Well, we certainly have a lot going on these days! We are certain that you are as excited as we are by current developments, and hope you are pacing yourself since it appears that we are going to be extra busy for the foreseeable future! Between awarding 2009 grants, AmeriCorps Week, Portal testing and launch, Recovery funding decisions, National Conference planning, 2010 budget development, and implementing the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, we are charged up about growing national service to a degree never before possible. We look forward to strengthening our productive partnerships and working together to create a new era for national service.
The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
On March 26, 2009 the House of Representatives approved a landmark bipartisan reauthorization of the Corporation and its programs. The House action sends the bill to President Obama, who has expressed his intent to sign the bill into law. We are starting to plan for the implementation of the Act, which will become effective October 1, 2009. This planning will include multiple opportunities for you to provide input. We will provide full details on our planning process as it develops. You can find highlights of the bill and other useful information here.
Please keep in mind that the Kennedy Serve America Act amends the Corporation’s authorizing statutes but does not itself appropriate funds. Statements that funding for the Corporation’s programs has significantly increased only reflect that the Corporation is now authorized to receive increases. The annual budget and appropriations process will provide actual funding for the Corporation’s FY 2010 operations. For a more detailed description of this process, written by the Congressional Research Service, look here. We will, as always, keep you apprised of Congressional actions on our annual appropriations acts.
Grant Application Review and Clarification Updates
Last week, AmeriCorps State and National staff completed staff review of the 2009 new and recompete applications. The total amount requested in the state competitive and National Direct competitions this year was $179,749,232 for the $59,581,676 available.
We are now in the phase of the review when we request clarification on applications to inform the decision-making process. If you received a clarification letter, it’s imperative that you respond by the specified date.
Please note that we will request clarification on more applications that we will actually award. A request for clarification does not mean that an application will be approved for funding. In addition, if you or your subapplicants do not receive a request for clarification, please do not assume that the application will not be funded.
Recovery Act Updates
On April 3, 2009, AmeriCorps State and National received $162 million in requests for the $88 million Recovery Act funds available. (An additional $1 million is set-aside for childcare.) Staff has begun to review these requests and plan to award these grants next month.
On March 20, 2009 President Obama issued a memorandum entitled “Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds.” This memo reminds agencies to select projects based on merit that have a demonstrated or potential ability to: (i)deliver programmatic results; (ii)achieve economic stimulus; (iii)achieve long-term public benefits; and (iv)satisfy the Recovery Act's transparency and accountability objectives. This directive will guide our selection process.
We strongly encourage you to review the Updated Guidance that was issued by the Office of Management and Budget on implementation of the Recovery Act on April 4.
Recovery Provisions Now Available
Recovery Act Grant Provisions are posted here and here.
Recovery Act Report of Contact with Registered Lobbyist Requirement
Please review the President’s Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies Regarding Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds (The White House - 3/20/2009) and the Office of General Counsel memo on this topic, which you can find here. If you are registered as a lobbyist, these rules govern our communication with you.
Federal Financial Report Due
April 30, 2009, will be the first time that most National grantees will submit their financial reports using the Federal Financial Report (FFR) instead of the Financial Status Report (FSR). Please see the information available here to help you complete the FFR. For more information about the change to the FFR, please see this link. If you have questions, please contact your grants officer.\
Financial and Grants Management Training and Technical Assistance
Many of you might not be aware that MacArthur and Baker International (MBI) has been selected by the Corporation to provide training and technical Assistance to its grantees in the area of financial and grants management. The services that were previously provided by Walker & Company will now be provided by MBI.
The MBI team has extensive knowledge and experience working with Corporation grantees and sub-grantees on financial and grants management matters and has provided T/TA in these areas for many years under previous arrangements. MBI will provide training and technical assistance to assist grantees and sub-grantees in complying with the federal requirements for financial management and grant administration described in the various OMB Circulars and administrative requirements for federal grants.
MBI is available to provide guidance and answers to your questions relating to financial and grants management at (866) 585-6698. However, all requests for on-site training or extensive technical assistance should be requested through your respective program or grants officers.
Checklists for New Staff on the Resource Center
The Resource Center now includes useful checklists for new AmeriCorps grantees; new staff of AmeriCorps programs; or new AmeriCorps subgrantees. The checklists that cover four important areas:
- Program development and management
- Finance and grants management
- Member development and support
- Community and site partnerships
Updated MSY Factors Now in WBRS
As you know, we have changed the factors we use to calculate MSYs in eGrants in order to align with the Trust.This change took effect November 11, 2008. This change automatically updated the MSY calculation for all AmeriCorps State and National grant records in eGrants, including all past applications created and awarded for program years 2003 – 2008. The change is now also reflected in WBRS from 2009 forward only. In other words, the change in WBRS did not affect history as the change did in eGrants. The My AmeriCorps portal will support the new calculation.
Letter Allowing Use of Grant Funds to Attend National Conference on Volunteering and Service
You can find a letter that verifies that you may use grant funds to attend the National Conference on Volunteering and Service on the conference registration page, here.
Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Disaster Curriculum Now Available
HandsOn Network, a training and technical assistance provider for the Corporation for National and Community Service, is interested in making their "Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Disaster" curriculum more broadly available to the national service sector. HandsOn invites you to take a brief survey to help them determine the best way to make this curriculum available and meet your programmatic needs.
The curriculum prepares participants to staff Volunteer Reception Centers which process, screen and manage spontaneous volunteers in times of disaster. These centers ensure that volunteers are given meaningful and constructive opportunities to satisfy their desire to assist in a time of need, while not overwhelming the affected community in their disaster response and recovery process. Having staff trained in advance allows them to integrate into this critical disaster response role quickly. The training includes a Volunteer Reception Center exercise where participants experience the VRC model and practice how to manage spontaneous volunteers. If you have questions, please contact HandsOn Network at training@handsonnetwork.org.
*******AmeriCorps Week News*******
We’re very excited about the upcoming third annual AmeriCorps Week, May 9-16. This is a momentous time for national service and we are so glad you are already thinking about how to make this the best AmeriCorps Week ever! We are looking forward to a Grand Opening in New York, a great statewide event in Ohio, and fantastic closing events in Flint, Michigan and here in DC at Nationals Field, to name a few events that will take place. We know you will use your creativity to mark the week. You and your programs and members might:
State Commissions received sample state proclamations last week. This information is posted in the Communications Center. Please note that a few dates in the chart of state-by-state statistics have been corrected. In the chart title, and three times in footnotes, it originally stated that the enrollment datastarts in 2004, when it is actually 1994.
We have scheduled a series of Web Chats to help us all get prepared for AmeriCorps Week. Participation is free, but registration is required. You will need to sign up for each WebChat individually. You will also need to download the WebEX application.
WebChat #3: Winning Videos and Photos -- Now is the time!
April 22nd, 2009
3:00-4:00pm EST
Find out more about the Video Contest and the new addition of a Photo Contest, other new features, celebrity judges and fantastic prizes. Register here
WebChat #4: AmeriCorps Week Media... for the Masses
April 29th, 2009
3:00-4:00pm EST
Launch your event into the public eye! Learn how to get the most media attention you can. Register here
WebChat #5: Final Preparations -- The Best AmeriCorps Week Yet!
May 6th, 2009
3:00-4:00pm EST
Last minute tips to make your event even more successful. Register here
Dates to Remember
April 27 - May 1, 2009
Clarification for Competitive Recovery
April 30, 2009
FFRs due in eGrants for period ending 3/31/2009
May 5 - 7, 2009
AmeriCorps National Best Practices Conference
Washington, DC
Mid-May, 2009
Recovery announcements
May 9 - 16, 2009
***AmeriCorps Week***
By the end of May
Grant announcements
June 22 - 24, 2009
National Conference of Volunteering and Service
San Francisco
July 7, 2009
State Formula Applications due at 5:00 p.m. EST
September 14-18, 2009
Annual Grantee Meeting/Program Start-Up
Institute/Commissioner Institute in Washington DC
