Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS 04 29 2015
Apply for CNCS 04 29 2015
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the disaster prevention and relief education environment food and nutrition housing other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.007 Program Development and Innovation Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 10, 2015 and posted on Apr 30, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 25, 2015 This competition has been reopened in order to allow applicants to act as pass through entities. Pass through entities must select subrecipients on a competitive basis through a subgrant. Acting as a pass through entity (subawarding) is not required. The new application deadline is Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 500 p.m. Eastern Time. All modifications to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service grant competition are highlighted in yellow within the Notice of Federal Funding Availability (Notice). Please review the Notice carefully and take note of the changes. For applicants that have already submitted a grant application, you can request to have your application returned to you by sending an email to MLKGrants@cns.gov. Please include your Application ID Number and the Legal Applicant Name in your request. In cases where your application is returned to you for additional work, all applicants are still required to adhere to the new deadline of Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 500 p.m. Eastern Time.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $750,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments.
- Eligible applicants are capable of carrying out multi state, nationally focused (10 or more states), or comprehensive regional initiatives involving at least ten (10) projects in a region. Successful applicants must have submitted an application that meets one of the two criteria set forth in the preceding sentence. Regional initiatives are multiple states in a region. If necessary, applicants may engage with partners or provide subawards to accomplish these geographic initiatives. If engaging with other partners, applicant organizations must have the capability to manage and provide partner oversight, report on project accomplishments and performance measures, and remain accountable to CNCS for the achievement of the intended results set forth in their proposals.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS 04 29 2015) was a discretionary grant competition run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to expand and strengthen MLK Day as a national day of service. The core goal was to mobilize more Americans to participate in service activities on the federal holiday, to use that one-day volunteer moment as a gateway into ongoing, year-round civic engagement, and to bring people from different backgrounds together around shared community needs. The program is rooted in the King Holiday and Service Act passed by Congress in 1994 and reflects the long-running national message of making the holiday "A Day On, Not a Day Off." In practice, CNCS wanted projects that both deliver concrete community benefits and reinforce community connection, mutual responsibility, and bridge-building in the spirit of Dr. Kings approach to strengthening communities, empowering individuals, and breaking down barriers.
The grant supported service initiatives that address a range of community priorities, with activity categories listed across areas like disaster prevention and relief, education, the environment, food and nutrition, housing, and other community-focused needs, with a specific category explanation noting veterans and military families. Examples highlighted in the notice include projects that increase access to college, reduce hunger, and teach nutrition. A key expectation was that the MLK Day project would not be a standalone event, but rather a visible call to service that helps recruit and retain volunteers beyond the holiday itself, building long-term commitment and sustained local impact.
Funding for the competition was estimated at $750,000 total, with approximately 15 awards expected. Individual awards were structured with a floor of $50,000 and a ceiling of $300,000, and the opportunity required cost sharing or matching. The assistance listing referenced CFDA 94.007 under Program Development and Innovation Grants, signaling that CNCS was looking for efforts that could demonstrate strong design, coordination, and measurable results, not just one-off volunteer events.
Eligibility covered a broad set of applicant types, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments, city or township governments, county governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), and both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education. However, eligibility was also tied to the scale and reach of the proposed work. Applicants needed to be capable of executing either multi-state initiatives, nationally focused initiatives spanning 10 or more states, or comprehensive regional initiatives that included multiple states in a region. For regional initiatives, the proposal needed to involve at least 10 projects within the region. This emphasis on multi-state and multi-project reach shows the program was designed to amplify MLK Day service at a broader systems and network level, rather than funding isolated local events.
The notice also clarified that applicants could work through partners and, after the competition was reopened, could act as pass-through entities that make subawards to subrecipients selected competitively through a subgrant process. Serving as a pass-through entity was optional, but if an organization chose that route, it had to demonstrate it could manage subawards responsibly, provide partner oversight, track accomplishments and required performance measures, and remain accountable to CNCS for results promised in the application. In other words, CNCS was willing to fund hub organizations that could coordinate many projects across states, as long as they had the governance, compliance capacity, and reporting systems to manage that complexity.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted April 30, 2015, with an original closing date of June 2, 2015, and then reopened with a new deadline of June 25, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The reopening was specifically to allow applicants to participate as pass-through entities, and the notice indicated modifications were highlighted within the formal Notice of Federal Funding Availability. Applicants who had already submitted could request their application be returned for edits by emailing MLKGrants@cns.gov with the application ID number and legal applicant name, but even resubmitted applications still had to meet the revised June 25 deadline. The opportunity archive date was July 25, 2015, and the full details were made available through CNCS at www.nationalservice.gov/MLKNOFA, with a competition mailbox contact routed through a CNCS senior program officer.
2015 MLK Day of Service Grants (CNCS 04 29 2015) - FAQs
What is the 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Grants opportunity?
It was a discretionary grant competition run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to expand and strengthen Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national day of service and to encourage ongoing, year-round civic engagement beyond the federal holiday.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is CNCS 04 29 2015.
What was the main goal of the program?
The core goal was to mobilize more Americans to participate in service activities on MLK Day, use that one-day volunteer experience as a gateway into sustained civic engagement, and bring people from different backgrounds together around shared community needs.
What national law or policy does this program connect to?
The program is rooted in the King Holiday and Service Act passed by Congress in 1994 and reflects the long-running message of making the holiday "A Day On, Not a Day Off."
What kinds of projects was CNCS looking to fund?
CNCS sought projects that deliver concrete community benefits while also reinforcing community connection, mutual responsibility, and bridge-building consistent with Dr. King's approach to strengthening communities, empowering individuals, and breaking down barriers.
Which community issue areas could MLK Day service initiatives address?
The notice included activity categories spanning disaster prevention and relief, education, the environment, food and nutrition, housing, and other community-focused needs. The opportunity also included a specific category explanation noting veterans and military families.
What are examples of activities highlighted in the notice?
Examples cited include projects that increase access to college, reduce hunger, and teach nutrition.
Did CNCS want MLK Day projects to be one-time events?
No. A key expectation was that the MLK Day project would not be a standalone event, but a visible call to service that helps recruit and retain volunteers beyond the holiday and supports long-term commitment and sustained local impact.
How much total funding was available for this competition?
Total funding was estimated at $750,000.
How many awards were expected?
Approximately 15 awards were expected.
What were the minimum and maximum award amounts?
Individual awards had a floor of $50,000 and a ceiling of $300,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The assistance listing referenced CFDA 94.007 under Program Development and Innovation Grants.
What does the CFDA listing suggest CNCS was emphasizing?
It signaled CNCS was looking for efforts with strong design and coordination and with measurable results, rather than one-off volunteer events.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility included federally recognized Native American tribal governments, city or township governments, county governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), and both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education.
Were there scale or reach requirements tied to eligibility?
Yes. Applicants needed to be capable of executing either multi-state initiatives, nationally focused initiatives spanning 10 or more states, or comprehensive regional initiatives that included multiple states in a region.
What was required for a comprehensive regional initiative?
For regional initiatives, the proposal needed to involve at least 10 projects within the region.
Could applicants work through partners?
Yes. The notice clarified that applicants could work through partners.
Could an applicant serve as a pass-through entity making subawards?
Yes. After the competition was reopened, applicants could act as pass-through entities that make subawards to subrecipients selected competitively through a subgrant process.
Was serving as a pass-through entity required?
No. Serving as a pass-through entity was optional.
If acting as a pass-through entity, what responsibilities did the applicant need to demonstrate?
The applicant had to demonstrate the ability to manage subawards responsibly, provide partner oversight, track accomplishments and required performance measures, and remain accountable to CNCS for the results promised in the application.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on April 30, 2015.
What was the original application deadline?
The original closing date was June 2, 2015.
What was the reopened deadline and time zone?
The opportunity was reopened with a new deadline of June 25, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Why was the competition reopened?
The reopening was specifically to allow applicants to participate as pass-through entities.
Could applicants who already submitted revise their application after the reopening?
Yes. Applicants who had already submitted could request their application be returned for edits by emailing MLKGrants@cns.gov with the application ID number and legal applicant name.
If an application was edited and resubmitted, what deadline applied?
Even resubmitted applications still had to meet the revised June 25, 2015 deadline.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity archive date was July 25, 2015.
Where could applicants find the full notice details?
Full details were made available through CNCS at www.nationalservice.gov/MLKNOFA.
What email address was listed for application edit requests and related communication?
The notice referenced MLKGrants@cns.gov for requesting the return of an application for edits (including providing the application ID number and legal applicant name).
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Disaster Prevention and Relief Education Environment Food and Nutrition Housing Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification)
Next opportunity: Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program FY 2015
Previous opportunity: R6 State Widlife Grant Program Fish Game Agencies Only
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for CNCS 04 29 2015
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "CNCS 04 29 2015", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.