RSVP in Action

Session 1: Thursday, Oct. 4

3:30-4:30pm ET
Housekeeping

• All lines on mute

• Questions via chat box

• Technical difficulties? Let us know via the chat

• Call is being recorded

• Recording and slides available after the webinar

• See www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition for 

all info and resources 
Training Calendar

Webinar Cycle 1 Cycle 2

Introduction to CNCS, Senior Corps and 

RSVP

Oct. 2 Oct. 16

Notice of Funding Opportunity Overview Oct. 3 Oct. 17

RSVP in Action: Mobilizing a Generation Oct. 4 Oct. 18

National Performance Measures Oct. 10 Oct. 23

Submitting Your Application via eGrants Oct. 11 Oct. 25

All calls at 3:30ET/12:30PT
Designed by Freepik
Agenda

• Brief Introduction to CNCS, Senior Corps and 

RSVP 

• Competition Basics

• How RSVP Works

• RSVP in Action

• Recap

About the Corporation for National and 

Community Service (CNCS)

• Independent federal agency 

that supports volunteerism and 

civic engagement 

• Mission: Improve lives, 

strengthen communities and 

foster civic engagement 

through service and 

volunteerism

• Works in partnership with state 

and local partners, often 

through grants
About CNCS

Boutique Programs



About CNCS

• NationalService.gov 

• https://www.nationalserv

ice.gov/impact-ournation/state-profiles

• Your CNCS State Office

• Social Media: 

https://www.nationalserv

ice.gov/newsroom/socialmedia-hub
Introducing Senior Corps

• Nation’s largest network 

of older American 

volunteers

• 220,000 volunteers in 

every state in the country, 

plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and 

the U.S. Virgin Islands

• Support more than 

70,000 organizations 

across the country
The Foster Grandparent Program

• Foster Grandparents are role models, 

mentors, and friends to children with 

exceptional needs. 

• Volunteers serve at thousands of local 

organizations that:

• Help children learn to read and 

provide one-on-one tutoring

• Mentor troubled teenagers and 

young mothers

• Care for premature infants or 

children with disabilities

• Help children who have been 

abused or neglected

• Eligible volunteers may receive a small 

stipend to defray the costs of serving.
The Senior Companion Program

• Senior Companions provide assistance 

and friendship to adults who have 

difficulty with daily living tasks, such as 

shopping or paying bills. 

• We help these adults remain 

independent in their homes instead of 

having to move to more costly 

institutional care. 

• Senior Companions give families or 

professional caregivers a much needed 

time off from their duties, run errands, 

and often provide friendship for their 

clients.

• Eligible volunteers may receive a small 

stipend to defray the costs of serving.
Introducing RSVP

• Established in 1971

• Engages people 55 and older in diverse 

volunteer activities. 

• Volunteers:

• Tutor children

• Renovate homes

• Teach English to immigrants

• Assist victims of natural disasters

• Provide independent living services

• Recruit and manage other 

volunteers

• And much, much more.
Key Documents

Document What’s It For?

FY 2019 RSVP Competition 

NOFO

Establishes competition, application requirements, evaluation 

criteria, funding priorities and more. Start here!

RSVP Grant Application 

Instructions 

Step-by-step instructions for navigating eGrants, CNCS’ electronic 

grants management system

Appendix A: List of 

Available Funding 

Opportunities by State

Lists available service areas and associated funding amounts and 

minimum requirements of volunteers

Appendix B: RSVP National 

Performance Measure 

Instructions

Summarizes performance measurement requirements, lists 

available measures

Work Plan Development 

Worksheets

Allows you to plan Work Plans outside of eGrants

Frequently Asked

Questions

Updated periodically, provides more information on specific 

questions
Competition Overview

• Competition is open now!

• Notice of Intent to Apply due 

Oct. 10 at 5:00pm 

ET/2:00pm PT (Encouraged, 

not Required)

• Applications due Nov. 7 at 

5:00pm ET/2:00pm PT
Competition Overview

Areas Affected
Agenda

• Brief Introduction to CNCS, Senior Corps and 

RSVP 

• Competition Basics

• How RSVP Works

• RSVP in Action

• Recap
Key Terms

• Sponsor/Grantee: The 

organization that receives 

RSVP funding and is legally 

responsible for stewarding 

grant funds

• Station: A community 

partner where RSVP 

volunteers serve
How RSVP Works

• RSVP volunteers are 

individuals 55+

• RSVP assesses community 

needs and leverages RSVP 

volunteers to meet those 

needs

• RSVP volunteers serve at 

RSVP volunteer stations in 

the geographic service area, 

including the sponsor itself.

Designed by D3Images / Freepik
Volunteer Stations

• Nonprofit organizations, proprietary 

health care facilities, public agencies

• Some sponsors may develop a wide 

range of stations, dispersed throughout 

a geographic service. Others may 

choose to focus on a couple specific 

stations or service activities.

• RSVP sponsor can also be RSVP 

volunteer station.

• RSVP sponsor organizations sign 

Memoranda of Understandings with 

local organizations and sends them 

volunteers
Partnering with Senior Corps

Senior Corps 

Grantee

Stations

Volunteers Management of 

CNCS grant

Performance 

Data

On-Site 

Assignment/

Supervision

MOU
Sponsor

RSVP 

Volunteers

Community partners as 

volunteer stations

Sponsor hires RSVP Director who 

recruits volunteers and places them 

with independent volunteer stations.

CNCS grants 

funds to sponsor

RSVP Volunteers serving at external 

volunteer stations
RSVP Volunteers serving at internal 

volunteer stations 

RSVP 

Volunteers

Sponsor hires RSVP Director who 

recruits volunteers and places them 

within own programs (sponsor = station).

CNCS 

grants funds 

to sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor Programs
RSVP Volunteers and a hybrid model

RSVP 

Volunteers

Sponsor hires RSVP Director who 

recruits volunteers and places them 

within own programs and at 

independent volunteer stations

CNCS grants 

funds to sponsor

Sponsor Programs

Community Partners
Focus Areas Funding Priorities

Broad Categories Often More Specific Activities

ALL RSVP projects must have some 

activity in at least one Focus Area

Optional, but CNCS particularly interested 

in funding

Tie directly to National Performance 

Measures

Choose the National Performance 

Measure that best fits your activity

Disaster Services Disaster Services

Economic Opportunity

Education

Environmental Stewardship

Healthy Futures

Veterans and Military Families

Capacity Building

Economic Opportunity – Workforce 

Development

Education - Intergenerational 

Programming

Access to Care – Opioid Abuse

Aging in Place – Elder Justice

Aging in Place – Independent Living

Veterans and Military Families

Evidence-Based Programming

Focus Areas and Funding Priorities
Welcome to 

Townsville!

Designed by Freepik
Townsville’s Community Needs

While many schools in Townsville are doing well, 

three have substantial numbers of students that are 

reading below grade level. 

Like many communities, Townsville has seen 

documented cases of opioid abuse increase 

significantly in the past 10 years.

Townsville’s Mayor just launched an Elder Abuse 

task force to deal with a sudden increase in reports 

of fraudsters targeting the elderly in the area. 
Townsville Department of Aging

Education

Opioid 

Abuse

Elder 

Abuse

Townsville 

Department 

of Aging

Community Partners as 

Volunteer Stations

Schools: Reading Pairs 

Program

Task Force Chair: 

Training Team

Local Health Agency: 

Counselling Support

RSVP 

Volunteers
Active Aging Townsville!

Active 

Aging 

Townsville!

Community Partners as 

Volunteer Stations

Schools: Reading Pairs 

Program

Local Health Agency: 

Counselling Support

Standup Training Team

RSVP 

Volunteers

Education

Opioid 

Abuse

Elder 

Abuse
Townsville Reads

Townsville 

Reads

Community Partners as 

Volunteer Stations

Schools: Reading Pairs 

Program

RSVP 

Volunteers

Education

Opioid 

Abuse

Elder 

Abuse
Key Documents

Document What’s It For?

FY 2019 RSVP Competition 

NOFO

Establishes competition, application requirements, evaluation 

criteria, funding priorities and more. Start here!

RSVP Grant Application 

Instructions 

Step-by-step instructions for navigating eGrants, CNCS’ electronic 

grants management system

Appendix A: List of 

Available Funding 

Opportunities by State

Lists available service areas and associated funding amounts and 

minimum requirements of volunteers

Appendix B: RSVP National 

Performance Measure 

Instructions

Summarizes performance measurement requirements, lists 

available measures

Work Plan Development 

Worksheets

Allows you to plan Work Plans outside of eGrants

Frequently Asked

Questions

Updated periodically, provides more information on specific 

questions
Townsville Department of Aging

Townsville 

Department 

of Aging

Community Partners as 

Volunteer Stations

Schools: Reading Pairs 

Program

Task Force Chair: 

Training Team

Local Health Agency: 

Counselling Support

RSVP 

Volunteers

Community Partners as 

Volunteer Stations

Education: ED1A & 

ED5A

Healthy Futures: H4A & 

H17

Healthy Futures: H4A & 

H9A
Designed by Freepik