Rural Community Toolbox: Funding & Resources for Rural Communities to Address Substance Misuse

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AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Program

Link

https://americorps.gov/funding-opportunity/fiscal-year-fy-2025-americorps-seniors-rsvp-opportunity

Additional Links

Notice of Funding Opportunity (Grants.gov)

Deadline

Application Deadline: Sep 18, 2024

Sponsor

AmeriCorps

Purpose

Engages people age 55 and older in a diverse range of volunteer activities. Allows AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers to choose how, where, and how often they want to serve, with commitments ranging from a few hours to a maximum of 40 hours per week. Focuses on communities with the greatest need, especially those facing racial inequality and poverty, by engaging RSVP volunteers directly in community service activities related to AmeriCorps' key goal of capacity building, and 6 related areas of focus:

  • Disaster services
  • Economic opportunity
  • Education
  • Environmental stewardship
  • Healthy Futures
  • Veterans and military families

Applicants are required to address 1 or more of the focus areas above. In addition to the focus areas, AmeriCorps is particularly interested in supporting applications that propose to include 1 or more specific funding priorities:

  • Supporting older adults and their caregivers, including caregiver respite, support groups, system navigation, care coordination, and resources for custodial grandparents
  • Helping older adults re-enter the workforce through job readiness support, mentoring, training, and removing barriers to employment
  • Preventing and mitigating fraud and scams using digital navigators and other methods to prevent and mitigate financial fraud, abuse, and exploitation
  • Reducing the number of people who are unhoused by providing affordable housing, supporting the unhoused, and addressing housing needs
  • Supporting local climate change initiatives such as energy efficiency, waste management, and ecosystem restoration
  • Supporting behavioral health initiatives, including efforts to reduce isolation, improve mental health, offer peer support, provide support, and use harm reduction methods

Amount of Funding

Award ceiling: $425,000 per year
Estimated total program funding: $10,675,000

AmeriCorps proposes making 3-year grant awards. AmeriCorps generally makes an initial award for the first year of operation, based on a 1-year project period. Continuation awards for subsequent years are not guaranteed and depend upon availability of appropriations and satisfactory performance.

Applicants must provide matching funds for a portion of the project. Matching funds can be cash and/or in-kind contributions and must be from local, non-federal sources. The required match for year 1 is at least 10% of the total project budget. The required match for year 2 is at least 20% and at least 30% in year 3 and for following years, if the grant is renewed beyond 3 years.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and state and territorial government entities, including State Service Commissions.

Geographic Coverage

Nationwide

What This Program Funds

Capacity Building • Operating Costs and Staffing

Application Process

Applicants may apply for more than 1 opportunity, but they are required to submit separate applications for each.

Applicants must submit applications electronically through the eGrants web-based management system.

Application review criteria, requirements, and other information about the online application process are available on the program website.

Funding announcement
 Application instructions
Applicant frequently asked questions

Applicant technical assistance webinars:

Contact

For program or technical questions:
Contact your State Service Commission

RSVPCompetition@americorps.gov
800-942-2677

Rural Awards

Examples of past awards communities have received are described on the program website.

Rural communities who have received funding include:

  • Upper Shore Aging, Inc. in Chestertown, Maryland
  • Area II Agency on Aging in Roundup, Montana
  • Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, North Carolina
  • Inca Community Services, Inc. in Tishomingo, Oklahoma
  • Adamsville Lions Club, Inc. in Adamsville, Tennessee
  • Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council in Independence, Wisconsin
  • Council of the Southern Mountains in Welch, West Virginia

Topics This Program Addresses

Community Planning and Coalition Building • Economic Development • Elderly People • Harm Reduction • Health Education for Community and Patients • Mental Health • Naloxone • Opioids • Overdose Prevention • Prevention • Recovery • Schools • Substance Use Disorder • Treatment • Veterans