Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS COOP 021308 001
Apply for CNCS COOP 021308 001
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Volunteer Organization Capacity Building" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.007 Program Development and Innovation Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 27, 2008 and posted on Feb 13, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 10, 2008 Please submit an e mail stating your intent to apply to VolCapBuild@cns.gov by February 20, 2008 by 500 p.m. Eastern Time. The deadline for applications is 500 p.m. Eastern Time on March 10, 2008. Applications submitted by hard copy or fax will not be accepted. This Notice contains all application instructions, and is available at http://www.nationalservice.gov/fororganizations/funding/nofa.asp or by e mailing VolCapBuild@cns.gov. Submit applications via e mail to VolCapBuild@cns.gov. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 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 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Eligible applicants are national nonprofit organizations (national intermediaries, associations, alliances, consortia, and networks) and national public charities, faith based and other community organizations, and national private foundations. For the purposes of this competition a national non profit organization is defined as a non profit that has on going, demonstrable relationships with volunteer connector organizations in at least one state in each of the five clusters of the country used by the Corporation to organize its field operations. The clusters are 1)Pacific (AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY), 2) Atlantic (NJ, MD, DE, CY, DC, RI, MA, PA, PR, NY, MN, MT, NH), 3) North Central (IL, IN, IO, MI, MN, NB, OH, SD, ND, WI), 4)Southern ( AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV), and 5)Southwest (AZ, AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, TX). We expect the successful applicant will have well developed relationships and networks in the volunteer sector. Applicants must also be able to develop a program that can serve as a national model for capacity building for volunteer organizations. Lobbying Any organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4) that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to apply. Current Grantees A national organization that currently operates a Corporation funded program or is applying for other Corporation funding is eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Volunteer Organization Capacity Building opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS COOP 021308 001) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to strengthen the national volunteer infrastructure by investing in the local organizations that connect people to service. CNCS anticipated making a single award of approximately $5,000,000 to one national organization that could design and carry out a three-year plan to build the capacity of local "Volunteer Connector Organizations." These local connectors are the groups that match individuals with volunteer opportunities and help nonprofits, schools, faith-based groups, and public agencies use volunteers effectively to produce measurable community impact in areas like education, the environment, public safety, and homeland security.
The main purpose of the award is to create a national-scale capacity building effort that provides both funding and hands-on support to local volunteer connector affiliates and related organizations. The successful applicant would work closely with CNCS and operate more like a strategic partner than a simple grantee, which is why the instrument is a cooperative agreement. A key structural expectation is that, subject to CNCS approval, up to about 50 percent of the federal funds could be distributed each year to local Volunteer Connector Organizations through a subgrant process. Those subgrants are intended to cover operating support, capacity building activities, and special projects that expand local reach and effectiveness.
CNCS laid out several major work areas the national awardee would be expected to lead. First, the awardee would provide grants to local connectors and deliver training and technical assistance not only to those connectors but also to other local organizations, including other CNCS grantees, with a strong emphasis on practical topics like volunteer management, volunteer retention, and partnership development. CNCS also encouraged distance learning and other cost-effective delivery methods so that training and assistance could reach a wide footprint without excessive overhead. Another expectation was sector coordination: the awardee would collaborate with other organizations to streamline and consolidate online resources tied to volunteer management and national service, reducing duplication and making tools easier to find and use.
A major public-facing component of the work is outreach and volunteer recruitment at scale. The awardee would develop outreach strategies and run a national campaign to encourage more Americans to volunteer, aligned with CNCS strategic priorities such as engaging Baby Boomers in service, involving more at-risk youth and students in service opportunities, and expanding mentoring for at-risk youth. CNCS also wanted the awardee to convene and co-design a national conference on volunteerism and service, along with other national meetings, to provide training, inspiration, and networking for practitioners and organizations across the volunteer sector.
The opportunity also emphasizes modernization and private sector engagement. CNCS expected the awardee to provide leadership in developing and marketing web-based technologies that make it easier to match volunteers with opportunities and organize service projects efficiently, using electronic tools to improve both scale and quality. In addition, the awardee would be responsible for building private sector support for volunteering, including promoting corporate employee volunteer programs and convening and supporting an advisory council of for-profit corporations committed to strengthening volunteerism and community impact nationwide.
Eligibility was limited to national nonprofit organizations and similar national entities with strong, demonstrable ties to volunteer connector organizations across the country. Specifically, a qualifying national nonprofit needed ongoing relationships with volunteer connector organizations in at least one state within each of CNCS's five geographic clusters: Pacific, Atlantic, North Central, Southern, and Southwest. Eligible applicants included national intermediaries, associations, alliances, consortia, networks, national public charities, faith-based and other community organizations, and national private foundations, but 501(c)(4) organizations that engage in lobbying were not eligible. CNCS also noted that existing CNCS grantees, or organizations applying for other CNCS funding, could still apply for this opportunity.
Administratively, the opportunity required cost sharing or matching, and it was categorized under Community Development and Education (CFDA 94.007, Program Development and Innovation Grants). CNCS planned one award with an award ceiling of $5,000,000 and estimated total funding of $5,000,000. The posting date was February 13, 2008, with an intent-to-apply email requested by February 20, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, and a final application deadline of March 10, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Applications had to be submitted by email to VolCapBuild@cns.gov; hard copy and fax submissions were not accepted. The full notice and instructions were made available through the CNCS website or by requesting materials via the same email address, with a listed point of contact at CNCS for access issues.
Volunteer Organization Capacity Building (CNCS COOP 021308 001) - FAQs
1) What is the Volunteer Organization Capacity Building opportunity?
It is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to strengthen the national volunteer infrastructure by investing in local organizations that connect people to service.
2) What is the funding opportunity number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is CNCS COOP 021308 001.
3) What is the overall purpose of the award?
The purpose is to create a national-scale capacity building effort that provides funding and hands-on support to local "Volunteer Connector Organizations" and related organizations, improving how volunteers are recruited, managed, retained, and matched to community needs.
4) How many awards did CNCS anticipate making?
CNCS anticipated making a single award.
5) What was the anticipated award amount and maximum (ceiling)?
CNCS anticipated an award of approximately $5,000,000, and the award ceiling was $5,000,000.
6) What is the project period or length of the plan?
The successful applicant was expected to design and carry out a three-year plan.
7) What type of funding instrument is this, and why?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement. The national awardee would work closely with CNCS and operate more like a strategic partner than a simple grantee, which is why CNCS used a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant.
8) What are "Volunteer Connector Organizations" in this opportunity?
They are local organizations that match individuals with volunteer opportunities and help nonprofits, schools, faith-based groups, and public agencies use volunteers effectively to produce measurable community impact.
9) What community impact areas are mentioned as examples?
Examples include education, the environment, public safety, and homeland security.
10) Can federal funds be passed through to local organizations?
Yes. Subject to CNCS approval, up to about 50 percent of the federal funds could be distributed each year to local Volunteer Connector Organizations through a subgrant process.
11) What can subgrants be used for?
Subgrants are intended to cover operating support, capacity building activities, and special projects that expand local reach and effectiveness.
12) What are the major work areas the national awardee would be expected to lead?
CNCS described several major work areas, including providing grants and hands-on support to local connectors, delivering training and technical assistance (including to other local organizations and other CNCS grantees), coordinating the sector to reduce duplication of online resources, conducting national outreach and volunteer recruitment, convening a national conference and other meetings, modernizing and marketing web-based volunteer tools, and building private sector support for volunteering.
13) What training and technical assistance topics are emphasized?
CNCS emphasized practical topics such as volunteer management, volunteer retention, and partnership development.
14) Were there any preferences for how training should be delivered?
Yes. CNCS encouraged distance learning and other cost-effective delivery methods to reach a wide footprint without excessive overhead.
15) What does CNCS mean by "sector coordination" in this notice?
The awardee would collaborate with other organizations to streamline and consolidate online resources tied to volunteer management and national service, reducing duplication and making tools easier to find and use.
16) What outreach and volunteer recruitment expectations are included?
The awardee would develop outreach strategies and run a national campaign to encourage more Americans to volunteer, aligned with CNCS strategic priorities.
17) Which CNCS strategic priorities are specifically mentioned for outreach?
CNCS referenced priorities such as engaging Baby Boomers in service, involving more at-risk youth and students in service opportunities, and expanding mentoring for at-risk youth.
18) Is a national conference required as part of the work?
CNCS wanted the awardee to convene and co-design a national conference on volunteerism and service, along with other national meetings, to provide training, inspiration, and networking for practitioners and organizations across the volunteer sector.
19) What role do web-based technologies play in the project?
The awardee was expected to provide leadership in developing and marketing web-based technologies that make it easier to match volunteers with opportunities and organize service projects efficiently, using electronic tools to improve both scale and quality.
20) What does the opportunity say about private sector involvement?
The awardee would be responsible for building private sector support for volunteering, including promoting corporate employee volunteer programs and convening and supporting an advisory council of for-profit corporations committed to strengthening volunteerism and community impact nationwide.
21) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to national nonprofit organizations and similar national entities with strong, demonstrable ties to volunteer connector organizations across the country.
22) What geographic relationship requirements are stated for eligible national nonprofits?
A qualifying national nonprofit needed ongoing relationships with volunteer connector organizations in at least one state within each of CNCS's five geographic clusters: Pacific, Atlantic, North Central, Southern, and Southwest.
23) What types of organizations does CNCS list as eligible applicants?
CNCS listed national intermediaries, associations, alliances, consortia, networks, national public charities, faith-based and other community organizations, and national private foundations.
24) Are any organizations explicitly ineligible?
Yes. 501(c)(4) organizations that engage in lobbying were not eligible.
25) Can existing CNCS grantees apply?
Yes. CNCS noted that existing CNCS grantees, or organizations applying for other CNCS funding, could still apply for this opportunity.
26) Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching.
27) What CFDA number and category are associated with this opportunity?
It was categorized under Community Development and Education, CFDA 94.007, Program Development and Innovation Grants.
28) What was the posting date for the opportunity?
The posting date was February 13, 2008.
29) Was an intent-to-apply required?
An intent-to-apply email was requested by February 20, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
30) What was the final application deadline?
The final application deadline was March 10, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
31) How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted by email to VolCapBuild@cns.gov.
32) Were hard copy or fax submissions accepted?
No. Hard copy and fax submissions were not accepted.
33) How could applicants access the full notice and instructions?
The full notice and instructions were available through the CNCS website or by requesting materials via the email address VolCapBuild@cns.gov.
34) What should applicants do if they have trouble accessing the materials?
CNCS listed a point of contact for access issues and indicated materials could be requested via VolCapBuild@cns.gov.
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