policies or you are preparing new 

policies now, the policies should include:

• The policies are applicable to the entire workforce in your organization.

• The policies’ effective dates.

• The policies address continuation of pay for staff members in instances when they are 

unable to work for reasons beyond their control (e.g., your grantee organization 

temporarily shuts down operations, nationally declared disaster or emergency)

• The policy addresses continuation of pay for staff members in instances when they are 

temporarily unable to work in their hired duty status (e.g., cannot work in a full-time 

status) due to unexpected or extraordinary circumstances (e.g., due to COVID-19). 

[updated 12/23/2021]

12. My organization’s response to COVID-19 may require changes to our budget. What should I 

do? 

All AmeriCorps Seniors grant recipients must follow the requirements in their “Budgetary 

Changes” section as prescribed in the terms and conditions in the grant award supporting 

documents. Please note, if the federal share of a grant is greater than the “Simplified Acquisition 

Threshold” amount of $250,000 and the grantee’s cumulative changes exceeds 10% of the total 

budget, the grantee must request prior approval to submit an amendment. If the change is 

below 10%, the grantee does not need to seek prior approval. All costs must be allowable, 

reasonable, and allocable as stated in 2 CFR §§ 200.403 – 200.405. [updated 3/25/2020]

13. Will the Payment Management System (PMS) continue to operate, so that programs continue 

to request funds as normal?

The Payment Management System will continue to operate, and programs can expect to 

continue to request funds as normal. [update 3/23/2020]

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16. Can volunteers accumulate sick and vacation leave during the time they are not serving? 
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An organization should follow their own internal policies and procedures as it related to sick and 

vacation leave. [updated 3/20/2020]

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18. What is the impact of COVID-19 on access to national service criminal history check 

(NSCHC) vendors Truescreen and Fieldprint? 

AmeriCorps is staying in close communication with Truescreen and Fieldprint and will issue further 

notice and guidance if closures become nationwide and/or the sources (FBI/state 

repository/NSOPW) become unable to provide results to grant recipients. 

Please direct questions regarding NSCHC vendors or NSCHC access to CHC@cns.gov. [updated

3/20/2020]

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21. If the COVID-19 outbreak results in a break in service beyond 120 days, would volunteers 

need to re-do their National Service Criminal History Checks?

A break in service means that a person is no longer providing service through or receiving salary 

from a recipient or subrecipient. Temporary interruption of work or service without termination of 

employment or expiration of the agreement under which service is being provided is not a 

break in service. Regarding members, volunteers, or staff suspended or not serving due to 

COVID-19, such temporary interruption is not a break in service and no new criminal history 

check needs to be conducted when the members or staff resume service. [updated 4/3/2020]

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23. Is it allowable for staff to work at home (telework) if the umbrella sponsor organization where 

the RSVP program resides does not have a telework policy and/or may not allow telework?

All organizations should follow internal policies and procedures relating to staff’s ability to 

telework. We encourage all organizations to follow the guidelines of local, state, and federal 

health authorities. [updated 3/18/2020]

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27. I have questions regarding the mandatory training requirements for FGP and SCP volunteers 

as I am concerned about holding in-person trainings for my volunteers due to the impact of 

COVID-19. 

Grantees’, sponsors’, and volunteers’ health and safety are our top priority during this global 

health crisis. We recognize that COVID-19 may impact planned in-person trainings. Project 

sponsors are encouraged to think broadly and creatively when considering how to structure inservice training that are not in-person during this time. For example, projects might institute virtual 

trainings or send out articles or recommend an appropriate movie watch list, then ask volunteers 

to do a brief write-up. Or possibly, conference calls could be scheduled to discuss a topic or 

have a Q&A session. Please note that per our regulations, each FGP and SCP volunteer must 

receive a minimum of 20 hours of pre-service orientation and 24 hours of in-service orientation 

annually. Please refer to your program’s Operations Handbook for more information on training.

[updated 3/12/2020]
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31. If an AmeriCorps Seniors in-service event has been cancelled and the costs has already 

been expended and cannot be recovered, will these costs be allowable under the grant? 

If any in-service events are cancelled, we recommend that you document that your events

were cancelled due to COVID-19 and obtain copies of and document any city, local, and/or 

state mandates related to the COVID-19, if they exist. [updated 3/17/2020]

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36. We are cancelling our upcoming recognition event due to COVID-19. In order to still provide 

recognition to our volunteers can we recognize their achievements through other activities such 

as mailing gifts? Will this be allowable?

Due to COVID-19, AmeriCorps Seniors grantees can mail gifts to volunteers and should think 

about ways to provide volunteer recognition other than in-person events. When thinking about 

spending federal funds for recognition, grantees should always ensure that funds are 

reasonable, allocable, and allowable.

Also, grantees must use a feasible mail delivery service to help safeguard and track the delivery 

to ensure the gift is delivered to the intended volunteer recipient. [updated 3/17/2020]

37. Should my organization cancel planned events (i.e. training, recognition, or other special 

events)?

Each organization should continue to make their own assessment and decision on whether to 

proceed with upcoming congregant events by consulting information and guidance from the 

Centers for Disease Control and other relevant state and local agencies. A list of state and 

territorial health organizations can be found at the CDC State Health Department Portal. 

[updated 3/12/2020]

38. Can Senior Companion Program and Foster Grandparent Program volunteers teleserve?

Teleservice is appropriate when the activity can be meaningfully supervised, is included in the 

approved application as an allowable service activity, and the hours are verified 

independently. For any project that chooses to include an element of teleservice, it is important 

that the program has a teleservice policy in place to guide volunteers. Further guidance can be 

found in each Program’s Operations Handbook. [updated 12/23/2021]

39. Can AmeriCorps Seniors Grantees and Sponsors ask volunteers if they have traveled to one 

of the affected areas?

AmeriCorps Seniors Grantees should follow their organizations policies, local health officials' 

guidance, and state requirements regarding grantees’ staff and volunteer travel to an area 

where there has been a COVID-19 outbreak. [updated 12/23/2021]

40. What if a volunteer is showing symptoms of illness or respiratory problems? Should they stay 

home?

Yes. Grantees and project sponsors should instruct volunteers to stay home, seek medical 

attention, and not return to their service sites. If a volunteer feels ill, is showing symptoms of illness, 

or thinks they may have COVID-19, they should be directed to consult with their health care 
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providers. For further guidance, they should be directed to the CDC guidelines. The decision 

whether to discontinue isolation should be made in consultation with their health care providers 

and federal, state, and local health departments. Grantees and sponsors should consistently 

apply and clearly communicate their policies regarding under what conditions they will instruct 

volunteers to self-quarantine. Grantees and project sponsors should also document when they 

have instructed a volunteer to stay home due to illness.

To prevent stigma and discrimination during service, do not make a determination to send a 

member or volunteer home based on race or country of origin. Also, grantees and sponsors must 

ensure they maintain confidentiality of any member(s) and volunteer(s) who are believed or 

confirmed to have COVID-19 (or other illnesses), as required by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 

amended, or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA). [updated 

4/8/2020]

41. What if a volunteer lives with or has been in close contact with someone known to have 

COVID-19? 

Volunteers who are well but live with, or have been in close contact with, someone who is 

known to have COVID-19 should promptly notify their respective program/project director. The 

individual should also follow their state health department guidance and instructions. 

The grantee or project sponsor should also refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk 

assessment of their potential exposure. While maintaining confidentiality, the grantee or project 

sponsor should inform fellow service members and volunteers of confirmed Coronavirus cases 

and their potential exposure to COVID-19 at the service site. [updated 12/23/2021]

42. I am a volunteer with a compromised immune system. May I leave my volunteer worksite for 

a compelling health reason?

Yes, volunteers who are unable to serve at their assigned service location because of a 

compromised immune system or other chronic medical condition should notify their project 

sponsor’s director about their medical condition and potential health risk should they have 

Coronavirus exposure. They should work individually with their project sponsor to determine an 

appropriate alternative accommodation or measure related to their volunteer service. [updated 

3/12/2020]

43. I am an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. Who should I contact if I have any further questions? 

All AmeriCorps Seniors project sponsors should contact their Portfolio Manager with any 

questions about the program’s management in regard to the Coronavirus pandemic. [updated 

3/18/2020]

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45. Can I mail telephone cards to FGP/SCP volunteers so that they are able to use them to call 

their clients during this pandemic, and to call into in-service meetings?

Yes. Grantees may issue telephone cards to SCP, FGP, and RSVP volunteers as an allowable cost 

if the phone cards are used to support volunteers in approved project-related activities. 

However, you should use a tracking-based mail delivery service to help safeguard and ensure 

that the phone cards are delivered to the intended volunteer recipients. Simply mailing, via 

regular mail, a phone card to the intended recipient is not recommended because it does not 

provide reasonable certainty that you will be able to track receipt from the intended recipient. 

 

When providing telephone cards to facilitate service, grantees should have policies in place 

that provide clear instructions for volunteers to use the telephone card in providing an allowable 
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service activity. The use of the telephone cards must be tied to service, must support an 

allowable activity and must be necessary for the performance of the grant outputs and 

outcomes. The instructions should make clear that using the telephone card for personal 

purposes, or purposes unrelated to an allowable service activity, is strictly prohibited.

Regarding volunteers’ use of telephone cards, grantees must have certain policies in effect and 

have retain the following internal documentation:

1. Policies and procedures for allowance of this activity in the case of a national

emergency; if a grantee does not currently have a specific policy with regard to phone

card usage in place, grantees should promptly update or implement a new policy

accordingly.

2. Documentation of a volunteer’s time served while using the phone card to engage in

allowable service activity; documentation should include a phone log with start time –

end time, person called, number called, etc.

3. The cost of the cards. [updated 4/20/2020]

46. Is using grant funds to purchase masks and gloves for volunteer use an allowable cost?

All costs must be allowable, reasonable, and allocable per 2 CFR §§200.403 - 405. Masks and

gloves, which enable volunteers to engage in service during the COVID-19 pandemic, are

necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award. These costs can be

attributed to an “Other Volunteer Support Costs” line item and should reference other volunteer

expenses to avoid the need for an amendment. As a reminder, any costs charged should be

reasonable and prudent, properly valued, and consistent with the sponsoring organization’s

practices. [updated 4/17/2020]

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49. Should the Economic Impact Payments authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security Act (CARES Act) be counted as income when determining income eligibility

for FGP and SCP volunteers?

No. The IRS has advised that Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) are not considered taxable

income, but rather advances of a refundable federal income tax credit created by the CARES

Act. Therefore, EIPs are not considered income for purposes of Foster Grandparent and Senior

Companion stipend eligibility. Accordingly, EIPs would not be classified as income as defined

under the SCP and FGP regulations. See 45 CFR §§ 2551.44, 2552.44. Because EIPs are not

considered income for purposes of stipend eligibility, any EIP that a Foster Grandparent or Senior

Companion receives would not, by itself, place him or her over the maximum income eligibility

level to continue to receive a stipend. However, as always, it is recommended that individuals

talk with their tax advisors about any further tax questions regarding EIPs. [updated 5/18/2020]

50. I need to purchase supplies that are necessary as a consequence of COVID-19, in order for

volunteers to perform approved service activities. Is it allowable to use grant funds to purchase

these supplies?

Under certain conditions, it is allowable for AmeriCorps Seniors grantees to use grant funds to

purchase supplies that have become necessary as a consequence of operational disruptions

due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. If a service activity is disrupted or otherwise

adversely impacted due to COVID-19, grant recipients may develop alternative types of service

activities that are not specifically defined in the grant but are consistent with the goals and

mission of the AmeriCorps Seniors program. The grantee should submit their written request to

develop alternative activities and obtain written (email) approval from its Program

Officer/Portfolio Manager as soon as practicable.
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If the approved service activity requires new supplies, the grantee must ensure that all costs are 

allowable, reasonable, and allocable, and in support of approved service activities, in 

accordance with OMB cost principles set forth in 2 CFR §§200.403 – 405. All AmeriCorps Seniors 

grant recipients must follow the requirements in its “Budgetary Changes” section as prescribed in 

the terms and conditions in the grant award supporting documents. Please note, if the federal 

share of a grant is greater than the “Simplified Acquisition Threshold” amount of $250,000 and 

the grantee’s cumulative changes exceeds 10% of the total budget, the grantee must obtain 

approval by submitting an amendment request. If the change is below 10%, the grantee does 

not need to obtain approval, but it still seeds to document the change in its Memo to File. Many 

costs can be attributed to a “Other Volunteer Support Costs” line item, which would preclude 

the need to reallocate funds to a new line item and avoid the need for an amendment. As a 

reminder, any costs charged should be reasonable and prudent, properly valued, and 

consistent with the sponsoring organization’s account practices and documented.

In normal circumstances, per AmeriCorps Seniors guidance, the Memorandum of Understanding 

between the sponsor and volunteer station should address payment arrangements for supplies 

(i.e., whether the sponsor or the volunteer station pays for supplies that a volunteer station 

needs). AmeriCorps Seniors recommends that that grantees and volunteer stations continue that 

practice and update, as needed, their Memoranda of Understanding outlining any new costs 

related to supplies needed in light of COVID-19. While a recommended practice, however, 

addressing payment arrangements in the Memorandum of Understanding between the sponsor 

and the volunteer station is not required. 

For some supplies that are monetarily expensive, such as technology to connect virtually, the 

grantee should develop a “user agreement” with each volunteer that lays out the appropriate 

uses of the supplies that align with the program’s goals and objectives and should also set forth 

prohibited uses. With certain program supply items, the grantee should implement an inventory 

management plan and use it prior to purchasing and distributing key supply items. An inventory 

management plan should, at a minimum, document the following for each supply: 

• Serial number, if applicable

• Date of purchase

• To what volunteer it is assigned

• Date it was delivered to the volunteer

• Volunteer’s confirmation of receipt, including date

• Date in which it was returned by volunteer

• Report of loss of or damage, if applicable

A volunteer is expected to return the supply item prior to exiting service in the program. It is also 

recommended that the grantee develop a policy and procedure for asset or supply 

management if one is not already in place. The grantee should carefully document all the costs 

associated with the new service activities with a Memo to File, outlined in FAQ #5. [updated 

12/23/2021]

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52. During COVID-19, would it be allowable for RSVP and/or Senior Companion Volunteers to 

support clients in nursing homes or long-term care facilities through telephone reassurance 

programs to help combat social isolation?

Yes. RSVP and/or Senior Companion Volunteers may support clients who participate in a 

telephone reassurance program in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities to help 

combat social isolation. [updated 9/18/2020]

AmeriCorps Seniors’ Senior Companion volunteers will be required to transition out of service to 

clients in nursing home or long-term care facility service settings before the end of the grantee’s 

FY2022 fiscal year. For April grantees, that means all Senior Companion volunteer service in 

long-term care and nursing home settings should end March 31, 2023 and for July grantees they 

should end June 30, 2023. 
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Senior Companion volunteers should be reassigned to other service settings to support 

independent living and respite care. RSVP volunteers may continue to serve at nursing homes or 

long-term care facilities after those dates as long as the volunteers station meets the requirement 

outlined in the regulations (45 CFR 2553.12). [updated 2/3/2022]

53. Are expenses associated with providing AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers Wi-Fi mobile “hot

spot” devices and services during COVID-19 an allowable cost?

Under certain conditions AmeriCorps Seniors grants may claim as allowable costs the purchase

and use of Wi-Fi mobile “hot spot” devices and services in order for AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers 

to carry out their service activities. The grantee must determine that the expenses are

reasonable, necessary, and allocable in accordance with OMB Cost Principles. The grantee must 

only provide the devices and services to volunteers who are not performing service activities at 

the physical project site. Additionally, the grantee must only provide the devices to volunteers 

with an established bona fide need. There must be no duplication of such services and devices. 

For example, a volunteer must not already have Wi-Fi access while teleserving in their home that 

would otherwise allow them to perform their service activities. Also, there must be no 

supplantation of expenses related to such devices and services. For example, the grantee

cannot replace funding from other sources that is already intended to pay for the devices and

services with AmeriCorps Seniors grant funding. The grantee also cannot receive duplicated

payments for the devices and services; that is, the grantee must ensure that it does not receive

funds from other sources for the same purpose of paying for the services and devices.

In addition, the grantee should have a policy regarding proper computer use by all volunteers. 

Along with this policy, the grantee should develop a “Rules of Behavior” (ROB) policy that sets 

forth the rules governing appropriate use of the “hot spot” devices and services, requiring each 

volunteer who is provided a device to be trained on ROBs and to sign a written agreement to 

follow them. Finally, to ensure that only authorized volunteers have access to “hot spot” devices 

and services, grantees should implement an inventory management plan and use it for each 

volunteer assigned a device. An inventory management plan should include: 

• Hot spot services contract with Wi-Fi provider and record of subscription costs for services

and devices

• Serial number of hot spot device, if applicable

• Dates of purchase of device and services

• To what volunteer a device is assigned and date of assignment

• To what volunteer services are assigned and date of assignment

• Date when volunteer access to hot spot device and services are activated

• Volunteer’s confirmation of receipt of device and/or services, as appropriate, including

date

• Date in which device was returned by volunteer, if applicable

• Date when volunteer access to hot spot device or services is terminated, if applicable

• Report of loss of or damage to device, if applicable

It is advisable that each volunteer who is provided a device or services receives training on the 

use of the device and services prior to beginning usage. The training should include measures 

that all users must take to protect privacy and follow security protocols. [updated 9/24/2020]

54. May AmeriCorps designate AmeriCorps members or AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers as

“essential workers”, or as otherwise eligible, for COVID-19 vaccine priority groups?

No, AmeriCorps does not have the authority to designate AmeriCorps members or AmeriCorps Seniors 

volunteers as “essential workers,” or as otherwise eligible, for COVID-19 vaccine priority groups.

Neither members nor volunteers are considered employees at the organizations where they 

serve. However, to the extent possible, if a grantee is vaccinating employees in line with state 

and local guidance based on priority group designation, we recommend that they do the same 
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for members who are engaged in the same or similar activities that would fall within the same 

designation.

Also, members and volunteers are encouraged to research and follow their state guidelines 

regarding vaccine distribution. [updated 03/05/21]

55. If a grantee or sponsor makes available COVID-19 vaccines for their employees, can the

sponsor include members or volunteers in any vaccination plans?

AmeriCorps encourages grantees and sponsors to exercise flexibility and extend the opportunity

to AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to participate in any vaccination

plans, to the extent permissible by state guidelines. [updated 03/05/21]

56. My organizations ability to secure local resources that will support agency and program

goals and objectives is still being impacted in our community. Since AmeriCorps waived all

match requirements for all AmeriCorps Seniors grants that were awarded in FY 2019, FY 2020 and

FY 2021 can I submit a request waive the required match in FY 2022?

AmeriCorps recognizes that some grantees continue to experience hardships with securing 

matching funds, so it has created a centralized process for AmeriCorps Seniors grantees to apply 

for match waivers for FY 2022 continuation grants that are in the third year of the project period. 

This process is in accordance with the applicable regulations in 45 CFR for both programs, and 

the RSVP program, and builds upon prior practice of AmeriCorps Seniors’ reviewing and granting 

full match waivers in limited circumstances as set forth in applicable regulations. [§2551.92 (SCP), 

§2552.92 (FGP), §2553.72 (RSVP)]

AmeriCorps Seniors applicants must demonstrate that they meet at least one of the following 

criteria for a full match waiver for awards that will be issued in FY 2022:

(1) Initial difficulties in the development of local funding sources during the first three years

of operations; or

Documentation that non-AmeriCorps funding requests were denied during the three-year 

grant period. [Applicants will be able to submit letters or denial or other independent 

documentation that requests were not approved or are not likely to be approved] 

(2) An economic downturn, the occurrence of a natural disaster, or similar events in the

service area that severely restrict or reduce sources of local funding support; or

Documentation that any of the above impacted applicants’ ability to secure nonAmeriCorps funds. 

(3) The unexpected discontinuation of local support from one or more sources that a

project has relied on for a period of years.

Documentation that prior match providers will not provide match for FY 2022 grant. 

AmeriCorps Seniors applicants must also identify what activities on the grantee share would not

happen if the waiver is granted. 

Resource: Link to match guidance available on the website

NOTE: For all actions taken related to COVID-19, please ensure you have written documentation, 

such as a memo to file, that address steps taken in response to COVID-19.

Archived FAQs dated 04/29/2021