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

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions will be compiled and regularly updated.

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.

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.

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.

Further information

Status
Closed
CFDA number
94.019
Contact Email
SIFApplication@cns.gov