Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS 02 13 17
The 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grants - Targeted Priority opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS 02 13 17) was a discretionary grant competition run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) under CFDA 94.006. The core purpose of the program was to fund organizations that would place AmeriCorps members into structured national service roles to deliver community-based services that measurably strengthen communities. In this context, an AmeriCorps member is an individual serving in an approved national service position, typically receiving a living allowance and certain benefits during the service term, and becoming eligible for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion. That education award can be used toward qualified higher education costs or to pay down eligible student loans, which is a major incentive and a key feature of the AmeriCorps service model.
This particular competition was labeled "Targeted Priority," meaning it narrowed the focus to two specific issue areas where CNCS wanted applicants to concentrate their program designs and member activities. The first targeted area fell under Healthy Futures, with an emphasis on reducing and/or preventing prescription drug and opioid abuse. Applicants were expected to propose interventions grounded in evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches, which generally implies using strategies supported by research, evaluation findings, or credible practice-based evidence rather than ad hoc activities. The second targeted area fell under Safer Communities, focused on strengthening law enforcement and community relations. Proposals in this lane were intended to improve trust, cooperation, and communication between law enforcement and the communities they serve, again using interventions that can be justified through evidence or informed by credible data and prior results.
The grants supported community development and health-related activities (Funding Activity Categories: Community Development, Health, and Other), reflecting that AmeriCorps programming often operates at the intersection of public health, public safety, and local community capacity building. While the opportunity summary does not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, it clearly frames awards as support for service delivery through AmeriCorps member placements, not simply general operating support. The emphasis on evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions signals that applicants were expected to articulate a clear theory of change, define the community need, explain how member activities would lead to outcomes, and demonstrate how the chosen approach was supported by existing evidence or learning.
Eligibility was broad and included multiple levels of government and a wide range of public and private entities. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they were not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category). This wide eligibility is consistent with AmeriCorps State and National grants, which are often awarded to coalitions, education providers, nonprofits, and public agencies that can manage member service programs and build partnerships in the field.
Key administrative details included an original closing date of May 10, 2017, and a creation date of February 13, 2017. The funding instrument type was a grant, and the opportunity category was discretionary, meaning awards were made through a competitive process rather than a formula allocation. Overall, the opportunity was designed to mobilize national service participants as a workforce to deliver structured interventions in two pressing areas: addressing the prescription drug and opioid crisis through prevention and reduction efforts, and improving public safety outcomes by strengthening relationships and collaboration between law enforcement and community members.Apply for CNCS 02 13 17
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development, health, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grants - Targeted Priority" 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 2017-02-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-05-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled the 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grants - Targeted Priority.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is CNCS 02 13 17.
Which federal agency ran this competition?
The competition was run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).
What CFDA program number is associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity falls under CFDA 94.006.
What type of funding opportunity was this (formula vs. competitive)?
This was a discretionary grant competition, meaning awards were made through a competitive process.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
What was the core purpose of the program?
The core purpose was to fund organizations that place AmeriCorps members into structured national service roles to deliver community-based services that measurably strengthen communities.
Does this funding support service delivery or general operating support?
Based on the description, awards were framed as support for service delivery through AmeriCorps member placements, not simply general operating support.
What does it mean that the competition was labeled "Targeted Priority"?
"Targeted Priority" means the competition narrowed applicants' focus to two specific issue areas where CNCS wanted proposals to concentrate program design and member activities.
What were the two targeted priority areas?
The two targeted areas were: (1) Healthy Futures, emphasizing reducing and/or preventing prescription drug and opioid abuse, and (2) Safer Communities, focusing on strengthening law enforcement and community relations.
What issue area was included under Healthy Futures for this competition?
Healthy Futures proposals were focused on reducing and/or preventing prescription drug and opioid abuse.
What issue area was included under Safer Communities for this competition?
Safer Communities proposals were focused on strengthening law enforcement and community relations, with the intent to improve trust, cooperation, and communication.
What kinds of approaches were applicants expected to propose?
Applicants were expected to propose interventions grounded in evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches, meaning strategies supported by research, evaluation findings, or credible practice-based evidence.
What does "evidence-based" or "evidence-informed" imply in this context?
It implies applicants should avoid ad hoc activities and instead justify strategies using research, prior evaluations, credible data, or documented practice-based learning that supports the proposed intervention.
What is an AmeriCorps member in this program context?
An AmeriCorps member is an individual serving in an approved national service position as part of the funded program.
Do AmeriCorps members typically receive compensation or benefits?
AmeriCorps members typically receive a living allowance and certain benefits during the service term, according to the description provided.
What education benefit is associated with AmeriCorps service?
Upon successful completion of service, members become eligible for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.
How can the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award be used?
The education award can be used toward qualified higher education costs or to pay down eligible student loans.
What funding activity categories were associated with this opportunity?
The listed funding activity categories were Community Development, Health, and Other.
What general kinds of activities did the grants support?
The grants supported community development and health-related activities, reflecting work at the intersection of public health, public safety, and local community capacity building.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility included state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they were not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category).
Are nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status eligible?
Yes. The description states nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status were eligible (with the noted condition about not being institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category).
Were institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education were listed as eligible applicants.
Were tribal governments eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments were listed as eligible applicants.
Were local government entities eligible to apply?
Yes. County governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts were all included in the eligibility list.
When was the opportunity created?
The creation date was February 13, 2017.
What was the original application closing date?
The original closing date was May 10, 2017.
Did the summary specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The opportunity summary, as described, did not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
What outcomes were proposals generally expected to address?
Proposals were expected to deliver community-based services that measurably strengthen communities, including outcomes tied to opioid/prescription drug abuse prevention or reduction, or improved law enforcement and community relations (depending on the targeted priority area).
What program design elements were emphasized in the description?
The description emphasizes articulating a clear theory of change, defining the community need, explaining how member activities would lead to outcomes, and showing that the selected approach is supported by evidence or informed by credible prior learning.
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