2016-americorps-state-and-national-notice-100915.pdf

NOTICE OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Agency Name: Corporation for National and Community Service

Funding Opportunity Title: AmeriCorps State and National Grants FY 2016

Announcement Type: Amended Announcement

CFDA Number: 94.006

Key Dates

Notification of Intent to Apply: Submission of a Notification of Intent to Apply is required to be eligible for this competition and is due Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Single-State applicants should not provide this information directly to CNCS, but rather to the Commission in the state in which the applicant intends to operate the program. The State Commissions’ deadlines are earlier than this deadline. See section Types of Applicants for definitions of National Direct and Single-State applicants.

Application Submission: Applications are due Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern

Time to CNCS. Single-state applicant deadlines to State and Territory Commissions may be significantly before the CNCS deadlines, so prospective state applicants are encouraged to contact the commission in the state or territory where they intend to apply as early as possible. The list of State and Territory

Commissions can be found here: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact-us/state-service-commissions

Disclosure: Publication of this Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (Notice) does not obligate the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to award any specific number of grants or to obligate the entire amount of funding available.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The mission of CNCS is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering. CNCS - through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund - has helped to engage millions of citizens in meeting community and national challenges through service and volunteer action.

Through all its programs, CNCS seeks to expand economic opportunity – helping Americans acquire the skills, education, and training they need for productive employment. By helping more Americans graduate, pursue higher education, and find work: national service can provide immediate and long term benefits by expanding individual opportunity, building family stability, and creating more sustainable, resilient communities.

1. Purpose of AmeriCorps Funding

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations (see page 4) proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. An

AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. Upon successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the

National Service Trust that members can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.

CNCS may award a Cost Reimbursement, a Fixed Amount grant, or an AmeriCorps Partnership

Challenge grant to any successful applicant, but the availability of a Full Time Fixed Amount grant is limited to certain applicants. See Section C.1 and Glossary for more information. In addition to the http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact-us/state-service-commissions funding allocated for competitive distribution under this Notice, CNCS provides funding based on population directly to Governor-appointed State Service Commissions which they, in turn, award through a process they administer according to state priorities.

This Notice should be read together with the AmeriCorps Regulations, 45 CFR §§ 2520–2550, the Notice Glossary, Application Instructions, and the Performance Measure Instructions which are incorporated by reference. These documents can be found at http://www.nationalservice.gov/build-your-capacity/grants/funding-opportunities. The full regulations are available online at www.ecfr.gov. The TTY number is 800-833-3722. For a printed copy of related material, call 202-606-7508.

CNCS Focus Areas In order to carry out Congress’ intent and to maximize the impact of investment in national service, CNCS has the following focus areas:

Disaster Services Grant activities will provide support to increase the preparedness of individuals for disasters, improve individuals’ readiness to respond to disasters, help individuals recover from disasters, and/or help individuals mitigate disasters. Grantees also have the ability to respond to national disasters under CNCS cooperative agreements and FEMA mission assignments.

Economic Opportunity Grants will provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to the improved economic well-being and security of economically disadvantaged people; help economically disadvantaged people, including youth identified in My Brother’s Keeper to have improved access to services that enhance financial literacy; transition into or remain in safe, healthy, affordable housing;

and/or have improved employability leading to increased success in becoming employed.

Education Grants will provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to improved educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged children; improved school readiness for economically disadvantaged young children; improved educational and behavioral outcomes of students in low-achieving elementary, middle, and high schools; and/or support economically disadvantaged students prepare for success in post-secondary educational institutions.

Environmental Stewardship Grants will provide support for increased individual behavioral change leading to increased energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and ecosystem improvements particularly for economically disadvantaged households and communities. Grant activities will decrease energy and water consumption;

improve at-risk ecosystems; increase behavioral changes that lead directly to decreased energy and water consumption or improved at-risk ecosystems; and/or increase green training opportunities that may lead to decreased energy and water consumption or improved at-risk ecosystems.

Healthy Futures Grants will provide support for activities that will improve access to primary and preventive health care for communities served by CNCS-supported programs; increase seniors’ ability to remain in their own homes with the same or improved quality of life for as long as possible; and/or increase physical activity and improve nutrition in youth with the purpose of reducing childhood obesity.

Veterans and Military Families Grants will positively impact the quality of life of veterans and improve military family strength; increase the number of veterans, military service members, and their families served by CNCS-supported http://www.nationalservice.gov/build-your-capacity/grants/funding-opportunities http://www.nationalservice.gov/build-your-capacity/grants/funding-opportunities http://www.ecfr.gov/ programs; and/or increase the number of veterans and military family members engaged in service through CNCS-supported programs.

2. 2016 AmeriCorps Funding Priorities CNCS seeks to prioritize the investment of national service resources in:

• Disaster Services - improving community resiliency through disaster preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation

• Economic Opportunity - increasing economic opportunities for communities, specifically opportunity youth (see Glossary), both as the population served and as AmeriCorps members

• Education - improving student academic performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or

Mathematics (STEM) or addressing student and school needs through School Turnaround AmeriCorps programming (see Glossary and Appendix)

• Environment - 21st Century Service Corps (see Glossary)

• Veterans and Military Families -- positively impacting the quality of life of veterans and improving military family strength

• Governor and Mayor Initiatives (see Glossary)

• Programming that supports My Brother’s Keeper (see Glossary)

• Multi-focus intermediaries that demonstrate measureable impact and primarily serve communities with limited resources and organizational infrastructure. i.e. rural and other underserved communities (see Glossary)

• Safer communities - activities that focus on public safety and preventing and mitigating civil unrest e.g., summer programming or engaging communities that are part of The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention.

• Elder Justice AmeriCorps (see Glossary)

In order to receive priority consideration, applicants must demonstrate that the priority area is a significant part of the program focus and intended outcomes and must include a high quality program design. Responses that propose programs for the purpose of receiving priority consideration are not guaranteed funding.

Next Gen AmeriCorps

Depending on overall funding available, CNCS is inviting applicants to propose the Next Generation AmeriCorps or Next Gen AmeriCorps. The importance of service remains even within tight fiscal constraints we face as a nation. The goal of Next Gen AmeriCorps is to use innovative strategies to offer the same service opportunities but at a more efficient cost to the government. To participate, applicants must have a cost per member that is lower than $10,000 per year per full time member using CNCS funding. CNCS is looking for innovative approaches and models to implement, for example: locating operations in Promise Zones, areas that meet Promise Zone criteria, or that demonstrate other indicators of severe need.

Encore Programs

Congress set a goal that 10 percent of AmeriCorps funding should support Encore service programs that engage a significant number of participants age 55 or older. CNCS seeks to meet that target in this competition and encourages Encore programs to apply. Encore will provide an opportunity for current evidence-based Senior Corps Foster Grandparents Program and Senior Companion Program grantees to expand their programs through AmeriCorps funding.

3. National Performance Measures The Serve America Act (SAA) emphasizes measuring the impact of service and focusing on a core set of issue areas. CNCS’s five-year Strategic Plan establishes an ambitious set of objectives that guided the development of 16 agency-wide Priority Performance Measures. CNCS expects organizations to use National Performance Measures as part of their comprehensive performance measurement strategy that relies on both performance and evaluation data to learn from their work as well as make tactical and strategic adjustments to achieve their goals. For more information, please refer to the National Performance Measure Instructions [http://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/main-menu/2014/2015-performance-measures-instructions].

All applications must include at least one aligned performance measure (output and outcome) that corresponds to the proposed primary service activity. CNCS does not expect applicants to select performance measures to correspond to each and every potential member activity or community impact.

CNCS values the quality of performance measures over the quantity of performance measures. As described in the Application Instructions, applicants must include all their information about their proposed performances measure in the Performance Measure section of the applications in eGrants (CNCS’s web-based grants management system). All information requested in the National Performance Measure Instructions must be included in the text of the performance measures themselves, and it must be evident in the performance measure text that all definitions and requirements outlined in the National Performance Measures Instructions and NOFO FAQs are met. Providing performance measures information elsewhere in the narrative cannot be in lieu of providing full information in the Performance Measures section of the application in eGrants.

4. Program Authority The National and Community Service Act of 1990 (NCSA), as amended. 42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq. The full text of the NCSA is available online at http://uscode.house.gov. The full regulations are available online at http://www.ecfr.gov

CNCS’s Fiscal Year 2016 Congressional Budget Request includes a request for additional statutory authority to operate summer-based programs for disadvantaged Opportunity Youth who are 14 or older at the time they begin their national service.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimated Available Funds CNCS expects a highly competitive AmeriCorps FY 2016 grant competition. The actual level of funding will be subject to the availability of annual appropriations, which have not yet been made. Grant awards have two components: operating funds and AmeriCorps member positions. Grant award amounts vary – both in the level of operating funds and in the type and amount of AmeriCorps member positions.

2. Award Period Unless otherwise specified, the grant generally covers a three-year project period. In approving a multi-year project period, CNCS generally makes an initial award for the first year of operation. In most cases, the application is submitted with a one-year budget. Continuation funding is not guaranteed. Factors considered in awarding continuation grants include satisfactory performance, demonstrated capacity to manage the grant, compliance with grant requirements, agency priorities, and the availability of appropriated funds. CNCS reserves the right to adjust the amount of a grant or elect not to continue funding for subsequent years.

3. Project/Award Period The project start date is generally one year with a start date proposed by the applicant. The project start date may not occur prior to the date CNCS awards the grant. AmeriCorps members may not enroll prior to the start date of the award. AmeriCorps members may not begin service prior to the beginning of the member enrollment period as designated in the grant award. A program may not certify any hours a member performs prior to the beginning of the member enrollment period.

http://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/main-menu/2014/2015-performance-measures-instructions http://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/main-menu/2014/2015-performance-measures-instructions http://uscode.house.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants The following entities are eligible to apply: public or private nonprofit organizations, including faith-based and other community organizations; institutions of higher education; government entities within states or territories (e.g., cities, counties); labor organizations; partnerships and consortia; and federally recognized Indian Tribes. Receiving funding previously from CNCS or another Federal agency is not a prerequisite to apply under this Notice.

In addition to being eligible to apply under this Notice, federally recognized Indian Tribes will also be eligible to apply under a separate Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity for Indian Tribes for operating or planning grants released later in the fall with an application deadline of spring 2016.

Organizations that have been convicted of a federal crime are disqualified from receiving the assistance described in this Notice. Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(4), that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to apply.

New Applicants CNCS encourages organizations that have never received funding from CNCS to apply. The general practice is to award no more than 50 member positions (slots) and at least 20 member positions (slots) to organizations receiving an AmeriCorps grant for the first time.

New applicants are eligible to apply for Cost Reimbursement and Education Award Program (EAP) grants but not eligible to apply for Full Time Fixed Amount grants. Existing subgrantees/operating sites of Fixed Amount and Cost Reimbursement grantees that can demonstrate a track record and capacity to manage a Fixed Amount grant are considered to have AmeriCorps experience and therefore can apply for Fixed Amount grants. School Turnaround AmeriCorps applicants may not apply for Full Time Fixed Amount grants.

Continuation Applicants Organizations that have current AmeriCorps awards that do not end in FY16 must submit an application in order to be eligible to receive funding for the following year. Please see p. 13 of the Application Instructions. Requests by existing continuation applicants for increases in the level of funding or number of positions will be assessed using the criteria under this Notice.

Type of Applicants Single-State Applicants Organizations that propose to operate in only one state must apply through the Governor-appointed State or Territory Commissions. Each state and territory commission administers its own selection process and submits to CNCS the applicants it selects to compete for funding. Single-State applicants must contact their State Commissions to learn about their state or territory processes and deadlines which may be significantly earlier than the CNCS deadlines and may have additional requirements. The list of State and Territory Commissions can be found here: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact-us/state-service-commissions. A single state application submitted directly to CNCS by the applicant rather than the State Commission will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed.

National Direct Applicants Multi-state: Organizations that propose to operate AmeriCorps programs in more than one state or territory apply directly to CNCS.

Federally-recognized Indian Tribes: Applicants that are Indian Tribes apply directly to CNCS. An Indian Tribe is defined as a federally recognized Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation, as defined under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. § 1602), that the United States Government determines is eligible for special programs and services provided under federal law to Indians because of their status as Indians. Indian Tribes also include tribal organizations controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by one of the entities described above.

Territories without Commissions: Applicants in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands apply directly to CNCS because these Territories have not established a State Commission.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Fixed Amount Grants and Education Award Program Grants There is no specific match requirement for Full Time Fixed Amount, Education Award Program, and AmeriCorps Partnership Challenge grants. CNCS does not provide all the funds necessary to operate the program; therefore organizations must raise the additional revenue required to operate the program.

Cost Reimbursement Grants A first-time successful applicant is required to match at 24 percent for the first three-year funding period.

Starting with year four, the match requirement gradually increases every year to 50 percent by year ten, according to the minimum overall share chart found in 45 CFR §2521.60

Section 121(e)(5) of NCSA (42 U.S.C. 12571(e)) requires programs that use other federal funds as match for an AmeriCorps grant to report the amount and source of these funds to CNCS on a Federal Financial Report. Grantees must track and be prepared to report on that match separately each year and at closeout.

The living allowance or salary provided to AmeriCorps members in Professional Corps programs (see Glossary) does not count toward the matching requirement.

Alternative Match Under certain circumstances, applicants may qualify to meet alternative matching requirements that increase over the years to 35 percent instead of 50 percent as specified in the regulations at 45 CFR §2521.60(b). To qualify, applicants must demonstrate that the proposed program is either located in a rural county or in a severely economically distressed community as defined in the Application Instructions. Applicants that plan to request an alternative match schedule must submit a request at the time the application is submitted. State programs submit requests for alternative match to the State Commission. State Commissions submit on behalf of their state applicants and National Directs submit their requests directly to ACAlternateMatchScheduleRequests@cns.gov.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package Organizations should refer to the CNCS website to obtain the necessary information to apply.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission What are the steps that organizations need to take to apply?

Determine whether you are a National Direct applicant that will apply directly to CNCS or a Single- State applicant that will apply through a State Commission For Single-State Applicants: Contact the State Commission for the application materials and deadline Submit a Notification of Intent to Apply Obtain a DUNS number Establish an eGrants account mailto:ACAlternateMatchScheduleRequests@cns.gov

For National Direct applicants: Coordinate with State Commission(s) for the location where proposed grant activities will occur Write a high quality application that is responsive to the Notice Provide required additional documents via email, if applicable Complete and submit the application via eGrants by the deadline Submit a request for an alternative match schedule, if applicable.

Please note that single-state applicants that apply to a State Commission may have different deadlines (likely earlier than those listed in this Notice), may have additional narrative questions and/or supplemental materials to submit as determined by the State Commission, and may have different directions and/or systems for submitting their applications.

Coordination among State Commissions and National Direct Applicants CNCS expects State Commissions and National Direct applicants to consult and coordinate activities at the local level, as specified in Section 131 of the NCSA (42 U.S.C. § 12583). This consultation is designed to ensure the most effective use of national service resources and lead to enhanced coordination.

The list of State and Territory Commissions can be found here:

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact-us/state-service-commissions.

To ensure coordination:

National Direct applicants, except federally-recognized Indian Tribes, must:

Before application submission:

• Consult with the State/Territory Commission of each state and/or Territory in which the organization knows it will operate and describe this consultation in their applications. Contact the State/Territory Commissions for details about the consultation process. Provide information that connects the proposed activities to the current State/Territory Service plan and/or State logic model.

After Award:

Provide the State/Territory Commission with contact information for National Direct programs in the state and/or Territory and update these lists on an annual basis.

Participate in the State/Territory Commission’s annual needs assessment and training plan development activities, and in the development of its state/territory service plan, as well as appropriate training and other events.

Include the State/Territory Commission on the National Direct’s mailing list and invite it to appropriate training and other events.

State/Territory Commissions must:

Before application submission:

• Consult in a timely manner with the National Direct applicants, except Indian Tribes, that contact them prior to application submission.

After Award:

Consider the schedules and needs of National Direct applicants, including Indian Tribes, operating in their states when planning annual events and technical assistance activities.

Include National Direct programs, including Indian Tribes, in their annual needs assessment and training plan development activities, and in the development of their state/territory service plan.

Add staff of multi-state programs in their state/territory to their mailing/email distribution list and invite them to appropriate training and other events.

CNCS will solicit State/Territory Commission input on National Direct applicants, except Indian Tribes, proposing to operate in their state/territory. Via eGrants, Commissions have the opportunity to select support, do not support, or neutral, and provide comments. Participation by State/Territory Commissions in providing this input is strongly encouraged. CNCS reviews and considers Commission input.

How to Submit an Application in eGrants Applicants must submit their applications electronically via the CNCS web-based system, eGrants (egrants.cns.gov). Because it is a unique system, it is recommended that applicants create an eGrants account and begin the application creation process at least three weeks before the deadline. Applicants should draft the application as a word processing document and copy and paste the document into the appropriate eGrants fields no later than 10 days before the deadline. Please note the length of a document in word processing software may be different than what will print out in eGrants. CNCS will consider the number of pages as they print out through eGrants when determining compliance with any page limits in this Notice.

Contact the National Service Hotline at 800-942-2677 or https://questions.nationalservice.gov/app/ask_eg if a problem arises while creating an account or while preparing or submitting an application in eGrants.

National Service Hotline hours are as follows: Mon - Fri, 9 am – 7 pm ET (Jan, Aug, Sept) Mon - Thu, 9 am – 7 pm EST (Oct, Nov, Dec). In addition to those hours, the Hotline will also be open Oct 30, 31 and November 1, December 4-6 and 11-13 as well as the one weekend prior to the application deadline (January 16-18) from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET to assist applicants. If you contact the Hotline, be prepared to provide the application ID, organization name, and the Notice to which your organization is applying.

If technical issues prevent an applicant from submitting an application on time, please contact the National Service Hotline prior to the deadline to explain the technical issue and receive a ticket number. If the issue cannot be resolved by the deadline, the applicant must continue working with the National Service Hotline to submit via eGrants. If an applicant is unable to submit by the deadline, follow the guidance in the Late Application section.

If extenuating circumstances make the use of eGrants impossible, applicants may send a hard copy of the application and include a cover letter detailing the circumstances that make it impossible to submit via eGrants to the address provided in Section IX. Agency Contacts, via overnight carrier. Applicants must use a non-U.S. Postal Service carrier because of security-related delays in receiving mail from the U.S.

Postal Service. All deadlines and requirements in this Notice apply to hard copy applications. CNCS does not accept applications submitted via fax or email.

Submission of Additional Documents Applicants must submit all required additional documents by the application deadline. All additional required documents should labeled with the applicant organization name and Application ID number at the top of the page and are due by the application deadline at AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov. Emails should include in the Subject line, the applicant organization name and Application ID number.

State/territory applicants should check the state or territory’s application information to determine the process for submission of documents.

Additional documents may include (if applicable): letter(s) of support for the Governor/Mayor Initiative, evaluation reports, letters from the consortium members for Multi-focused intermediaries, and up to two evaluation briefs, reports, and/or peer reviewed articles if the applicant has a moderate or strong evidence base. School Turnaround AmeriCorps applications must submit the additional documents that are outlined in the Glossary and Appendix.

Failure to submit the required additional documents may have a negative impact on the assessment of an application. Do not submit other items not requested in this Notice. CNCS will not review or return them.

https://questions.nationalservice.gov/app/ask_eg mailto:AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov

Application Fields and Page Limits In eGrants, applicants will enter text in the following fields:

Executive Summary Program Design Organizational Capability Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy Evaluation Plan

Applications may not exceed 15 pages for the Narratives (16 pages for Multi-State applications with more than five operating sites, 18 pages for Multi-Focus Intermediaries, School Turnaround, and Next Gen AmeriCorps applicants). Application content considered in determining page limit compliance includes the Executive Summary, SF 424 Facesheet, and the Narrative Sections contained in the Program Design, Organizational Capacity, and Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy as the pages print out from eGrants. Please note the length of a document in word processing software may be different than what will print out in eGrants. CNCS will consider the number of pages as they print out through eGrants when determining compliance for page limits. CNCS strongly encourages applicants to print out the application from the “Review and Submit” page prior to submission to check that the application does not exceed the page limit. The application page limit does not include the budget, narrative portion of the Evaluation Plan, the Logic Model, performance measures, or the supplementary materials, if applicable.

The Logic Model may not exceed more than three pages when printed from the application.

Reviewers will not consider submitted material that is over the page limits in the printed report, even if eGrants allows an applicant to enter and submit text over the limit. This applies to both the application page limit and the logic model page limit. Do not submit other items not requested in this Notice or Application Instructions. CNCS will not review or return them.

Assessment Criteria Each applicant must describe a project that will deploy AmeriCorps members effectively to solve a significant community problem. CNCS urges applicants to submit high quality applications that carefully follow the guidance in this Notice and in the Application Instructions. The quality of an application will be an important factor in determining whether an organization will receive funding.

Threshold Issues Applications should reflect that they meet the threshold requirements for the grant type for which they are applying. No applicant should submit an application with less than 20 member slots. If an applicant is applying for a Professional Corps grant, its application should demonstrate that the community in which it will place AmeriCorps members serving as professionals has an inadequate number of said professionals.

If an applicant is applying for a Full Time Fixed Amount grant, the application should reflect that only full-time or less than full-time positions serving in a full-time capacity will be permitted. An application for the Governor and Mayor Initiative should clearly reflect that the application is from one Governor, one Mayor, and a minimum of two nonprofits. If the proposed service activities require specialized member qualifications and/or training (for example, tutoring programs: 45 CFR §2522.910-.940), the applicant must describe how the program will meet these requirements. School Turnaround AmeriCorps applicants must meet the threshold requirements outlined in the Glossary and Appendix.

New and recompeting applicants must submit an application with a minimum of 20 AmeriCorps members. Applications that have less than 20 members will be deemed noncompliant and will not be reviewed.

CNCS will assess an applicant’s strategic considerations. Applicants must check the relevant boxes in the Performance Measure tab in eGrants in order to be considered for CNCS’ assessment of the strategic considerations. Applicants should only check the boxes if the strategic consideration is an intentional part of their program design and the implementation strategies are described in the application.

Application Fields

A. Executive Summary (Required - 0 percent) Please fill in the blanks of these sentences to complete the Executive Summary. Do not deviate from the template below.

The [Name of the organization] proposes to have [Number of] AmeriCorps members who will [what the members will be doing] in [the locations the AmeriCorps members will serve]. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be responsible for [anticipated outcome of project].

In addition, the AmeriCorps members will leverage an additional [number of leveraged volunteers, if applicable] who will be engaged in [what the leveraged volunteers will be doing.]

This program will focus on the CNCS focus area(s) of [Focus Area(s)].* The CNCS investment of $[amount of request] will be matched with $[amount of projected match], $[amount of local, state, and federal funds] in public funding and $[amount of non-governmental funds] in private funding.

*If the program is not operating in a CNCS’ focus area, omit this sentence.

Fixed Amount grant applicants (EAP, Fulltime Fixed, and AmeriCorps Partnership Challenge) should list their Other Revenue (see Glossary) because they are not required to provide a specific amount of match, but still must raise significant additional resources to operate the program. CNCS will post all Executive Summaries of awarded grant applications on www.nationalservice.gov in the interest of transparency and Open Government.

B. Program Design (50 percent) Reviewers will consider the quality of the application’s response to the criteria below. Do not assume all sub-criteria are of equal value. School Turnaround AmeriCorps applicants should respond to the additional criteria in the Glossary and Appendix.

1. Problem/Need (9 points)

The community problem/need is clearly defined and aligns with the proposed intervention.

The community problem/need is prevalent and severe in communities where members will serve and has been well documented with relevant data.

2. Theory of Change and Logic Model (15 points)

The applicant’s proposed intervention is clearly articulated including the design, target population, and roles of AmeriCorps members and (if applicable) leveraged volunteers.

The applicant’s intervention is likely to lead to the outcomes identified in the applicant’s theory of change. The theory of change should be either evidence-informed or evidence-based, meaning that the proposed intervention is guided by the best available research evidence that supports it effectiveness in the evidence section.

The proposed outcomes represent meaningful progress in addressing the community problem/need identified by the applicant.

The applicant’s AmeriCorps members will produce significant and unique contributions to existing efforts to address the stated problem.

http://www.nationalservice.gov/

The logic model shall depict:

A summary of the community problem/need outlined in the narrative.

The inputs or resources that are necessary to deliver the intervention, including:

o

Number of locations or sites in which members will provide services o Number of AmeriCorps members that will deliver the intervention The core activities that define the intervention or program model that members will implement or deliver, including:

o o o

The duration of the intervention (e.g., the total number of weeks, sessions or months of the intervention) The dosage of the intervention (e.g., the number of hours per session or sessions per week) The target population for the intervention (e.g., disconnected youth, third graders at a certain reading proficiency level)

The measurable outputs that result from delivering the intervention (i.e. number of beneficiaries served.) Identify which National Performance Measures will be used as output indicators Outcomes that demonstrate changes in knowledge/skill, attitude, behavior, or condition that occur as a result of the intervention.

Programs may include short, medium, or long-term outcomes in the logic model. While performance measure outcomes should be consistent with the program’s theory of change, programs are not required to measure all outcomes that are included in the logic model. The Logic Model should identify which National Performance Measures will be used as outcome indicators.

Applicants with multiple interventions should complete one Logic Model chart which incorporates each intervention. Logic model content that exceeds the three pages will not be reviewed.

3. Evidence Base (12 points) Applicants will be awarded up to 12 points for providing evidence that their proposed intervention will lead to the outcomes identified in the logic model. Applicants shall provide a description of up to two research studies or evaluations that provide evidence that the proposed intervention is effective for the target population and community problem, and should describe how this evidence places them in the highest evidence tier for which they are eligible. Applicants should pay particular attention to the requirements for each tier of evidence. More points are awarded for higher tiers of evidence.

Applicants requesting consideration for the moderate and strong evidence levels should reference the Submission of Additional Documents section for guidance on the submission of evaluation studies.

All applicants must include as much detailed information as possible in the Evidence section of the application. Applicants are advised to focus on presenting high-quality evidence from two of the strongest and most relevant studies. Studies must be evaluations of specific programs or interventions. Research that does not focus on a specific program or intervention, but rather focuses on a broader issue area or population, will not be considered applicable and will not be reviewed or receive any points.

All applicants must include a description of up to two research studies or evaluations in order to earn points, including the following information:

1) The date of the research or evaluation was completed, and the time period for which the intervention was examined

2) A description of the target population studied (e.g. the demographics)

3) The methodology used in the study (e.g.; outcome study, random assignment, regression discontinuity design , or propensity score matching)

4) A description of the data, data source, and data collection methods

5) The outcomes or impacts examine and the study findings

6) The strength of the findings (e.g. confidence level, statistical power of the study design and statistical significance of findings).

Reviewers will examine the descriptions (and attached studies if relevant) using the following criteria:

a) How closely the intervention evaluated in the studies matches the one proposed by the applicant;

b) The methodological quality and rigor of the studies presented (e.g., sample size and statistical power, internal and/or external validity, use of control or equivalent comparison groups, baseline equivalence and study attrition, etc.);

c) Strength and consistency of the findings, with preference given to findings that show a meaningful and persistent positive effect on participants demonstrated with confidence levels; and

d) The date of the study, with a preference towards studies that have been conducted within the last six years.

If the evidence submitted as part of an application does not describe a well-designed and well-implemented evaluation, the applicant will be considered for a lower tier of evidence and related point values.

Requirements associated with the five evidence tiers are described next.

No evidence (0 points) means that the applicant has not provided evidence that they have systematically collected any qualitative or quantitative data to date.

Pre-preliminary evidence (1-2 points) means the applicant has demonstrated data collection experience testing or tracking at least one aspect of its logic model. For example, the applicant has collected systemic and accurate data on one or more of the following: the community need the proposed intervention will address, the program intervention’s activities and services delivered, participation in the intervention by the target population, and/or participant outcomes (for example, performance measurement data or a process evaluation assessing implementation of the intervention.)

The data collection process and results must be described fully and the applicant should explain the link between data collection and the relevant component(s) of its logic model. Evidence for the pre-preliminary tier should be described in the Evidence section of the application but does not require submission of supplemental documentation.

Preliminary evidence (3-6 points) means the applicant has described up to two outcome studies about the intervention that yielded promising results for the proposed intervention or a similar intervention that the applicant will replicate with fidelity to the evaluated program model. The ways to demonstrate preliminary level of evidence are as follows:

• The applicant must describe at least one outcome study that was conducted of their own intervention. This must include a detailed description of the outcome study data from pre and post-tests without a comparison group or post-test comparison between intervention and comparison groups. An outcome study includes data beyond that which is collected as part of routine performance measurement. This description should explain whether the outcome study was conducted internally by the applicant organization or by an entity external to the applicant.

OR

• The applicant must describe at least one random control trial study or quasi-experimental evaluation (e.g. propensity score matching) that found positive results for the same intervention that the applicant plans to replicate. The description should include details about how the intervention studied and the applicant’s proposed approach are the same and how the applicant will replicate the intervention with fidelity to the program model. The study must have been conducted by an entity external to the organization whose program was studied.

OR

• The applicant may submit evidence from both bullets listed above. In this case, the applicant must provide data from an outcome study of an intervention it has previously implemented (see above) and also proposes to modify their program by replicating another random control trial study or quasi-experimental evaluation. Applicants should describe their previous outcome study and should also describe and submit the study (ies) of the proposed evidence-based intervention.

For the purposes of this Notice, “replicate” means that the key elements of the applicant’s intervention are implemented as the evidence-based program model describes (e.g., in terms of content or curriculum, delivery process, and target population), and the applicant’s adaptations are relatively minor. For example, an applicant implementing an intervention using certified teachers to administer the curriculum would not be considered replicating that program with fidelity if it replaces teachers with AmeriCorps members who are not certified teachers, because the documented success of the intervention relied on the specialization of certified teachers.

Moderate evidence (7-9 points) means the applicant has submitted up to two well-designed and well-implemented studies that evaluated the same intervention described in this application and identified evidence of effectiveness on one or more key desired outcomes of interest as depicted in the applicant’s logic model. Evidence of effectiveness (or positive findings) is determined using experimental design evaluations (i.e., Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT)) or quasi-experimental design evaluations (QED) with statistically matched comparison (i.e., counterfactual) and treatment groups. The ability to generalize the findings from the RCT or QED beyond the study context may be limited (e.g., single-site). The studies were conducted by an independent entity external to the organization implementing the intervention.

Applicants classifying their evidence as Moderate must submit up to two evaluation reports from external sources or evaluations published in peer-reviewed articles as separate attachments.

Current CNCS grantees are required to submit an evaluation report of their CNCS funded program. The CNCS-required evaluation report may count towards one of the two studies required for Moderate evidence tier or may be submitted in addition to this. In the latter case, all three studies will be considered against the review criteria.

If the applicant is not a current grantee, then more than two studies will not be considered.

Strong evidence (10-12 points) means the applicant has demonstrated that the intervention has been tested nationally, regionally, or at the state-level (e.g., multi-site) using a well-designed and well-implemented QED or RCT. Alternatively, the proposed intervention’s evidence may be based on multiple (up to two) well-designed and well-implemented QEDs or RCTs in different locations or with different populations within a local geographic area. The overall pattern of study findings is consistently positive.

Findings from the RCT or QED studies may be generalized beyond the study context. The studies were conducted by an independent entity external to the organization implementing the intervention.

Applicants classifying their evidence as Strong must submit up to two evaluation reports from external sources or evaluations published in peer-reviewed articles as separate attachments.

Current CNCS grantees are required to submit an evaluation report of their CNCS funded program. The CNCS-required evaluation report may count towards one of the two studies required for Strong evidence tier or may be submitted in addition to this. In the latter case, all three studies will be considered against the review criteria.

If the applicant is not a current grantee, then more than two studies will not be considered.

4. Notice Priority (3 points)

The applicant proposed program fits within one or more of the 2016 AmeriCorps funding priorities as outlined on page 3 and more fully described in the Glossary.

The proposed program meets all of the requirements detailed on page 3 and in the Glossary.

5. Member Training (4 points)

AmeriCorps members will receive high quality training to provide effective service.

AmeriCorps members and volunteers will be aware of, and will adhere to AmeriCorps requirements including the rules regarding prohibited activities (see Glossary).

6. Member Supervision (2 points)

AmeriCorps members will receive high quality guidance and support from their supervisor to provide effective service.

AmeriCorps supervisors will be adequately trained/prepared to follow AmeriCorps and program regulations, priorities, and expectations.

AmeriCorps members will gain skills and experience as a result of their training and service that can be utilized and will be valued by future employers after their service term is completed.

AmeriCorps members will have access to meaningful service experiences, including opportunities for reflection and connection to the broader National Service network.

The program will recruit AmeriCorps members from the geographic or demographic communities in which the programs operate.

7. Member Experience (3 points)

8. Commitment to AmeriCorps Identification (2 points)

• Members will know they are AmeriCorps members.

• Staff and community members where the members are serving will know they are AmeriCorps members.

• AmeriCorps members will be provided with and will wear service gear that prominently displays the

AmeriCorps logo daily.

C. Organizational Capability (25 percent) Reviewers will consider the quality of the application’s response to the following criteria below. Do not assume all sub-criteria are of equal value.

1. Organizational Background and Staffing (10 points)

• The organization has the experience, staffing, and management structure to plan and implement the proposed program.

The organization has adequate experience administering AmeriCorps grants or other federal grants effectively.

The organization has sufficiently engaged community members and partner organizations in planning and implementing its intervention.

As documentation of community support and commitment to the program please procure, keep on file, but do not submit to CNCS, letter(s) from the applicant’s most significant community partner(s). The letter(s) should include what the partner(s) see as the benefit to the community provided by the applicant’s AmeriCorps members and what activities would not happen without the AmeriCorps members.

2. Compliance and Accountability (15 points)

The applicant’s organization, in implementation and management of its AmeriCorps program, will prevent and detect compliance issues.

The applicant will hold itself, subgrantees, and service site locations (if applicable) accountable if instances of risk or noncompliance are identified.

The organization will comply with AmeriCorps rules and regulations including those related to prohibited and unallowable activities at the grantee, subgrantee, and service site locations (if applicable).

The AmeriCorps members service will not duplicate, displace, or supplant volunteers, staff and/or interns.

D. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (25 percent)

Reviewers will consider the quality of the application’s response to the following criteria below. Do not assume all sub-criteria are of equal value.

1. Cost Effectiveness (18 points)

The budget is sufficient to carry out the program effectively.* The budget aligns with the applicant’s narrative.* The program…