The purpose of planning grants is to support the development of AmeriCorps programs that will engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based interventions to solve community problems. Planning grant recipients are expected to be better prepared to compete for an AmeriCorps program grant in the following grant cycle. Planning grants may not be used to support AmeriCorps members.
CNCS expects to invest the available funding to applicants proposing programming in the Focus Area of Veterans and Military Families.
An AmeriCorps member is an individual (recruited by an AmeriCorps grant program) who is enrolled in an approved national service position and engages in community service. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. Upon successful completion of their service members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust.
Deadline:
Applications are due January 18, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Successful applicants will be notified by mid-April, 2012.
Intent to Apply
Applicants are encouraged to send an e-mail by December 15, 2011 to americorpsgrants@cns.gov, stating intent to apply, including the name of the Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity. Commission sub-applicants should not provide this information.
Although submission of the Notice of Intent is not mandatory, submitting it will help CNCS plan more efficiently for external and internal review. Include the name of the applicant organization, address, contact person, and phone number in the Notice of Intent. Applicants should state category of funding. State Commissions are encouraged to include an estimate of the number of programs planned for submission. Providing an e-mail address will also allow CNCS to contact applicants directly if application materials are updated.
To Apply
Applicants must review the Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity (Notice) and the Application Instructions in order to fully understand the application requirements.
Applicants must apply using eGrants, our web-based application system.
Important Note
Organizations that propose to operate an AmeriCorps program in one state or territory only must contact the appropriate State or Territory Commission for application materials and must submit their application through that Commission. Organizations that propose to operate in more than one state or territory apply directly to CNCS.
A list of all State Commissions can be found here: http://www.americorps.gov/about/contact/statecommission.asp.
Commissions do not currently exist in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, South Dakota, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are not accepting planning grant applications from organizations operating solely within these locales.