AmeriCorps Southern Border Arrivals Assistance Corps (25-444-80-3330) Technical Assistance, Appendices and Questions & Answers

This Notice of Funding Opportunity has been reposted. New Due Date: July 31, 2024 by 4:00PM CST.

New Q and A will be posted beginning June 28, 2024. 

AmeriCorps Southern Border Arrivals Assistance Corps Technical Assistance Session

AmeriCorps Southern Border Arrivals Assistance Corps Appendices:

AmeriCorps Southern Border Arrivals Assistance Corps Questions & Answers:

May 15, 2024

  1. Question: Is the optional technical assistance session for this program scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT on May 23, 2024? The registration link provides the time of the webinar as 2:00 p.m. CT.
    • Answer: The link is correct. The technical assistance session is scheduled for Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 2:00 PM CT.

May 28, 2024:

  1. Question: Are most orgs applying themselves or are Collaborative applications encouraged? Is there a way to offer to be a placement for AmeriCorps without applying to run a whole program?
    Answer:     It would be fine to have a collaborative application, but there can be only one legal applicant organization, so one of the two would need to ultimately step forward as the lead on the application and hold the responsibility of being the grantee. If you wanted to either sub-grant a portion or have a separate MOU for how the program was divided, then that would be fine, Uniform Guidance has a separate section for requirements if a grantee chooses to subgrant and what would need to be in place. Serve Illinois would need to review any MOU between the two so that we could check for things like program income, but also to make sure that scope of work was clear.
    And yes, we could have someone offer to be a placement site. That would be something our Program Officers could help navigate because they would know the current programs, who utilizes service sites that are maybe doing similar work and/or when they are recruiting for placement sites. The connections could then be made that way. Otherwise, it would probably be on the potential placement site to reach out to their network to talk about what it could look like for them to be a placement site for members.
  2. Question: How are the amount of AmeriCorps members determined?
    Answer:     You will need to figure out internally depending on the project you are taking on. There is a minimum of 3 MSY's which means a minimum of 3 full time members.
  3. Question: Is there a specific number of AmeriCorps members we can request?
    Answer:     No less than 3 full time members.
  4. Question: Is an organization that up to now, has only tangentially worked with migrant populations but recognizes the growing need for an SBA tailored program eligible under this NOFO? We have programs that are for the community that include SBAs, but programs are not specifically geared to SBAs. We do have statistics on the community we help.
    Answer:     Per the NOFO, under Funding Priorities, "Organizations with a minimum of 3 years of experience working with migrants, immigrants, and/or refugees will work within their communities to assist SBAs in the process of integration and long-term stabilization. Applicants will develop program models to support new arrivals by providing access to services to aid SBAs transitioning into new communities. Such services should be tailored to the needs of individuals and their communities." This information is also listed under Eligibility information and grant funding requirements.
  5. Question: Requirement to hire AmeriCorps staff, does that preclude internal staff from working on the grant?
    Answer:     Internal staff are able to work on the grant, but it needs to be clearly defined in the budget as to what percentage of hours are being designated to this grant as well as entire pay for both this grant and pay within other positions within the agency.