americorps planning grant information session a presentation for americorps grant applicants

AmeriCorps Planning Grant Information Session

A presentation for AmeriCorps grant applicants

Session Objectives

AmeriCorps Overview

AmeriCorps Operating Grant Overview

Review Planning Grant Application Process

Q & A

CaliforniaVolunteers (CV)

The Governor-appointed State Service Commission for California.

Mission is to increase the number & impact of Californians engaged in service and volunteering

Leads the organization in consultation with a 25-member Commission appointed by the Governor

Funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to provide support to AmeriCorps programs

CNCS Awards grants to state service commissions and

national organizations (e.g., non-profits, faith & community-based organizations, public agencies, Indian tribes, and institutions of higher education).

Provides opportunities for individuals – AmeriCorps members – to serve communities across the country.

Since 1994, more than 820,000 men and woman have provided service as AmeriCorps members

AmeriCorps Overview

AmeriCorps Focus Areas

Disaster Services

Economic Opportunity

Education

Environmental Stewardship

Healthy Futures

Veterans and Military Families

What do AC programs do?

• Training citizens in disaster preparedness

• Responding to disaster events

• Providing disaster recovery and/or mitigation

• Improving housing situation for economically disadvantaged people

• Improving the academic performance or academic engagement of K-12 students

• Improving the environmental condition of distressed public lands and waterways

• Engaging veterans and military families in service or providing service to these individuals

• Increasing access to health services

• Strengthening vulnerable families to prevent child abuse & neglect

• Increase access to the courts system

AmeriCorps impact includes:

Funds activities based on an evidence-based or evidence-informed approach to strengthening or addressing community problems.

Enables an organization to build capacity or deepen the impact of the service to individuals or communities.

Broadens the scope the service activities to reach previously underserved communities

Funds cannot duplicate or supplant pre-existing activities, staff or volunteers

What is AmeriCorps?

What is AmeriCorps?

Provide partial funding to support AmeriCorps projects/programs.

Solely for program expenses and not for general organizational expenses

Grant recipients must contribute cash or in-kind match funds.

Include an allotment of AmeriCorps member positions and funds that are directly tied to the number of members.

AmeriCorps Members

Individuals enrolled for a specific term of service with an AmeriCorps program

Members are not volunteers or employees

Some members receive a living allowance, health insurance and child care assistance

AmeriCorps members receive the Segal Education Award upon completing a term of service

AmeriCorps Members vs. Volunteers

Members have a contract with the program

Members must be supervised

Members receive extensive, program specific training

Members must commit to a specific term of service

Benefits of an AmeriCorps GrantApplicant Organization/Community Partnership:

Enables delivery of results-driven services to better address pressing local, regional, and statewide needs

Builds organizational capacity through leveraging of trained dedicated citizens to deliver service

Provides human capital to scale and increase impacts of evidence-based programs

AmeriCorps Members: Education award to further education or repay student loans Professional development and job training Pathway to greater career opportunities

Beneficiaries/Communities: Services and resources are extended to disadvantaged

youth and families Benefit from meaningful life changing services

Funding Opportunities 2014 AmeriCorps Planning Grant Request for

Applications (Planning Grant RFA)

Provides planning grants to support planning and development of new operating AmeriCorps program

Project Period: April – September 2014

Applications Due: April 8, 2014 at 5:00 P.M., PST

2015-16 AmeriCorps Request for Application (RFA)

Provides operating grants to support AmeriCorps programs

Project Period: August 2015 – December 2016

RFA to be released Summer of 2014

Anticipated Application Deadline: November 2014

Operating Grants Three-year Grants

Funds awarded annually

Recipients submit continuations for years 2 & 3

Recompete after year 3

Operating Grants Fund a portion of program operating costs

Flexible – funds may be used for allowable costs included in the budget

Available to new and recompeting applicants

Applicants must provide a detailed budget with the application submission

Must meet specific match requirements (24% of total operating costs for new applicants)

Must submit semi-annual financial reports to CV

Operating GrantsGrantee responsibilities and requirements include:

Employ strong fiscal & program management systems

Monitor financial management, program performance, and member activities

Train and provide technical assistance to staff

Recruit, select, train, and support members

Track progress toward meeting performance measures

Act as liaison between CV and other community partners

Operating Grant Flow

Operating GrantsProgram Management Structure

An AmeriCorps grant generally operates on two levels:

1.Grantee (Parent/legal applicant organization)

2. Service Locations (where members serve)

The grantee has overall legal, administrative, and fiscal responsibility for the entire scope of the program, even if the funds are sub-granted.

Operating GrantsProgram Management Structure

Where and how AmeriCorps members are placed at service locations will vary.

A Few Things to Consider:

Where will the service activities take place?

Who are your community and service partners?

What can your partners provide?

What is their capacity?

Operating GrantsProgram Management Structure

Centralized: grantee handles all administrative functions and assigns members; and doesn’t sub-grant funds

Decentralized: grantee sub-grants the funds, and the sub-grantee is responsible for member training, payroll and other administrative functions.

Combination: shared responsibilities

Grantee is ultimately responsible

Are you ready for AmeriCorps?

Organizational capability

Staff skilled in training, supervision, and oversight

Community partners

Experience managing federal funds

Planning Grants Grant amount is up to $50,000.

Grantees are reimbursed through monthly invoices.

Funds the development of program components and infrastructure required to support an operating grant.

Allowable expenses include (see p. 7 of RFA):

staffing/consultant costs travel materials costs necessary to conduct research and bring together

community partners, etc.

Planning Grant DeliverableAn Operating Grant Proposal that addresses:

Community need

Theory of change/logic model

Evidence-informed or evidence-based intervention

Measureable outputs and outcomes

Program Diagram

Community partner roles & responsibilities

Member recruitment, selection, training, and supervision

Operating budget

Match requirement & sustainability

PG Application Components Program Narrative that addresses:

Proposed community need

Vision for using AmeriCorps

How AmeriCorps adds value

Detailed description of planning process

Timeline for planning activities

Description of how the planning grant will be used to develop capacity to effectively manage AmeriCorps program, including completing planning grant deliverables

Budget

PG Application TimelineApril 8, 2014 Planning Grant Applications Due

April 9-17, 2014 Review, Clarification, & Selection Period

April 18, 2014 Selected Applications Due in eGrants

April 21-25, 2014 Contracting Period

April-Sept., 2014 Planning Period

September 2014 Operating Grant Proposal Due

How to Apply for AmeriCorps Funding

• Respond to CaliforniaVolunteers’ Request for Applications (RFA).

• Visit http://www.californiavolunteers.org/index.php/Grants/americorps/ for RFA application materials.

• Follow RFA and accompanying Application Forms and Instructions

For More Information

Funding@CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov

Getting Things Done for America

Questions?

THANK YOU!