Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS GRANT 04072015
Apply for CNCS GRANT 04072015
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps FY 2015" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.006 AmeriCorps.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 19, 2015 and posted on Apr 7, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 26, 2015 The application submission deadline has been extended. Applications should be submitted no later than 500 pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 26, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Special district governments State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- The following organizations are eligible to apply public or private nonprofit organizations (including faith based and other community organizations) institutions of higher education government entities within states or territories (e.g., cities, counties) government recognized veteran service organizations labor organizations partnerships and consortia and Indian Tribes.Single State Applicants Organizations that propose to operate in only one state or territory must apply through the Governor appointed State or Territory Commissions. Each state and territory administers its own selection process and puts forward to CNCS the applicants it selects to compete for funding. Applicants operating in one state must contact their State Commissions to learn about their state or territory processes and deadlines which may be significantly before the CNCS deadlines and may have additional requirements. The list of State and Territory Commissions can be found here http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact us/state service commissions Direct Applicants Single State Applicants directed by their State Commission to apply directly to CNCS should do so. Please note that, after reviewing applications, CNCS may discuss with the State Commission awarding the grant to the Commission in order for the Commission to award a sub grant to the applicant. Alternatively, CNCS may award the grant directly to the successful applicant, but also may work cooperatively with the State Commission to oversee and monitor performance of the grant. Multi state Organizations that propose to operate AmeriCorps programs in more than one state or territory apply directly to CNCS.Federally recognized Indian Tribes May apply directly to CNCS or through a state commission. Territories without Commissions Applicants in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands apply directly to CNCS because these Territories have not established a State Commission.
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Opportunity Summary:
Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps FY 2015 was a discretionary grant opportunity led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), jointly sponsored with the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The program was designed to create a Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps initiative that aligned with both agencies missions and supported the goals of the My Brothers Keeper initiative. At its core, the funding aimed to connect "Opportunity Youth" to structured national service while surrounding them with strong mentoring supports, with an explicit focus on young people who have had contact with the juvenile or criminal justice systems or who are considered at risk of incarceration.
The opportunity targeted economically disadvantaged young people ages 16 to 24 who had been disconnected from school or work for at least six months, with "disconnected" defined as not in school and unemployed or underemployed for that period. Within that broader group, the grant specifically emphasized enrolling "Disconnected Youth" as AmeriCorps members, defined here as individuals at least 17 but under 25 who had been adjudicated in the juvenile justice system, convicted in the criminal justice system, or identified as at risk of incarceration. The basic program model was that these young people would serve as AmeriCorps members doing direct service that addresses a compelling community need, while also receiving consistent, meaningful mentoring during their term of service to support stability and long term success.
Applicants were expected to recruit and manage two distinct categories of AmeriCorps members. First were the Disconnected Youth members themselves, who could serve in full time or less than full time roles delivering hands on service in the community. Second were additional members recruited specifically to provide mentoring and coaching. These mentor members were expected to have mentoring experience and/or relevant life experience and could be over age 25; like the youth members, they could serve full time or less than full time. Importantly, these mentors were not only supports on the sidelines. They were also AmeriCorps members providing direct service by coaching, guiding, and helping youth members navigate the demands of service, personal development, and transition planning for life after AmeriCorps.
The program objectives combined community impact with public safety and reentry goals. Funded projects were expected to engage members using evidence based or evidence informed interventions aimed at solving identified community problems, rather than informal or ad hoc activities. A central requirement was one on one mentoring and support designed to help youth members build a self sustaining, law abiding life and successfully reintegrate into the community. Applicants also needed to develop comprehensive, collaborative member development strategies that address common barriers tied to offender reentry, recidivism reduction, and vulnerability to incarceration. Overall, the initiative framed national service as both a pathway to personal transformation for justice involved youth and a strategy to stabilize communities by reducing recidivism and supporting successful reintegration.
On the implementation side, proposals were expected to set up and maintain real mentoring relationships between experienced members and Disconnected Youth members, rather than relying on occasional check ins. Applicants were also instructed to coordinate with other reentry or reentry related organizations in their area. This included working with probation and parole offices when members were court involved, both to build partnerships and to support appropriate data and information sharing. The underlying idea was that AmeriCorps service and mentoring should not operate in isolation, but instead fit into a broader local ecosystem of supervision, services, education, workforce programs, and reentry supports.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted April 7, 2015 under Funding Opportunity Number CNCS-GRANT-04072015, with CFDA 94.006 (AmeriCorps). It required cost sharing or matching funds, meaning award recipients needed to contribute non federal resources alongside the federal grant. The original closing date of May 20, 2015 (5:00 pm Eastern Time) was extended, and the final deadline became May 26, 2015 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time, with the announcement later archived June 25, 2015.
Eligibility was broad and included public or private nonprofit organizations (including faith based and community organizations), institutions of higher education, and government entities within states or territories (cities, counties, and other local entities). It also included government recognized veteran service organizations, labor organizations, partnerships and consortia, and federally recognized Indian Tribes. How an organization applied depended on where and how it planned to operate. Applicants proposing to run a program in only one state or territory generally had to apply through their Governor appointed State or Territory Commission and follow that commissions process, which could involve earlier deadlines and additional requirements. Multi state applicants applied directly to CNCS. Federally recognized Tribes could apply either directly to CNCS or through a state commission. Applicants in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands applied directly to CNCS because those territories did not have commissions at the time.
In practical terms, this grant opportunity funded programs that treated AmeriCorps service as a structured reentry and prevention platform: justice involved young adults were given paid service roles that build skills and community connection, while being matched with mentors who provide consistent coaching, accountability, and support. The expectation was that this combination of evidence informed service, intensive mentoring, and coordinated reentry partnerships would improve individual outcomes for participating youth and produce broader community benefits by lowering recidivism and strengthening community stability. For application help, CNCS listed a competition contact at americorpsgrants@cns.gov and a phone number, (202) 606-7508.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps (FY 2015)
What was the Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps (FY 2015) grant opportunity?
Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps FY 2015 was a discretionary grant opportunity led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), jointly sponsored with the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The initiative was designed to connect "Opportunity Youth" to structured national service, paired with strong mentoring supports, and aligned with both agencies missions and the goals of the My Brothers Keeper initiative.
What problem or population was this program designed to address?
The program explicitly focused on economically disadvantaged young people ages 16 to 24 who were disconnected from school or work for at least six months. It placed a particular emphasis on young people who had contact with the juvenile or criminal justice systems, or who were identified as at risk of incarceration.
What does "Opportunity Youth" mean in this grant context?
In this opportunity, "Opportunity Youth" referred to economically disadvantaged young people ages 16 to 24 who had been disconnected from school or work for at least six months.
How was "disconnected" defined for eligibility purposes?
"Disconnected" was defined as not in school and unemployed or underemployed for at least six months.
Who were considered "Disconnected Youth" AmeriCorps members under this opportunity?
For enrollment as AmeriCorps members, "Disconnected Youth" were defined as individuals at least 17 but under 25 who had been adjudicated in the juvenile justice system, convicted in the criminal justice system, or identified as at risk of incarceration.
What was the core program model funded by this opportunity?
The basic model funded projects where Disconnected Youth served as AmeriCorps members performing direct service to address a compelling community need, while simultaneously receiving consistent, meaningful mentoring during their term of service to promote stability, personal development, and long-term success.
What were the two categories of AmeriCorps members applicants were expected to recruit?
Applicants were expected to recruit and manage: (1) Disconnected Youth members serving in full-time or less-than-full-time roles delivering hands-on direct service, and (2) additional AmeriCorps members recruited specifically to provide mentoring and coaching to those youth members.
Who could serve as mentor members, and were they required to be youth?
Mentor members were expected to have mentoring experience and/or relevant life experience, and they could be over age 25. Like youth members, mentor members could serve full-time or less-than-full-time.
Were mentors considered "direct service" members or just support staff?
Mentors were also AmeriCorps members providing direct service. Their direct service role included coaching, guiding, and helping youth members navigate the demands of service, personal development, and transition planning for life after AmeriCorps.
What types of activities or interventions were funded or expected?
Funded projects were expected to engage members using evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions aimed at solving identified community problems, rather than relying on informal or ad hoc activities.
What mentoring requirements were emphasized?
A central requirement was one-on-one mentoring and support designed to help youth members build a self-sustaining, law-abiding life and successfully reintegrate into the community. Proposals were expected to establish and maintain real mentoring relationships, not occasional check-ins.
How did the grant connect national service with public safety or reentry goals?
The initiative framed national service as a pathway to personal transformation for justice-involved youth and as a strategy to stabilize communities by reducing recidivism and supporting successful reintegration. Applicants were expected to address barriers related to offender reentry, recidivism reduction, and vulnerability to incarceration through comprehensive member development strategies.
What kinds of partnerships or coordination were expected from applicants?
Applicants were instructed to coordinate with other reentry or reentry-related organizations in their area. This included working with probation and parole offices when members were court-involved, to build partnerships and support appropriate data and information sharing. The expectation was that AmeriCorps service and mentoring would fit into a broader local ecosystem of supervision, services, education, workforce programs, and reentry supports.
What was the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA listing?
The opportunity was posted under Funding Opportunity Number CNCS-GRANT-04072015 and listed under CFDA 94.006 (AmeriCorps).
When was the opportunity posted, and what were the deadlines?
The opportunity was posted on April 7, 2015. The original closing date was May 20, 2015 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time, but it was extended. The final deadline became May 26, 2015 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. The announcement was later archived on June 25, 2015.
Did this grant require cost sharing or matching funds?
Yes. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching funds, meaning award recipients needed to contribute non-federal resources alongside the federal grant.
What types of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility included public or private nonprofit organizations (including faith-based and community organizations), institutions of higher education, and government entities within states or territories (cities, counties, and other local entities). It also included government-recognized veteran service organizations, labor organizations, partnerships and consortia, and federally recognized Indian Tribes.
How did the application route differ for single-state vs. multi-state programs?
Organizations proposing to run a program in only one state or territory generally had to apply through their Governor-appointed State or Territory Commission and follow that commissions process, which could involve earlier deadlines and additional requirements. Multi-state applicants applied directly to CNCS.
How could federally recognized Indian Tribes apply?
Federally recognized Indian Tribes could apply either directly to CNCS or through a state commission.
Were there territories that applied directly to CNCS due to no commission?
Yes. Applicants in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands applied directly to CNCS because those territories did not have commissions at the time.
What was the overall intended impact of funded projects?
Funded programs were intended to use AmeriCorps service as a structured reentry and prevention platform by placing justice-involved young adults in paid service roles that build skills and community connection, while pairing them with consistent mentoring and coordinated reentry partnerships. The expectation was improved individual outcomes and broader community benefits through reduced recidivism and stronger community stability.
Who could applicants contact for competition or application help?
CNCS listed a competition contact at americorpsgrants@cns.gov and a phone number: (202) 606-7508.
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