[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 34 (Thursday, February 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7757-7760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4192]
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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
AmeriCorps: State, National, Indian Tribes, and U.S. Territories
Programs
AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds for New and Renewal Grants,
Notice of Availability of 1997 Application Guidelines, and Responses to
Public Comments.
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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service
(Corporation) announces the availability of funds for new and renewal
AmeriCorps program grants in the approximate amounts of: (1) $162
million for AmeriCorps State program grants (CFDA # 94.003); (2) $40
million for AmeriCorps National program grants (CFDA # 94.004); and (3)
$5 million for AmeriCorps Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories program
grants (CFDA # 94.004). The application forms and guidelines for
completing these applications are contained in the (1) ``1997
AmeriCorps Guidelines and Instructions for State Commissions'', (2) the
``AmeriCorps National 1997 Application Guidelines'', and (3) the ``1997
AmeriCorps Application Guidelines for Indian Tribes and U.S.
Territories'' respectively.
The second section of this notice addresses comments submitted in
response to the Corporation notice published in the Federal Register on
August 6, 1996, which described proposed changes to Corporation grant-
making guidelines, policies, and priorities for 1997, and invited
comments with regard to its AmeriCorps State, National, Indian Tribes,
and U.S. Territories programs. The changes proposed for the Fiscal Year
1997 grant cycle were non-regulatory in nature. In response to this
notice, the Corporation received comments from eleven organizations.
DATES: All AmeriCorps State program applications must be received by
3:30 p.m. (E.S.T.), April 15, 1997. Although AmeriCorps State program
applications must be received at the Corporation by that date,
applicants seeking AmeriCorps funds from State Commissions should
contact their respective State Commissions since individual State
Commissions set their own deadlines. Applicants for new AmeriCorps
National grants must be received by 3:30 p.m. (E.S.T.), April 1, 1997.
Notice regarding the renewal application deadline for AmeriCorps
National grants will be provided to existing grantees at a later date.
All AmeriCorps Indian Tribe and U.S. Territory applications must be
received by 3:30 p.m. (E.S.T.), April 15, 1997.
ADDRESSES: All applications should be submitted to the Corporation for
National Service, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Box AS (for AmeriCorps
States), Box ACD (for AmeriCorps National), Box ITT (for AmeriCorps
Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories), Washington, D.C. 20525. Facsimiles
will not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the AmeriCorps State
application process should be directed to the State Commission offices.
Copies of the ``AmeriCorps National 1997 Application Guidelines'' and
``1997 AmeriCorps Application Guidelines for Indian Tribes and U.S.
Territories'' should be requested by calling (202) 606-5000, extension
260. If potential applicants have questions about the AmeriCorps
National and AmeriCorps Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories application
guidelines or the application process, they should contact the
Corporation for National Service, AmeriCorps Direct, 1201 New York
Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20525. Phone: (202) 606-5000, extension
125. Organizations interested in applying for the AmeriCorps National
program funds may participate in conference calls on February 27, 1997,
and March 7, 1997, during which Corporation staff will provide
technical assistance to potential applicants. Both calls will commence
at 10 AM and end at 12 PM (E.S.T.). To register for these calls, please
contact Baqiya Adam at (202) 606-5000, extension 549. The Corporation
staff will also conduct conference calls to provide technical
assistance to potential applicants seeking AmeriCorps Indian Tribes and
U.S. Territories program funds on March 3, 1997, and March 10, 1997.
All calls will commence at 2 pm (E.S.T.). To register for these calls,
please contact Rosa Harrison at (202)-606-5000, extension 433.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corporation's requirements for
AmeriCorps programs are set forth in the Corporation's authorizing
statute (42 U.S.C. section 12501 et seq.), its implementing regulations
(45 CFR Part 2500 et seq.), and grant application guidelines. In
addition to being thoroughly familiar with the statute and its
implementing regulations,
[[Page 7758]]
prospective applicants should read the application carefully because,
in some cases, more specific information is provided there.
I. AmeriCorps Program Fund Availability
AmeriCorps engages thousands of Americans on a full and part-time
basis to help communities address their toughest challenges while
earning support for college, graduate school, or job training.
A. AmeriCorps State
Approximately $74.5 million in program funds are available for new
and renewal grants to States under State allotments, and approximately
$87.5 million in program funds are available to States for new and
renewal grants on a competitive basis.
The Corporation is committed to supporting only high-quality
AmeriCorps programs, and State allotments are not entitlements.
(1) Eligible applicants.
States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, through a
Corporation-approved State Commission or Alternative Administrative
Entity (AAE), are eligible to submit a State application to the
Corporation for funds available through the AmeriCorps State program.
(2) Estimated amount and quantity of awards.
The following chart details the amount of funding for which each
State may apply. The chart also lists the number of new program
applications that each State may submit for funding on a competitive
basis.
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Number of
Formula allowable
State allotment competitive
submissions
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Alabama....................................... $1,142,224 8
Alaska........................................ 450,000 5
Arizona....................................... 1,132,813 8
Arkansas...................................... 667,066 7
California.................................... 8,483,903 29
Colorado...................................... 1,006,221 8
Connecticut................................... 879,476 7
Delaware...................................... 450,000 6
District of Columbia.......................... 450,000 5
Florida....................................... 3,804,449 16
Georgia....................................... 1,933,942 10
Hawaii........................................ 450,000 6
Idaho......................................... 450,000 6
Illinois...................................... 3,177,168 14
Indiana....................................... 1,558,639 9
Iowa.......................................... 763,213 7
Kansas........................................ 688,970 7
Kentucky...................................... 1,036,739 8
Louisiana..................................... 1,166,221 8
Maine......................................... 450,000 6
Maryland...................................... 1,354,248 9
Massachusetts................................. 1,631,174 9
Michigan...................................... 2,564,671 12
Minnesota..................................... 1,237,987 8
Mississippi................................... 724,399 7
Missouri...................................... 1,429,739 9
Montana....................................... 450,000 6
Nebraska...................................... 450,000 6
Nevada........................................ 450,000 6
New Hampshire................................. 450,000 6
New Jersey.................................... 2,133,870 11
New Mexico.................................... 452,648 6
New York...................................... 4,870,809 19
North Carolina................................ 1,932,399 11
North Dakota.................................. 450,000 0
Ohio.......................................... 2,994,693 13
Oklahoma...................................... 880,289 7
Oregon........................................ 843,467 7
Pennsylvania.................................. 3,242,136 14
Puerto Rico (1995)............................ 1,008,515 8
Rhode Island.................................. 450,000 6
South Carolina................................ 986,535 8
South Dakota.................................. 450,000 0
Tennessee..................................... 1,411,618 9
Texas......................................... 5,028,705 19
Utah.......................................... 524,090 6
Vermont....................................... 450,000 5
Virginia...................................... 1,777,493 10
Washington.................................... 1,458,588 9
West Virginia................................. 490,984 6
Wisconsin..................................... 1,375,850 9
Wyoming....................................... 450,000 5
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Total..................................... 74,545,951 446
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B. AmeriCorps National
Approximately $40 million is available for new and renewal grants
through the AmeriCorps National program competition.
(1) Eligible applicants.
National nonprofit organizations, Indian Tribes, public or private
nonprofit organizations (including labor organizations), subdivisions
of states, and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply
for AmeriCorps National program funds. For the purpose of this grant
process, a national nonprofit organization is any nonprofit
organization whose mission, membership, activities, or constituencies
are national in scope. However, 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 Member placements, or act in any type of supervisory
role in the program.
Eligible applicants that propose programs in more than one State
are encouraged to seek funding directly from the Corporation. These
applicants may operate programs directly or provide subgrants to local
chapters or affiliates. The Corporation strongly encourages applicants
that propose programs in a single State to apply to that State's
Commission on National and Community Service.
(2) Estimated amount and quantity of awards.
The Corporation expects to make fewer than forty (40) awards for
new AmeriCorps National operating programs in Fiscal Year 1997 grant
cycle. The grant size will vary by circumstance, need, and program
model. The Corporation anticipates that it will not be able to fund
AmeriCorps National programs at the same level as it has in the past
because of a congressionally-imposed cap and a lack of available
carryover funds. For this reason, grantees that have previously
received AmeriCorps funding should consider significantly reducing the
amount of requested support.
C. AmeriCorps Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories
Approximately $2.5 million is available for new and renewal
AmeriCorps Indian Tribe program grants, and approximately $2.5 million
is available for new and renewal AmeriCorps U.S. Territories program
grants under a population-based formula.
(1) Eligible applicants.
Eligible applicants include Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories. For
the purposes of this grant program an Indian Tribe is an: (a) Indian
Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including
any Native village, as defined in 43 U.S.C. section 1602(c), whether
organized traditionally or pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934
(commonly known as the ``Indian Reorganization Act,'' 26 U.S.C. section
l461 et seq.); (b) any Regional Corporation or Village Corporation, as
defined in 43 U.S.C. section 1602 (g) or (j), respectively, that is
recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided
by the United States under Federal law to Indians because of their
status as Indians; and (c) any tribal organization controlled,
sanctioned, or chartered by an entity described in (a) or (b) of this
paragraph. For the purposes of this grant program, U.S. Territories are
(a) American Samoa, (b) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, (c) Guam, and (d) the U.S. Virgin Islands.
(2) Estimated amount and quantity of awards.
Eligible applicants may apply for operating funds to establish
AmeriCorps programs. The Corporation expects to make fewer than ten
(10) AmeriCorps Indian Tribe program grants, and fewer than ten (10)
AmeriCorps U.S.
[[Page 7759]]
Territories program grants. The average award under each program will
be under $300,000.
II. Education Awards
On September 4, 1996, the Corporation published a Notice of
availability of education awards that describes the AmeriCorps
Education Award program. Applicants for AmeriCorps State, National, and
Tribes and U.S. Territories program grants are advised that instead of
applying through the AmeriCorps Education Award program, they may
include in their AmeriCorps State, National, or Tribes and U.S.
Territories applications a request for positions for participants who
receive only education awards from the Corporation. AmeriCorps State,
National, or Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories programs that include
these positions are subject to all of the requirements that apply to
AmeriCorps State, National, or Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories
programs.
III. Professional Corps
The Corporation particularly invites applications for professional
corps programs. A professional corps program is defined in 42 U.S.C.
section 12572(a)(8). These programs must be sponsored by public or
private nonprofit employers who agree to pay 100 percent of AmeriCorps
Members' salaries and benefits (excluding the national service
education award which is provided by the Corporation). Members'
salaries may exceed the maximum living allowance in other national
service programs.
IV. 16-Year-Old AmeriCorps Participants
In general, an individual must be at least 17 years of age at the
time he or she begins the term of service in order to be eligible for
receipt of an education award. However, certain 16-year-olds may enroll
as AmeriCorps participants. Applicants who have an interest in
enrolling 16-year-olds are advised that the participant must be an
``out of school youth'' as defined in 42 U.S.C. section 12511(16) and
serve in one of two types of youth corps programs described in the
authorizing statute. (See 42 U.S.C. section 12572(a)(2) and (a)(9)).
V. Responses to Public Comments on Proposed Changes to Corporation
Grant Making Guidelines
A. Renewals, Re-competition and New Applications 1997 Issue Area
Priorities
The Corporation received one comment requesting that specific
language be added to permit existing or former operating sites of
AmeriCorps National grantees to apply for new grant funds through State
Commissions while continuing their contractual relationship for
training and technical assistance with the AmeriCorps National grantee
organization. The Corporation decided not to add the language because
any grantee or subgrantee can currently contract with any other
national, State or local organization for technical assistance.
Therefore, we do not need to specifically state this for operating
sites or subgrantees of AmeriCorps National grantees only.
B. 1997 Priorities
The Corporation received several comments on the Corporation's new
FY97 focus on children and youth within the four issue areas of
educational, public safety, environmental and other human needs. The
comments were divided equally between those favoring the new priorities
and those suggesting that the priorities needed some clarification and
should not be focused so narrowly. The Corporation has decided to
maintain its focus on children and youth for the 1997 priorities.
However, clarifying language was added to recognize that some high
quality programs have different expertise and would dilute their
effectiveness if they redesign their programs to focus on children and
youth. Those programs are encouraged to apply if they are high quality
programs and can demonstrate compelling needs. Applicants who received
funding from the Corporation for the first time in 1995 or 1996 are
considered renewals and therefore, may continue to address areas
covered by the 1995 or 1996 priorities and need not change their focus
to meet the Corporation's new priority focus on children and youth.
C. Summer Programs
The Corporation received several comments requesting some
clarification on summer programs and a recommendation that the
applicants be encouraged to apply for summer programs that are operated
as components of AmeriCorps programs, rather than as free-standing
programs. The Corporation added clarifying language to this section of
the grant application guidelines indicating that the Corporation
encourages, but does not require, applicants to operate summer programs
as a component of their year-round AmeriCorps programs and to ensure
that a summer component is consistent with the overall mission of the
applying organization and its AmeriCorps programs.
D. State Coordination with AmeriCorps National Applicants
The Corporation received four comments about the grant application
guideline language related to coordination between State Commissions
and AmeriCorps National applicants. The comments were equally divided
between concurrence with the language and requests for changes. Based
on the comments received, the Corporation decided not to change the
requirements for coordination and to continue such requirements.
Additional language was added to the grant application guidelines
describing the Corporation's expectations of AmeriCorps National
applicants and of State Commissions with regard to better coordination
between the two.
E. Issue Area Specialization
The Corporation received three comments suggesting that limiting
programs to one issue area may restrict their ability to raise match
funds and fulfill program objectives. The Corporation's experience is
that when programs try to meet many needs at once, it is more difficult
to demonstrate impact and fulfill program objectives. Therefore, the
Corporation will continue to encourage programs to focus their efforts
on one issue area. The grant application guidelines do recognize that
certain types of programs (e.g., volunteer generator models or programs
operating in rural areas) may not be able to focus on singles issues.
Programmatic needs or designs that lead an applicant to focus on multi-
issues will be taken into consideration during the grant application
review and selection processes.
F. Program Focus and Service Ethic
Several responders suggested that language in the grant application
guidelines which indicates that the Corporation will not fund programs
whose primary focus is job training should be softened. However, given
the requirements in the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as
amended, and its implementing regulations, the emphasis on imparting
the service ethic and providing service to communities is appropriate.
The Corporation did change the word ``primary'' to ``major'' to clarify
the Corporation's intent to continue to support programs that do assist
participants in job development activities, so long as it is not the
major focus of the program.
G. Living Allowance
Four responders recommended that the Corporation continue its
current
[[Page 7760]]
flexibility concerning the amount of living allowances provided to
AmeriCorps members. This recommendation suggests a misunderstanding of
the Corporation's intent. The current language does not require
programs to pay the lowest living allowance. It only encourages it. The
Corporation has emphasized this in the final grant application
guidelines, but continues to encourage programs to offer the minimum
statutorily permitted living allowances--not more than the average
annual subsistence allowance provided to VISTAs.
H. Corporation Cost per Member
All responders addressed this issue in their recommendations. Some
indicated that lowering the allowable cost per Member would have a
negative impact on program quality and the Corporation should take
varying local conditions and program designs into account and allow for
some flexibility. Others felt the reduction in Member costs is within
reason, but wanted some clarification concerning what was included in
the calculation.
The Corporation cannot increase the limit on the Corporation share
of the cost per Member, but it does provide flexibility to applicants
by allowing them to meet the target as an average across all programs
within the application rather than as an absolute number for each
program. For example, a single State must meet the Corporation's
required maximum cost per member as its average cost per member in that
State. In addition, the Corporation only limits the cost per member of
the Corporation share. Programs are free to have a higher cost per
member so long as it comes from a funding source other than the
Corporation. The Corporation also delineated in the grant application
guidelines all items included in the calculation of cost per Member.
I. Timelines
Only one responder requested that the deadlines for grant
applications be extended. Other responders expressed appreciation that
the Corporation is providing more time between grant application
deadlines and actual program start-up. One responder asked that the
grant application deadlines remain the same, but that the Corporation
make final decisions at least two months before programs are expected
to begin.
The Corporation cannot change the grant application deadlines and
still meet a reasonable timeline for final decisions. Therefore, the
grant application deadlines will remain as published in the Federal
Register and reflected in this notice. Currently, the Corporation does
notify potential grantees of decisions at least two months before
programs are expected to begin. However, the actual grant award letters
may not reach the grantee two months ahead of start dates.
J. Application Evaluation and Selection of New Programs
The Corporation received several comments concerning the ``ability
to monitor'' section of the review criteria. Several felt that the
Corporation needed to reexamine its assessment that individual
placements are ``hard to monitor'' and suggested that the ``ability to
monitor'' criterion be dropped from the application review criteria. In
addition, one responder recommended that the Corporation base its peer
review criteria on results rather than systems.
The Corporation considered these comments and their bases and
decided not to eliminate the ``ability to monitor'' criterion, and to
add language in the grant application guidelines asking applicants with
individual placements to describe what they will do to ensure that they
would be able to monitor their sites effectively despite their
geographically-dispersed locations.
The Corporation has not changed its overall review criteria because
those criteria do place a heavy emphasis on results. Currently, the
Corporation's review criteria base 65 percent of the evaluation on
results related to getting things done, strengthening communities and
developing Members, and the ability of the program to evaluate those
results.
K. Miscellaneous
The Corporation also received other comments requesting some
clarification on how the selection criteria will be applied and whether
or not organizations that have already received funding will be
eligible to apply. Additional language was added to indicate that
organizations that have already received three years of funding from
the Corporation are eligible to apply but will be competed as new
applicants rather than renewal applicants. The Corporation also added
language that distinguishes the Corporation's request for individual
programs to focus on fewer priority areas from the Corporation's need
to ensure that we select programs that meet priorities in all four
issue areas within the overall group of selected programs. The language
states that, while we encourage individual programs to focus on an
issue area, the Corporation will ensure that it has diversity among
priorities across the programs that it funds.
Dated: February 14, 1997.
Barry W. Stevens,
Acting General Counsel, Corporation for National and Community Service.
[FR Doc. 97-4192 Filed 2-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P