2017 Day of Service Grants | CNCS 12 16 16

Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS 12 16 16

The 2017 Day of Service Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number CNCS 12 16 16) is a discretionary grant competition offered by the Corporation for National and Community Service to support large-scale volunteer mobilization efforts tied to two national service observances: the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Organizations can apply for funding to support activities for September 11th, for MLK Day, or for both, but they are limited to one application per Day of Service, meaning an applicant cannot submit multiple proposals for September 11th or multiple proposals for MLK Day under this competition.

At its core, the September 11th track is meant to help communities channel remembrance into action by increasing the number of Americans who participate in meaningful service projects that address real local needs while also honoring those who died on September 11, 2001 and those who responded in service in the aftermath. The emphasis is on mobilization and community benefit: creating or expanding opportunities for volunteers to contribute in tangible ways, strengthening community resilience, and using service as a way to commemorate sacrifice through constructive, locally relevant work.

The MLK Day track focuses on supporting projects that encourage the public to observe the federal holiday as a day of service rather than simply a day off. This portion of the program is designed to bring people together across communities to serve others, while also pushing beyond one-time participation by encouraging volunteers who serve on MLK Day to make longer-term commitments to community service. In practical terms, proposals under this track are expected to not only run strong MLK Day events, but also build pathways for sustained engagement after the holiday, such as connecting volunteers to ongoing programs, recurring service opportunities, or community partnerships that keep people involved.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public and private entities that can organize and manage volunteer-driven initiatives. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). The funding activity categories linked to the opportunity suggest that supported projects may address a wide range of community priorities, including disaster prevention and relief, environmental work, health-related needs, housing, and other community service areas, giving applicants flexibility to tailor projects to the most pressing issues in their communities.

Key administrative details show this competition was created on December 16, 2016, with an original application closing date of February 22, 2017. The maximum award amount listed is $150,000 (award ceiling), and the agency anticipated making about 15 awards. The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 94.012 and 94.014, which are identifiers used to track federal assistance programs and may be useful for compliance, reporting, or organizational grant management systems.

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as funding intended to strengthen and scale community service efforts anchored to two nationally recognized days, with a strong emphasis on volunteer mobilization, meeting vital community needs, honoring national service and remembrance themes, and, especially in the MLK Day track, turning a single day of volunteering into longer-term civic engagement.

• The Corporation for National and Community Service in the disaster prevention and relief, environment, health, housing, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2017 Day of Service Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 94.012, 94.014.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 16, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 22, 2017. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for CNCS 12 16 16

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