FY 2020 RSVP Competition | CNCS 07 26 19

Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS 07 26 19

The FY 2020 RSVP Competition (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS 07 26 19) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to select sponsoring organizations that will operate RSVP programs in multiple geographic service areas. The main purpose of the competition is to identify strong local sponsors that can recruit and support volunteers and place them in meaningful service activities that address real community needs. RSVP is structured to produce measurable outcomes in communities while also providing benefits to the volunteers themselves through a purposeful and engaging service experience. In addition to direct service results, the program is meant to strengthen overall community capacity by building partnerships, expanding volunteer infrastructure, and improving how local organizations mobilize people to meet public needs.

The program’s scope is broad and can support volunteer activities across several major public service fields, including community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment and workforce development, environmental work, food and nutrition, health, housing, and other community-identified priorities. This range signals that RSVP projects are expected to be responsive to local conditions and to focus volunteer energy where it can have the clearest impact, whether that means supporting students and schools, helping communities prepare for or recover from disasters, addressing food insecurity, assisting older adults and people with disabilities, improving public health outcomes, or strengthening neighborhood-based supports.

Eligible applicants include a wide set of public, nonprofit, tribal, and higher education entities. Specifically, state governments, county governments, and city or township governments may apply, as can public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, along with other Native American tribal organizations that are not themselves federally recognized tribal governments. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are also eligible, provided they are not institutions of higher education. This eligibility structure is designed to ensure that communities can compete through the kinds of organizations that typically have the partnerships, administrative capacity, and local legitimacy needed to coordinate a large volunteer program.

Key administrative details include a posting/creation date of July 26, 2019, and an original application closing date of September 25, 2019. The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 94.002, which is the federal assistance listing tied to this program area. CNCS anticipated making approximately 236 awards under this competition, reflecting the fact that RSVP operates through many locally sponsored projects nationwide rather than through a small number of very large awards. The stated maximum funding level (award ceiling) is $468,406, indicating the upper end of what a single award might receive, with actual award amounts typically varying based on factors like the size of the service area, the scope of the proposed volunteer activities, and the sponsor’s program design.

Overall, this funding opportunity is aimed at expanding and strengthening RSVP service delivery by competitively selecting sponsors in multiple areas, with an emphasis on effective volunteer management, clear community impact, and sustainable local capacity-building.

• The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2020 RSVP Competition" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.002.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 26, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 25, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $468,406.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 236 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for CNCS 07 26 19

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