FY 2020 AmeriCorps Tribes Grants | CNCS 03 06 20

Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS 03 06 20

The FY 2020 AmeriCorps Tribes Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS 03 06 20) is a discretionary federal grant competition run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the agency historically associated with AmeriCorps. The purpose of the program is to fund organizations that want to run AmeriCorps projects in which enrolled AmeriCorps members deliver structured community service activities designed to strengthen communities. A central requirement is that the proposed activities are evidence-based or evidence-informed, meaning applicants are expected to use interventions that are supported by research, evaluations, credible data, or other strong programmatic rationale rather than ad hoc service ideas.

Under this grant, the core “engine” of the work is the AmeriCorps member. Members serve in approved national service positions and perform community-based service aligned with the applicant’s project design. While serving, members may receive a living allowance and other benefits, depending on the program model and award structure. After successfully completing their term of service, members earn the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust, which can be used for qualified higher education expenses or applied toward eligible student loans. In practice, this structure helps communities increase service capacity while also providing participants with tangible educational benefits that can support long-term workforce and educational goals.

The opportunity is broad in terms of the types of community issues that can be addressed, reflecting AmeriCorps’ multi-sector role. The funding activity categories listed include community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment/labor/training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, and natural resources. That range signals that proposals can be tailored to local priorities, including tribal community priorities, as long as the service activities are well-defined, grounded in evidence, and aimed at measurable community strengthening outcomes. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 94.006.

Eligibility is expansive and includes many government and nonprofit entities, with particular relevance to tribal applicants given the title and focus. Eligible applicants include Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments). In addition, the competition is open to state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories). This wide eligibility can allow for partnerships where tribal governments or tribal organizations serve as the applicant, or where other eligible entities collaborate with tribal communities, depending on the program’s design and compliance requirements.

Administratively, the award instrument is a grant, and the opportunity was posted (creation date) on March 6, 2020, with an original application closing date of May 6, 2020. The provided source data does not list an award ceiling or the number of expected awards, which suggests applicants would need to consult the full notice of funding opportunity or agency guidance for typical award sizes, budget parameters, cost sharing requirements (if any), and other program-specific constraints.

Overall, this grant opportunity is aimed at building or expanding AmeriCorps programs connected to tribal communities and other eligible applicants by funding organized service positions that deliver proven or promising interventions. It ties community impact to member development by pairing service delivery with a living allowance/benefits structure and the Education Award incentive, creating a framework that supports both immediate community needs and longer-term individual opportunity.

• The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2020 AmeriCorps Tribes Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.006.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-03-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for CNCS 03 06 20

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