Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS GRANTS 02282011
Apply for CNCS GRANTS 02282011
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development education employment, labor and training energy food and nutrition health other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Social Innovation Fund FY 2011" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.019 Social Innovation Fund.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 28, 2011 and posted on Feb 28, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 12, 2011 The deadline for submission of applications is 500 pm Eastern Time on April 12, 2011. Applications must be submitted through the CNCS eGrants system https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $7,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments State governments Private institutions of higher education Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- To be eligible for a SIF intermediary award, an applicant must Be an existing grantmaking institution or an eligible partnership Properly propose to be either a geographically based or issue based SIF that will focus on improving measurable outcomes Have a strong track record of using rigorous evidence to select, invest in, support, and monitor the replication and expansion of grantees Have a well articulated plan to o Select, replicate and expand subgrantees that have been shown to have at least preliminary evidence of effectiveness and o Collaborate with a research organization to undertake rigorous evaluations to move subgrantees to at least moderate levels of evidence. Have appropriate policies on conflicts of interest, self dealing, and other improper practices and Demonstrate either cash on hand or commitments (or a combination thereof) toward meeting 50 percent of the first year matching funds, based on the amount of grant funds requested. For example, a request of 1 million needs to be accompanied by documentation of 500,000 on hand at the time of application.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2011 grant opportunity was a federal funding initiative run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009. Its core purpose was to improve outcomes for people living in low-income communities in the United States by scaling up community-based programs that could show real, measurable impact. The model was intentionally structured as a public-private partnership: federal dollars were used to attract and lock in private matching funds, and grantees were expected to build strong evidence about what works through rigorous evaluation. The bigger goal was not just to fund good programs, but to expand the most effective approaches, measure results carefully, and share lessons broadly so that successful strategies could be replicated.
Rather than awarding most funds directly to frontline service organizations, CNCS designed SIF around funding a small number of high-capacity grantmaking institutions known as intermediaries. In FY 2011, CNCS expected to make about seven awards, using cooperative agreements, with awards ranging from $1,000,000 (floor) to $7,000,000 (ceiling). Intermediaries were required to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match for every federal dollar they received. After receiving funds, intermediaries had to run a competitive process to identify and invest in nonprofit subgrantees delivering services in low-income communities, and they were required to pass through at least 80 percent of their federal funds (plus the associated matching funds) to these subgrantees as part of a managed portfolio. In practical terms, CNCS was betting on intermediaries to function like sophisticated grantmakers: selecting strong organizations, providing ongoing support and oversight, ensuring performance management, and holding subgrantees accountable for results.
The funded work had to fall within at least one of three priority issue areas. Youth Development focused on helping young people succeed in school and life, including preparation for citizenship, productive work, and healthy and safe lives. Economic Opportunity aimed at increasing economic prospects for economically disadvantaged individuals, which can include pathways to employment, workforce readiness, and other interventions that improve income stability. Healthy Futures emphasized promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing risk factors that contribute to illness. Across all three areas, the program’s throughline was outcomes: applicants were expected to define measurable results tied to a specific issue area and geographic focus, then demonstrate progress using evaluation and performance data.
Subgrantees funded by intermediaries also carried substantial obligations. Each subgrantee had to match its award dollar-for-dollar in cash, and each was expected to use CNCS-supported funds to expand or replicate a program model while producing measurable outcomes. Importantly, the opportunity put heavy weight on evidence-building: intermediaries were expected to choose subgrantees with at least preliminary evidence of effectiveness and then partner with research organizations to carry out rigorous evaluations designed to move programs toward at least a “moderate†level of evidence. This emphasis on evaluation was meant to ensure that growth was tied to proven impact rather than just increased activity or reach.
Eligibility for the intermediary award was centered on being an existing grantmaking institution or an eligible partnership that could credibly operate at scale and manage a portfolio of subawards. Beyond basic applicant categories (which included various nonprofit and government entities, tribal governments and organizations, and institutions of higher education), CNCS set specific intermediary eligibility expectations: applicants needed a strong track record of using rigorous evidence to select and monitor grantees; a clear plan for selecting, supporting, replicating, and expanding subgrantees; and the ability to collaborate with a research organization on rigorous evaluation. Applicants also needed appropriate policies to prevent conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and other improper practices. A notable readiness requirement was financial: applicants had to demonstrate cash on hand or firm commitments sufficient to meet 50 percent of the first-year matching requirement at the time of application (for example, a $1,000,000 request required documentation of at least $500,000 available or committed).
Administratively, the application process had a strict submission pathway and deadline. Applications could not be submitted through Grants.gov and instead had to be submitted through CNCS’s eGrants system at https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp. The closing date for submission was April 12, 2011, with a deadline time of 5:00 pm Eastern. The opportunity was listed under Funding Opportunity Number CNCS-GRANTS-02282011 and CFDA 94.019 (Social Innovation Fund). The posted and creation date were February 28, 2011, and the archive date was April 13, 2011. For access issues or questions, the notice provided a contact point at CNCS, including a phone number (202-606-7570) and an email contact for SIF questions.
Overall, SIF FY 2011 was designed to fund a small set of high-performing intermediary grantmakers that could combine federal funding with private cash match, identify and strengthen effective community nonprofits, and use evaluation to build the evidence needed to responsibly scale programs in youth development, economic opportunity, and healthy futures. The structure made intermediaries directly accountable to CNCS for results, while also creating a disciplined pipeline for subgrantee selection, performance management, and learning about which interventions create the strongest impact in low-income communities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2011
What was the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2011 grant opportunity?
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2011 grant opportunity was a federal funding initiative run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009. It was designed to improve outcomes for people living in low-income communities in the United States by scaling up community-based programs that could show real, measurable impact.
What was the main goal of SIF FY 2011?
The main goal was to expand the most effective community solutions, measure results carefully through performance data and rigorous evaluation, and share lessons so successful strategies could be replicated. The focus was on measurable outcomes rather than simply increasing services or reach.
How was SIF structured: direct grants to service providers or something else?
CNCS designed SIF primarily to fund a small number of high-capacity grantmaking institutions called intermediaries, rather than awarding most funding directly to frontline service organizations. Intermediaries then ran competitive processes to select nonprofit subgrantees delivering services in low-income communities.
What is an "intermediary" under SIF FY 2011?
An intermediary was a high-capacity grantmaking institution (or eligible partnership) funded by CNCS to function like a sophisticated grantmaker. Responsibilities included running a competitive subgrant process, selecting strong nonprofits, providing support and oversight, ensuring performance management, and holding subgrantees accountable for results.
How many awards did CNCS expect to make in FY 2011?
CNCS expected to make about seven awards in FY 2011.
What type of federal award instrument was used?
The FY 2011 opportunity anticipated making awards using cooperative agreements.
What was the award size (minimum and maximum) for intermediaries?
Awards were expected to range from $1,000,000 (floor) to $7,000,000 (ceiling).
Was a match required for intermediary awards?
Yes. Intermediaries were required to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match for every federal dollar received.
How much of the federal funding had to be passed through to subgrantees?
Intermediaries were required to pass through at least 80 percent of their federal funds, plus the associated matching funds, to nonprofit subgrantees as part of a managed portfolio.
Did subgrantees also need to provide matching funds?
Yes. Each subgrantee had to match its award dollar-for-dollar in cash.
What were the priority issue areas for funded work?
Funded work needed to fall within at least one of three priority issue areas: Youth Development, Economic Opportunity, and Healthy Futures.
What does "Youth Development" mean in this opportunity?
Youth Development focused on helping young people succeed in school and life, including preparation for citizenship, productive work, and healthy and safe lives.
What does "Economic Opportunity" mean in this opportunity?
Economic Opportunity aimed to increase economic prospects for economically disadvantaged individuals. Examples mentioned include pathways to employment, workforce readiness, and other interventions that improve income stability.
What does "Healthy Futures" mean in this opportunity?
Healthy Futures emphasized promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing risk factors that contribute to illness.
What did CNCS mean by focusing on "outcomes"?
Applicants were expected to define measurable results tied to a specific issue area and geographic focus, then demonstrate progress using evaluation and performance data. The emphasis was on measurable impact rather than activity alone.
What evidence expectations applied to the portfolio of subgrantees?
Intermediaries were expected to choose subgrantees with at least preliminary evidence of effectiveness and then build stronger evidence through rigorous evaluations, with the intent of moving programs toward at least a "moderate" level of evidence.
What role did research organizations play?
Intermediaries were expected to collaborate with a research organization to carry out rigorous evaluations of supported programs.
What was subgrantees' core program obligation beyond service delivery?
Subgrantees were expected to use CNCS-supported funds to expand or replicate a program model while producing measurable outcomes, and to participate in evidence-building through evaluation.
Who was eligible to apply as an intermediary?
Eligibility centered on being an existing grantmaking institution or an eligible partnership capable of operating at scale and managing a portfolio of subawards. The opportunity referenced applicant categories that included various nonprofit and government entities, tribal governments and organizations, and institutions of higher education, along with specific intermediary expectations.
What specific capabilities did CNCS expect from intermediaries?
CNCS expected intermediaries to have: a strong track record of using rigorous evidence to select and monitor grantees; a clear plan for selecting, supporting, replicating, and expanding subgrantees; and the ability to collaborate with a research organization on rigorous evaluation.
Were there governance or ethics requirements mentioned for intermediaries?
Yes. Applicants needed appropriate policies to prevent conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and other improper practices.
What was the financial readiness requirement related to matching funds at the time of application?
Applicants had to demonstrate cash on hand or firm commitments sufficient to meet 50 percent of the first-year matching requirement at the time of application. For example, a $1,000,000 request required documentation of at least $500,000 available or committed.
How were applications submitted?
Applications could not be submitted through Grants.gov. They had to be submitted through CNCS's eGrants system at https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp.
What was the application deadline for SIF FY 2011?
The closing date was April 12, 2011, with a deadline time of 5:00 pm Eastern.
What was the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number was CNCS-GRANTS-02282011. The CFDA number was 94.019 (Social Innovation Fund).
When was the opportunity posted and when was it archived?
The posted and creation date was February 28, 2011. The archive date was April 13, 2011.
Who could be contacted for access issues or questions?
The notice provided a CNCS contact point, including a phone number (202-606-7570) and an email contact for SIF questions.
What is the basic funding model behind SIF FY 2011?
SIF FY 2011 was structured as a public-private partnership. Federal dollars were used to attract and secure private matching funds, while requiring rigorous evaluation and performance management to build credible evidence about what works.
In practical terms, what was CNCS "betting on" by funding intermediaries?
CNCS was relying on intermediaries to act as disciplined portfolio managers: run competitive subgrantmaking, select effective organizations, support and oversee implementation, track performance, and ensure accountability for measurable outcomes in low-income communities.
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