Volunteer NH invites eligible organizations to apply for a nine-month Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant. These federal AmeriCorps funds will be subgranted through Volunteer NH with the intention of supporting local entities serving New Hampshire communities to recruit, manage, and support volunteers.
Grant Period: January 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022
Application Deadline: Applications are due Friday, October 15, 2021, by 5 PM.
Decisions: Official funding decisions will be announced Monday, November 15 – Friday, November 19, 2021.
Contact: Mikayla Collins, mikayla@volunteernh.org or 603-271-7200
Important Documents
Notice of Funding Opportunity & Application Instructions (PDF)
Applicant Operational and Financial Management Survey (Word)
Estimated Available Funds
Subgrant awards amounts will vary based on the scope of the project. Requests should range from a minimum of $7,500 to a maximum of $15,000. Funding is limited and Volunteer NH reserves the right to fund an applicant at an amount less than what was requested. Submission of an application is not a guarantee of funding.
Application Timeline and Important Due Dates
- Q&A opportunity (strongly recommended): Tuesday, September 14, 2021, 1 PM or Tuesday, September 21, 2021, 11 AM (two options)
- The Q&A opportunities have passed
- View the Q&A Written Responses & the 9/21 recording
- Intent to Apply Form due (mandatory for all applicants): Friday, September 24, 2021, by 5 PM
- Grant Training (mandatory for all applicants): Thursday, September 30, 2021, 1 PM
- Application due: Friday, October 15, 2021, by 5 PM
- Feedback delivered to applicants: Monday, October 25 – Friday, October 29, 2021
- Including potential requests for clarification
- Clarifications due (if applicable): Friday, November 5, 2021, by 5 PM
- Official funding decisions announced: Monday, November 15 – Friday, November 19, 2021
- Grant start date: Sunday, January 1, 2022
- Grant end date: Friday, September 30, 2022
Purpose of Volunteer Generation Funding
VGF grants will be used to develop and/or support community-based entities to recruit, manage, and support volunteers. VNH seeks to fund effective approaches that:
- Expand volunteering.
- Strengthen the capacity of volunteer programs to recruit and retain skill-based volunteers.
- Develop strategies to use volunteers effectively to solve problems.
Specifically, the VGF grants will support efforts that expand the capacity of volunteer programs to recruit, manage, support and retain individuals to serve in high quality volunteer assignments.
Appropriate grant proposals could include (but are not limited to) expenses related to:
- Developing or enhancing a comprehensive volunteer program handbook.
- Developing and/or delivering a volunteer training curriculum.
- Developing or redesigning websites and social media strategies focused on volunteerism.
- Upgrading volunteer management software and training those who will use it.
- Developing and/or delivering leadership training for emerging volunteer leaders to address local challenges.
- Performing a needs assessment and/or piloting new strategies for utilizing volunteerism to address community needs.
- Providing training opportunities in your community or statewide related to volunteerism (recruitment, retention, etc.).
- Creating and implementing a statewide or community-based disaster volunteer plan (including outreach, trainings, etc.) such as a volunteer preparedness initiative, disaster volunteer training, preparations to serve as a disaster volunteer reception center, etc.
- Creating projects on National Days of Service such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service or September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Note: Purchasing recognition supplies and materials is allowed, but no more than 10% of the overall budget can be used for this purpose.
Volunteer NH is a nonprofit organization established in 2000, and is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Governor and approved by the Executive Council. Volunteer NH envisions our state as a place where people volunteer together to build strong and connected communities. We bring our vision to life by engaging those communities to solve local challenges through volunteerism.
AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges though national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture.