CNCS – FY 2020 RSVP Competition (2019)

By NLADA on July 29, 2019

Applications Due: Applicants are strongly encouraged to send a Notice of Intent to Apply by 5 p.m. EST on August 30, 2019. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on September 25, 2019.

RSVP is one of the largest senior volunteer (for people 55 and older) programs in the nation. Senior Corps RSVP volunteers choose how, where, and how often they serve. RSVP volunteers don’t receive monetary incentives, but sponsoring organizations may reimburse them for some costs incurred during service.

CNCS anticipates making three-year grant awards. CNCS makes the initial award for the first year and continuation awards depend on appropriations and performance.

Goals and Objectives

This program has several focus areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families. In addition to those focus areas (which applicants are required to address, CNCS is interested in applications that additionally focus on evidence-based program implementation, opioid abuse, elder justice, independent living, workforce development, intergenerational programming, disaster services, and veterans and military families.

Funding Title: FY 2020 RSVP Competition

Agency Name: Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS)

Funding Opportunity Number: CNCS-07-26-19

Funding Instrument Type: Grant. The Competition grants will be awarded on a cost reimbursement basis.

Express Language for Legal Aid: Although the NOFO does not expressly mention legal services, AmeriCorps has a long history of legal aid and court grantees both at the national and state commission levels.

This guide from the U.S. Department of Justice gives an overview of AmeriCorps for legal aid organizations. Even though this guide is not specifically for RSVP, it has a lot of relevant and helpful guidance. Access the guide, Guide to The AmeriCorps State and National Program for Legal Aid Organizations, here.

Target Population: To support RSVP volunteers.

Expected Number of Awards: 236

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: Yes. Applicants are required to partially match funds for their projects through local, non-federal contributions. The required local contribution in Year 1 of the grant is at least 10 percent of the total project budget. The required portion is at least 20 percent in Year 2 and at least 30 percent in Year 3 and subsequent years, if the grant is renewed beyond three years.

Estimated Total Program Funding: $21,000,000

Award Ceiling: $468,406

Award Floor: $40,000

How to Apply: Apply through eGrants. CNCS recommends that applicants create an account and begin the application at least three weeks before the deadline. CNCS recommends drafting the application in Word and then copying and pasting into eGrants no later than 10 days before the deadline.

Current Closing Date for Applications: Applicants are strongly encouraged to send a Notice of Intent to Apply by 5 p.m. EST on August 30, 2019. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on September 25, 2019.

Eligible Applicants: Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and states.

Link to Full Announcement: https://www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition and https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=318878

Contact Information: Contact 2020RSVP@cns.gov. CNCS will host a series of webinars to introduce potential applicants to the RSVP, this competition, its performance measurement system and more. To register for these webinars and to see a schedule of events, click on the first link above to the full announcement and scroll down the page.