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.
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Selection Process/Procedure
Question 1: Are there some good strategies for considering the merging of two programs to increase the likelihood of funding?
Although the service activities of programs may cross several issue areas, successful programs will focus the activities of members on those that the legal applicant and other partnering organizations have specific expertise in, and that directly relate to the community need identified in the program narrative. The strategies selected should support achieving outcome targets that are directly connected to the community need identified.
Question 2: Say you submit a new proposal for over $400,000, with the hope that CV will send it to the national competition. If it ends up not receiving a competitive grant, does it become disqualified for the formula funding because the request is over the limit?
Applicants that are unsuccessful in their attempt to secure competitive funding will be considered for formula funding, based on their state ranking. Such applicants who are previously funded or recompeting programs may be subjected to a reduced budget up to $850,000. A new applicant that requests for more than $400,000 and does not end up receiving a competitive grant but scored well enough to be funded through formula funding may be subjected to a reduced budget up to $400,000.
Question 3: We are an established program-currently in year 6. We are considering changing our program design to focus on education (Per CNCS national service priority area-Increasing the high school diploma attainment in alternative and court school in Fresno). Since we would be changing our design should we apply for formula or competitive funding?
All applications will be reviewed through the State review process and will be considered for formula funding, based on their state ranking. Applicants do not get to specify which source of funding stream they are applying for--CV will nominate applications meeting certain criteria such as grant size, cost per MSY, issue area focus, and past performance to compete in the national competitive competition administered by the Corporation. An application must earn an “adequate” minimum score established for each grantmaking process to be considered for participation in the competitive national competition. Generally, applicants requesting more than $850,000 that meet the selection criteria would be considered to represent California in the national competition.
Question 4: With much optimism we are securing partners to attend the interview process with us for our 2010 AmeriCorps application. What is an optimal number of partners to invite to participate with us? Maximum?
Your interview panel must not exceed 7 people; and must include representatives from three (3) separate and independent (public and private) entities. The legal applicant must be present. When making decisions regarding the composition of your interview panel, you should include individuals who will best be able to discuss your program design and demonstrate your capacity to administer and implement the proposed program.
Question 5: My partnership will not be available to attend a staff interview scheduled within the specified timeframe stated in the RFA and Application Instructions. May we request for an alternative time slot?
No. Due to severe time constraints, CV will not consider requests for alternative interview time slots and reserves the right to pre-assign interview time slots for eligible applicants. The interview will represent 60 percent of your application’s final score. An applicant may choose to skip or not participate in a stage of the grant review process at its own risk. Successful applicants will be available for interviews on all dates posted in the RFA.
Question 6: How will applications be scored and evaluated?
Please see pages 16-17 of the RFA for information on CV’s grant application review process, including the selection criteria reviewers both at the state and national level will use to evaluate applications.
Question 7: It sounds like organization becomes eligible for a planning grant after the organization has applied for any of the other AmeriCorps grants. Is there any additional information regarding the planning grant or program development grant?
No. Planning grants and program development grants are not offered through the 2010 RFA process.
Question 8: Are a program’s evaluation plan and/or evaluation report scored as part of the overall application and if so what amount of points are allocated to evaluation?
CV does not have a separate scoring section for evaluation. However, any information submitted as part of your grant application will be considered in the evaluation of your application for funding.
Question 9: Does an alternative match hurt an applicant’s competitiveness?
This depends on the applicant’s ability to implement the proposed program design should the alternative match request be denied by CV and/or the Corporation.
Question 10: Can a new applicant ask for more than $400,000? For example, may we propose to place 30 members at a cost per MSY of $16,000 for a total of $480,000?
Yes. See response to question #2 of this section.
Question 11: Where can we find the “Selection matrix” that will be used in scoring the proposals?
Reviewers will assess program design, organizational capability, and cost-effectiveness and budget adequacy. The weights assigned to each category and subcategory are listed on the chart on page 16 of the RFA. Reviewers will assess application narratives against these criteria and weight them accordingly. Please see the AmeriCorps regulations, 45 CFR Section 2522.240-2522.448, for additional detail regarding these criteria. The scoring matrix is the selection criteria outlined in the boxes in the narrative instructions.
Questions 12: How do we request Reviewer Comments following the selection process?
Applicants may request reviewer feedback at the end of the grantmaking process by sending a request to funding@cv.ca.gov.
Questions 13: From everything I can see CV is trying to make this as equitable as possible for all applicants, but regarding the interview in Sacramento, it certainly seems that applicants with a closer driving distance to Sacramento would have an advantage versus groups that are far from Sacramento. I wondered if there was consideration to have all applicants participate in video conferences instead of live interviews so that it would be equitable for all applicants across the State?
CaliforniaVolunteers places a high priority on conducting an open, transparent and fair grantmaking process. We also value the opportunity to visit and learn from communities throughout the state. In prior years, it was CaliforniaVolunteers’ practice to conduct in-person outreach and host interviews at several locations in California. Unfortunately, fiscal constraints preclude us from maintaining this practice in the 2009-10 grantmaking cycle. CaliforniaVolunteers staff has explored a number of alternate interview formats – including videoconferences – but has been unable to secure adequate facilities and venues.
CaliforniaVolunteers recognizes that submitting an AmeriCorps application requires an investment of time and resources. We regret the current fiscal environment and will work with applicants to schedule interviews at times that may best accommodate their travel schedules and other needs.
