AmeriCorps Funding Opportunities
AmeriCorps Frequently Asked Questions
To submit a question to be answered on the FAQs, please submit your questions to Funding@CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov. Questions must be received by COB on Thursday to be posted the following Monday. The FAQs will be updated daily during the week of December 1-4.
Select a Category
Packaging Your Application
Question 1: Is the Notice of Intent to Apply mandatory?
See Page 19 of the Application Instructions document. Applicants are asked to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply to provide information that will assist CV in its planning efforts. Submission of a Notice of Intent to Apply is not an application requirement (e.g., an applicant would not be disqualified if it did not submit the Notice of Intent to Apply), merely a courtesy to assist CV in planning.
Question 2: There is a letter of Intent required to be faxed to CV by November 18, 2009. Is that a straight letter of intent on our agency letterhead or is there a form of intent that we need to fill out?
Please use the Notice of Intent Form included in the Applications Instructions document. The response to Question #1 of this section also applies.
Question 3: Are there guidelines for what should be included in the Program Evaluation Design and Report?
Please see page 55 of the Application Instructions document for CV requirements on evaluation and instructions for submitting the necessary information.
Question 4: San Joaquin is going to be the legal applicant for a new, but similar program to ELSRAP, which was funded in 06-07, 07-08, 08-09. The legal applicant was FCCC. This campus was one of 5 others for that program. Are we to apply as New Applicant, Experienced Applicant or Previously Funded Program?
Based on the information provided, CV would considered your applicant status to be “Experienced Applicant.”
Question 5: We received AmeriCorps funding in the past, however, we have not received any AmeriCorps funding in the past 5 years. That said, which Applicant Status is most appropriate to us?
If your partnership meets the criteria for a New Applicant then we would consider this to be an appropriate status for you. Please note that CV staff will ultimately verify and determine all “New Applicant” status identified.
Question 6: On our Notice of Intent To Apply, can we choose more than one type of Federal Priority and Type of Service?
Yes. CV advises applicants that well-designed programs focused on local needs and “specific” results are more competitive than those that attempt to crate priority-related elements in an attempt to increase their competitiveness.
Question 7: Our agency is considering applying for the 2010 AmeriCorps competition for an Operational Grant. We are currently a National Direct Professional Corps Program, (previously ED Awards) and have been a grantee for 9 years. We have never applied for an Operational Grant (either through CNCS or CA), and have never received AmeriCorps funding from California, though we received Chavez funding over 5 years ago. The project we are seeking funding for is completely new and we would like to apply for an Operational grant. Would we be considered a new applicant? If not, where on the scale would we end up in terms of match expectations and funding levels? In trying to figure out the match scale, we currently do not match at the level indicated on your RFA in terms of our commitment to CNCS.
Based on CV’s consultation with the Corporation, if the proposed program is a brand new program that would be operating in different sites offering different AmeriCorps services, then the commission-funded award would start at year 1 with a match of 24%. In terms of applicant status, CV would consider your status to be “Experienced” since your agency has received an operational grant through the Corporation.
Question 8: It has been over 5 years since we last applied; however, we have recently received funding from CV for the Chavez project—what type of applicant would we be, a new or experienced?
Funding received through CV’s Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning Program is not considered an AmeriCorps grant. Please see page 8 of the RFA for definitions of applicant status.
Question 9: To clarify, when writing our proposal we will submit a one year budget only?
Yes. See information on Grant Period on page 10 of the RFA.
Question 10: I know there are page/font/margin restrictions for the narrative and executive summary. For all of the other required forms can they be submitted in their existing format as found in the Application Instructions?
Yes.
Question 11: From reading the RFA instructions it seems that letters of agreement will not be part of the proposal’s page limitation, but is there a limit on how many letters we can provide as part of the attachments to this proposal?
Letters of commitment/agreement are not required as part of the 2010 application. All attachments not listed on the application checklist will be removed from the proposal and not considered during the review process. Partner roles/responsibilities should be discussed in the narrative and further details in the partnership database submitted electronically.
Question 12: We will make every effort submit a complete application, however, since we have little experience with federal grants we may have missed something. Can you explain the 24-hour compliance review grace period?
CV will review each application for all the required components using a compliance review checklist. If an application is deemed out of compliance due to missing information, the checklist will be faxed to the legal applicant contact as stated on the title page. The legal applicant will be given 24-hours to complete and submit this missing information.
Question 13: I know there are page/font/margin restrictions for the narrative and executive summary. For all of the other required forms can they be submitted in their existing format as found in the application instructions (arial, not 1 inch margins, various font sizes)? Does the 71,000 character limit include spaces?
Yes, there are no font/formatting restrictions on the forms. The program diagram should illustrate all member placements sites and staff reflected on the budget. The character limit does include spacing.
Question 14: The majority of our partners provide both cash and in-kind resources to our partnership. Is it possible to indicate this on the partnership form? It is only allowing me to select cash or in-kind.
On November 24th the partnership form was modified to allow both options to be selected.
Question 15: We will be submitting a proposal to continue and expand a current AmeriCorps Recovery Program. This program involves a new program design. In terms of the Program Accomplishment and Impact Summary, should this include all program accomplishments and impacts (including those related to the current standard operating program), or just those accomplishments pertaining to the new ARRA program design?
We would be interested in reviewing data from both programs. This information will provide the reviewers with a deeper understanding of your partnership’s capacity to implement and manage an AmeriCorps grant.
Question 16: In regards to the online partnership forms: once created, can these be edited, modified after submittal or should we wait until we have complete information for all of the fields?
Users can return to the partnership database to edit and update entries. Print and submit one copy of all forms with the application.
Question 17: We are proposing a statewide model that brings together the members from each of the UC's. Ultimately they will be serving as leaders in summer programs. The Network will serve as the organization that will develop the summer sites. We are proposing that sites apply to receive the summer program. It is almost impossible for us to know now which sites will be interested in hosting a summer program in the summer of 2011. Is it okay to have the university campus serve as the placement site? We are anticipating more than 80 actual summer programs.
Yes. The narrative should detail the site selection process and criteria used to finalize placement sites. This is also true for applicants who have identified sites at this time.
Question 18: What is the table of contents supposed to include? It seems that it would be difficult to get page numbers on everything in the package. Do we number the attachments?
Follow the directions on the Application Checklist for page numbering. The Table of Contents helps the reviewers to quickly find specific pages or sections of the application during the review process. Specific sections should be numbered as sets (page x of y). The Narrative and Performance Measure Worksheets are numbered together. Items 10 through 16 do not need to be numbered.
Question 19: Do you want the full, 100-200 page Financial Audits included, or a smaller portion of the audit? If the latter, please specify which portion you would like included.
Yes, applicants are required to submit the most recent A-133 audit. See page 56 of the RFA.
Question 20: Should we include the full 8 pages of Assurances and Certifications, or just the last signature page?
By signing the Form, you attest and certify to the preceding seven pages. There is no need to include them in the application; you may submit just the Signature Page as noted on the Application Checklist.
