FY 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Planning Grants | AC 08 18 22

Opportunity Information: Apply for AC 08 18 22

The FY 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Planning Grants opportunity is a discretionary grant program run by AmeriCorps to help Native Nations and Native-serving tribal organizations plan and develop future AmeriCorps programs. AmeriCorps frames this work as part of its broader mission to improve lives, strengthen communities, and build civic engagement by bringing people together through national service and volunteerism. In this specific competition, AmeriCorps also emphasizes its commitment to working with Native Nations on a Nation-to-Nation basis and honoring the federal government’s Tribal trust responsibility, signaling that the program is designed to support tribally led planning and community-driven solutions.

The grant itself is strictly for planning, not for operating a full AmeriCorps program. The purpose is to give an eligible applicant the time and resources to design an AmeriCorps program that, in a later cycle, could place AmeriCorps members to implement evidence-based interventions aimed at local community needs. In other words, the deliverable is a strong, ready-to-compete AmeriCorps program design: defining the community problem, selecting interventions with evidence behind them, building partnerships, designing member service activities and supervision structures, and preparing the full program model and application materials needed to pursue an AmeriCorps program grant later. AmeriCorps explicitly notes that planning grantees are encouraged to apply for an AmeriCorps program grant in the next grant cycle if they decide an AmeriCorps program is the right fit for their community.

Awards can be as high as $240,000 for a single 12-month planning period, with the overall project period limited to no more than one year. Applicants propose a start date, but that start date cannot be earlier than the date AmeriCorps officially makes the award. The funding instrument is a grant, and applicants must apply under a cost-reimbursement structure, meaning expenses are typically incurred and then reimbursed according to the approved budget and grant rules rather than provided as an upfront lump sum for unrestricted use.

Eligibility is limited to Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized, as well as Native American tribal organizations that are not themselves federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity is associated with CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) number 94.006. The agency lists a wide set of program activity areas where future AmeriCorps programs might be developed, including community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment/labor/training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, and other community priorities, which leaves room for tribal communities to focus on the challenges most relevant to them.

Key administrative details from the notice include the funding opportunity number AC 08 18 22, an original application closing date of April 5, 2023, and an opportunity creation date of August 18, 2022. While the notice references expected awards, it does not specify a number in the provided text. The most important operational constraint to keep in mind is that the planning grant may not be used to support AmeriCorps members. That restriction is central to how the funding should be approached: it is meant to cover planning activities (such as program design, community needs assessment, partnership development, building evaluation and performance measurement plans, and preparing for a future implementation grant), rather than member stipends, member-related costs, or running an active AmeriCorps member corps during the planning year.

• The AmeriCorps in the community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Planning Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.006.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-04-05. (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 $240,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).

Apply for AC 08 18 22

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