AmeriCorps State and National Grants FY 2017

Table of Contents

2017 AmeriCorps Funding Priorities

In the FY 2017 AmeriCorps competition, CNCS seeks to prioritize the investment of national service resources in: 

• Disaster Services - improving community resiliency through disaster preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation
• Economic Opportunity - increasing economic opportunities for communities by engaging opportunity youth, either as the population served and/or as AmeriCorps members
• Education - improving student academic performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics (STEM)
• Environment - 21st Century Service Corps
• Healthy Futures - Reducing and/or Preventing Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse
• Veterans and Military Families - positively impacting the quality of life of veterans and improving military family strength
• Governor and Mayor Initiatives
• Programming that supports My Brother's Keeper
• Multi-focus intermediaries that demonstrate measurable impact and primarily serve communities with limited resources and organizational infrastructure, i.e. rural and other underserved communities
• Safer communities
• Evidence Based Intervention Planning Grants (See below for more on how to apply)
• Encore Programs

A separate Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity for Indian Tribes for either fully operational or planning grants will be released later in the Fall with an application deadline of Spring 2017.

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications to the 2017 NOFO is Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Organizations that propose to operate in only one state must apply through the Governor-appointed State or Territory Commissions. Each state and territory administers its own selection process and puts forward to CNCS the applicants it selects to compete for funding. State applicants must contact their State Commissions to learn about their state or territory processes and deadlines which may be significantly before the CNCS deadlines and may have additional requirements. 

Single-state applicants from South Dakota are eligible to apply directly to CNCS for the FY 2017 competition. If you are a potential applicant from South Dakota, please contact AmeriCorpsGrants@cns.gov for additional guidance. 

State Commission Competition Contacts and Due Dates

State Commissions Contacts and Due Dates (PDF) | as of January 5, 2017

Intent to Apply

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Notification of Intent to apply for this competition, but it is not required. Notifications of Intent to Apply should be filed by Wednesday, December 7, 2016. You can access the (optional) Notification of Intent to Apply here. 

Funding Announcement, Mandatory Supplemental Guidance, and Application Instructions

2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (PDF)
2017 Mandatory Supplemental Guidance (PDF)
2017 Application Instructions (PDF)

The AmeriCorps State and National Grants 2017 competition includes a process by which applicants may be requested to clarify information regarding a submitted application. The dates for these clarification periods appear below:

Some components of the timeline and process for 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grants have shifted from the originally identified dates.

The Clarification period has been shortened and restructured.  During the Clarification period, applicants may be asked for clarifying information regarding issues of significance, but will not be asked for corrections or changes to elements of the application, including Performance Measures. The AmeriCorps State and National Grants process will now also include a Resolution period for successful applicants. It is during the Resolution period, which will occur after applicants have been notified of the results of the competition, that successful applicants will make corrections or changes to elements of the application, including Performance Measures, and provide additional requested information. Dates for these periods appear below. Single-state subapplicants should be aware that Commission Clarification and Resolution periods may be shorter than those listed below.

Clarification for Continuation Applicants: The clarification period will occur between Thursday, March 2 - Friday, March 10, 2017.

Clarification for New/Recompete Applicants: The clarification period will occur between Monday, March 20 - Monday, March 27, 2017.

CNCS anticipates announcing the results of this competition by notifying applicants no later than Friday, April 7, 2017.

Resolution for successful applicants (New/Recompete and Continuation): The resolution period will occur between Friday, April 28 - Monday, May 22, 2017.

Although not all applications will receive requests for clarification, it is imperative that staff involved in the development and submission of the application be available to respond to clarification, if requested. 

List of 2017 NOFO Application Types

• FY 2017 AmeriCorps State and Territory Commission (New and Continuations)
  This application is for new, recompeting, or continuation state commission applicants, including territories with commissions, applying for cost reimbursement grants.
  Evidence-based planning grant applicants applying through a commission should also use this application.

• FY 2017 AmeriCorps State and Territory Commission Fixed Amount and EAP (New and Continuation)
  ?This application is for new, recompeting, or continuation commission applicants, including Territories with commissions, applying for fixed amount grants (including EAP).

• FY2017 AmeriCorps National Direct (New and Continuations)
  This application is for new, recompete, or continuation multi-state applicants requesting cost-reimbursement grants.
  Evidence-based planning grant applicants applying directly to CNCS should use this application. Applicants applying from states without a Commission should use this application.

• FY 2017 AmeriCorps Direct Fixed Amount and EAP (New and Continuation)
  This application is for new, recompeting, or continuation direct applicants (multi-state) applying for fixed amount grants (including EAP).


• FY 2017 School Turnaround AmeriCorps State and Territory Commission (Continuations)
  This application is for continuation state commission applicants, including territories with commissions, applying for cost reimbursement School Turnaround grants.


• FY2017 AmeriCorps Territories without a Commission (New and Continuations)
  This application is for new, recompete, or continuation applicants from Territories without a Commission requesting cost-reimbursement grants.

Performance Measure Instructions

2017 Performance Measure Instructions (PDF) | updated August 29, 2016
Tutorial for completing the Performance Measures screens in eGrants
AmeriCorps Performance Measure Resources
Other AmeriCorps Performance Measure Resources (including Logic Models and Evaluation)
Evaluation Resources for AmeriCorps State and National

Technical Assistance Information

Technical Assistance Documents

Intro to AmeriCorps Members (PDF)
AmeriCorps Key Terms (PDF)
Intro to AmeriCorps State and National (PDF)
Categories of AmeriCorps Grants (PDF)
AmeriCorps Program Management and Design (PDF)
AmeriCorps Regulations 45 CFR Sections 2520-2550 (PDF)
Evidence Checklist (PDF)
Uniform Guidance Resources
How to Develop a Logic Model (PDF)

Technical Assistance Call Schedule and Registration

All calls will be recorded and the replay typically will be available one hour after the call has ended. The replay will be available for all calls through January 19, 2017. Use links below to learn how to register or get the replay number. Note: each call has some required pre-call reading materials.

• Wednesday, August 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET
  Replay # 800-839-2239 (available until January 19, 2017)


• Wednesday, August 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET
  Replay # 888-562-7210 (available until January 19, 2017)

AmeriCorps Program Management and Design
For questions including appropriate AmeriCorps member service activities, staffing for the program, grantee responsibilities, or any other question related to program design or program management. Participants are encouraged to review the Categories of AmeriCorps Grants (PDF) and AmeriCorps Program Management and Design (PDF) technical assistance documents before the call.

• Wednesday, September 14 at 1:00 p.m. ET
  Replay # 866-443-2933 (available until January 19, 2017)

2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grant Competition: Selection Criteria 
For questions about the AmeriCorps grant application selection criteria, grant review process, or any other questions that need to be addressed in order to complete your application. Participants are encouraged to review the 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Mandatory Supplemental Guidance, and Application Instructions before the call.

• Wednesday, September 28 at 2:00 p.m. ET
  Replay # 800-846-0305 (available until January 19, 2017)

Organizations Serving the Disability Community
For questions about how AmeriCorps grants can support initiatives that engage and impact the disability community. Participants are encouraged to review the 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Mandatory Supplemental Guidance, and Application Instructions before the call.

• Wednesday, September 28 at 3:00 p.m. ET
  Replay # 866-479-2459; Passcode: 92816 (available until January 19, 2017)

NOFO Priorities: Disaster Services Focus Area
For questions about how AmeriCorps grants can support disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and/or mitigation. Participants are encouraged to review the 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Mandatory Supplemental Guidance, and Application Instructions before the call.

• Monday, October 3 at 3:00 p.m. ET
  Replay #800-933-2942 (available until January 19, 2017)

• Wednesday, October 19 at 1:00 p.m. ET
  Replay #800-568-0227 (available until January 19, 2017)

?NOFO Priorities: Veterans and Military Families
For questions about how AmeriCorps grants can support veterans, active military members, and/or their families. Participants are encouraged to review the 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Mandatory Supplemental Guidance, and Application Instructions before the call.

• Monday, October 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET
  Replay #888-277-9385 (available until January 19, 2017)

Best Practices in Demonstrating Evidence
For guidance about how to identify a program's level of evidence and support it with relevant data, studies, and/or evaluation reports. Participants are encouraged to review the Reporting and Using Evaluation Results online course before the webinar.

• Tuesday, November 8 at 3:00 p.m. ET
  Replay #866-373-9229 (available until January 19, 2017)
  Best Practices in Demonstrating Evidence (PDF)

Best Practices in Developing Performance Measures
For guidance about how to create high-quality performance measures that align with an applicant's program design and meet AmeriCorps requirements.  Participants are encouraged to review the Overview of Performance Measurement and High Quality Performance Measures online courses before the webinar.

• Thursday, November 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET
  Replay #800-839-2280  (available until January 19, 2017)
  Best Practices in Performance Measures (PDF)

• Wednesday, November 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET
  Replay #866-479-8683 (available until January 19, 2017)
  Best Practices in Budget Development (PDF)
  Budget Narrative SAMPLE (PDF)

Evidence Based Intervention Planning Grants

Applicants for Evidence Based Intervention Planning Grants should apply using the Notice of Funding Opportunity listed below that best fits their program:

• FY 2017 AmeriCorps State and Territory Commission (New and Continuations)
• FY 2017 AmeriCorps National Direct (New and Continuations)
• FY 2017 AmeriCorps Territories without a Commission (New and Continuations)

Applicants for these grants should use these instructions for completing the performance measures.
Applicants for these grants will not need to complete some elements of the application. See below:

Program Information:

• AmeriCorps Funding Priorities: Select Evidence Based Intervention Planning Grants
• Populations Served: Select None of the Above
• Grant Characteristics: Select None of the Above
• AmeriCorps Member Population: Select None of the Above
• AmeriCorps Identity/Co-Branding: Select Yes or No. Not Applicable is not available as a selection.

Logic Model: Do not complete

Page limit for Evidence Based Intervention Planning Grants is 15 pages.

Please contact AmeriCorpsGrants@cns.gov with any questions.