Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS 07 11 13 01
Apply for CNCS 07 11 13 01
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development disaster prevention and relief education employment, labor and training environment food and nutrition health housing sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Volunteer Generation Fund FY13" 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 Jul 11, 2013 and posted on Jul 11, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 9, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,700,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,700,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Volunteer Generation Fund FY13 grant opportunity, offered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), is a discretionary grant program focused on growing and sustaining volunteer engagement in communities across the United States. Its core purpose is not simply to add more volunteers, but to increase the number of people serving in meaningful, well-managed roles that address real community needs. The program emphasizes building systems that help volunteers succeed over time, which means strong recruitment pipelines, effective placement into high-quality assignments, and the ongoing support structures needed to keep volunteers involved and productive.
Funding under this opportunity is intended to develop and/or strengthen community-based entities often described as "volunteer connector organizations." These are organizations that serve as hubs for volunteer engagement, coordinating across nonprofits, local initiatives, and community partners to recruit, train, manage, and retain volunteers. CNCS is specifically looking to fund approaches that expand volunteering in practical ways, improve the capacity of these connector organizations, and increase the use of skill-based volunteers. In other words, the grant supports strategies that go beyond general volunteering by matching people with roles that use their specific skills and experiences, and by improving the systems that keep those volunteers engaged over time.
A major requirement of the Volunteer Generation Fund is a strong focus on outcomes and measurement. Funded programs are expected to establish clear results that track both the number of new volunteers recruited and the number of existing volunteers retained through the capacity supported by the grant. In addition to volunteer counts, grantees must be prepared to document what volunteers actually do, including the types of activities performed and the amount of service carried out. This performance-oriented approach reflects CNCS's intent to support models that can demonstrate real, measurable increases in volunteer capacity and community impact.
This FY13 competition is not open to new applicants; it is limited to current Volunteer Generation Fund grantees only. Even within that limited pool, awards are made competitively, meaning eligible current grantees must submit strong proposals that demonstrate effective strategies and the ability to deliver measurable results. Eligible applicant types listed for the program include nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status (excluding institutions of higher education) and state governments, but the "current grantees only" restriction is the key limitation governing who can apply in this specific round.
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number CNCS 07 11 13 01 and the CFDA number 94.021 (Volunteer Generation Fund). The posted date and creation date are both July 11, 2013, and the application closing date is August 9, 2013, with an archive date of September 8, 2013. The estimated total funding amount is $3,700,000, and the listed award ceiling is also $3,700,000, with a minimum award floor of $1. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning recipients must contribute matching funds or in-kind support as part of the grant arrangement. CNCS provided an additional information link to the full notice of funding and a contact option for access issues via phone at 202-606-7508 and the VGF mailbox.
Programmatically, the Volunteer Generation Fund FY13 is best understood as an investment in volunteer infrastructure: the staffing, systems, partnerships, and practices that help communities recruit volunteers effectively, place them in roles where they can contribute meaningfully (including skill-based assignments), and retain them through strong management and support. The broad activity categories listed community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, and housing reflect that CNCS is not limiting volunteering to one issue area. Instead, it is funding the backbone capacity that allows communities to mobilize volunteers across many kinds of local needs.
Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) FY13 Grant Opportunity - FAQs
What is the Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) FY13 grant opportunity?
The Volunteer Generation Fund FY13 is a discretionary grant opportunity from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) designed to grow and sustain volunteer engagement across communities in the United States. The focus is on building and strengthening the systems that support meaningful, well-managed volunteer service, not just increasing volunteer numbers.
What is the main goal of this program?
The main goal is to increase the number of people serving in meaningful roles that address real community needs, while also improving how volunteers are recruited, placed into high-quality assignments, supported, and retained over time.
Is the program focused on adding more volunteers or improving volunteer experiences?
It is focused on both, but with a clear emphasis on quality and sustainability. CNCS highlights the importance of well-managed roles, effective volunteer placement, and the support structures that help volunteers stay involved and productive over time.
What types of organizations does the funding support?
The opportunity is intended to develop and/or strengthen community-based entities often described as "volunteer connector organizations." These organizations act as hubs that coordinate volunteer engagement across nonprofits, local initiatives, and community partners.
What is a "volunteer connector organization" in the context of this grant?
A volunteer connector organization is a community hub for volunteer engagement. It may recruit volunteers, coordinate placements, train and manage volunteers, strengthen retention practices, and help local partners use volunteers effectively.
What kinds of strategies does CNCS want to fund through VGF FY13?
CNCS is looking for approaches that expand volunteering in practical ways, improve the capacity of volunteer connector organizations, and increase the use of skill-based volunteers. The emphasis is on improving volunteer infrastructure such as recruitment pipelines, placement processes, and ongoing volunteer support.
What are skill-based volunteers, and why are they emphasized?
Skill-based volunteers are individuals placed into roles that match their specific skills and experience. This program emphasizes skill-based volunteering as part of its broader goal to improve the quality and effectiveness of volunteer roles, and to strengthen systems that keep volunteers engaged.
What does CNCS mean by "volunteer infrastructure"?
In this opportunity, volunteer infrastructure refers to the staffing, systems, partnerships, and practices that enable communities to recruit volunteers effectively, place them into meaningful assignments (including skill-based roles), and retain them through strong management and support.
What outcome and measurement expectations come with this grant?
The program has a strong performance and measurement requirement. Funded programs are expected to establish clear results tracking both (1) the number of new volunteers recruited and (2) the number of existing volunteers retained due to the capacity supported by the grant.
Beyond counting volunteers, what else must grantees track?
Grantees must be able to document what volunteers do, including the types of activities performed and the amount of service carried out. This reflects CNCS's interest in measurable increases in volunteer capacity and community impact.
Is this FY13 competition open to new applicants?
No. This FY13 competition is not open to new applicants. It is limited to current Volunteer Generation Fund grantees only.
If only current grantees can apply, are awards still competitive?
Yes. Even though eligibility is limited to current grantees, awards are still made competitively. Eligible grantees must submit strong proposals demonstrating effective strategies and the ability to deliver measurable results.
Who is listed as an eligible applicant type for the VGF program?
Eligible applicant types listed include nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status (excluding institutions of higher education) and state governments. For this FY13 round, the most important limitation is that applicants must be current VGF grantees.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is CNCS 07 11 13 01.
What is the CFDA number for the Volunteer Generation Fund?
The CFDA number is 94.021 (Volunteer Generation Fund).
What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The posted date and creation date are July 11, 2013. The application closing date is August 9, 2013. The archive date is September 8, 2013.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount is $3,700,000.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $3,700,000.
What is the minimum award amount (award floor)?
The listed award floor is $1.
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning recipients must contribute matching funds and/or in-kind support as part of the grant arrangement.
What issue areas or service categories can VGF-supported volunteering address?
The opportunity lists broad activity categories including community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, and housing. The program is designed to support the volunteer engagement backbone that can serve many issue areas, rather than limiting volunteering to one topic.
Does the grant fund direct service work or the systems behind volunteering?
Based on the opportunity description, the grant is best understood as an investment in the systems behind volunteering: recruitment, placement into quality assignments, training and management practices, partner coordination, and retention supports that help volunteers succeed over time.
Where can applicants find additional official details?
CNCS provided an additional information link to the full notice of funding in the opportunity materials.
Who should be contacted for access issues or questions about the notice?
For access issues, CNCS provided a phone contact at 202-606-7508 and referenced the VGF mailbox as a contact option.
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