[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 251 (Friday, December 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82980-82981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33275]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Notice of Availability of Funds To Support Service-related 
Activities of Former AmeriCorps Members

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (the 
Corporation) will use up to $100,000 to enter into a cooperative 
agreement under subtitle H of the National and Community Service Act of 
1990, as amended, to support efforts to: (1) Conduct outreach to former 
AmeriCorps members to support their participation in service activities 
with current AmeriCorps members and (2) develop and implement 
strategies to enable former and current AmeriCorps members to receive 
additional education credits and benefits for their service.

DATES: All proposals must arrive at the Corporation for National 
Service no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, January 23, 
2001. The Corporation anticipates announcing its selection under this 
announcement no later than February 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted to the Corporation at the 
following address: Corporation for National and Community Service, 
Attn: Susannah Washburn, 1201 New York Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20525. This notice may be requested in an alternative format for the 
visually impaired.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, or to obtain 
an application, contact Shelly Ryan at (202) 606-5000, ext. 549, or 
TDD: 202-565-2799, or TTY via the Federal Information Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Corporation is a federal government corporation that encourages 
Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage in community-based 
service to meet the nation's educational, public safety, environmental 
and other human needs. In doing so, the Corporation fosters civic 
responsibility, strengthens the ties that bind us together as a people, 
and provides educational opportunity for those who make a substantial 
commitment to service. This year, the Corporation will support over 
40,000 AmeriCorps members who perform substantial service in 
communities across the country and over one million students in 
service-learning programs, including programs at institutions of higher 
education. Since its inception in 1993, including the current class in 
service, more than 200,000 individuals have enrolled in AmeriCorps.
    Under subtitle H of the National and Community Service Act, the 
Corporation may support innovative and model programs.
    Under this authority the Corporation is now making available up to 
$100,000 for the purpose of supporting efforts to conduct outreach to 
former AmeriCorps members to support their engaging in service 
activities with current AmeriCorps members and to identify and 
encourage model programs at institutions of higher education to enable 
former and current AmeriCorps members to receive additional education 
credits and benefits for their service.
    The Corporation anticipates making a single award to an 
organization that has the capacity and experience to carry out the 
purposes described below. The award is anticipated to be for a 12-month 
period, with a suggested start date of February 1, 2001. Applicants 
should specify the period and start date.

Purpose of Cooperative Agreement

    Among the program objectives under the National and Community 
Service Act are: to encourage each participant to engage in public and 
community service after completion of the program and to expand 
educational opportunity by rewarding individuals who participate in 
national service with increased ability to pursue higher education.
    Many individual programs in which AmeriCorps members participate 
conduct activities that accomplish these objectives. For example, 
individual programs invite former members to serve with current members 
on national days of service such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 
Further, several programs in which AmeriCorps members serve are 
sponsored by organizations that partner with an institution of higher 
education to offer credit for service in AmeriCorps or scholarships to 
attend school based on service in AmeriCorps.
    Although many local activities occur, there is a need for support 
for more systematic nationwide support to

[[Page 82981]]

enhance local activities. For example, there is no single place where a 
prospective, current, or former AmeriCorps member may go to learn 
education opportunities and benefits at institutions of higher 
education that are linked directly to service in AmeriCorps. Further, 
there is no nationwide effort to reach out to alumni to support their 
involvement specifically in all AmeriCorps gatherings held by state 
commissions across the country.
    The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to support activities 
that reach across states and individual programs that will serve to 
support alumni's engaging in service activities with current AmeriCorps 
members and to identify and encourage efforts to enable former and 
current AmeriCorps members to receive additional education credits and 
benefits for their service.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants for this funding are nonprofit organizations 
with experience in promoting the involvement of AmeriCorps alumni in 
service activities nationwide. 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 be a grantee. 
Based on the requirements for applicants and the number of agreements 
to be awarded under this notice, the Corporation expects fewer than ten 
applications to be submitted.

Types of Activities

    The following are examples of the types of activities that the 
cooperative agreement may support. The applicant may choose to propose 
one or more of the following or propose additional activities 
consistent with the purposes described above.
     Development and dissemination of a directory of higher 
education programs for current members and alumni that offer special 
programs, credit, or financial assistance for those currently or 
formerly engaged in AmeriCorps activities.
     Outreach efforts to consortia of institutions of higher 
education to link service in AmeriCorps more closely with academic 
programs at institutions of higher education.
     Outreach efforts to support the mobilization of alumni to 
participate in All AmeriCorps gatherings and other service events that 
link current and former members in carrying out service to their 
communities.
     Technical assistance to state commissions and other 
entities that will support carrying out high quality all-member 
gatherings within a state, including the involvement of former members 
serving in that state.
    The above are examples only; the applicant should propose the best 
strategies for carrying out the purposes described above.

Application Requirements

    To be considered for funding, eligible applicants should submit the 
following:
    1. An Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424).
    2. Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (SF 424A).
    3. A Budget Narrative that provides a description of the budget 
form. It may be easier to complete the budget narrative first, using 
the line items on the SF 424A as a guide. The budget narrative should 
be in the same order as the budget form with requested Corporation 
funds clearly defined. For each of the line items contained on the 
budget form, provide a full explanation in the budget narrative that 
explains the item, its purpose, and shows how you calculated the cost.
    4. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B).
    5. A Program Narrative (no more than 15 pages) that includes:
    a. The organization's background and capacity to provide sound 
programmatic and fiscal oversight, including any experience in 
administering federal grants.
    b. A description of the organization's experience in promoting the 
involvement of AmeriCorps alumni in service activities.
    c. The organization's plan for meeting the purposes of this grant, 
including: the activities to be conducted, the outcomes of those 
activities, and proposed timelines for all activities and outcomes.
    d. Description of resources available to manage this grant.
    Applicants must submit one unbound, original proposal and two 
copies to the Corporation at the following address: Corporation for 
National and Community Service, Attn: Susannah Washburn, 1201 New York 
Avenue NW., Washington, D.C. 20525. We will not accept any proposals 
submitted by facsimile.
    Copies of the SF 424, SF 424A, and SF 424 B can be obtained at the 
following website: http://fillform.gsa.gov/. For a printed copy of any 
of these materials, please contact Shelly Ryan at (202) 606-5000, ext. 
549.

Selection Process and Criteria

    In awarding these grants, the Corporation will consider program 
design (60%); organizational capacity (25%); and budget/cost 
effectiveness (15%). Applicants must propose clearly-defined and 
specific activities to carry out the purposes of this grant. The 
Corporation will make all final decisions concerning the award and may 
require revisions to the original grant proposal in order to achieve 
the objectives under this Notice.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance #94.007.

    Dated: December 21, 2000.
Gary Kowalczyk,
Coordinator, National Service Programs, Corporation for National and 
Community Service.
[FR Doc. 00-33275 Filed 12-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P