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2024 AmeriCorps State Funding Opportunity

Published: September 21, 2023
Application Due Date: Thursday, November 2, 2023
Assistance Listing Number: 94.006
Contact Information: Funding@CaliforniaVolunteers.CA.GOV

Grant Description

California Volunteers (CV), the State Service Commission for California, is now accepting applications for 2024-2025 AmeriCorps State funding. Successful applicants receive federal funds and an allotment of full-time or part-time AmeriCorps member positions to help address community problems through service and volunteer action.

AmeriCorps members dedicate a year of their life to intensive community service in exchange for a modest living stipend and Segal Education Award.  The experience often leads to a life enriched by meaningful service and in many cases, a career in the non-profit sector or public service.

AmeriCorps programs address critical community needs including education, climate action, disaster services, environmental stewardship, and food security. Sample member activities include tutoring and mentoring youth, job training/placement, home visitation, response to local disasters, restoring natural habitats, organizational capacity building, and supporting and connecting high-need populations to critical services and resources. AmeriCorps members also mobilize community volunteers and strengthen the capacity of the organizations where they serve.

Eligible Applicants

Nonprofit organizations and state and local government agencies are eligible to apply. All applicants must have active registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

Funding Priorities

The following priorities will receive preference in the California Volunteers grant selection process:

  • Organizations leading service in communities with concentrated poverty, rural communities, tribal communities, and those organizations serving historically underrepresented and underserved individuals, including but not limited to communities of color, immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities, people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with arrest and/or conviction records, and religious minorities.
  • Climate action and environmental stewardship, including supporting communities to become more resilient through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve land and water, increase renewable energy use and improve at-risk ecosystems, especially in underserved households and communities.
  • Programs that provide additional benefits to AmeriCorps members aimed at enhancing member experience and bolstering member recruitment and retention such as paying more than the minimum living allowance, transportation, housing, food, etc.
  • Programs that create workforce pathways for AmeriCorps members, including deliberate training, certifications, and hiring preferences or support.
  • Evidence-based interventions on the AmeriCorps Evidence Exchange that are assessed as having Moderate or Strong evidence.
  • Programs that support civic bridgebuilding programs and projects to reduce polarization and community divisions; and providing training in civic bridgebuilding skills and techniques to AmeriCorps members.
  • Programs focused on improving educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged children, including improved school readiness; improved educational and behavioral outcomes of students in low-achieving elementary, middle, and high schools; and/or increasing readiness and access for post-secondary education and career opportunities; and those that prepare AmeriCorps members to enter teaching careers.

Notice of Intent to Apply

Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by completing this short survey. Please complete this survey by October 18, 2023.

Application Deadline

All application components must be received by Wednesday, November 2, 2023. See Application Instructions for submission guidelines.

Technical Assistance

Funding Opportunity Overview and Q & A – Wednesday, October 4, 1pm PT

This session will introduce the AmeriCorps State grant, including its purpose and requirements, provide an overview of the Request for Applications (RFA), and the application process and timeline. All re-competing applicants are highly encouraged to attend this session due to the new changes in the application.

Application and Selection Criteria – Tuesday, October 10, 1pm PT

This session will go over the application components and the scoring criteria in greater detail. The information from this session will help applicants in producing a complete and competitive application.

AmeriCorps Budget Development – Thursday, October 12, 1pm PT

This session will provide guidance about how to create a compliant grant budget for an AmeriCorps program. Participants should review the Budget Instructions section of the Application Instructions as well as resources available on the AmeriCorps Knowledge Network Financial and Grants Management webpage, prior to attending this session.

Demonstrating Evidence – Tuesday, October 17, 1pm PT

In this session, participants will learn how to identify their program’s level of evidence and how to support it with relevant data, studies, and/or evaluation reports. Prior to attending this session, participants should review the Request for Applications and the Mandatory Supplemental Guidance section on Evidence Base and Evidence Tiers.

Performance Measurement – Thursday, October 19, 1pm PT

This session will help applicants better understand the California Performance Measurement worksheet and the Performance Measurement module in eGrants as well as determine compliant outputs and outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions received by email will be collected and answered on a weekly Frequently Asked Questions document posted below.