Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS GRANTS 04262010
Apply for CNCS GRANTS 04262010
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development education environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone FY10" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 14, 2010 and posted on Apr 26, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 15, 2010 The deadline for submission of applications is 500 p.m. Eastern Time on 06/15/2010 Applications must be submitted using eGrants, the Corporations integrated, secure, web based system for grant application and management. To create and submit an application via eGrants, please visit http://www.learnandserve.gov/egrants.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,400,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $450,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Independent school districts Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Eligible partnerships must include 1. one or more community based entities with demonstrated records of success in service learning programs with economically disadvantaged students, 2. a local educational agency serving a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (a free and reduced price lunch eligibility rate of 70 or more) and where the graduation rate is less than 70 3. a community college with existing connections to the LEA and/or youth serving organizations and 4. a geographic area where less than 30 of the secondary students are already engaged in service learning. Eligible partnerships may also involve other entities that could include, but are not limited to, higher education institutions, State Commissions on National and Community Service, faith based organizations and local government agencies. For the purpose of this competition, a community based entity is a public or private nonprofit organization that has experience with meeting unmet educational, environmental or public safety needs. NOTE The lead applicant must be physically located in the designated zone and have the organizational capacity to manage the grant.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone FY10 grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: CNCS GRANTS 04262010) was a discretionary grant program run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) focused on expanding high-quality service-learning in underserved communities. The core idea was to use service-learning as a practical, community-connected way to strengthen how students feel about school and how well they perform in it. The program emphasized measurable improvements in student engagement (especially attendance and behavior), academic achievement, graduation rates, and longer-term outcomes like college enrollment and persistence.
CNCS framed the Youth Engagement Zone initiative around three main strategies. First, it sought to engage young people as positive contributors through service-learning projects that make classroom learning feel relevant and connected to real life, while also building students sense of civic responsibility and personal development. Second, it aimed to broaden students exposure to people and perspectives by connecting youth with citizens from diverse communities and backgrounds, creating more inclusive and varied opportunities to serve. Third, the initiative intended to build lasting local capacity, meaning the grant was not just about running a set of activities for a year or two, but about helping communities become better at using service as a long-term tool for solving local problems in education, the environment, and public safety.
Eligibility was built around a required partnership model rather than a single organization acting alone. To compete, applicants had to form a partnership that included: (1) one or more community-based entities with a proven track record of successful service-learning programs serving economically disadvantaged students; (2) a local educational agency (LEA) with a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students, defined as at least a 70 percent free and reduced-price lunch eligibility rate, and with a graduation rate below 70 percent; (3) a community college that already had connections to the LEA and/or youth-serving organizations; and (4) a geographic area where fewer than 30 percent of secondary students were already participating in service-learning. The structure shows the program was designed to concentrate resources where service-learning was not yet common and where educational outcomes signaled a need for intensive engagement strategies. Partnerships could also include additional collaborators such as four-year colleges and universities, state service commissions, faith-based organizations, and local government agencies. CNCS also specified that the lead applicant had to be physically located in the designated zone and capable of managing federal grant funds and compliance requirements.
A broad range of entities could apply as the lead, as long as the partnership requirements were met. Eligible applicant types included state governments, city or township governments, county governments, independent school districts, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific category), private institutions of higher education, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations. The funding announcement also clarified what CNCS meant by a community-based entity for this competition: a public or private nonprofit organization experienced in addressing unmet educational, environmental, or public safety needs.
Funding for the competition was estimated at about $5.4 million total, with an expected 4 to 12 awards (the source listing also notes an expected awards figure of 12). Individual awards were anticipated to range from $300,000 to $450,000 per year, with projects potentially funded for up to three years. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources alongside the federal funds as part of the overall project budget.
The application process had a key procedural restriction: applications could not be submitted through Grants.gov. Instead, applicants had to apply through CNCS eGrants, the agencys web-based grant application and management portal, using the link provided in the announcement (https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp and related references at learnandserve.gov/egrants). The deadline was 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 15, 2010. For help accessing the full announcement, the listed contact was Cara Patrick at 202-606-7510, with a note that there was a specific email box established for the competition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone FY10 (CNCS GRANTS 04262010)
What is the Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone FY10 grant?
The Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone FY10 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: CNCS GRANTS 04262010) was a discretionary grant program run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). It focused on expanding high-quality service-learning in underserved communities, using service-learning to strengthen student engagement in school and improve education-related outcomes.
What was the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The core purpose was to use service-learning as a practical, community-connected approach to make school feel more relevant to students and to improve how students connect to school. CNCS emphasized measurable improvements in student engagement (especially attendance and behavior), academic achievement, graduation rates, and longer-term outcomes such as college enrollment and persistence.
What outcomes did CNCS emphasize for Youth Engagement Zone projects?
CNCS emphasized outcomes that could be measured, including student engagement (with particular attention to attendance and behavior), academic achievement, graduation rates, and longer-term results such as college enrollment and persistence.
How did CNCS describe the Youth Engagement Zone strategy?
CNCS framed the initiative around three main strategies: (1) engaging young people as positive contributors through service-learning that connects classroom learning to real community issues while building civic responsibility and personal development; (2) broadening students exposure to people and perspectives by connecting youth with citizens from diverse communities and backgrounds; and (3) building lasting local capacity so communities can use service as a long-term tool to address local problems in areas like education, the environment, and public safety.
What is service-learning in the context of this program?
Based on the announcement description, service-learning was treated as a way for students to participate in service projects that are connected to classroom learning and real community needs, making learning more relevant while supporting civic responsibility and personal development.
Who was required to apply: a single organization or a partnership?
Applicants had to form a partnership. The competition was built around a required partnership model rather than a single organization applying on its own.
What organizations had to be included in the required partnership?
The required partnership had to include: (1) one or more community-based entities with a proven track record of successful service-learning programs serving economically disadvantaged students; (2) a local educational agency (LEA) with a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students (at least 70 percent free and reduced-price lunch eligibility) and a graduation rate below 70 percent; (3) a community college that already had connections to the LEA and/or youth-serving organizations; and (4) a geographic area where fewer than 30 percent of secondary students were already participating in service-learning.
What qualifies as the required local educational agency (LEA) for this competition?
The LEA in the partnership needed to have a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students, defined as at least a 70 percent free and reduced-price lunch eligibility rate, and it also needed to have a graduation rate below 70 percent.
What was the requirement about service-learning participation in the target area?
The designated geographic area for the partnership had to be one where fewer than 30 percent of secondary students were already participating in service-learning.
What did CNCS mean by a "community-based entity" for this competition?
For this opportunity, CNCS defined a community-based entity as a public or private nonprofit organization experienced in addressing unmet educational, environmental, or public safety needs. The required partnership also specified that one or more such community-based entities must have a proven track record of successful service-learning programs serving economically disadvantaged students.
Could the partnership include additional organizations beyond the required partners?
Yes. Partnerships could also include additional collaborators such as four-year colleges and universities, state service commissions, faith-based organizations, and local government agencies.
Who could serve as the lead applicant?
A broad range of entities could apply as the lead applicant, as long as the partnership requirements were met and the lead applicant was physically located in the designated zone and capable of managing federal grant funds and compliance requirements.
What types of organizations were listed as eligible applicants?
Eligible applicant types included state governments, city or township governments, county governments, independent school districts, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific category), private institutions of higher education, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations.
Was the lead applicant required to be located in a specific place?
Yes. CNCS specified that the lead applicant had to be physically located in the designated zone.
What administrative capacity did the lead applicant need?
The lead applicant needed to be capable of managing federal grant funds and meeting federal compliance requirements, as noted in the announcement description.
How much total funding was available under this competition?
Total funding for the competition was estimated at about $5.4 million.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipated making between 4 and 12 awards (and the source listing also notes an expected awards figure of 12).
What was the expected annual award size?
Individual awards were anticipated to range from $300,000 to $450,000 per year.
How long could projects be funded?
Projects could potentially be funded for up to three years.
Was matching or cost sharing required?
Yes. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources alongside the federal funds as part of the overall project budget.
How were applications submitted for this opportunity?
Applications had to be submitted through CNCS eGrants, CNCS's web-based grant application and management portal. The announcement provided references including https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp and learnandserve.gov/egrants.
Could applicants submit through Grants.gov?
No. The announcement included a procedural restriction stating that applications could not be submitted through Grants.gov.
What was the application deadline?
The deadline was 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 15, 2010.
Who was the listed contact for help with the full announcement?
The listed contact was Cara Patrick at 202-606-7510. The announcement also noted that a specific email box had been established for the competition.
What kinds of community needs were Youth Engagement Zone projects intended to address?
The initiative was intended to help communities use service as a tool to solve local problems in areas including education, the environment, and public safety, while strengthening student engagement and related education outcomes.
Why did CNCS require a community college partner?
The eligibility requirements specified that the partnership must include a community college that already had connections to the LEA and/or youth-serving organizations, reflecting the initiative's emphasis on building local capacity and improving longer-term outcomes like college enrollment and persistence.
What did CNCS mean by building "lasting local capacity"?
CNCS emphasized that the grant was not only about running activities for a short period, but about helping communities become better at using service as a long-term tool to address local challenges, particularly in education, the environment, and public safety.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone FY11 Apply for CNCS GRANTS 02102011 Funding Number: CNCS GRANTS 02102011 Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service Category: Community Development Education Environment Funding Amount: $1,600,000 |
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