Funding Opportunity Title: 2022 Volunteer Generation Fund Mini-Grant Announcement
Grant Period: Monday, March 14, 2022 – Monday, August 1, 2022
Type: Initial Announcement for New Applicants
Federal Agency: AmeriCorps
Assistance Listing Number: 94.021
Volunteer NH invites eligible organizations to apply for a $1,000 – $4,000 Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) mini-grant for a specific, one-time need. These federal AmeriCorps funds will be subgranted through Volunteer NH with the intention of supporting local entities serving New Hampshire communities to recruit, manage, support, and retain individuals serving in high-quality volunteer assignments.
Award Range: Applicants will request a minimum of $1,000 and no more than $4,000.
Funding Purpose: Applicants must select only one of the purposes listed below in the “Eligible Funding Purposes” section.
Contact: Mikayla Collins, mikayla@volunteernh.org or 603-271-7200
Details & Timeline
Q&A Opportunity (strongly recommended): Tuesday, February 8, 2022, 11:00 – 11:30 AM
Application Window: 8 AM Monday, February 28 – 5 PM Friday, March 4, 2022
Note: Proposals submitted before or after the application window will not be considered.
Funding Decisions: Funding decisions are made at the discretion of Volunteer NH and are based on the following criteria:
- Availability of funds
- Eligibility of applicant organization
- Completeness of application
- Allowability of costs requested (based on guidance in NOFO)
- Order in which the application was received
Funding decisions will be announced no later than Friday, March 11, 2022.
Award Type: Awards will be made on a cost-reimbursement basis.
Spending & Reporting Deadline: Grant recipients must spend funds and submit an expense report (including all receipts) as well as a brief programmatic report to Volunteer NH by Monday, August 1, 2022*.
*Applicants may request additional time to expend funds and report spending up to the date of Friday, September 30, 2022, for proposals – such as events and projects – that are not simple purchases.
Eligible Applicants
The following non-federal entities serving New Hampshire communities are eligible to apply:
- Institutions of higher education (2 C. F.R. §200.54)
- Local governments (2 C.F.R. §200.64)
- Nonprofit organizations (2 C.F.R. §200.70)
Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System for Award Management (SAM)
Applications must include a DUNS number and an Employer Identification Number. The DUNS number does not replace an Employer Identification Number. Applicants can obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the DUNS number request line at (866) 705-5711 or by applying online at the DUNS Request Service. CNCS recommends registering at least 30 days before the application due date.
After obtaining a DUNS number, all applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at http://www.sam.gov/SAM/ and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete. If an applicant is awarded a grant, they must maintain an active SAM registration throughout the life of the award. Please go to the General Services Administration (GSA) SAM Update page for login information: http://www.sam.gov/SAM/
SAM registration must be renewed annually. CNCS suggests that applicants finalize a new registration or renew an existing one at least three weeks before the application deadline, to allow time to resolve any issues that may arise.
Applicants that do not comply with these requirements may become ineligible to receive an award. See the Getting Started with Registration page at: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration
Eligible Funding Purposes
Organizations will request between $1,000 – $4,000 in funding for any one of the following purposes:
- Purchasing software for volunteer recruitment, training, and/or management
- Purchasing/printing costs for materials to support volunteerism (volunteer handbook, training curriculum, marketing materials, etc.)
- Consultant fees for developing materials or providing other services to support volunteerism (volunteer handbook, training curriculum, marketing materials, program evaluation, etc.)
- Costs (including purchases & consultant fees) associated with performing a needs assessment and/or piloting new strategies for utilizing volunteerism to address community needs
- Costs (including purchases & consultant fees) associated with developing or improving a disaster-focused volunteer plan
- Hosting a volunteer training event (orientation, specific skills required to be a successful volunteer, leadership skill-building, etc.) – excluding food/beverage costs
- Hosting a volunteer recognition event (event space, speaker fees, etc.) – excluding food/beverage costs and gifts (t-shirts, gift bags, etc.)
- Hosting a staff/community training event related to supporting volunteerism (fundamentals of volunteer management, technology used within the volunteer program, etc.) – excluding food/beverage costs
Costs that will not be considered for funding include:
- Staff time
- Volunteer stipends
- Mileage reimbursement for volunteers
- Purchasing food and/or beverages
- Regular program costs (purchasing supplies used to carry out the organization’s activities, etc.)
- Example of an allowed cost: purchasing marketing materials to recruit volunteers to sort donations
- Example of an unallowed cost: purchasing storage bins to hold donations
- Any costs that are not tied directly to volunteerism
- Example of an allowed cost: paying a consultant to create volunteer policies and procedures
- Example of an unallowed cost: paying a consultant to create general policies and procedures for the organization
Important Documents & Resources
Application Questions (Word) – for planning purposes only
Application Form (Microsoft Forms) – will accept submissions only between 8 AM Monday, February 28 – 5 PM Friday, March 4, 2022
Written Responses to Questions (PDF)
Additional Benefits
In addition to funding, successful applicants will have access to Volunteer NH staff for support as needed. Staff will also offer an interactive overview of Volunteer NH resources, such as AmeriCorps and Get Connected, our volunteer-matching database.
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 through 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.