Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS GRANTS 04272010
Apply for CNCS GRANTS 04272010
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development disaster prevention and relief education employment, labor and training energy environment health housing natural resources other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Volunteer Generation Fund" 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 Apr 29, 2010 and posted on Apr 27, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 18, 2010 The deadline for submission of applications is 500 pm Eastern Time on May 18 2010. Applications must be submitted through the Corporations 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 $4,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Only State Service Commissions or consortia of State Service Commissions supported by the Corporation for national and Community Service are eligible to apply for this grant.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Volunteer Generation Fund (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS-GRANTS-04272010) is a discretionary grant program from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) intended to grow and strengthen volunteerism across the United States. Its core purpose is to increase the number of people serving in meaningful, well-managed volunteer roles that address pressing community needs. Rather than focusing only on placing volunteers, the program emphasizes improving the systems that make volunteering effective, sustainable, and high quality, especially by boosting the capacity of organizations that connect volunteers to service opportunities.
A central theme of the opportunity is building stronger "volunteer support structures" at the state level. The grant is designed to help applicants establish or improve programs that recruit volunteers, match them to appropriate roles, train and support them, and retain them over time. It also aims to identify and scale effective approaches for expanding volunteer opportunities and for managing volunteers well. In practice, this means the program is not just about increasing the raw number of volunteers, but also about improving volunteer management practices so volunteers are prepared, supported, and more likely to stay engaged and make a real impact.
The Fund specifically supports efforts that expand the capacity of volunteer connector organizations. These are organizations that play an intermediary role by mobilizing volunteers, coordinating placements, and helping community-based partners use volunteers effectively. The announcement also highlights alignment with national and special days of service, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance, indicating that proposals tied to large-scale mobilization events and organized service campaigns are within the program's scope.
Funding under this opportunity is estimated at a total of $4,000,000, with an award floor of $75,000. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should be prepared to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or in-kind, depending on the detailed program rules in the full announcement) as part of the project budget. The eligible applicants are limited to State Service Commissions, or consortia of State Service Commissions, that are supported by CNCS. This makes the competition targeted to state-level entities that oversee and coordinate national service and volunteer initiatives, rather than open to nonprofits or local governments directly.
The activity areas connected to the grant are broad and reflect the many settings where volunteers can be deployed. The funding activity categories listed include community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment/labor and training, energy, environment, health, housing, and natural resources, along with an "Other" category explained as volunteerism. The overall intent is to enable commissions and partner connector organizations to build pipelines and management capacity so volunteers can effectively support these fields, depending on state and community priorities.
Operationally, the announcement is very clear about the submission process: applications cannot be submitted through Grants.gov and must be submitted through CNCS's eGrants system at https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp. For this specific posting, the application deadline was 5:00 pm Eastern Time on May 18, 2010 (with the posting date of April 27, 2010, and an archive date of May 19, 2010). The CFDA number associated with the program is 94.021 (Volunteer Generation Fund). Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to contact Sylvie Mortimer at the CNCS Office of the Field Liaison (202-606-6749), with a note indicating there was a direct email for the competition in the full materials.
Overall, the Volunteer Generation Fund is best understood as capacity-building funding aimed at making volunteerism more organized, more effective, and easier to scale. It prioritizes the infrastructure behind volunteering, such as recruitment pipelines, training and supervision practices, volunteer management systems, and partnerships that allow volunteers to be placed into high-quality roles that address real community needs, including high-visibility service days that can rally broader public participation.
Volunteer Generation Fund (CNCS-GRANTS-04272010) FAQs
What is the Volunteer Generation Fund?
The Volunteer Generation Fund is a discretionary grant program from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) designed to grow and strengthen volunteerism across the United States by improving how volunteering is organized and managed.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The core purpose is to increase the number of people serving in meaningful, well-managed volunteer roles that address pressing community needs, with a strong emphasis on strengthening the systems that make volunteering effective, sustainable, and high quality.
Is this grant mainly about placing more volunteers?
Not just placement. The opportunity emphasizes building and improving volunteer support structures, including recruitment, matching volunteers to appropriate roles, training, ongoing support, and retention, so service is well managed and has lasting impact.
What does "capacity-building" mean in the context of this program?
In this program, capacity-building refers to improving the infrastructure behind volunteering, such as volunteer recruitment pipelines, training and supervision practices, volunteer management systems, and partnerships that help organizations use volunteers effectively.
What are "volunteer support structures" at the state level?
Volunteer support structures are the systems and practices used to recruit volunteers, match them to roles, train and support them, and retain them over time. The grant is intended to help establish or strengthen these structures at the state level.
What types of organizations or entities are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to State Service Commissions, or consortia of State Service Commissions, that are supported by CNCS.
Can nonprofits or local governments apply directly?
Based on the eligibility statement provided, the competition is targeted to State Service Commissions (or consortia of them), rather than being open to nonprofits or local governments as direct applicants.
What are "volunteer connector organizations" and why are they important here?
Volunteer connector organizations act as intermediaries that mobilize volunteers, coordinate placements, and help community-based partners use volunteers effectively. The Fund specifically supports efforts that expand the capacity of these connector organizations.
What kinds of activities or outcomes does the program aim to support?
The program aims to help applicants identify and scale effective approaches for expanding volunteer opportunities and managing volunteers well, including improving recruitment, role matching, training, support, and retention practices.
Are national or special days of service part of the program scope?
Yes. The announcement highlights alignment with national and special days of service, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance. Proposals tied to large-scale mobilization events and organized service campaigns are within scope.
What issue areas can this funding support?
The listed funding activity categories include community development; disaster prevention and relief; education; employment/labor and training; energy; environment; health; housing; natural resources; and an "Other" category described as volunteerism.
How much total funding is estimated to be available?
Total estimated funding for this opportunity is $4,000,000.
What is the minimum award amount?
The award floor is $75,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should be prepared to contribute non-federal resources as part of the project budget.
What types of match contributions are implied?
The opportunity indicates match may include cash and/or in-kind support, depending on the detailed program rules contained in the full announcement.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is CNCS-GRANTS-04272010.
What is the CFDA number for the Volunteer Generation Fund?
The CFDA number associated with this program is 94.021 (Volunteer Generation Fund).
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The posting date was April 27, 2010. The application deadline was 5:00 pm Eastern Time on May 18, 2010. The archive date was May 19, 2010.
Where must applications be submitted?
Applications must be submitted through CNCS's eGrants system at https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp.
Can applications be submitted through Grants.gov?
No. The announcement specifies that applications cannot be submitted through Grants.gov.
Who can be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to contact Sylvie Mortimer at the CNCS Office of the Field Liaison at 202-606-6749. The materials also note there was a direct email for the competition in the full announcement.
What is the overall way to think about this program?
The Volunteer Generation Fund is best understood as capacity-building funding focused on making volunteerism more organized, more effective, and easier to scale by strengthening volunteer management systems, practices, and partnerships.
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