2024 College Corps Funding Opportunity

Published: Friday, October 13, 2023
Application Due Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Contact Information: CollegeCorps@CV.CA.GOV

Grant Description

California Volunteers, Office of the Governor is the state service commission responsible for engaging Californians in service, volunteering, and civic action to tackle our State’s most pressing challenges and lift up all communities. California Volunteers has engaged local communities through innovative and impactful grantmaking and program development for nearly 30 years.

#CaliforniansForAll College Corps (College Corps) is a Governor’s initiative administered by California Volunteers in partnership with California colleges and universities with a strong track record of civic and community engagement. In the first year of College Corps, more than 3,000 fellows served over 1.15 million hours in their communities addressing urgent challenges, while simultaneously learning key skills and earning money to help pay for college. 

This new round of funding will support up to 6,500 eligible college students for two years (including AB-540 eligible CA Dream Act students) to join the statewide student service College Corps program working in the areas of K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity. 

Please direct all questions regarding this funding opportunity to CollegeCorps@CV.CA.GOV

Eligible Applicants

An accredited public or private higher education institution located in California OR a Foundation that has been designated to apply on behalf of one or more higher education institutions.
Registered in the AmeriCorps System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

Funding Opportunity Highlights

The purpose of this opportunity is to continue funding College Corps programs at participating campuses, with limited funding available to support up to two new applicants. The following highlights are included in the 2024 College Corps Request for Applications (RFA): 

$58.8 million in State General Fund to support fellow Cohorts 3 and 4 of College Corps from July 1, 2024 – through June 30, 2026.
Current College Corps partner campuses are encouraged to apply to receive two years of implementation funding.
Program Infrastructure Supplemental funds are available for current partner campuses at $738 per fellow, to expand fellow cohorts, and to:
- - Enhance fellow cohort experience through regional convenings and trainings;
  - Adequately support the administration of College Corps financial benefits, by providing additional support for financial aid staffing;
  - Support the Consortium Lead Partner’s administration and coordination of their regional consortium.
For campuses not currently a College Corps grantee, there may be funding to award up to two new campuses for 1 year of planning, and 1 year of implementation funding.
Increased flexibility to place fellows in additional service focus areas.
A cap of indirect costs at 25 percent or lower – or may be fully waived.
Streamlined reporting from quarterly to semi-annual reporting.

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 November 17, 2023.

Application Deadline

All application components must be received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

Application Documents

Informational Q & A Sessions

California Volunteers is hosting the following informational virtual sessions for applicants to answer questions about the funding opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to participate in these sessions. The virtual sessions will be recorded and available on-demand once they have been convened.

2024 RFA Question & Answer Session PowerPoint (PDF)

2024 College Corps RFA Question & Answer Session (Oct. 27, 2023)

- View Zoom recording (Password: 0^Dn6RNS)

2024 College Corps RFA Question & Answer Session (Nov. 3, 2023)

- View Zoom recording (Password: ^p#2PuKF)

2024 College Corps RFA Question & Answer Session (Nov. 17, 2023)

- View Zoom recording (Password: a+=6ex5t)

Frequently Asked Questions

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