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Home > Division of Community Service: AmeriCorpsNational Competitive and State Formula, continuation
Division of Community Service: AmeriCorpsNational Competitive and State Formula, continuation
Grant Program Description
AmeriCorps is a national service network that provides full- and part-time opportunities for participants, called members, to serve their communities and build the capacity of organization to meet local needs. The New Jersey Commission on National and Community Service, New Jersey Department of State seeks to fund local initiatives and utilize the AmeriCorps model to increase civic responsibility and improve New Jersey’s communities by deploying AmeriCorps members to provide services in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security and human needs.

In addition to addressing specific community needs through direct service, the NJ Commission seeks to fund programs that can provide a plan for the development of their AmeriCorps members. They must provide orientation training, content-specific training in their direct service activity, training and service-learning activities to increase an ethic of service and civic responsibility, opportunities for skill-building and professional development, and educational opportunities or benefits. They must promote esprit de corps, and recognize members’ achievements.

Grant Timelines and Award Dates
AmeriCorps  National Competitive Grants:  Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) was disseminated for applications competing for a new three-year cycle of programming running from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2009.  In October 2006 there will be a limited competitive NOFA disseminated only to current and past recipients and applicants for AmeriCorps Formula funds.  This NOFA will also be for a new three-year cycle of programming beginning on September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2010.

AmeriCorps Formula Grants:  Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) was disseminated for applications competing for a new three-year cycle of programming running from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2009.   In October 2006 and October 2007 only continuation applications will be accepted from Formula programs operating in that three-year cycle.  The next open competitive NOFA for Formula funds will be available in October 2008 for a new three-year cycle commencing on September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2012.
2006 Grantees
AmeriCorps National Competitive and State Formula, continuation 2006 Grantees
Procedures
The Corporation for National and Community Service funds and supports high-quality programs that develop an ethic of civic responsibility in those who participate, strengthen communities, and help meet the needs through service in the areas of environment, education, public safety, homeland security, and other human needs. The program should provide opportunities for the community to define and solve its problems. Successful applicants are able to demonstrate that their program or the service offered builds the capacity of nonprofit organizations to meet community needs and provides a benefit that the community values.
This is a three-year grant:
Year 1 runs from September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007
Year 2 runs from September 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008
Year 3 runs from September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009

In addition to program requirements outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, grantees must adhere to the new AmeriCorps regulations, 45 CFR §§ 2520-2550 (www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr and www.AmeriCorps.gov/rulemaking).

Applications for the National Competitive grants will first undergo a NJ Commission

review at the state level. The application will form part of the NJ Commission federal application and will go on to be reviewed by Corporation for National and Community Service staff.

Applications for the State Formula grants will be reviewed only at the state level by the NJ Department of State process and the NJ Commission.
Compliance Procedures and suggested Audit Procedures
A). TYPES OF SERVICES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED:
Disallowed services: While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, staff and members may not engage in the following activities:

Lobby legislation; organize or engage protests, petition, boycott or strikes; assist, promote or deter union organizations; engage in partisan political activities; endorse candidates;

B). ELIGIBILITY:
Eligibility is open to public or private non-profit organizations, including labor organizations; community organizations including faith-based organizations; Local Education Agencies (LEAs) including charter schools; institutions of higher education; government entities within the state (e.g., cities/municipalities, counties, state departments); Indian Tribes; and partnerships or consortia consisting of the aforementioned.

Intermediaries are also eligible to apply for AmeriCorps funding. An intermediary organization provides the mechanism by which a number of community organizations, including faith-based organizations or grassroots groups may access AmeriCorps and other Corporation resources. Intermediaries are national, regional, state, or local organizations that agree to provide the technical and financial support to assist community organizations, including faith-based organizations that do not have the capacity to perform these functions.

An intermediary serves as the legal applicant for an AmeriCorps grant, thereby ensuring that the systems to manage the federal grant are in place. An intermediary may place individual members at the site of many neighborhood, community or faith-based organizations and assumes responsibility for monitoring the progress of the sites. An intermediary organization may apply for AmeriCorps funding if it is one of the types of eligible organizations listed above, and meets other program-specific eligibility requirements.

Any organization described in Section 501 c (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501 c (4) that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to apply, serve as a host site for member placements, or act in any type of supervisory role in AmeriCorps programs.

Suggested Audit procedure-
*Verify grantee applicants and category applied for.

C.) MATCHING, LEVEL OF EFFORT:
Matching requirements are described in the AmeriCorps regulations 45 CFR §§ 2521.40 through 2521.95. Sub-grantees of the State Commission must provide, at a minimum, basic match in the amount of 15% (cash only) for the AmeriCorps members’ living support costs and 33% (cash or in-kind) for the operations portion of the budget. In addition to the basic match requirements, sub-grantees who have received prior funding must provide an overall level of matching funds according to a regulatory match schedule in §2521.60(a), or §2521.60(b) if applicable.

Suggested Audit Procedures-
*Verify AmeriCorps member enrollments and amount paid for compliance

D.) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS:
Grant recipients are required to submit periodic project and fiscal progress reports.
Reports for this program will be due as follows:
Automated Progress Reports (APR) Reporting Period Due Date
1st interim Sept 1 – Dec 31 Jan. 10
2nd interim Sept 1 – March 31 April 11
3rd interim Sept 1 – June 30 July 11
4th final Sept 1 – Aug 31 Oct. 15

Financial Status Report Reporting Period Due Date
1st interim Sept 1 – Dec 31 Jan. 10
2nd interim Sept 1 – March 31 April 11
3rd interim Sept 1 – June 30 July 11
4th final Sept 1 – Aug 31 Oct. 15

**NOTE: Due dates may change by a day or two depending on the reporting year. The due dates above reflect 2007.

Automated Progress Reports and Financial Status Report will be submitted electronically on the Corporation for National and Community Services web-based reporting system (WBRS)

Suggested Audit Procedure:
*Verify reports for timeliness and for compliance as addressed in the grant agreement.