This page provides all of the information you will need to understand the Notice of Funding Availability and prepare your application to the 2015 SIF "Classic" grant competition. Please review the information provided below.
If you are interested in being an expert reviewer for the 2015 SIF competition, please review the Expert Reviewer section on our Get Involved page.
The 2015 Social Innovation Fund grant competition will provide approximately $40 million to eligible grantmaking institutions seeking to grow innovative, evidence-based solutions to challenges facing low-income communities nationwide in our focus areas of healthy futures, youth development and economic opportunity. In addition, approximately $11 million will be available for the continuation of existing grants.
Each selected grantmaker will be awarded $1 million to $10 million and will match every federal dollar of the grant award. At least 80 percent of awarded federal funds must be invested in subgrantee programs, who match their grants 1:1 as well.
Application Deadline
NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPLY DEADLINE: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by February 20, 2015.
Although this date has passed, we are still accepting Notices of Intent through the application deadline.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications are due March 17, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Successful applicants will be notified in July 2015.
Funding Announcement and Application Instructions
Applicants must read both the Notice of Funding Availability and the Application Instructions to understand the requirements and how to complete an application. The Application Instructions are included as an appendix within the Notice.
Resources for Applicants
- Notice of Funding Availability Fact Sheet
- Supplemental Evaluation Resources
- Evaluation Plan Guidance - A Step-by-Step Guide to Designing a Rigorous Evaluation
- Financial Management and Compliance Overview
- CNCS Criminal History Checks
- Guide to Completing Your Application in eGrants
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Availability of the National Service Hotline on Fridays. Normally, the Hotline is closed on Fridays. During the months of February and March, the National Service Hotline will stay open exclusively to SIF applicants on Fridays to assist with application submission in eGrants. For eGrants assistance on these days, call the Hotline at (800) 942-2677 as you would normally. When you hear the message saying that the Hotline is closed, press ‘3’ and you will be forwarded to an Agent for assistance.
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- Scaling What Works Lessons Learned Funder Guide
- Successful Applications from Past Competitions
- Scroll down to the table titled Database of Submitted Applications. Use the drop-down fields to select Grant Competition Name: Social Innovation Fund and the competition year you would like, then click Apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions will be compiled and regularly updated.
- Frequently Asked Questions | Updated March 9, 2015
Grantee Perspectives
On several of our overview webinars held during the application period, we have welcomed current SIF grantees to give accounts of how their SIF projects have progressed and evolved since being funded and to share these insights with prospective applicants. Please review summaries of their discussions in the documents below to help you as you develop your application.
- Jenee Kresge, Program Officer - Capital Impact Partners (from Live Overview #1, Jan 29)
- Wylie Chen, VP Programs and Grants - U.S. Soccer Foundation (from Live Overview #2, Feb 5)
- Jenny Callans, Director, Early Childhood - United Way for Southeastern Michigan (from Live Overview #3, Feb 10)
Technical Assistance Webinar and Call Schedule
The following webinars and calls are provided for prospective applicants to learn more about this funding opportunity.
Competition Overview Presentations
There are five Competition Overview presentations this year: one pre-recorded presentation and four live presentations. All five presentations will cover the same material, and all four live presentations are open to all callers. Live Overview #3 will additionally featuring a current United Way SIF grantee.
All overview presentations are based on the same information about the SIF and the 2015 competition. You may view the slides as a PDF transcript below:
Pre-Recorded Overview Presentation
Please click the link above to view the full recording, or the links below to view each part individually or view a PDF transcript.
- Part 1: Intro to the SIF
- Part 2: Grantee Perspective
- Part 3: Notice of Federal Funding Details
- Transcript
Live Overview Webinar 1
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2015
Time: 3 - 4 p.m. ET
This call has passed.
Live Overview Webinar 2
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2015
Time: 3 - 4 p.m. ET
This call has passed.
Live Overview Webinar 3
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Time: 1 - 2 p.m. ET
This call has passed.
Live Overview Webinar 4
Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Rescheduled for Monday, February 23, 2015
Time: 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET
This call has passed.
Evidence and Evaluation Presentation
Date: Wednesday, February 18th, 2015
Time 3 - 4 p.m. ET
This call has passed.
Transcript
Office Hours/Q&A Session
Date: Thursday, February 26, 2015
Time: 3 - 4 p.m. ET
This call has passed.
Outreach Toolkit
Below you will find a link to the SIF NOFA Outreach Toolkit to help spread the word. The toolkit includes SIF fact sheets, sample newsletter text, sample tweets, links to useful websites, webinar schedules, reviewer outreach information and images. Using the kit, please:
- Promote the SIF competition to your affiliates via your organization’s newsletter or eblast
- Encourage qualified members of your network to apply
- Tweet (or other social media verb) about the competition
- Consider writing a blog post on your organization’s website or an industry community like Huffington Post, explaining why you think this is an important funding opportunity for the field
- Consider posting the funding opportunity on your organization’s website during the duration of the competition.
- Encourage your network to participate in the SIF NOFA Webinars
- Promote the SIF NOFA External Reviewer opportunity to members of your network that you think would be ideal grant reviewers
SIF Outreach Toolkit | Updated January 26, 2015
Stay Informed
Sign up for our mailing list to receive new updates about the Notice. Contact the Social Innovation Fund at SIFApplication@cns.gov or leave a voicemail at 202-606-3223 if you have any questions.