604973 - 2025 Continuation ARP Volunteer Generation Fund Service-Learning Grants
Funding Opportunity Details

Volunteer Generation Fund ARP

Final Application Deadline: Apr 30, 2025 5:00 PM

Description

• Description

  OVERVIEW   

  The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (Volunteer Iowa) is pleased to announce a continuation of the funding opportunity for school districts through the Volunteer Generation Fund America Rescue Plan. Volunteer Generation Fund America Rescue Plan (VGF ARP) funds support development and strengthening of service-learning programming in Iowa through K-12 schools. Service-learning has the potential to positively influence a range of factors for academic success, school and community connectedness, career development, and overall community health. Current subgrantees may apply to receive a continuation $15,000 fixed-price grant from Volunteer Iowa to develop service-learning programming and perform necessary work to engage a minimum of three new classrooms in service-learning each semester, while maintaining service-learning in past classrooms. This equates to approximately 18 classrooms engaging in service-learning by the end of year three. Grantees must also participate in ongoing service-learning trainings and one-on-one coaching sessions to promote sustainability. 

  Only current subgrantees are eligible to apply to Volunteer Iowa through our grant management system, IowaGrants. Applications for funding are due on April 30, 2025, at 5 pm CST.

  This is a continuation application of the 2023 & 2024 funding opportunity and represents year three of a three-year federal appropriation.

  Link to Application Materials: www.iowagrants.gov

  Disclosure: Publication of this Request for Funding Availability does not obligate VolunteerIowa or AmeriCorps to award any specific number of grants or to obligate any particular amount of funding. The actual level and timing of grant funding will be subject to the availability of annual federal appropriations.

   

  PURPOSE  

  The purpose of this Request for Application (“Application”) is to provide guidance for current grantees to submit continuation applications to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (referred to as Agency) to renew service provisions as described by and within the project period established by the RFA #504713.

  Services covered by this application include youth service-learning programming. Service-learning programming entails the following: a) project-based learning opportunities for students, b) community partners providing guidance on projects, c) addressing authentic community challenges through service projects and d) combining curriculum and learning goals with volunteer experiences.

  Volunteer Iowa will provide fixed-price continuation grant funding to up to five schools that are current subgrantees to provide service-learning programming for their students to support a wide range of positive academic and non-academic outcomes.

   

  ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS  

  Only current sub-grantees selected for RFA #504713 are eligible to apply. This includes: Waterloo LifeLab, CAL Elementary, Sioux Center Community School District, Hamburg Community School District, and Central Lyon Community School District. Grantees must have a valid System for Award Management (SAM) registration and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), as well as have the capacity and passion to support service-learning functions. 

   

  FUNDS  

  Five current subgrantees will be eligible to be awarded a total of $15,000 each, paid upon the completion of required outcomes. The school district will receive $2,500 per classroom engaged in the IPARD model of service-learning (described in section 1.2) upon successful completion of grant requirements, up to $15,000.  Each school district (grantee) will be required to engage a minimum of three new classrooms a semester, or two classrooms a trimester, in service-learning. Grantees will be required to continue service-learning started in year one and year two of the grant, and will receive $2,500 per new classroom for year three.

  Fixed Price Award  

  By federal regulation, a fixed price subaward must meet the requirements for fixed amount awards in 2 CFR 200.201. A fixed price subaward is one where a price or rate is determined up front for a specific deliverable and is only paid if the deliverable is met. The risk associated with this type of agreement is borne by the subrecipient, since a deliverable is required to obtain payment even if the cost to meet the deliverable exceeds the agreed-upon rate. Fixed price agreements will have a payment schedule instead of a detailed budget and will include specifics on the deliverable and corresponding payment amount. Once a milestone is met or a deliverable received and accepted by Volunteer Iowa, the grantee may invoice for the corresponding amount due. Invoices need not include details of expenses. 

  All awards under this RFA are subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 2205. The source of funds for the VGF ARP competition is a federal award from AmeriCorps CFDA Number 94.021.    

   

  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:  

  Overview Webinar:  Volunteer Iowa will host a VGF ARP Service-Learning Continuation Overview webinar on April 8, 2025.  During the webinar, we will review the Request for Applications document and the walk through the application materials. If time allows, we will address questions. The webinar will be recorded and made available on the IowaGrants website. 

  Date: April 8, 2025

  Time: 11 AM 

  *Link to Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YWI5NGIxMjUtNDA1My00M2JkLWEwZGUtNmRkZTJiYjBlZDlk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%228d2c7b4d-085a-4617-8536-38a76d19b0da%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225baddfcd-7e20-47d5-a887-521b2b6ca5cf%22%7d

  Clarification and Questions: In order to ensure equitable treatment for all applicants, any questions must be submitted through the Ask a Question feature in IowaGrants. This feature is viewable once you have logged into IowaGrants. Responses to questions will be posted on the Funding Opportunities Details page for the opportunity in IowaGrants. The final date for submitting questions is April 12, 2025 at 5 p.m. Questions submitted after this time are not guaranteed to be answered. 

   

  APPLICATION DEADLINES AND TIMELINE  

  RFA Released: April 8, 2025

  Application Open in IowaGrants (www.iowagrants.gov) April 11, 2025

  Overview Webinar April 8, 2025 11 AM  

  Clarification Questions due to Volunteer Iowa: April 25, 2025 

  Responses to Clarification Questions Posted: April 26, 2025

  Application Proposals due to Volunteer Iowa: April 30, 2025, 5 PM CST 

  Selection of Awardees Announced May 9, 2025 

  Start Date: June 20, 2025

  Proposals and associated attachments must be submitted to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service via IowaGrants by 5:00 PM CT on April 30, 2025. All proposals that do not meet the established deadlines or application requirements may be declined through the on-line system and will not be considered.  

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