Opportunity Information: Apply for AC 01 31 26
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number AC 01 31 26) is a discretionary grant program run by AmeriCorps that funds organizations to deploy AmeriCorps members in community-based service roles. The core purpose is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement by supporting structured national service and volunteerism. In practical terms, AmeriCorps is looking to invest in programs where members serve through local organizations and deliver interventions that are evidence-based or evidence-informed, meaning the proposed service activities should be grounded in credible research, prior program results, or well-supported models rather than being purely experimental or untested.
This competition supports a wide range of community priorities, which is reflected in the listed funding activity categories: community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment/labor and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, and other related public needs. Applicants typically use these funds to build or expand service programs that place AmeriCorps members into roles that directly address local challenges, such as tutoring and student support, workforce readiness assistance, food distribution and nutrition education, housing-related services, public health outreach, environmental stewardship projects, and disaster preparedness or recovery support. The emphasis is on service that produces measurable community benefits while also developing participants through meaningful national service.
A central feature of the program is the role of the AmeriCorps member. Members are individuals who commit to a term of service with a funded organization and carry out community service activities aligned with the program design. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits during their service term, which helps make participation feasible for a broader range of people. After successfully completing their service, members earn the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, which can be used for qualified higher education expenses or applied toward eligible student loans. This creates a dual outcome: communities receive capacity and direct service, while members gain experience, skills, and an education benefit tied to completing the service commitment.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public and nonprofit entities. Eligible applicants listed in the opportunity include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (that are not institutions of higher education), nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (that are not institutions of higher education), private institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities as allowed by the program. The opportunity also references State Service Commissions and/or states and US territories, indicating that these entities play a formal role in the State and National structure, often acting as applicants, pass-through administrators, or key partners depending on the specific program model and jurisdiction.
Key administrative details include the assistance listing number (CFDA/Assistance Listing) 94.006 and the fact that the award mechanism is a grant. The opportunity was created on January 30, 2026, and the original closing date is March 31, 2026. The public listing does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would typically need to consult the full notice and application instructions from AmeriCorps to understand funding limits, cost-sharing or match expectations, program design requirements, performance measure expectations, and any priority areas for this competition cycle.
Overall, this FY 2026 competitive grant opportunity is designed for organizations that can responsibly manage a national service program and demonstrate that AmeriCorps members will be used in well-structured, well-supported service activities that address pressing community needs. The strongest proposals are generally those that clearly define the community problem, show how members will deliver a proven or well-supported intervention, describe how impact will be measured, and explain how the program will support members during service while ensuring successful completion and community results.Apply for AC 01 31 26
- The AmeriCorps in the community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants" 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 2026-01-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-31. (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, 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, Others.
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FY 2026 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants (AC 01 31 26) - FAQs
1. What is this grant opportunity?
This is the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number AC 01 31 26). It is a discretionary grant program run by AmeriCorps that funds organizations to deploy AmeriCorps members in community-based service roles.
2. What is the purpose of the AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants program?
The core purpose is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement by supporting structured national service and volunteerism. Funded programs are expected to deliver measurable community benefits while also providing meaningful service experiences for members.
3. What kinds of activities does AmeriCorps want to fund through this competition?
AmeriCorps is looking to invest in programs where members serve through local organizations and deliver interventions that are evidence-based or evidence-informed. Service activities should be grounded in credible research, prior program results, or well-supported models rather than being purely experimental or untested.
4. What community needs or service areas are supported?
The opportunity supports a wide range of community priorities, including community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment/labor and training, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, and other related public needs.
5. What are examples of programs or services that could be supported?
Examples mentioned include tutoring and student support, workforce readiness assistance, food distribution and nutrition education, housing-related services, public health outreach, environmental stewardship projects, and disaster preparedness or recovery support.
6. Who carries out the service activities under an AmeriCorps-funded program?
AmeriCorps members carry out the service activities. Members are individuals who commit to a term of service with a funded organization and perform community service aligned with the program design.
7. Do AmeriCorps members receive compensation or benefits?
Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits during their service term, which can help make participation feasible for a broader range of people.
8. What do members earn after completing their term of service?
After successfully completing their service, members earn the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. It can be used for qualified higher education expenses or applied toward eligible student loans.
9. What is meant by "evidence-based" or "evidence-informed" in this opportunity?
In this competition, it means the proposed service activities should be grounded in credible research, prior program results, or well-supported models. AmeriCorps is signaling a preference for approaches that are supported by evidence rather than untested concepts.
10. What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants listed include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (that are not institutions of higher education), nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (that are not institutions of higher education), private institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities as allowed by the program.
11. Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible. The eligibility list also specifies that certain nonprofit categories are eligible only if they are not institutions of higher education.
12. What role do State Service Commissions, states, and US territories play?
The opportunity references State Service Commissions and/or states and US territories, indicating these entities play a formal role in the State and National structure and may act as applicants, pass-through administrators, or key partners depending on the program model and jurisdiction.
13. What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA/Assistance Listing) number is 94.006.
14. What is the award type or funding mechanism?
The award mechanism is a grant.
15. When was this opportunity created?
The public listing states the opportunity was created on January 30, 2026.
16. What is the application deadline?
The original closing date is March 31, 2026.
17. Is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?
No. The public listing does not provide an award ceiling.
18. Is the expected number of awards listed?
No. The public listing does not provide the expected number of awards.
19. Does the public listing explain match or cost-sharing requirements?
No. The listing indicates that applicants would typically need to consult the full notice and application instructions to understand cost-sharing or match expectations.
20. Does the listing describe performance measurement expectations?
It emphasizes measurable community benefits and notes that stronger proposals generally describe how impact will be measured. However, specific performance measure requirements are not provided in the public listing and would typically be found in the full notice and application instructions.
21. What does AmeriCorps appear to prioritize in strong proposals?
Based on the listing summary, strong proposals generally (1) clearly define the community problem, (2) show how members will deliver a proven or well-supported intervention, (3) describe how impact will be measured, and (4) explain how the program will support members during service while ensuring successful completion and community results.
22. What is the basic model being funded?
Organizations use grant funds to build or expand service programs that place AmeriCorps members into roles that directly address local challenges through structured service activities.
23. What are the expected outcomes for communities and for members?
The opportunity highlights a dual outcome: communities benefit from added capacity and direct service, while members gain experience and skills and earn an education benefit tied to completing their service commitment.
24. Where should applicants look for missing details like funding limits and detailed requirements?
The summary notes that applicants would typically need to consult the full notice and application instructions from AmeriCorps for details such as funding limits, match requirements, program design requirements, performance measure expectations, and any priority areas for the competition cycle.
25. What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this competition?
The Funding Opportunity Number is AC 01 31 26.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (AC 01 31 26) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Grants Apply for AC 03 20 2026 Funding Number: AC 03 20 2026 Agency: AmeriCorps Category: Community Development, Disaster Prevention and Relief, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Housing, Other Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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