National Service Agency Announces 2010 AmeriCorps Grant Opportunity

Competition Reflects Serve America Act; Up to $363 Million May Be Available

Washington, D.C. - The Corporation for National and Community Service has released the funding notice for its 2010 AmeriCorps grant competition, taking a key first step to implement the new direction for AmeriCorps envisioned by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

The notice of federal funding opportunity, which is posted on the Corporation's website, reflects the new priorities and program features contained in the landmark law, which passed with strong bipartisan support and was signed by President Obama in April.

"Over the past 15 years, AmeriCorps has helped communities across the nation address some of their most challenging problems," said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "This funding opportunity launches an exciting new era of growth, innovation, and impact for AmeriCorps. Programs will focus not only on recruiting more members to serve but also on the impact service makes in the areas of education, the environment, health, veterans' services, and economic opportunity."

The total funding available for these grants will be set by Congress through the appropriations process now underway. If the President's fiscal year 2010 budget request is fully funded, the agency anticipates approximately $363 million to be available for new, recompeting, and continuation grants in all of the AmeriCorps State and National grant categories. Applications to the Corporation are due January 26, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and successful applicants will be notified in early June 2010.

Potential applicant organizations are encouraged to read the all information posted on the Corporation's New Funding Opportunities web page. Below are some key highlights of the 2010 competition:

• Priority will be given to applicants that address compelling unmet needs in these areas:
  • Education: Helping children and youth achieve success in school and preventing them from dropping out before high school graduation.
         
  • Healthy Futures: Access to health care, disease prevention and health promotion initiatives, and health literacy.
         
  • Clean Energy/Environment: Unmet energy-efficiency and environmental needs.
         
  • Veterans: Serving veterans, members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty, and family members of deployed military personnel, and engaging veterans in service.
         
  • Opportunity: Economic opportunity for disadvantaged individuals including financial literacy, housing assistance, job training, and nutritional assistance.
         
• National Performance Measures: The Serve America Act establishes national performance measures to collect data on the critical impact of AmeriCorps across the country. These national measures will allow for aggregated impact reporting and help demonstrate how AmeriCorps is addressing national challenges. These measures are optional in 2010, but priority consideration will be given to programs that use them.
       
• Combined Competition: This year, for the first time, state competitive and national direct programs will participate in a combined competition for 62.7 percent of grant funds.
       
• Fixed-Amount Grant Pilot: Under the Serve America Act, the Corporation now has expanded authority to award fixed-amount grants with reduced financial record-keeping requirements, allowing grantees to focus more on program outcomes. In 2010, fixed-amount grants are available for programs that enroll full-time members only.
       
• Encore Service Programs: As provided in the Serve America Act, the Corporation will make an effort to allocate not less than 10 percent of grant funds and member positions to “encore service programs,” which are programs that engage a significant number of participants age 55 or older.

AmeriCorps is open to public or private nonprofit organizations, including labor organizations, faith-based and other community organizations; institutions of higher education; government entities within states or territories (cities, counties); Indian Tribes; and partnerships or consortia. Intermediaries are encouraged to apply. The Corporation encourages organizations that have never received funding from the Corporation or AmeriCorps to apply for these grants.

This notice is available at www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa.asp. For questions regarding multi-state or Indian Tribes applications to be submitted directly to the Corporation, please call (202) 606-7508 or send an e-mail to americorpsnational@cns.gov. For questions concerning a single-state application, e-mail americorpscapplications@cns.gov or contact the State Commission in your state. A list of all State Commissions can be found at www.americorps.gov/about/contact/statecommission.asp.