FY 2024 ASN Native Nations Operating NOFO Final.pdf

NOTICE of FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Agency Name: AmeriCorps Funding Opportunity Title: Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 AmeriCorps State and National

Native Nation Grants Announcement Type: Initial Announcement Assistance Listing Number: 94.006

Summary Statement: This is an opportunity for Indian Tribes to apply for funding for AmeriCorps members to strengthen communities by serving.

Disclosure: Publication of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (Notice) does not obligate 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 not later than Friday, April 5, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

• Successful applicants will be notified by end of May 2024.

• Successful applicants will be issued awards by end of July 2024.

Table of Contents

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

o A.1. Purpose of AmeriCorps State and National Native Nation Funding o A.2. Funding Priorities o A.3. Performance Goals or Expected Outcomes o A.4. Program Authority

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

o B.1. Estimated Available Funds o B.2. Estimated Award Amount o B.3. Period of Performance o B.4. Type of Award

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

o C.1. Eligible Applicants Types of Applicants Types of Applicants Threshold Issues o C.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Reimbursement Grants Match Waiver Alternative Match o C.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

o D.1. Address to Request an Application Package o D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D.2.a. Application Content D.2.b. Page Limits o D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) o D.4. Submission Dates and Times

D.4.a. Application Submission Deadline D.4.b. Additional Documents Deadline D.4.c. Late Applications o D.5. Intergovernmental Review o D.6. Funding Restrictions

D.6.a. Award Funding Requirements D.6.b. Indirect Costs D.6.c. Pre-Award Costs o D.7. Other Submission Requirements D.7.a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

o E.1. Selection Criteria E.1.a. Executive Summary (0 percent):

E.1.b. Program Design (50 percent):

E.1.c. Organizational Capability (25 percent):

E.1.d. Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (25 percent):

E.1.e. Evaluation Plan (Required for recompeting applicants - 0 percent):

E.1.f. Amendment Justification (0 percent):

E.1.g. Clarification Information (0 percent):

E.1.h. Continuation Changes (0 percent):

o E.2. Review and Selection Process E.2.a. Initial Application Compliance and Eligibility Review E.2.b. Application Review E.2.c. Pre-Award Risk Assessment E.2.d. Consideration of Integrity and Performance System Information E.2.e. Selection for Funding E.2.f. Applicant Resolution o E.3. Feedback to Applicants o E.4. Transparency in Grantmaking

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

o F.1. Federal Award Notices o F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F.2.a. Uniform Guidance F.2.b. Requests for Monitoring or Payment Integrity Information F.2.c. AmeriCorps Terms and Conditions F.2.d. National Service Criminal History Check Requirements F.2.e. Official Guidance o F.3. Use of Material o F.4. Reporting o F.5. Continuation Funding Information and Requirements

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

H. OTHER INFORMATION

o H.1. Technical Assistance o H.2. Re-Focusing of Funding

I. IMPORTANT NOTICES

APPENDIX I – AMERICORPS FOCUS AREAS

o AmeriCorps Focus Areas

FULL TEXT OF THE NOTICE

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.1. Purpose of AmeriCorps State and National Native Nation Funding

AmeriCorps is committed to working on a Nation-to-Nation basis with Tribal Nations and upholding the federal government’s Tribal trust responsibility.

AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture.

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations (Use 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 that they can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.

Please use the AmeriCorps Focus Areas in Appendix I.

A.2. Funding Priorities AmeriCorps released its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan which defines the agency’s goals and objectives to advance the agency’s mission to improve lives and strengthen communities.

AmeriCorps will execute the following goals to better position the agency to respond to national and local needs and help the communities it serves prosper:

1. Partner with communities to alleviate poverty and advance racial equity

2. Enhance the experience for AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers

3. Unite Americans by bringing them together in service

4. Effectively steward federal resources

5. Make AmeriCorps one of the best and most equitable places to work in the federal government

AmeriCorps will invest in existing and new partnerships with non-profit, faith-based, and Tribal organizations, and State Service Commissions, to get things done for America. The agency will prioritize investment in the most critical issues of our time — public health, climate and the environment, and education and economic opportunity — within AmeriCorps’ Focus Areas (Appendix 1) and will increase its efforts to ensure AmeriCorps members, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers, and community-based volunteers reflect the communities where they https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/segal-americorps-education-award https://americorps.gov/about/agency-overview/strategic-plan serve. We will target our investments toward communities where the need is greatest, particularly those with populations that face racial inequality and poverty. These steps will enable more Americans than ever to strengthen the communities that need it most across the nation through their service.

AmeriCorps’ priorities for this funding opportunity are:

• Programs that prioritize civic engagement/social cohesion, and youth mental health.

• Environmental stewardship and climate change including renewable energy and energy efficiency, building community resilience, sustainable food systems and agriculture, water/wastewater; conservation and habitat preservation; Indigenous environmental practices; Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Indigenous food sovereignty (seed saving, foraging, etc.)

• Education – improving student academic performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), serving students who attend Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Indigenous Teacher Preparation, and GED support programs.

• Economic Opportunity - including digital skills and increased access to broadband;

infrastructure/transportation assistance; financial readiness; training and access to financial resources for home buying; or college; and college access program.

• Healthy futures - providing services to historically underserved individuals both on and off reservation lands, including but not limited to people with disabilities, people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with arrest and/or conviction records

• Veterans and Military Families, Caregivers, and Survivors – a program model that improves the quality of life of veterans and improves the well-being of military families, caregivers, and survivors,

• Programs that provide additional benefits to AmeriCorps members aimed at enhancing member experience and bolstering member recruitment and retention such as paying more than the minimum living allowance, transportation, housing, food, etc.,

• Programs that create workforce pathways for AmeriCorps members, including deliberate training, certifications, and hiring preferences or support, and

• Programs promoting the preservation and teaching of traditional Native languages and cultural practices.

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 AmeriCorps expects applicants to use National Performance Measures as part of a comprehensive performance measurement strategy that relies on both performance and evaluation data to learn from their work and make tactical and strategic adjustments to achieve their goals.

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. For more information, please refer to the National Performance Measure Instructions.

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 AmeriCorps welcomes Native Nation applications. AmeriCorps reserves the right to prioritize providing funding to existing awards over making new awards. The actual level of funding is subject to the availability of annual appropriations.

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

B.3. Period of Performance AmeriCorps anticipates making three-year grant awards. AmeriCorps generally makes an initial award for the first year of the period of performance, based on a one-year budget.

Applicants must submit a one-year budget. Applicants may propose any program start date that aligns with their program design. The period of performance may not be before July 1, 2024. Continuation awards for subsequent years are not guaranteed; they depend upon availability of future appropriations and satisfactory performance. For fully funded awards (those who have received more than one year of funding), those funds are guaranteed.

No applicants should plan to start their AmeriCorps program prior to August 15, 2024.

B.4. Type of Award Award recipients will be assigned to an AmeriCorps Portfolio Manager, who will be responsible for assessing recipient performance, providing training and technical assistance, and serving as the agency’s primary point of contact.

AmeriCorps may award Operating Grants, including 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 applicants are ineligible to receive for Cost Reimbursement grants. Use the C.1. Eligible Applicants section and the Mandatory Supplemental Information for more information, including definitions of terminology. AmeriCorps will not provide both types of grants for the same project in one fiscal year.

https://americorps.gov/funding-opportunity/fy-2024-americorps-state-national-grants https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/%40%20National%20and%20Community%20Service%20Act%20of%201990%20%28as%20amended%20through%20PL%20111-13%29.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2010-title42/html/USCODE-2010-title42-chap129.htm

Grant Types Cost

Reimbursement Fixed Amount

Available Subtypes

Traditional Full-Cost

Education Award

Program

(EAP)

Professional Corps

Use MSI for further requirements)

No Cost Slots

Maximum Cost per MSY*

$25,000 $25,000 $800 or

$1,000** $1,000 $0

Type of Slots in the National Service Trust***

FT, TQT, HT,

RHT, QT, MT,

AT

FT, TQT, HT,

RHT, QT, MT,

AT

FT, TQT,

HT, RHT,

QT, MT,

AT

FT Only

FT,

TQT,

HT,

RHT,

QT,

MT, AT

Budget Submission Required

Yes No No 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

# of such professionals.

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

N/A

Financial Reporting Requirements

Yes No

Available to New Applicants

Yes No Yes

* Member Service Year (MSY): One Member Service Year (MSY) is equivalent to a full-time AmeriCorps position (at least 1,700 service hours.)

** Per 42 U.S.C. § 12581a, the Corporation 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.

***FT = Full Time, TQT = Three Quarter Time, HT = Half Time, RHT = Reduced Half Time, QT = Quarter Time, MT = Minimum Time, AT = Abbreviated Time

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1. Eligible Applicants The following non-Federal entities (as defined in 2 CFR 200.1) are eligible to apply:

• Indian Tribes

Applicants must have a valid SAM registration and Unique Entity Identifier to receive an award. Use 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 AmeriCorps to apply.

New applicants are eligible to apply for Cost Reimbursement and Education Award Program (EAP) grants but are not eligible to apply for Full Cost Fixed Amount grants.

Types of Applicants Types of Applicants

1. Federally recognized Indian Tribes: Applicants that are Indian Tribes apply directly to AmeriCorps.

2. In addition to Indian Tribes as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, tribal organizations that are controlled, authorized, 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 or links to documentation which demonstrates that the organization is controlled or chartered by a federally recognized Indian Tribe. If an entity applies as an organization authorized by a federally recognized tribe, or multiple specific federally recognized tribes, it must submit a resolution or other authorization, adopted by the Tribal Council (or comparable tribal governing body) of each Indian Tribe. The authorization(s) must identify the entity applying for an AmeriCorps award by name as a tribal organization that is authorized by the Indian Tribe(s) for the purpose of applying for AmeriCorps funding (or federal grant funds generally).

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section12581a&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Indian%20tribe) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1

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 (e.g., tutoring programs: 45 CFR 2522.910-.940), the applicant must describe how the program will meet these requirements.

C.2. Cost Sharing or Matching There is no cost share or matching 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.

New applicants are eligible to apply for Cost Reimbursement and Education Award Program (EAP) grants but are not eligible to receive Full-Cost Fixed Amount grants.

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. Use 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%

42 U.S.C. §12571(e) requires grantees that use other Federal Funds as matching funds for an AmeriCorps grant to report those amounts and sources to AmeriCorps on a Federal Financial Report. Grantees must track and be prepared to report on that match separately each year and at closeout.

Match Waiver Please use the Match Waiver information for AmeriCorps State and National Grantees located on the AmeriCorps.gov Manage Your Grant webpage. Native Nations will submit requests via the Alternative Match Request form located on the AmeriCorps.gov Manage Your Grant webpage.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2522/subpart-F https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2521/subject-group-ECFR30615c285e05d4c/section-2521.60 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2521/subject-group-ECFR30615c285e05d4c/section-2521.60 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title42/html/USCODE-2011-title42-chap129-subchapI-divsnC.htm https://americorps.gov/grantees-sponsors/manage-your-grant https://americorps.gov/grantees-sponsors/manage-your-grant

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 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 should submit a request at the time the application is submitted. Native Nations will submit requests via the Alternative Match Request form located on the AmeriCorps.gov Manage Your Grant webpage.

C.3. Other Eligibility Requirements Under Section 132A(b) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, organizations that have violated a Federal criminal statute 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 AmeriCorps 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; and

• 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 that a federal agency has considered for suspension or debarment and determined that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of the federal government.

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, Application Instructions, Performance Measure Instructions, and Mandatory Supplemental Information.

These documents are available online at AmeriCorps.gov Funding Opportunities webpage .

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 Notice, Guidance, and Application Instructions.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2521/subject-group-ECFR30615c285e05d4c/section-2521.60 https://americorps.gov/grantees-sponsors/manage-your-grant https://americorps.gov/grantees-sponsors/manage-your-grant https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/YYYY_MM_DD_National_Community_Service_Act_Of_1990_as_Amended_by_the_Serve_America_Act_ASN.pdf https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopici03.pdf https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopici03.pdf https://americorps.gov/about/agency-overview/statutes-regulations https://americorps.gov/funding-opportunity/fy-2024-americorps-state-national-grants https://americorps.gov/funding-opportunity/fy-2024-americorps-state-national-grants https://www.americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities http://www.americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities http://www.americorps.gov/partner/funding-opportunities mailto:americorpsgrants@cns.gov

D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D.2.a. Application Content Complete applications must include the following elements:

• Standard Form 424 (SF-424) Face Sheet: Automatically generated when applicants complete the data elements in the eGrants system.

• Narrative Sections o Executive Summary:

o Program Design o Organizational Capability o Cost-Effectiveness & Budget Adequacy o Evaluation Summary/Plan

• Logic Model

• Performance Measures

• Standard Form 424A Budget

• Continuation Changes

• Clarification

• Authorization, Assurances, and Certifications

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

• Narratives o Applications must not exceed 10 double-spaced pages for the Narrative or 12 pages for multi-state/multi-state applications with more than five operating states/sites as the pages print out from eGrants. AmeriCorps will use the number of locations in the “multi-state operating sites” field in AmeriCorps’ web-based management system to determine whether a multi-state/multi-site application has more than five operating sites. The “multi-state operating sites” field can be found by clicking on the “operating sites” link in the system. Multi-state/multi-site applicants that list five or fewer operating sites cannot exceed 10 pages for the Narrative.

o The application sections that count towards the page limit include:

SF-424 Face Sheet Executive Summary Program Design, Organizational Capability, and Cost-Effectiveness &

Budget Adequacy narratives o The application page limit does not include:

Evaluation Summary/Plan Clarification Summary Continuation Changes Budget, Performance Measures Any required additional documents.

• Logic Model o The Logic Model may not exceed eight pages when printed with the application from the “Review” tab in AmeriCorps’ web-based management system.

https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/EASSUR.HTM https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/ECERTS.HTM

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) 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. Use the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees for more information.

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 physical address on all grant applications to AmeriCorps.

The legal applicant’s name and physical address in eGrants must match exactly the applicant’s SAM-registered information.

Applications must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), which is generated as part of the SAM registration process. AmeriCorps will not make awards to entities that do not have a valid SAM registration and UEI.

Applications must include an Employer Identification Number. The UEI and Employer Identification Number must be entered by the organization’s Grantee Administrator as an organization attribute, and this will apply the information to all applications for the organization.

If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time AmeriCorps is ready to make a federal award, AmeriCorps may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

D.4. Submission Dates and Times

D.4.a. Application Submission Deadline Applications are due no later than Friday, April 5, 2024 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. AmeriCorps reserves the right to extend the submission deadline. AmeriCorps will post a notification in the event of an extended deadline on AmeriCorps’ funding opportunities webpage.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0029897

D.4.b. Additional Documents Deadline Additional documents are due by the application submission deadline. Use 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, of Friday, April 5, 2024 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time, 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:

o Timing and specific cause(s) of the delay o Ticket number if a request for assistance was submitted to the AmeriCorps

Hotline o Information provided to the applicant by the AmeriCorps Hotline o 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 24 hours after the application deadline as stated in the Notice.

Communication with AmeriCorps 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 outlined above. Applicants are required to continue working in eGrants, AmeriCorps' web-based application system, and with the AmeriCorps 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.

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.”

mailto:LateApplications@cns.gov https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html

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 should indicate that amount in the application.

Table: Minimum and Maximum Living Allowance

Service Term Minimum # of

Hours

Minimum Living

Allowance

Maximum Total Living Allowance

Full-time 1,700 $18,700 $37,400 Three Quarter-time 1,200 n/a $26,180 Half-time 900 n/a $18,700 Reduced Half-time 675 n/a $14,212 Quarter-time 450 n/a $9,724 Minimum-time 300 n/a $7,854 Abbreviated-time 100 n/a $2,244

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 set forth in the Living Allowance table in this Notice.

b. Education Award Program (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 in this Notice.

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 in this Notice. 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 share).

2. Maximum Cost per Member Service Year (MSY) The AmeriCorps 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 per MSY is determined on an annual basis.

Table: Maximum Cost per MSY Grant Program Maximum

Native Nations (cost reimbursement) $27,000* Full-cost competitive Fixed Amount Grant $27,000* Professional Corps competitive Fixed Amount Applicants/Grantees

$1,000**

Education Award Program (EAP) Fixed Amount Grant $800 or $1,000***

*$18,000 adjusted for inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (As of April 2023 CPI was 0.5 percent).

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

AmeriCorps reserves the right to 1) treat an applicant that meets the statutory requirements of a Professional Corps as such, whether or not they submitted their application as a professional corps program; and 2) determine whether an applicant has demonstrated inability to effectively operate in the absence of AmeriCorps operating funds.

*** Per 42 U.S.C. 12581a, the Corporation 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.

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 their term of service to use the Education Award. Use the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award webpage for more information.

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 or a 10 percent de minimis rate of modified total direct costs, or may claim certain costs directly, as outlined in CFR 200.4133 states, local governments, and Indian Tribes may use previously approved indirect cost allocation plans.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title42/html/USCODE-2011-title42-chap129-subchapI-divsnC.htm https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/segal-americorps-education-award http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=74a79d9a3a38ee2ca26d377daeacebb7&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1413&rgn=div8

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% de minimis rate, must enter that information in the Organization section in eGrants. However, under section 121(d) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended and AmeriCorps’ 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.

Use the AmeriCorps eGrants Indirect Cost Rate (IDCR) User Instructions for how to enter the organization’s indirect cost rate. . 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 AmeriCorps.

D.7. Other Submission Requirements

D.7.a. Electronic Application Submission in eGrants Applicants must submit applications electronically via eGrants, AmeriCorps' 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.

The applicant’s authorized representative must be the person who submits the application.

The authorized representative must use their 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 if they have a problem when they create an account, prepare, or submit the application. Information about the AmeriCorps Hotline hours are also posted on the AmeriCorps Hotline webpage.

Be prepared to provide the application ID, organization’s name, and the name of the Notice 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.

https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/%40%20National%20and%20Community%20Service%20Act%20of%201990%20%28as%20amended%20through%20PL%20111-13%29.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2521/subject-group-ECFR30615c285e05d4c/section-2521.95 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2521/subject-group-ECFR30615c285e05d4c/section-2521.95 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/part-2540/subpart-A/section-2540.110 https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/AmeriCorps-eGrants-IDCR-User-Instructions.pdf https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/eGrants%20Indirect%20Cost%20Rate%20Instructions%20FINAL_20210519%20Update.pdf mailto:IndirectCostRate@cns.gov https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp https://questions.americorps.gov/app/ask

AmeriCorps ATTN: Office of Grant Administration (OGA)/AmeriCorps State and National Application 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. AmeriCorps does not accept applications submitted via fax or email.

D.7.b. Submission of Additional Documents All documents must be submitted by the Native Nation.

All applicants:

1. 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.

2. Labor union concurrence (if applicable)

3. All applicants regardless of funding level are required to submit an Applicant

Operational and Financial Management Survey . Please submit the OFMS using the link to the online form, where applicants will be required to submit their response electronically. Forms submitted as a PDF, or any other document format may not be accepted.

Recompete applicants who have previously received three or more years of competitive funding for the same project being proposed:

1. Evaluation plan. Please use the evaluation plan template available on the Notice webpage. Evaluation plans are not scored and will not be reviewed until after funding decisions are made.

Recompete applicants who have previously received six or more years of competitive funding for the same project being proposed:

1. Evaluation report. Please submit in Microsoft Word. The evaluation report should include a title page with the AmeriCorps grant number 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.

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

1. Tribal organization eligibility documentation (Use Section C.1 Eligible Applicants)

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

• Legal applicant name and its point of contact information

• Application ID number

• List of documents that are attached to the email by filename, labeling each document https://americorps.gov/funding-opportunity/fy-2024-americorps-state-national-grants https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=p1D40s6Ns0-nnGhn-VFDEnTxP2OEQLFNjNsVmieA6QVUMFRPWk8xWjZXMlpVUzA3WU9SWjNRV0sxVS4u https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=p1D40s6Ns0-nnGhn-VFDEnTxP2OEQLFNjNsVmieA6QVUMFRPWk8xWjZXMlpVUzA3WU9SWjNRV0sxVS4u mailto:AdditionalDocuments@cns.gov type according to the above numbered list

• Individually attached files that are clearly labeled, and that include the legal applicant name and application ID number within the file name and heading of each document.

o To ensure that all required additional documents are considered, please provide each document as a separate single file, labeled appropriately. Please do not send multiple documents in one combined file, and do not send a single document in multiple files.

o 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)”

• Prime applicants should send separate emails with each subapplicant’s materials, referencing the subapplicant’s Application ID

Failure to submit the required additional documents, following the email instructions in this section, by the deadline may have a negative effect on the assessment of an application.

Do not submit any items that are not requested in this Notice or Application Instructions.

AmeriCorps will not review or return them.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1. Selection 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.

Applications should include a well-designed plan with clear and compelling justifications for receiving the requested funds. Reviewers will assess the quality of applications by using the selection criteria described below and will rate them accordingly.

Categories/Subcategories Percentage

Executive Summary 0 Program Design 50

• Community and Logic Model 24

• Evidence Tier 12

• Evidence Quality 8

• Notice Priority 0

• Member Experience 6

Organizational Capability 25

• Organizational Background and Staffing 15

• Member Supervision 6

• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility 4

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy 25

• Member Recruitment 7

• Member Retention 8

• Data Collection 7

• Budget Alignment to Program Design 3

E.1.a. Executive Summary (0 percent):

Please fill in the blanks of these sentences to complete the Executive Summary. Do not deviate from this template:

“The [Name of the organization] will 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].

The AmeriCorps investment 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.”

Fixed-Amount grant applicants (EAP, Full-Cost Fixed, No Cost Slots) should list their Other Revenue (use the Mandatory Supplemental Information) in the Executive Summary 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. Please ensure the Community and Logic Model incorporates the funding priorities listed above, for example supporting communities historically excluded and/or underserved from government services, addressing structural and institutional inequities, or increasing opportunity in order to achieve sustainable change in communities.

1. Community and Logic Model (24 points)

The applicant will provide a detailed summary of the community problem, including:

• The role current or historical inequities faced by underserved communities may play in contributing to the problem.

• The community need as it relates to the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index and to communicate the severity and prevalence of the problem.

Logic Model

• The applicant’s intervention is likely to lead to the outcomes identified in the organization’s Logic Model. No narrative is needed other than what is contained within the logic model.

The applicant will depict in the Logic Model:

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

o Locations or sites in which members will provide services o Context in which the intervention is delivered (e.g., the setting where the intervention is delivered) o Number of AmeriCorps members who will deliver the intervention o Characteristics of AmeriCorps members, including specific knowledge, skills, and abilities required to implement the intervention

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

o Duration of the intervention (e.g., the total number of weeks, sessions or months of the intervention) o Dosage of the intervention (e.g., the number of hours per session or sessions per week) o 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, equity gaps closed). If applicable, identify which National Performance Measures will be used as output indicators.

• Outcomes that demonstrate meaningful 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 Logic Model. The applicant’s performance measures should be consistent with the program’s Logic Model and should represent significant program activities.

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.

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/index.html

Applicants with multiple interventions should complete one Logic Model chart which incorporates each intervention. Logic Model content that exceeds eight 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 (use the Mandatory Supplemental Information). Second, the quality of the applicant’s evidence and the degree to which it supports the proposed program design, including program aligned with the priority areas (use the A.2 Funding Priorities section), 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 2023, the evidence tiers of successful AmeriCorps State and National applicants that were competing were as follows: Strong 25 percent, Moderate 12 percent, Preliminary 20 percent, and Pre-Preliminary 43 percent. 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, applicants should not be deterred from applying for funding due to their current evidence level.

Applicants who have outcome or impact evaluation reports of the same intervention described in the application and Logic Model (use the Mandatory Supplemental Information for a definition of “same intervention”) may submit up to two 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 Community and Logic Model sections of the application:

• Characteristics of the beneficiary population, including evidence of current or historic…