Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS GRANTS 05302014
Apply for CNCS GRANTS 05302014
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2014 Volunteer Generation Fund" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.021 Volunteer Generation Fund.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 30, 2014 and posted on May 30, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 8, 2014 The application is due no later than Tuesday, July 8, 2014 by 500 pm Eastern Time. Applications must arrive at CNCS by the deadline in order to be considered. Applications received after the deadline will be determined non compliant and therefore not eligible for review and consideration. CNCS reserves the right to extend the submission deadline and will post any extended deadline in eGrants on its websites www.nationalservice.gov.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- This competition is open to State Commissions on National and Community Service and alternative administrative entities as defined by Section 178(a) of the National and Community Service Act only.
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Opportunity Summary:
The 2014 Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant opportunity, offered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) under CFDA 94.021, was created to advance the goals of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009. The Act significantly expanded national service and established VGF as a way to strengthen local and state-level systems that recruit, manage, and support volunteers. At its core, this funding is meant to help communities solve real problems through better-organized volunteer service, with an emphasis on approaches that can show measurable community impact rather than simply increasing volunteer activity in the abstract.
This competition focused on building the capacity of "volunteer connector organizations" and other community-based entities that serve as hubs for volunteer engagement. CNCS sought proposals that expand volunteering, improve the ability of organizations to recruit and retain skilled volunteers, and develop practical strategies for deploying volunteers effectively in high-quality assignments. A major theme running through the announcement is that volunteer programs should not only bring in new people, but also improve volunteer retention and strengthen the systems that keep volunteers engaged and productive over time. The intent was to fund models that are organized, outcome-oriented, and capable of demonstrating that volunteering is being used as a tool to address community needs.
Grant-funded programs were expected to track clear performance outputs. Specifically, CNCS required grantees to measure the number of new volunteers supported through grant activities, the number of existing volunteers retained, and the types and amounts of service activities those volunteers carried out. In addition to counting volunteers and activities, the opportunity emphasized improving management capacity within volunteer connector organizations, particularly in the critical area of retention. In practice, that points toward investments in volunteer management systems, training and support structures, improved matching of volunteer skills to assignments, and stronger follow-up and engagement practices that reduce volunteer drop-off.
Administratively, this was a discretionary grant competition (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS-GRANTS-05302014) with an estimated total funding amount of $3.8 million and an expected 20 awards. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources alongside CNCS funds. The funding activity category was described broadly as recruiting, managing, and supporting community volunteers across a wide range of service categories, rather than being limited to one program area like education or disaster response.
Eligibility was narrow and primarily state-structured. The competition was open only to State Commissions on National and Community Service and to alternative administrative entities as defined by Section 178(a) of the National and Community Service Act. While the general Grants.gov fields list several types of organizations (including certain governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofits), the controlling eligibility language in the announcement makes clear that only the designated state commissions or qualifying alternative administrative entities could apply as the direct applicants. Those entities would typically function as the funders and coordinators that support local volunteer connector organizations in their states.
Key dates were straightforward. The opportunity was posted May 30, 2014, and the application deadline was Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. CNCS stated that applications had to arrive by the deadline to be considered, and that late submissions would be deemed noncompliant and ineligible for review. CNCS also noted it could extend the deadline if needed, with any change to be posted in eGrants and on its website (www.nationalservice.gov). The archive date was July 9, 2014.
To help applicants prepare, CNCS scheduled two technical assistance conference calls that included a brief overview and a Q-and-A session, with recordings and replay information to be posted afterward. The calls were set for Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 1:00 pm ET and Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 1:00 pm ET. For support or difficulty accessing the full announcement, the listing provided a contact point through AmeriCorps State/National at 202-606-3227, along with a direct email contact for the competition (not fully shown in the excerpt).
2014 Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the 2014 Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant?
The 2014 Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) was a discretionary grant competition offered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) under CFDA 94.021. It was created to advance the goals of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009 by strengthening local and state systems that recruit, manage, and support volunteers.
What is the main purpose of this funding?
The core purpose of the VGF funding was to help communities solve real problems through better-organized volunteer service. The competition emphasized approaches that can demonstrate measurable community impact, not just increased volunteer activity for its own sake.
What kinds of organizations was the program trying to strengthen?
This competition focused on building the capacity of volunteer connector organizations and other community-based entities that act as hubs for volunteer engagement, helping recruit, manage, support, and retain volunteers in high-quality service assignments.
What is meant by "volunteer connector organizations" in this opportunity?
In this context, volunteer connector organizations are organizations that function as local or community hubs for volunteer engagement. They help connect volunteers to meaningful assignments and support systems that make volunteer service more effective and sustainable over time.
What did CNCS prioritize in proposals?
CNCS sought proposals that expand volunteering, improve the ability of organizations to recruit and retain skilled volunteers, and develop practical strategies for deploying volunteers effectively in high-quality assignments. A central theme was improving volunteer retention and strengthening the systems that keep volunteers engaged and productive.
Was the goal simply to increase the number of volunteers?
No. While increasing volunteering was part of the intent, the opportunity emphasized organized, outcome-oriented models that could show measurable community impact and stronger volunteer management systems, especially those that improve retention.
What kinds of outcomes or performance measures were expected?
Grantees were expected to track clear performance outputs, including: (1) the number of new volunteers supported through grant activities, (2) the number of existing volunteers retained, and (3) the types and amounts of service activities volunteers carried out.
What aspects of volunteer management were emphasized?
The announcement highlighted improving management capacity within volunteer connector organizations, particularly volunteer retention. This points toward investments such as volunteer management systems, training and support structures, better matching of volunteer skills to assignments, and stronger follow-up and engagement practices to reduce volunteer drop-off.
What service areas did the funding cover?
The funding activity category was described broadly as recruiting, managing, and supporting community volunteers across a wide range of service categories. It was not limited to a single program area like education or disaster response.
What was the funding opportunity number for this competition?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed for the 2014 VGF competition was CNCS-GRANTS-05302014.
How much total funding was available and how many awards were expected?
CNCS estimated a total funding amount of $3.8 million and expected to make about 20 awards.
Was there a matching or cost-sharing requirement?
Yes. A cost-sharing (matching) requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources alongside CNCS funds.
Who was eligible to apply for this grant opportunity?
Eligibility was narrow. The competition was open only to State Commissions on National and Community Service and to alternative administrative entities as defined by Section 178(a) of the National and Community Service Act. While general Grants.gov fields may list broader organization types, the controlling eligibility language in the announcement limited eligibility to those designated entities as direct applicants.
Can local nonprofits or volunteer organizations apply directly?
Based on the eligibility language described in the opportunity summary, local nonprofits and volunteer connector organizations were not eligible to apply directly as the direct applicants. The direct applicants were limited to State Commissions on National and Community Service or qualifying alternative administrative entities, which would typically support and coordinate local volunteer connector organizations in their states.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 30, 2014.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
What happened if an application was submitted late?
CNCS stated that applications had to arrive by the deadline to be considered. Late submissions would be deemed noncompliant and ineligible for review.
Could the deadline be extended?
CNCS noted it could extend the deadline if needed, and that any change would be posted in eGrants and on the CNCS website at www.nationalservice.gov.
What was the archive date for this opportunity?
The archive date was July 9, 2014.
Were there any technical assistance opportunities for applicants?
Yes. CNCS scheduled two technical assistance conference calls that included a brief overview and a Q-and-A session. Recordings and replay information were to be posted after the calls.
When were the technical assistance calls scheduled?
The calls were scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 1:00 pm ET and Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 1:00 pm ET.
Where would updates and official information be posted?
CNCS indicated that updates (including any deadline extension) would be posted in eGrants and on its website at www.nationalservice.gov.
Who could be contacted for help or difficulty accessing the full announcement?
The listing provided a contact point through AmeriCorps State/National at 202-606-3227, along with a direct email contact for the competition (not fully shown in the excerpt).
What law or policy framework does VGF support?
The VGF program was created to advance the goals of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009, which expanded national service and established VGF to strengthen systems that recruit, manage, and support volunteers.
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