Office on Volunteerism and Community Service February 7, 2013 e-Grants and your AmeriCorps State application

Prior to Creating an Application Create an e-Grants Account

Info that you will need shows on the left

Get a DUNS Number, Register for SAM Apply for DUNS number Register for SAM

Creating an Application in e-Grants After you have created account and logged in….

Select “New”

Under Program Area, select AmeriCorps, and then “Go”

Select Commission AmeriCorps State FY 2013

Choose a State: Virginia Select Prime Application ID 13AC Next

Provide all required Applicant Information (indicated by *)

Application Info: Areas affected by program Start date of either August 15 or Sept End date is at 3 year period exactly Other, remain checked as no (N/A)

Narratives: Enter text in appropriate fields Suggestion: Develop narrative in a Word document and paste into relevant sections Top 4 completed by all applicants (Exec. Summary, Rationale and Approach, Organizational Capability, Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy Evaluation Summary- re-competes complete, new enter N/A Amendment Justification, Clarification Summary, Continuation Changes—enter N/A

Executive Summary (Page 10 RFP)

Continue in narratives for Rationale/Approach, Org. Capability, Cost Effectiveness/Budget Adequacy, Evaluation Summary (if applicable)

Rationale and Approach Broadly Crucial application element (50% of review criteria for this section) Read Page 11, Section III. RFP pages detail each element Follow the format prescribed in RFP (Virginia priorities first, CNCS priorities second)

Rationale and Approach Cont. Key thoughts to consider: Why AmeriCorps? Is it clear that AmeriCorps members are the best way to meet the identified need? Be Specific! Are member activities specific, clear, impactful, with documentable outcomes? Back your Claims! Is your intervention evidence-based? Will you be able to demonstrate/measure impact? Is the theory of change based on research? Explain How… you will effectively recruit a diverse Corps. Not just that you will, but how! you will train for service and professional development, making a member’s service impactful and meaningful members will be supervised, and supervisors will learn how to supervise

Organizational Capability What is proposed can be accomplished with the staff, resources, experience, ideas, and money identified Relevant experience of staff Ability to provide training and evaluation is clear. Management of organization wants the program and will support it. Understanding of path to sustainability Roles/expectations/requirements of everyone that will be involved (staff, other sites, management) are established

Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy The total amount requested from CNCS cannot exceed # of MSY X $13,300 (ex., requesting 10 MSY X $13,300= maximum request of $133,000). Diverse resources proven available. Cost/benefit of your model as opposed to others. How is budget shown to be adequate for meeting program outcomes (all costs included, clear that costs are appropriate, etc.)

Evaluation Summary/Plan Re-competes only must include Evaluation Summary in narrative section New programs should be planning collection and evaluation however, for their potential re-compete in the 3 years!

Finish Narratives Sections Sections needing content are all entered and show green checks Enter N/A for final 3 items and save

Performance Measures

Selecting Grant Characteristics

Enter Performance Measures Module

PM Home Page

Select a Focus Area and Objective

Select Intervention

Primary Focus Area and Intervention

Assign MSY to Focus Areas

Create Aligned Performance Measures

Select the output

Select or Add an Outcome and MSY for that outcome

Data Collection

Data Collection Outcome

Validate summarized PM’s

CNCS Detailed PM PowerPoint CNCS has prepared a PowerPoint that will take you through this in much more detail.PowerPoint OVCS will be working with selected applicants to strengthen Performance Measures

Documents section Evaluation only applicable to re- competes. Re-competes select “sent” Select sent or not applicable (see pg of RFP to determine applicability)

E-Grants Budget Section I-Operating Costs Pg of RFP Section II-Member Costs Pg of RFP Section III- Administrative/Indirect Costs Pg of RFP

Indirect Costs You May Claim 5.26% of CNCS Direct Costs (Section I & II) CNCS Direct Costs *.0526 = Maximum Administrative/Indirect Costs in CNCS Column.

CNCS Indirect Costs Breakout Total CNCS Direct Costs *.0526 *.8 = Corporation Fixed Amount Total CNCS Direct Costs *.0526 *.2 = Commission Fixed Amount (1% Retainage Pg 26)

All Programs include the 1% at a minimum

Grantee Share of Administrative/Indirect Costs CNCS Direct Costs + Grantee Share Direct Costs *.1 10%

1% Goes Here

Grantee indirect goes here

The Importance of Maximizing Indirect Costs

Review

Authorize and Submit Select I agree Select view/print certification Select I agree Select view/print certification Select I agree

Verify and Submit

You should immediately see the message below Take a screenshot of the message (ctrl and print scrn buttons) If you don’t get this message, don’t assume it’s submitted!

Final Hints/Reminders March 7, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. is deadline for full submittal Don’t Wait! e-Grants can have glitches, submit early! Contact e-Grants for technical assistance about e-Grants e-Grants Help Line Contact for general application Check for question updateswww.vaservice.org

Questions?

Thank You! Office on Volunteerism and Community Service Website