Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS COOP 02102012
Apply for CNCS COOP 02102012
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development education employment, labor and training 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 2012" 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 10, 2012 and posted on Feb 10, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2012 The deadline for submission of applications is 500 pm Eastern Time on March 27, 2012. 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.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- 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 2012 funding opportunity was a federal grant competition run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support community-based solutions that can demonstrate results and grow their impact. A key logistical point in this notice is that applications could not be submitted through Grants.gov. All applications had to be filed through the CNCS eGrants system at https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on March 27, 2012. The opportunity was issued as a discretionary funding competition using a cooperative agreement instrument, meaning awardees should expect an ongoing, collaborative relationship with the federal agency rather than a purely hands-off grant.
At the program level, SIF was created under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and reflects the broader shift toward outcomes, evidence, and capacity-building in national service and nonprofit initiatives. Instead of funding direct-service nonprofits in the first instance, the SIF model primarily funds intermediaries, meaning established grantmaking institutions (or eligible partnerships) that already have experience finding strong nonprofit programs, investing in them, helping them improve, and tracking results. These intermediaries then run their own competitive processes to make subgrants to promising community-based nonprofit organizations. The overall aim is to validate what works, strengthen organizational capacity, and expand effective approaches so they reach more people and generate stronger measurable outcomes.
The FY 2012 SIF competition focused on three priority issue areas: Youth Development, Economic Opportunity, and Healthy Futures. While the funding activity categories are listed broadly (community development, education, employment/labor, food and nutrition, health, and regional development), the notice makes clear that proposed work should align to one of those three core priorities. Intermediaries could be structured as geographically based funds (focused on a particular place or region) or issue based funds (focused on a particular problem area), but in either case they were expected to show how they would improve measurable outcomes for the populations served.
Several design features define how SIF awards were expected to operate. First, the program relies on intermediaries with strong track records to do the critical work of selecting, validating, and growing high-impact nonprofits, rather than having the federal government pick and manage subgrantees directly. Second, SIF placed heavy emphasis on cost sharing: each federal dollar awarded to an intermediary had to be matched 1:1 with non-federal funds (for example, private philanthropy or other allowable non-federal sources). In addition, subgrants made by the intermediary to nonprofit subgrantees also had to be matched 1:1 by the subgrantees. Third, the notice required formal evaluation. Intermediaries had to ensure each subgrantee participated in evaluations of performance and impact, with the expectation that evaluation would strengthen the evidence base behind funded interventions. Fourth, SIF emphasized knowledge sharing, meaning awardees were expected to help spread lessons learned and contribute to broader sector improvement around innovation, evidence, and scaling what works.
Funding levels in this notice were substantial but limited in number. CNCS anticipated making about 5 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $10,000,000. Individual awards were expected to range from $1,000,000 (floor) to $5,000,000 (ceiling). The CFDA number associated with the program was 94.019 (Social Innovation Fund). Because of the matching requirements, applicants also needed to demonstrate credible fundraising capacity and financial readiness, not just strong program ideas.
Eligibility was broad in terms of entity type, listing various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district), federally recognized tribal governments, and tribal organizations, as well as nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories). However, the practical eligibility standard for an intermediary was more specific than the entity list suggests. To qualify as a SIF intermediary applicant, an organization needed to be an existing grantmaking institution or an eligible partnership, propose a clear geographic or issue focus tied to measurable outcomes, and show a strong history of using rigorous evidence to select and monitor investments. Applicants also had to present a well-developed plan for selecting subgrantees that already had at least preliminary evidence of effectiveness and for helping those subgrantees expand or replicate their models. A major expectation was collaboration with a research organization to carry out rigorous evaluations that could move subgrantees toward at least a moderate level of evidence. Finally, applicants needed solid governance safeguards, including policies addressing conflicts of interest and self-dealing, to reduce the risk of improper practices.
The match requirement was not only a general obligation; the notice also required evidence of near-term capacity to meet it. Applicants had to demonstrate either cash on hand, commitments, or a combination sufficient to cover 50 percent of the first-year matching requirement based on the federal amount requested. The notice gives a concrete example: an applicant requesting $1,000,000 in federal funds needed to document $500,000 on hand at the time of application (toward the match). This requirement signaled that CNCS was looking for intermediaries that could realistically raise and manage significant private or non-federal co-investment from the start.
For applicants needing help or unable to access the full announcement online, the notice provided a point of contact at CNCS: Pat Carpenter (202-606-3223), with instructions that this was the direct contact for questions about the SIF competition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2012 (CNCS)
1) What is the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2012 funding opportunity?
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF) FY 2012 opportunity was a federal discretionary grant competition run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support community-based solutions that can demonstrate results and grow their impact. The program was created under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and emphasized outcomes, evidence, and building capacity so effective approaches can be expanded.
2) What type of federal award was used for this competition?
This opportunity used a cooperative agreement instrument. That means awardees should expect an ongoing, collaborative relationship with CNCS during the period of performance, rather than a purely hands-off grant arrangement.
3) Were applications submitted through Grants.gov?
No. Applications could not be submitted through Grants.gov for this notice.
4) How and where were applications submitted?
All applications had to be submitted through the CNCS eGrants system at https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp.
5) What was the application deadline?
Applications were due by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on March 27, 2012.
6) What is the basic funding model of SIF (who gets funded first)?
SIF primarily funds intermediaries rather than funding direct-service nonprofits first. Intermediaries are established grantmaking institutions (or eligible partnerships) that run their own competitive processes to make subgrants to promising community-based nonprofit organizations.
7) What is an "intermediary" in this SIF notice?
An intermediary is an existing grantmaking institution (or eligible partnership) with experience identifying strong nonprofit programs, investing in them, helping them improve, and tracking results. Under SIF, the intermediary is responsible for selecting subgrantees and supporting them to strengthen and grow proven approaches.
8) What were the FY 2012 SIF priority issue areas?
The competition focused on three priority issue areas: Youth Development, Economic Opportunity, and Healthy Futures. Proposed work was expected to align with one of these three core priorities.
9) What other activity categories were listed, and how do they relate to the priorities?
The notice listed broad activity categories such as community development, education, employment/labor, food and nutrition, health, and regional development. However, the notice made clear that proposed work should align to one of the three core SIF priorities: Youth Development, Economic Opportunity, or Healthy Futures.
10) Could an intermediary focus on a specific place or a specific issue?
Yes. Intermediaries could be structured as geographically based funds (focused on a particular place or region) or issue based funds (focused on a particular problem area). In either case, they were expected to show how they would improve measurable outcomes for the populations served.
11) How many awards did CNCS expect to make, and what was the total estimated funding?
CNCS anticipated making about 5 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $10,000,000.
12) What was the expected award size range?
Individual awards were expected to range from $1,000,000 (floor) to $5,000,000 (ceiling).
13) What CFDA number was associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with the Social Innovation Fund in this notice was 94.019.
14) What were the cost sharing (matching) requirements at the intermediary level?
Each federal dollar awarded to an intermediary had to be matched 1:1 with non-federal funds. In practical terms, the intermediary needed to raise and provide one non-federal dollar for every federal dollar awarded.
15) Did subgrantees also have to provide match?
Yes. Subgrants made by the intermediary to nonprofit subgrantees also had to be matched 1:1 by the subgrantees.
16) What kinds of non-federal funds were referenced for matching?
The notice referenced non-federal funds such as private philanthropy or other allowable non-federal sources as examples of funding that could support the required 1:1 match.
17) What proof of match capacity was required at the time of application?
Applicants had to demonstrate near-term capacity to meet the match by documenting either cash on hand, commitments, or a combination sufficient to cover 50 percent of the first-year matching requirement (based on the federal amount requested).
18) What is the example provided in the notice for documenting match capacity?
The notice gave an example that an applicant requesting $1,000,000 in federal funds needed to document $500,000 on hand at the time of application toward the match.
19) What did CNCS emphasize about evaluation requirements?
The notice required formal evaluation. Intermediaries had to ensure each subgrantee participated in evaluations of performance and impact, with the expectation that evaluation would strengthen the evidence base behind funded interventions.
20) Was collaboration with a research organization expected?
Yes. A major expectation described in the notice was collaboration with a research organization to carry out rigorous evaluations that could move subgrantees toward at least a moderate level of evidence.
21) What did the notice say about evidence standards for subgrantees?
Applicants were expected to present a plan for selecting subgrantees that already had at least preliminary evidence of effectiveness, and for helping them expand or replicate their models.
22) What role did knowledge sharing play in SIF awards?
SIF emphasized knowledge sharing. Awardees were expected to help spread lessons learned and contribute to broader sector improvement around innovation, evidence, and scaling what works.
23) Who was listed as eligible to apply (entity types)?
Eligibility was described broadly and included various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district), federally recognized tribal governments, and tribal organizations. It also included nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories).
24) If eligibility was broad, what was the practical standard to qualify as an intermediary applicant?
Beyond the broad entity list, the notice described a more specific practical standard: an organization needed to be an existing grantmaking institution or an eligible partnership, propose a clear geographic or issue focus tied to measurable outcomes, and show a strong history of using rigorous evidence to select and monitor investments.
25) What governance safeguards were expected of applicants?
Applicants were expected to have solid governance safeguards, including policies addressing conflicts of interest and self-dealing, to reduce the risk of improper practices.
26) Why did the notice place so much importance on fundraising and financial readiness?
Because of the 1:1 matching requirements (and the requirement to document the ability to cover 50 percent of the first-year match at application), applicants needed to demonstrate credible fundraising capacity and financial readiness, not only strong program ideas.
27) Who was the point of contact for questions about this SIF competition?
The notice provided Pat Carpenter as the direct CNCS contact for questions about the SIF competition at 202-606-3223.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (CNCS COOP 02102012) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Learn and Serve America School Based Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories FY 2010 Apply for CNCS GRANTS 02042010 Funding Number: CNCS GRANTS 02042010 Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Food and Nutrition Health Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Regional De Funding Amount: $120,000 |
| Learn and Serve America School Based Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories FY 2011 Apply for CNCS GRANTS 02012011 Funding Number: CNCS GRANTS 02012011 Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Food and Nutrition Health Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Regional De Funding Amount: $250,000 |
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