FY 2021 Tribes FINAL.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY

Federal Agency Name: AmeriCorps Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2021 AmeriCorps State and National Tribal Grants Announcement Type: Initial Announcement Assistance Listing Number: 94.006

Disclosure: Publication of this Notice of Funding Availability (Notice) does not obligate the AmeriCorps to award any specific number of grants or to commit any particular amount of funding. The actual level, timing, and process of grant funding will be subject to the availability of annual appropriations.

Important Dates

• Applications are due Friday, July 23, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to AmeriCorps.

• Successful applicants will be notified by late August 2021.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.1. Purpose of AmeriCorps Funding AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture.

AmeriCorps State and National grants are awarded to eligible organizations (See Section C.1 Eligible Applicants) proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions/practices 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.

A.2. Funding Priorities AmeriCorps seeks to prioritize the investment of national service resources in the following areas:

• Efforts to help local communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants may propose programming in any AmeriCorps focus area to aid communities as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Programs that actively engage in removing structural racial inequities, advancing racial equality, and increasing opportunity in order to achieve sustainable change in communities.

• Economic Opportunity – a program model that increases economic opportunities for communities by preparing people for the workforce i.e. broad band and building/renovating low income housing.

• Education – improving student academic performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and/or serving students who attend Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools.

• Environmental Stewardship – i.e. traditional food systems

• Healthy Futures – a program model that reduces and/or prevents prescription drug and opioid abuse.

• Veterans and Military Families – a program model that improves the quality of life outcomes of veterans and improves military family strength.

• Programs that reduce child poverty.

To receive priority consideration, applicants must show that the priority area is a significant part of the program focus and intended outcomes; and must include a high-quality program design.

Proposing programs that receive priority consideration does not guarantee funding.

A.3. Performance Goals or Expected Outcomes National Performance Measures All applications must include at least one aligned performance measure (output and outcome) that corresponds to the proposed primary intervention. This may be a National Performance Measure or an applicant-determined measure. Additional performance measures, including output-only National Performance Measures, may also be included if desired; however, all performance measures must be consistent with the program’s Theory of Change and represent significant program activities. AmeriCorps does not expect applicants to select performance measures to correspond to each and every potential member activity or community outcome.

AmeriCorps values the quality of performance measures over the quantity of performance measures.

The agency expects applicants to use National Performance Measures as part of their comprehensive performance management strategy if the National Performance Measures are part of the applicant’s Theory of Change. Applicants should use 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 https://americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities

A.4. Program Authority Awards under this Notice are authorized by the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 12501 et seq. )

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

B.1. Estimated Available Funds The agency expects a highly competitive AmeriCorps grant competition. The agency reserves the right to prioritize providing funding to existing awards over making new awards. The actual level of funding will be subject to the availability of annual appropriations.

B.2. Estimated Award Amount Award amounts will vary, as determined by the scope of the projects.

https://americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.congress.gov%2F111%2Fplaws%2Fpubl13%2FPLAW-111publ13.pdf&data=04%7C01%7CJBastressTahmasebi%40cns.gov%7C7ed5931d00304e055d1608d915b16791%7Cd2f850a78dce4fb3a79c6867f9514312%7C0%7C0%7C637564673950718968%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=6UfsjA6vDcetlJjIQWf72Y3RRiF3DRscA0jmrOAjUWw%3D&reserved=0

B.3. Period of Performance AmeriCorps anticipates making three-year grants. The agency generally makes an initial award for the first year of the period of performance, based on a one-year budget. Continuation awards for subsequent years are not guaranteed; they depend upon availability of appropriations and satisfactory performance.

The project start date may not occur prior to the date AmeriCorps 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.

B.4. Type of Award AmeriCorps Operating Grants: The agency may award a Cost Reimbursement or a Fixed Amount grant to any successful applicant, but the availability of a Full-Cost Fixed Amount grant is limited to certain applicants. Professional Corps are not eligible to apply for Cost Reimbursement grants. See the C.1.Eligible Applicants section and the Mandatory Supplemental Information for more information. AmeriCorps will not provide both types of grants for the same project in one fiscal year.

AmeriCorps Planning Grants: The agency is seeking applications for planning grants that will be used to develop national service models. Planning grants are only available as a Cost Reimbursement grant.

Grant Types Cost Reimbursement Fixed Amount

Available Subtypes

Traditional Planning Grant

Full-Cost Education Award

Program

(EAP)

Professional Corps See Sec. D.6.a.2 for further requirements

No Cost Slots

Maximum Cost per MSY

$18,000 N/A $18,000 $800 or $1,000*

$1,000 $0

Type of Slots in the National Service Trust

Full-Time, Three Quarter-

Time, Half-time, Reduced Half- Time, Quarter-

Time, Minimum-Time, Abbreviated- Time

N/A Full-Time, Three Quarter-Time, Half- Time, Reduced Half- Time, Quarter-Time, Minimum-Time, Abbreviated-Time

Full-Time, Three

Quarter-Time, Half-Time, Reduced

Half-Time, Quarter-

Time, Minimum-

Time, Abbreviated-

Time

Full-Time only Full-Time, Three

Quarter- Time, Half-

Time, Reduced

Half-Time, Quarter-

Time, Minimum-

Time, Abbreviated-

Time

Budget Submission Required

Yes No Yes, if requesting operating funds

No

Availability of Funds linked to enrollment and retention of awarded MSYs

No Yes No

Special Requirements

N/A N/A Must place qualified professionals in communities with an inadequate number of such professionals.

Member salaries and benefits must be paid entirely by organization where member serves and not included in budget.

N/A

Financial Reporting Requirements

Yes No

Available to new Applicants

Yes No Yes

*Per 42 U.S.C. § 12581a, AmeriCorps may provide the operational support under this section for a program in an amount that is not more than $800 per individual enrolled in an approved national service position, or not more than $1,000 per such individual if at least 50 percent of the persons enrolled in the program are disadvantaged youth.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1. Eligible Applicants The following non-federal entities (all of which are defined in 2 CFR 200.1) are eligible to apply:

• Indian Tribes

In addition to Indian Tribes as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, Tribal organizations that are controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by federally recognized Indian Tribes are also eligible to apply. If an entity applies for an award as a tribal organization that is controlled or chartered by one or more Indian Tribes, the organization must provide copies of, or links to, documentation which https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecfr.gov%2Fcgi-bin%2Ftext-idx%3FSID%3D7122962885b48d729142e857315838fe%26mc%3Dtrue%26node%3Dse2.1.200_11%26rgn%3Ddiv8&data=04%7C01%7CJBastressTahmasebi%40cns.gov%7C7ed5931d00304e055d1608d915b16791%7Cd2f850a78dce4fb3a79c6867f9514312%7C0%7C0%7C637564673950728931%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=L0Clt3cUo73KvbikVo38YPwSpS7k8nDXM3PGJvuJlt0%3D&reserved=0 demonstrates that the organization is controlled or chartered by a federally recognized Indian tribe. If an entity applies as an organization sanctioned by a federally recognized Tribe, or multiple specific federally recognized Tribes, it must submit a sanctioning resolution, adopted by the Tribal Council (or comparable tribal governing body) of each Indian Tribe. The resolution(s) must identify the entity applying for an AmeriCorps award by name as a Tribal organization that is sanctioned by the Indian Tribe(s) for the purpose of applying for AmeriCorps funding (or federal grant funds generally).

Entities must have a valid SAM registration and DUNS to receive an award. See Section D.3.

Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) for more information.

New Applicants AmeriCorps encourages organizations that have not received prior funding from the agency to apply. The general practice is to award no more than 50 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) grant but are not eligible to apply for Full-Cost Fixed Amount grants.

Threshold Issues Applications should reflect that they meet the following threshold requirements for the grant type for which they are applying.

• Professional Corps applicants and/or applicants determined to be a Professional Corps by

AmeriCorps must demonstrate that the community in which it will place AmeriCorps members serving as professionals has an inadequate number of said professionals.

• 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.

C.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Fixed Amount Grants There is no match requirement for Fixed Amount grants. AmeriCorps does not provide all the funds necessary to operate the program, therefore organizations should raise the additional revenue required to operate the program.

Cost Reimbursement Grants Applicants are required to match funds based on the chart below. The applicant’s match can be non-AmeriCorps cash and/or in-kind contributions. Applicants must indicate whether the match is proposed or secured. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to meet the match requirement at the time of application submission. However, in December 2020, AmeriCorps issued a match waiver on FY 2021 AmeriCorps State and National awards. Applicants who wish to take advantage of this waiver do not need to submit additional requests to have the match waived.

While match does not have to be included in the proposed applications’ budgets, it is encouraged, when applicable, to represent full support of the program.

See Section D.6. Funding Restrictions for more information.

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 and below.

AmeriCorps Funding Year

1, 2, 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+

Grantee Share Requirements

24% 26% 30% 34% 38% 42% 46% 50%

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 the agency 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 Mandatory Supplemental Information) 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 who plan to request an alternative match schedule must submit a request at the time the application is submitted. Tribes will submit requests to directly to ACAlternateMatchRequests@cns.gov.

C.3. Other Eligibility Requirements Under Section 132A(b) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, organizations that have been convicted of a federal crime may not receive assistance described in this Notice.

Applications that propose to engage in activities that are prohibited under AmeriCorps’ statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of its awards are not eligible to receive AmeriCorps funding.

Note that under appropriations provisions annually enacted by Congress, if the agency is aware that any corporation has any unpaid federal tax liability—

• that has been assessed

• for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed

• that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability— that corporation is not eligible for an award under this Notice. However, this exclusion will not apply to a corporation which a federal agency has considered for suspension or debarment and has made a determination that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of the federal government.

mailto:ACAlternateMatchRequests@cns.gov

Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization described in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(4) that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to apply for AmeriCorps funding.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

This Notice should be read together with the AmeriCorps Regulations, 45 CFR 2520–2550, the Mandatory Supplemental Information, Application Instructions, and Performance Measure Instructions which are incorporated by reference. These documents can be found on http://www.americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities. The full Regulations are available online at www.ecfr.gov.

D.1. Address to Request an Application Package All information associated with this funding opportunity is available through the AmeriCorps Funding Opportunities webpages. Applicants should refer to AmeriCorps Funding Opportunities for more information and instructions on how to fully respond to this Notice. Applicants can also send an email to americorpsgrants@cns.gov or call (202) 606-7508 for a printed copy of the application materials. The agency also offers live text chat at https://www.americorps.gov/contact.

D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D.2.a. Application Content In the agency’s web-based management system, applicants will enter the following components of a complete application:

• Standard Form 424 (SF-424) Face Sheet: This is automatically generated when applicants complete the data elements in the system

• Narratives:

• Executive Summary: This is a brief description of the proposed program.

• Program Design

• Organizational Capability

• Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy

• Evaluation Plan (if applicable)

• Logic Model

• Standard Form 424A Budget

• Performance Measures

• Authorization, Assurances, and Certification

(https://espan.cns.gov/cnsmisc/ECERTS.HTM, and https://espan.cns.gov/cnsmisc/EASSUR.HTM).

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopici03.pdf https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopici03.pdf http://www.americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities http://www.ecfr.gov/ https://americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities https://www.americorps.gov/contact https://espan.cns.gov/cnsmisc/ECERTS.HTM https://espan.cns.gov/cnsmisc/EASSUR.HTM

D.2.b. Page Limits There are page limits for the Narratives and Logic Model.

Narratives Applications must not exceed 10 double-spaced pages for the Narratives. Planning grants may not exceed more than seven pages.

The application sections that count towards the page limit are the:

• SF-424 Face Sheet

• Executive Summary

• Program Design, Organizational Capability, and Cost-Effectiveness & Budget Adequacy narratives.

The application page limit does not include the Budget, Performance Measures, or any required additional documents.

Logic Model The Logic Model may not exceed three pages when printed with the application from the “Review” tab in the agency’s web-based management system.

Both Narratives and Logic Model Please note that the length of the application as a word processing document may differ from the length of the document printed out from eGrants. The character limits in eGrants do not align with page limits set in the Notice. AmeriCorps strongly encourages applicants to print out the application from the “Review and Submit” tab in eGrants prior to submission in order to confirm that the application does not exceed the page limit.

AmeriCorps will not consider the results of any alternative printing methods when determining if an application complies with the page limit. Reviewers will also not consider material that is over the page limit, even if eGrants allows applicants to enter and submit additional text.

D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) All applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete. If an applicant is awarded a grant, it must maintain an active SAM registration throughout the life of the award. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

https://sam.gov/SAM/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf.

SAM registration must be renewed annually. AmeriCorps suggests that applicants finalize a new registration or renew an existing one at least three weeks before the application deadline, to allow time to resolve any issues that may arise. Applicants must use their SAM-registered legal name and address on all grant applications to AmeriCorps.

The agency will not make awards to entities that do not have a valid SAM registration and DUNS. If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time AmeriCorps is ready to make a Federal award, the agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://sam.gov/SAM/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

Applications must include an Employer Identification Number.

The Federal government is implementing Unique Entity Identifiers (UEI) as part of the SAM registration process to eventually replace DUNS numbers. AmeriCorps may ask applicants to add the UEI to their application as part of the clarification or pre-award process. The agency is adding a field to capture the UEI in eGrants. If you already have a UEI and the UEI field is available in eGrants, you can enter it at the time you submit your application.

Applicants can obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the DUNS number request line at

(866) 705-5711 or by applying online at the DUNS Request Service. AmeriCorps recommends registering at least 30 days before the application due date.

D.4. Submission Dates and Times

D.4.a. Application Submission Deadline Applications are due Friday, July 23, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

AmeriCorps will not consider applications submitted after the deadline, except as noted in Section D.4.c. Late Applications. The agency reserves the right to extend the submission deadline. AmeriCorps will post a notification in the event of an extended deadline on the agency’s website.

D.4.b. Additional Documents Deadline Additional documents are due by the application submission deadline. See Sections D.4.a.

Application Submission Deadline and D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents for more information.

D.4.c. Late Applications All applications received after the submission deadline published in this Notice are presumed to be non-compliant. To overcome this presumption, the applicant must:

• submit a written explanation or justification of the extenuating circumstance(s) that caused the delay, including:

the timing and specific cause(s) of the delay the ticket number if a request for assistance was submitted to the National Service

Hotline any information provided to the applicant by the National Service Hotline any other documentation or evidence that supports the justification

• ensure that AmeriCorps receives the written explanation or justification and any other evidence that substantiates the claimed extenuating circumstance(s), via email to LateApplications@cns.gov no later than Monday, July 26, 2021 at 5:00pm ET.

Communication with agency staff, including an applicant’s portfolio manager, is not a substitute for a written explanation or justification of the extenuating circumstance that caused the delay as https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform mailto:LateApplications@cns.gov outlined above. Applicants are required to continue working in eGrants, the agency’s web-based application system and with the National Service Hotline to submit the application. AmeriCorps will determine whether or not to accept a late application on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants that do not meet the application submission deadline, and do not submit a written explanation or justification or any other evidence to overcome the presumption of non-compliance within the published timeframe, will be deemed noncompliant. If AmeriCorps sustains a noncompliant determination the application will not be reviewed or selected for award.

Please note: AmeriCorps will not consider an advance request to submit a late application.

Please carefully review and follow the guidance in this section and submit your application as soon as possible.

D.5. Intergovernmental Review This Notice is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

D.6. Funding Restrictions D.6.a. Award Funding Requirements

1. Member Living Allowance A living allowance is not considered a salary or a wage. Programs are not required to provide a living allowance for members serving in less than full-time terms of service. If a program chooses to provide a living allowance to a less than full-time member, it must comply with the maximum limits in the table below. For Cost Reimbursement grants, the amount must be included in the proposed budget as either AmeriCorps or grantee share. Exceptions are noted below.

While Fixed Amount grant applicants are not required to submit detailed budgets, they are still required to provide a living allowance to members that complies with the minimum and maximum requirements. Exceptions are noted below. Fixed Amount grant applicants are not required to indicate that amount in the application and should request those positions as “without living allowance” in the budget.

Table: Minimum and Maximum Living Allowance

Service Term Minimum # of

Hours

Minimum Living

Allowance

Maximum Total Living Allowance

Full-time 1,700 $16,000 $32,000 Three Quarter-time 1,200 n/a $22,588 Half-time 900 n/a $16,941 Reduced Half-time 675 n/a $12,706 Quarter-time 450 n/a $8,471 Minimum-time 300 n/a $5,647 Abbreviated-time 100 n/a $1,882 https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp

Exceptions to the Living Allowance Requirements

a. Programs existing prior to September 21, 1993 are not required to offer a living allowance. If an applicant chooses to offer a living allowance, it is exempt from the minimum requirement, but not the maximum requirement.

b. EAP Grantees are not required to provide a living allowance, but if a living allowance is provided, it must comply with the maximum requirements set forth in the Living Allowance Table above.

c. Professional Corps Grantees must provide members a living allowance or salary, which must meet the minimum, but may exceed the maximum living allowance set in the Living Allowance Table above. Professional Corps member salaries and benefits including childcare are paid entirely by the organizations with which the members serve; and are not included in the budget request to AmeriCorps (federal or matching share).

2. Maximum Cost per Member Service Year (MSY) The AmeriCorps State and National cost per MSY is determined by dividing the AmeriCorps share of budgeted grant costs by the number of MSYs requested. It does not include childcare or the value of the education award a member may earn. The maximum amount an applicant may request from AmeriCorps State and National per MSY is determined on an annual basis.

Table: Maximum Cost per MSY Grant Program Maximum

Indian Tribes (cost reimbursement) $18,000 Professional Corps Fixed Amount Applicants/Grantees $1,000** Education Award Program Fixed Amount Grant $800 or

$1,000*** Full-cost Fixed Amount Grant $18,000

**AmeriCorps requires Professional Corps programs to cover the operating expenses associated with the AmeriCorps program through non AmeriCorps resources. The agency will only consider operating funds of up to $1,000 per MSY if an applicant is able to demonstrate significant organizational financial need.

*** Per 42 U.S.C. 12581a, the AmeriCorps may provide the operational support under this section for a program in an amount that is not more than $800 per individual enrolled in an approved national service position, or not more than $1,000 per such individual if at least 50 percent of the persons enrolled in the program are disadvantaged youth.

For purposes of fundamental fairness, AmeriCorps may review an application which meets the statutory characteristics of a professional corps as a professional corps, regardless of whether the organization applied as a professional corps program. The agency reserves the right to determine whether an applicant (whether or not the applicant has applied as a Professional Corps) has sufficiently demonstrated that they cannot effectively operate an AmeriCorps program without receiving AmeriCorps operating funds. There may be specific circumstances where the agency determines that a legal applicant has not demonstrated the need for operational grant funds due to other funding resources. Where the agency’s due diligence review of an application shows that the applicant has a historically high level of support from non-AmeriCorps sources, and as a result has levels of unrestricted funding that is in excess of the requested level of AmeriCorps funding, the agency may choose to not provide operational grant funding.

3. Segal AmeriCorps Education Award AmeriCorps members who successfully complete a term of service will be eligible for an Education Award from the National Service Trust. The amount of the Education Award is linked to the value of the Pell Grant. A member has up to seven years after his or her term of service to use the Education Award. The agency will provide the updated Education Award amounts at the time of grant award.

4. Cost Sharing or Matching

a. Please see Section C. Eligibility Information 3. Cost Sharing or Matching earlier in the Notice.

D.6.b. Indirect Costs Application budgets may include indirect costs. Based on qualifying factors, applicants may either use a federally-approved indirect cost rate, a 10 percent de minimis rate of modified total direct costs, or may claim certain costs directly, as outlined in 2 CFR 200.413. States, local governments, and Indian Tribes may use previously-approved indirect cost allocation plans. All methods must be applied consistently across all federal awards. Applicants that have a federal negotiated indirect cost rate or that will be using the 10 percent de minimis rate must enter that information in the Organization section in eGrants. However, under section 121(d) of the NCSA and the agency’s regulations at 45 CFR 2521.95 and 2540.110, no more than five percent of award funds may be used to recover indirect costs on AmeriCorps State and National grants.

The instructions for how to enter the organization’s indirect cost rate are located here: eGrants Indirect Cost Rate User Instructions. Applicants should not submit documentation addressing the indirect cost rate agreement via email.

Please note: To request a Federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, when AmeriCorps is the applicable cognizant agency for an organization’s indirect costs, the applicant must submit a request to IndirectCostRate@cns.gov. The applicant may also obtain instructions and additional information by contacting the email address above.

D.6.c. Pre-Award Costs Pre-award costs, where authorized, are allowed after receiving written approval from the Office of Grant Administration.

D.7. Other Submission Requirements D.7.a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants Applicants must submit applications electronically via eGrants, the agency’s web-based application system. AmeriCorps recommends that applicants create an eGrants account and begin the application at least three weeks before the deadline. Applicants should draft the application as a Word document, then copy and paste the text into the appropriate eGrants field no later than 10 days before the deadline.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=74a79d9a3a38ee2ca26d377daeacebb7&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1413&rgn=div8 https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/eGrants%20Indirect%20Cost%20Rate%20Instructions%20FINAL.docx mailto:IndirectCostRate@cns.gov

The applicant’s authorized representative must be the person who submits the application. The authorized representative must use his or her own eGrants account to sign and submit the application. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for this official representative to sign must be on file in the applicant’s office.

Applicants should contact the AmeriCorps Hotline at (800) 942-2677 or via eGrants Questions if they have a problem when they create an account, prepare, or submit the application.

AmeriCorps Hotline hours are posted at https://questions.americorps.gov/app/ask.

Be prepared to provide the application ID, organization’s name, and the competition to which the organization is applying. If the issue cannot be resolved by the deadline, applicants must continue working with the AmeriCorps Hotline to submit via eGrants.

If circumstances make it impossible for an applicant to submit in eGrants, applicants may send a paper copy of the application via overnight carrier below. Applicants must include a written explanation and any other documentation or evidence that support their inability to submit their application electronically.

AmeriCorps ATTN: Office of Grant Administration (OGA)/FY21 AmeriCorps State & National Tribal Grants 250 E Street, SW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20525

Please use a non-U.S. Postal Service carrier to avoid security-related delays. All deadlines and requirements in this Notice also apply to paper applications. The agency does not accept applications submitted via fax or email.

D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents Applicants are required to submit the following additional documents by the application submission deadline:

All applicants

• Evaluation briefs, reports, studies. Please refer to the Evidence Base section and Mandatory

Supplemental Information for detailed instructions by evidence tier. If multiple evaluation briefs/reports/studies are submitted by the applicant, the most recent (as measured by the date of completion or publication) will be reviewed first, and any documents submitted beyond the allowable number will not be reviewed.

• All applicants regardless of funding level are required to submit an Operational and Financial Management Survey (OFMS) located at:

https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/OFMS-Control-Number- 3045_0102_FY20%20%282%29.docx . Please submit the OFMS as a Word document.

Forms submitted as a PDF or any other document format may not be accepted.

• Labor union concurrence (if applicable) https://questions.americorps.gov/app/ask https://questions.americorps.gov/app/ask https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Famericorps.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdocument%2FOFMS-Control-Number-3045_0102_FY20%2520%25282%2529.docx&data=04%7C01%7CJBastressTahmasebi%40cns.gov%7C7ed5931d00304e055d1608d915b16791%7Cd2f850a78dce4fb3a79c6867f9514312%7C0%7C0%7C637564673950728931%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Lf9tx8r60zU3UBf0aYooKe2NiKRuUCDs7efo%2BZukt2M%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Famericorps.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdocument%2FOFMS-Control-Number-3045_0102_FY20%2520%25282%2529.docx&data=04%7C01%7CJBastressTahmasebi%40cns.gov%7C7ed5931d00304e055d1608d915b16791%7Cd2f850a78dce4fb3a79c6867f9514312%7C0%7C0%7C637564673950728931%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Lf9tx8r60zU3UBf0aYooKe2NiKRuUCDs7efo%2BZukt2M%3D&reserved=0

Recompeting applications

• Evaluation report, if required. Please submit in Word. The evaluation report should include a title page with the AmeriCorps grant ID for the project that was evaluated, the name of the project, and the date of completion of the report. If any of this required information is missing, the applicant may not receive credit for meeting their evaluation requirements.

Please see the Evidence Tiers definitions in the Mandatory Supplemental Information and Section E. Evaluation Plan for further information.

Entities applying on behalf of a Federally Recognized Tribe (New and recompeting)

• Tribal organization eligibility documentation. (See Section C.1. Eligible Applicants section.)

Failure to submit the required additional documents by the deadline may have a negative effect on the assessment of your application and/or on the determination of the application’s eligibility to advance for review.

Additional documents must be emailed to AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov with the following subject line: “Legal Applicant Name” – “Application ID Number.” Emails should include:

• the legal applicant name and its point of contact information

• the application ID number

• a list of documents that are attached to the email

• individually attached files that are clearly labeled, and that include the legal applicant name and application ID number within the heading of each document. To ensure that all required additional documents are received, please provide each document as an individual file. Please do not send all documents as one scanned file.

• If the size of an applicant’s files requires multiple emails, please also include an ordering system in the subject line, such as “(1 of 3).”

Do not submit any items that are not requested in this Notice and Guidance. The agency will not review or return them.

AmeriCorps will assess an applicant’s strategic considerations. Applicants must check the relevant boxes in the Program Information tab in the agency’s web-based management system in order to be considered for the agency’s assessment of the strategic considerations (see Selection for Funding section.) Applicants should only check the boxes if the strategic consideration is a significant and intentional part of their program design and if implementation strategies are described in the application.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1. Review Criteria Each applicant must describe a project that will deploy AmeriCorps members effectively to solve a significant community problem. AmeriCorps 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.

mailto:AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov

Categories/Subcategories Percentage Executive Summary 0 Program Design 50 Theory of Change and Logic Model 24 Evidence Tier 12 Evidence Quality 8 Notice Priority 0 Member Experience 6 Organizational Capability 25 Organizational Background and Staffing 9 Compliance and Accountability 8 Culture That Values Learning 4 Member Supervision 4 Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 25

E.1.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 [service activities 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 [number of leveraged volunteers, if applicable] who will be engaged in [what the leveraged volunteers will be doing.]

This program will focus on the AmeriCorps focus area(s) of [Focus Area(s)].* The AmeriCorps 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 an AmeriCorps focus area, omit this sentence.

Fixed-Amount grant applicants (EAP, Full-Cost Fixed, No Cost Slots) should list their Other Revenue (see Mandatory Supplemental Information) because they are not required to provide a specific amount of match, but still raise significant additional resources to operate the program.

E.1.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.

1. Theory of Change and Logic Model (24 points) The Theory of Change shall address:

• The proposed intervention is responsive to the identified community problem.

• The applicant’s proposed intervention is clearly articulated including the design, dosage, 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 expected outcomes articulated in the application narrative and logic model represent meaningful progress in addressing the community problem identified by the applicant.

• The rationale for utilizing AmeriCorps members to deliver the intervention(s) is reasonable.

• The service role of AmeriCorps members will produce significant contributions to existing efforts to address the stated problem.

The Logic Model shall depict:

• A summary of the community problem.

• The inputs or resources that are necessary to deliver the intervention, including but not limited to:

• Locations or sites in which members will provide services

• Number of AmeriCorps members who will deliver the intervention

• The core activities that define the intervention or program model that members will implement or deliver, including:

• 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, types and number of activities conducted). If applicable, 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. If applicable, identify which National Performance Measures will be used as outcome indicators.

Note: The logic model is a visual representation of the applicant’s Theory of Change. Programs should include short, medium or long-term outcomes in the logic model. Applicants are not required to measure all components of their Theory of Change. The applicant’s performance measures should be consistent with the program’s Theory of Change and should represent significant program activities.

In the application narrative, applicants should discuss their rationale for setting output and outcome targets for their performance measures.

Rationales and justifications should be informed by the organization’s performance data (e.g., program data observed over time that suggests targets are reasonable), relevant research (e.g.

targets documented by organizations running similar programs with similar populations), or prior program evaluation findings.

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

2. Evidence Base (20 points) The assessment of an applicant’s evidence base has two parts. First, the applicant will be assigned to an evidence tier (see the Mandatory Supplemental Information.) Second, the quality of the applicant’s evidence and the degree to which it supports the proposed program design will be assessed and scored.

Evidence Tier (12 points):

An evidence tier will be assessed for each applicant for the purpose of understanding the relative strength of each applicant’s evidence base and the likelihood that the proposed intervention will lead to outcomes identified in the logic model.

In 2020, the evidence tiers of successful AmeriCorps State and National applicants that were competing were as follows: Strong 26%, Moderate 18%, Preliminary 24%, and Pre-Preliminary 32%. As these figures indicate, AmeriCorps values and funds programs at all points along the evidence continuum and expects programs to progress along the evidence continuum over time.

Thus, do not be deterred from applying for funding due to your current evidence level.

Applicants who have outcome or impact evaluation reports of the same intervention described in the application (see Mandatory Supplemental Intervention for a definition of “same intervention”) may submit up to 2 of those reports, plus (if applicable) the evaluation report from their last three-year grant cycle, to qualify for the Preliminary, Moderate, or Strong evidence tier.

In order to qualify for consideration, the intervention evaluated in the submitted report(s) must match the intervention proposed by the applicant in the following areas, all of which must be clearly described in the Program Design and Logic Model sections of the application:

• Characteristics of the beneficiary population

• Characteristics of the population delivering the intervention

• Dosage (frequency, duration) and design of the intervention, including all key components and activities

• The context in which the intervention is delivered

• Outcomes of the intervention

Submitted reports that do not sufficiently match the intervention proposed by the applicant in all of these areas will not be considered applicable and will not be reviewed or receive any points.

Submission of additional documents that are not consistent with the guidance and requirements described in the Notice (e.g., advocacy pieces, policy briefs, other narratives that are not research studies or program evaluations) will not be reviewed.

In the Evidence Tier section of the application narrative, applicants must (1) summarize the study design and key findings of any outcome or impact evaluation report(s) submitted and (2) describe any other evidence that supports their program, including past performance measure data and/or other research studies that inform their program design. Applicants who submit evaluation reports for consideration must also describe in the Evidence Base section of the application narrative how the intervention described in the submitted reports is the same as the intervention described in the application (see Mandatory Supplemental Information).

Applicants should provide citations for the studies they describe, if applicable; however, reviewers will not review any documents external to the application other than evaluation report(s) submitted in accordance with the Notice instructions.

Applicants must meet all requirements of an evidence tier in order to be considered for that tier.

If the evaluation reports submitted by the applicant do not meet the definitions in the Mandatory Supplemental Information, the applicant may be considered for a lower evidence tier.

Evidence Quality (8 points) After the applicant’s evidence tier has been assessed, the quality of the applicant’s evidence and the extent to which it supports the proposed program design will be assessed and scored.

For applicants who are assessed as being in the Preliminary, Moderate, or Strong evidence tiers, reviewers will score the submitted evaluation reports using the following standards:

• The submitted reports are of satisfactory methodological quality and rigor for the type of evaluation conducted (e.g., adequate sample size and statistical power, internal and/or external validity, appropriate use of control or comparison groups, etc.);

• The submitted reports describe evaluations that were conducted relatively recently, preferably within the last six years;

• The submitted reports show a meaningful and significant positive effect on program beneficiaries in at least one key outcome of interest.

For applicants who are assessed as being in the Pre-Preliminary evidence tier, reviewers will score the narrative provided in the Evidence Base section of the application using the following standards:

• The applicant uses relevant evidence, including past performance measure data and/or cited research studies, to inform their proposed program design;

• The described evidence is relatively recent, preferably from the last six years;

• The evidence described by the applicant indicates a meaningful positive effect on program beneficiaries in at least one key outcome of interest.

All applicants, including new grantees, are required to provide additional information in the Evaluation Summary or Plan field of the application (See Section E. Evaluation Plan); however, information provided in the Evaluation Summary or Plan field will not be scored and will not be reviewed until after funding decisions have been made.

3. Notice Priority (0 points)

• The applicant proposed program fits within one or more of the AmeriCorps funding priorities as outlined in the Funding Priorities section and more fully described in the Mandatory Supplemental Information and the proposed program meets all of the requirements detailed in the Funding Priorities section and in the Mandatory Supplemental Information.

4. Member Experience (6 points)

• AmeriCorps members will gain skills 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.

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

• The applicant will foster an inclusive service culture where different backgrounds, talents, and capabilities are welcomed and leveraged for learning and effective service delivery.

E.1.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 (9 points)

• The organization details the roles, responsibilities, and structure of the staff that will be implementing the AmeriCorps program as well as providing oversight and monitoring for the program.

2. Compliance and Accountability (8 points)

• The organization has a monitoring and oversight plan to prevent and detect non-compliance and enforce compliance with AmeriCorps rules and regulations including those related to prohibited and unallowable activities and criminal history checks at the grantee, subgrantee (if applicable), and service site locations.

• The AmeriCorps-required evaluation report meets AmeriCorps requirements (if applicable).

• The AmeriCorps-required evaluation report is of satisfactory quality (if applicable).

3. Culture that Values Learning (4 points)

• The applicant's board, management, and staff collect and use information, including performance data, for learning and decision making.

4. Member Supervision (4 points)

• AmeriCorps members will receive sufficient guidance and support from their supervisor to provide effective service.

• AmeriCorps supervisors will be adequately trained/prepared to…