Corporation for National and Community Service: Senior Corps RSVP Grants Competition

An 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, serve as a host site for volunteers, or act in any type of supervisory role in the program.

An 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, serve as a host site for volunteers, or act in any type of supervisory role in the program.

The purpose of this RSVP grant funding is two-fold: (1) to establish new RSVP projects in geographic areas that are currently unserved by existing Corporation-funded RSVP projects; and (2) to expand the number of RSVP volunteers serving in existing RSVP projects who will engage in new programmatic activities.

III. Requirements to apply for these grants
A. What are the programmatic requirements?
1. RSVP projects must focus RSVP volunteers, who must be at least 55 years old, on meeting critical community needs through assignments that provide a high quality experience that will enrich the lives of the volunteers.
2. At a minimum, 20 percent of the RSVP volunteers supported by these grants must be placed in assignments to recruit other community volunteers, thus expanding the capacity of local non-profits to meet their missions.
3. All of the RSVP volunteers must be placed in assignments that address one or more of the 16 categories of community needs identified in the Domestic Volunteer Service Act as national problems of local concern, or “Programs of National Significance (PNS),” as listed in “Programs of National Significance Categories” appended to this NOFA.
The Corporation is particularly interested in supporting the following volunteer activities:
(1) Providing in-home, non-medical independent living support to those in need of extra help, including frail seniors, veterans of recent conflicts, and their caregivers. (PNS Categories: 1, 2, 6, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16)
(2) Assisting children and youth to succeed academically, including mentoring, tutoring, and other assistance to remain in school. (PNS Categories 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
(3) Enhancing energy efficiency at home, such as weatherization of homes, energy audits, or connecting people to related resources and information. (PNS Categories: 11, 12, 13, 15, 16)
4. Applicants must propose a minimum of 3 performance measures of which one must be an
Accomplishment/Output, one must be an Intermediate Impact/Outcome and one must be an End
Impact/Outcome. For further details, see the Senior Corps Grant Application, CNCS Form 424-NSSC [OMB Control No. 3045-0035] posted at http://www.seniorcorps.gov/for_organizations/funding/apply.asp.
5. The application budget must include funding for a full-time RSVP Project Director. However, if you believe you can justify proposing less than a full-time project director, please provide a full justification in your narrative on project management. If your application is selected to receive an award, your justification will be taken into account in final grant award negotiations.
B. Is there a matching or grantee share requirement for these grants?
Yes. Applicants proposing to establish a new RSVP project must budget and raise 10 percent of the total project budget in Year 1, 20 percent in Year 2, and 30 percent in Year 3 and subsequent years, if the grant is renewed beyond three years. Existing RSVP grantees applying to augment their current grant must demonstrate that, if they receive the proposed award, the resulting new budget (i.e., the augmentation budget plus the current grant budget) will continue to meet the non-federal share requirement applicable to that grant.