[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 218 (Friday, November 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57852-57853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28864]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Availability of Funds for Grants To Support the Martin Luther 
King, Jr. Service Day Initiative

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the King Holiday and Service Act of 1994, which 
amended the National and Community Service Act of 1990, the Corporation 
for National and Community Service (the Corporation) seeks to mobilize 
more Americans to participate in service opportunities in conjunction 
with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday. Specifically, the 
Corporation is authorized to pay for the Federal share of the cost of 
planning and carrying out such service opportunities. 42 U.S.C. 
Sec. 12653(s). Accordingly, the Corporation announces the availability 
of up to $200,000 for individual grants up to $5,000 to support service 
projects under this Martin Luther King, Jr., Service Day initiative.
    Service opportunities to be considered for this program ``shall 
consist of activities reflecting the life and teachings of Martin 
Luther King, Jr., such as cooperation and understanding among racial 
and ethnic groups, nonviolent conflict resolution, equal economic and 
educational opportunities, and social justice.'' 42 U.S.C. 
Sec. 12653(s)(1).
    Eligible service activities include, but are not limited to: 
community-wide servathons that bring a broad cross-section together, 
including schools or school districts that seek to involve all students 
and teachers; service-learning projects that link student service in 
schools, universities, and community-based organizations; faith-based 
service collaborations that bring together communities of faith and 
secular human service programs (subject to the limitations listed 
below); a day of service plan that is designed to produce a sustained 
service commitment or intense efforts to solve a narrowly defined 
community problem with a burst of one-day energy (i.e., renovate all 
public school libraries, restock all food pantries or blood banks, find 
a coat for every child that needs one, set a ``zero tolerance for 
violence'' for an area or a period of time, etc.).
    Grants under this program constitute federal assistance and 
therefore may not be used primarily to inhibit or advance religion in a 
material way.
    Grant funding will be available on a one-time, non-renewable basis. 
Grants provided for this program, together with all other Federal funds 
used to plan or carry out the service opportunity, may not exceed 30 
percent of the cost of planning and carrying out the service 
opportunity. In determining the non-federal share of the costs of the 
program supported by the grant, the Corporation will consider in-kind 
contributions (including facilities, equipment, and services) made to 
plan and carry out the service opportunity.

DATES: The deadline for submission of applications is December 2, 1996. 
Applications, one signed and three copies, must be received no later 
than 3:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on that date. Facsimile copies 
will not be accepted. The Corporation anticipates making decisions on 
applications no later than December 10, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Applications may be obtained from, and must be submitted to: 
MLK Day of Service, The Corporation for National Service, North Central 
Service Center, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 442, Chicago, IL 60604-
3511. Applications may not be submitted by facsimile.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Lubertozzi at (312) 353-7705. 
This notice may be requested in an alternative format for the visually 
impaired by calling (202) 606-5000, ext. 260. The Corporation's T.D.D. 
number is (202) 565-2799.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Corporation is a federal government corporation that engages 
Americans of all ages and backgrounds in community-based service. This 
service addresses the nation's education, public safety, environmental, 
or other human needs to achieve direct and demonstrable results. In 
doing so, the Corporation fosters civic responsibility, strengthens the 
ties that bind us together as a people, and provides educational 
opportunities for those who make a substantial commitment to service. 
The Corporation supports a range of national service programs including 
AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and the National Senior Service 
Corps.
    Pursuant to the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as 
amended, the Corporation may make grants to share the cost of planning 
and carrying out service opportunities in conjunction with the Federal 
legal holiday honoring the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. The 
Corporation intends that these grants will: (1) Get necessary things 
done in communities, (2) strengthen the communities engaged in the 
service activity, and (3) reflect the life and teachings of Martin 
Luther King, Jr.
    By ``getting things done,'' initiatives will help communities meet 
education, public safety, environmental, or human needs through direct 
and demonstrable service. Accordingly, the Corporation expects an 
initiative sponsor to identify an unmet need that is important to the 
community and design a project that produces a demonstrable impact on 
that community need.
    By strengthening communities through sustained service, projects 
should be collaborations that bring people together in pursuit of a 
common objective that is of value to the community. Initiatives should 
engage a full range of local partners in the communities served. 
Service projects should be designed, implemented, and evaluated with 
these partners, including national service programs (AmeriCorps, Learn 
and Serve America, National Senior Service Corps), community-based 
agencies, local and state King Holiday Commissions, schools and school 
districts, volunteer organizations, communities of faith, businesses 
and foundations, state and local governments, labor organizations, and 
colleges and universities.
    By ``reflecting the life and teaching of Martin Luther King'', 
initiatives should demonstrate his proposition that ``Everybody can be 
great because everybody can serve,'' through the types of service 
activities listed above.

Eligible Applicants

    By law, any entity otherwise eligible for assistance under the 
national service laws shall be eligible to receive a grant under this 
announcement. The applicable laws include the National and Community 
Service Act of 1990, as amended, and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act 
of 1972, as amended. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited 
to: nonprofit organizations (excluding those prohibited under the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 from receiving federal grants, as 
explained below), State Commissions, state and local governments, 
Indian Tribes, U.S. territories, institutions of higher education, 
state and local education agencies, educational institutions, private 
organizations that intend to utilize volunteers in carrying out the

[[Page 57853]]

purposes of this program, and foundations.
    The Corporation especially invites applications from organizations 
with experience in, and commitment to, fostering service on Martin 
Luther King, Jr. day, including applicable State Martin Luther King, 
Jr. Commissions, local education agencies, faith-based partnerships, 
and volunteer centers.
    Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization 
described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 
U.S.C. 501(c)(4), which engages in lobbying activities, is not 
eligible.

Overview of Application Requirements

    The application shall be submitted in the required format, and 
shall contain the following:
    1. A narrative section describing:
    a. The planned activities being conducted in conjunction with 
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, as well as the partnerships in the local 
community that are being engaged in support of the day and/or a 
description of sustained service activities over a period of time;
    b. The organization's background and capacity to carry out this 
program;
    c. The proposed staffing of the activity;
    2. A budget in the prescribed format; and
    3. Required certifications that the organization will comply with 
all conditions attendant to the receipt of federal funding.
    The narrative portion of the application may be no longer than 15 
single-sided pages double-spaced in 12-point font.

Review of Applications and Selection Criteria

    The applications will be reviewed initially to confirm that the 
applicant is an eligible recipient and to ensure that the application 
contains the information required. The Corporation will assess 
applications based on their responsiveness to the objectives set forth 
in this announcement based on the following criteria listed below (in 
descending order of importance):
    (1) Quality. The proposal must demonstrate the applicant's ability 
to meet community needs through meaningful service activities, 
establish strong community partnerships, and fulfill the goals of 
Martin Luther King Jr's life and teaching;
    (2) Organizational Capacity. The application must demonstrate the 
organization's ability to carry out the activities described in the 
proposal, including the use of high quality staff;
    (3) Cost. The applicant must demonstrate how this grant will be 
spent, including the sources and uses of matching support.

    Dated: November 5, 1996.
Terry Russell,
Acting Executive Director, Corporation for National and Community 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-28864 Filed 11-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P