AmeriCorps State
Each year the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS) grants and administers
around $2 million of AmeriCorps State funding in Iowa through a competitive grant
process. Programs may be awarded funding at the national level (through competitive
funding) or state level (through formula funding). Organizations that wish to operate
an AmeriCorps State program solely within Iowa must follow the ICVS application
procedures.
Requirements of AmeriCorps State Grantees
- Applicants must be an eligible host agency (nonprofit, government agency, etc).
- Program design must propose to engage a minimum of 10 full-time equivalent AmeriCorps members.
- Programs must address a demonstrated community need, with CNCS priorities on the areas of education, health, economic opportunity, veterans, disaster, and the environment.
- Applicants are required to demonstrate community support and the ability to provide cash and/or in-kind match for a percentage of the grant funds.
- Programs must have a plan to engage community volunteers.
Special Funding Opportunity: 2013-2014 School Turnaround AmeriCorps Grants
Occasionally, the Corporation for National and Community Service makes available special funding opportunities for AmeriCorps programs that meet certain criteria. In March 2013, a special competition will be held to select School Turnaround AmeriCorps programs. These programs will engage AmeriCorps members in direct service and capacity-building activities to increase educational achievement, high school graduation rates, and college readiness for students in our nation's lowest-performing elementary, middle, and high schools.
Interested Iowa applicants should apply using the following School Turnaround AmeriCorps application materials:
- ICVS 2013-2014 Request for School Turnaround AmeriCorps Grant Applications (RFA): Due March 20, 2013
- ICVS School Turnaround AmeriCorps Technical Assistance Webinar
- CNCS School Turnaround AmeriCorps Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) [PDF: 180k]
- CNCS School Turnaround AmeriCorps State and National Application Instructions [PDF: 394k]
- School Turnaround AmeriCorps applicants may also refer to the general AmeriCorps application materials below in order to access the ICVS Consultation form for National Direct Applicants, eGrants application system, and IowaGrants application system.
- All applicants must use this Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service system
Application Timeline
- Late summer/early fall: Review the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) and application
instructions released by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
each year in the late summer/early fall.
- See the “New Funding Opportunities” section of the
CNCS website [www.nationalservice.org] to find the most recent instructions.
- Early to mid fall: Follow the additional guidelines offered by the ICVS Request
for Proposals for AmeriCorps State program applicants intending to operate in Iowa.
- The ICVS will release this in the fall, following the release of the CNCS materials. Keep an eye on the “What’s New” section of our website for announcements of newly released RFPs, click on the application materials links below.
- Mid to late fall: Submit completed grant applications to ICVS.
- Late fall to early winter: Applications are reviewed and scored locally by a grants
review committee. Feedback from the review process is shared with applicants, and
applications are divided into two categories.
- National level competitive funding (AmeriCorps funding reserved for the top applicants
nationwide): Top scorers are identified to be forwarded to the national funding
competition, where their applications compete against those from other states and
from national non-profits. The ICVS may work with top applicants to improve their
grant before final submission to the national competition.
- State level formula funding (AmeriCorps funds guaranteed to each state to fund top
local applicants): Lower scorers are reserved for Iowa’s formula funding competition.
- Mid winter: The ICVS submits its portfolio of top programs for the national competition.
Funding Timeline
- Late spring: Competitive funding decisions are announced for those who applied the
previous fall/winter.
- Applicants are awarded competitive funding work with the CNCS to negotiate final
funding levels and final number of members.
- Applicants not chosen for national level funding are moved to the state level competition.
- Late spring/early summer: The ICVS chooses which applicants will receive funding
from our state formula pool. Announcements are made and programs work with ICVS
staff to finalize program details.
- September 1: First day of the program year for those awarded funding at both levels.
Application Materials
- ICVS Request for Grant Applications (RFA)2013-2014: Due November 20, 2012
- ICVS Technical Assistance Webinars
- From the IowaGrants homepage, click on “Search Here,” under Funding Opportunities Offered by Iowa State Agencies
- Select the funding opportunity called 2013-2014 AmeriCorps State.
- Then you’ll need to login or register to start your application.
Each year the grants review process is becoming increasingly more competitive, but the ICVS encourages organizations to contact our staff to learn how to submit the best application.