[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39533-39534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16624]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Notice of Availability of Funds for AmeriCorps*VISTA Program 
Grants in the Southwest Cluster

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter the ``Corporation'') announces the availability of 
approximately $1,200,000 in fiscal year 2003 funds to award 
AmeriCorps*VISTA program grants to eligible nonprofit and public 
organizations providing services in the Corporation's Southwest cluster 
(AR, AZ, CO, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, TX). ). Applicant organizations are 
not required to be geographically-based in the nine-state southwest 
cluster, so long as the proposed grant activities will provide services 
within one or more of those nine states. The Corporation anticipates 
making between 5 and 8 AmeriCorps*VISTA program grants under this 
announcement. Each grant budget will support a minimum of 15 and a 
maximum of 40 AmeriCorps*VISTA members on a full-time basis for one 
year of service. The Corporation will make awards covering a period not 
to exceed one year with a potential for an additional two years of 
funding, contingent upon satisfactory performance, the availability of 
funds, and other criteria established in the award agreement. These 
estimates are projections for the guidance of potential applicants. The 
Corporation is not bound by any estimate in this notice. Publication of 
this announcement does not obligate the Corporation to award any 
specific number of grants or to obligate the entire amount of funds 
available, or any part thereof, for grants under the AmeriCorps*VISTA 
program. Applicable regulations include the uniform administrative 
requirements for grants and agreements with institutions of higher 
education, hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations, 45 CFR part 
2543 or the uniform administrative requirements for grants and 
cooperative agreements to State and local governments, 45 CFR Part 
2541.
    AmeriCorps*VISTA assigns individuals 18 years and older, on a full-
time, year-long basis, to public and private nonprofit organizations 
whose goals are in accord with AmeriCorps*VISTA's legislative mission. 
(42 U.S.C. 4951) The purpose of these program grants is to create and 
expand opportunities for individuals in one of the following two areas: 
(1) homeland security and (2) seniors in poverty.
    Preference will be given to AmeriCorps*VISTA Projects serving as 
``umbrella sponsorships'' where the applicant provides fiscal and 
programmatic capacity on behalf of small, community-based (secular and 
faith based) organizations, and/or local sites of the sponsoring 
organization. Applicants should be local, state or national 
organizations working alone or in conjunction with local affiliates 
that share a vision and common goal of working with low-income 
communities to achieve long-lasting antipoverty objectives. Proposed 
projects should focus on:
    (1) Promotion of partnerships and collaboration between the public 
and private sectors including businesses, community-based organizations 
(secular and faith-based) and other service programs;
    (2) Recruitment, training, and coordination of local volunteers;
    (3) Mobilization of resources needed to support the project; and
    (4) Development of a sustainable capacity in local communities.
    While there is no specific match requirement, the level of matching 
contributions will also be considered in the final application 
selection.
    Eligible applicants for AmeriCorps*VISTA program grants supporting 
these initiatives must be private non-profit or public organizations. 
AmeriCorps*VISTA sponsoring organizations may apply without affecting 
the status of their current projects. However, applicants must 
differentiate between this grant's proposed activities and those of the 
currently-funded program or pending application. Projects should be 
state-based (one legal applicant with site(s) in one or more of the 
nine states in the Southwest region--AR, AZ, CO, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, 
TX) to be considered.

[[Page 39534]]

Eligible nonprofit and public organizations, including those that have 
not applied for federal assistance from the Corporation in the past, as 
well as interested community-based organizations (secular and faith-
based), are encouraged to apply.

    Note: This notice is not a complete description of the 
activities to be funded or of the application requirements. For 
supplementary information and application guidelines go to the 
Corporation's Web site at http://www.cns.gov/whatshot/notices.html. 
You can also find more information about AmeriCorps*VISTA project 
sponsorship in general at http://www.americorps.org/vista/sponsorinfo.html.


DATES: Applications must be received at the Corporation by 5 p.m. on 
August 4, 2003. We anticipate announcing selections under this Notice 
no later than September 8, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit your application to the following address: 
Corporation for National and Community Service, 120 South Federal 
Place, 315, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Due to delays in delivery of 
regular mail to government offices, there is no guarantee that an 
application sent by regular mail will arrive in time to be considered. 
We therefore suggest that you use U.S.P.S. priority mail or a 
commercial overnight delivery service to make sure that you meet the 
deadline. We will not accept an application that is submitted via 
facsimile. Applications for AmeriCorps*VISTA will not be accepted via 
eGrants at this time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathie Ferguson at (303) 312-7959. or 
[email protected]. The TDD number is 202-565-2799. For a printed copy of 
this NOFA and the supplementary information and application guidelines 
(available on-line), contact Ms. Ferguson at (303) 312-7959. Upon 
request, this information will be made available in alternate formats 
for people with disabilities.

    Dated: June 26, 2003.
Cindy R. Salavantis,
Acting Director, Office of Field Liaison.
[FR Doc. 03-16624 Filed 7-1-03; 8:45 am]
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