The Indiana Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) is accepting concept papers and notices of intent for 2014-15 AmeriCorps state grant funding. AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), an independent federal agency. The mission of the CNCS is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations to recruit, train, and manage AmeriCorps members during a defined term of service. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who is enrolled in an approved national service position and engages in community service. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving, and AmeriCorps positions may be full-time, part-time, or less than part-time.
State Priority Funding (Good to Great plan linked) Areas include: Health Corps, Housing Corps, Hunger Corps and Education Corps. National Priority Funding Areas include: Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, Environmental Stewardship, Healthy Futures, Veterans & Military Families, and Capacity Building. There are 4 kinds of AmeriCorps funding opportunities available:
- Operating Grants – support fully developed plans to implement a new or existing AmeriCorps program.
- Planning Grants – designed to assist faith- or small, community-based organizations in their development of a strong AmeriCorps program design. The purpose of planning grants is to bring small, community-based and/or faith-based organizations to the verge of implementation so that they may compete successfully for operating assistance in the following grant cycle. In general, planning grants do not exceed $30,000 and cover a period of 6 to 12 months.
- Three Month Development/Nine Month Operating Grants – New applicants may propose a three-month planning/development period, followed by nine-months of operating an AmeriCorps program for the first year of their AmeriCorps State program.
- Education Award Program (EAP) Grants – provide an education award to AmeriCorps members upon successful completion of a term of national service.
Eligible applicants include: nonprofit organizations in compliance with IRS Section 501(c)(3) regulations (including religious organizations); schools; institutions of higher education; state agencies; subdivisions of the state including cities, counties, and municipalities; or a partnership or collaboration of any of the above entities. Applicants must submit a Concept Paper in order to be eligible to compete for 2014-15 Program Year funding (except continuation applicants-1st and 2nd year of current funded programs). Concept papers, the first step in drafting your full application, are due September 3, 2013. For more information, click here.
Transform Consulting Group was hired by United Way of Central Indiana to help them plan for the addition of AmeriCorps members to expand and enhance its landmark literacy tutoring program, ReadUP. Interested in how AmeriCorps members could improve your organization’s impact? Need help with a grant application? Contact Transform Consulting Group today!
