Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Competition

The Corporation for National and Community Service, commonly known as AmeriCorps, is a federal agency dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities through service and volunteerism. Among its flagship programs is AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), which dates back to 1971 and is one of the largest senior volunteer initiatives in the country. The program specifically engages individuals aged 55 and older in volunteer activities that address a range of community needs, from tutoring and tax preparation to disaster response and substance abuse prevention. AmeriCorps emphasizes civic engagement and fosters social cohesion by encouraging older adults to actively contribute their skills and experience to their communities. The Fiscal Year 2026 AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP grant competition is an open and competitive funding opportunity available nationwide. It targets both new applicants and incumbent grantees with a 23SR grant number, who must reapply under this announcement to continue receiving funding beyond March 31, 2026. The program provides cost-reimbursement grants for a three-year performance period, with initial funding awarded for one year and continuation funding subject to the availability of appropriations and satisfactory performance. This announcement reaffirms AmeriCorps' intent to support programming in all U.S. states and territories while also signaling an intent to prioritize underserved geographies depending on funding constraints. Applicants may propose service activities in any of AmeriCorps' designated focus areas: Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, Environmental Stewardship, Healthy Futures, or Veterans and Military Families. Each applicant must select one as their primary focus area. Additional priorities—though not required—include support for older adults and caregivers, workforce reentry for seniors, building strong families, fraud prevention, homelessness reduction, and behavioral health. If selecting a priority, applicants must include at least one corresponding work plan. Applicants may request a base amount of $75,000 plus $350 per unduplicated volunteer; this volunteer count must be supported by a detailed budget and narrative. Volunteers may serve up to 40 hours per week but are unpaid; the per-volunteer allocation is for program administration, not stipends or incentives. Eligible applicants include Indian Tribes, institutions of higher education, local and state governments, nonprofit organizations, and U.S. territories. AmeriCorps strongly encourages applications from new and historically underrepresented entities, including small and faith-based organizations. Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Matching funds of at least 10% of total allowable costs are required unless a waiver is approved. Documentation of all matching sources must be provided at the time of application. The application process is managed through AmeriCorps' eGrants system. A complete submission must include the SF-424 Face Sheet, narratives (executive summary, program design, recruitment, management, and organizational capacity), work plans, budget forms, and authorizations. Additional documents, such as the Operational and Financial Management Survey (OFMS) and, where applicable, tribal authorization documentation, must also be submitted by the application deadline. AmeriCorps will not accept applications submitted by fax or email, and encourages applicants to begin early due to potential delays or technical issues. The deadline to submit applications is Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. AmeriCorps anticipates announcing awards in June 2026. Selected projects will begin the one-year period of performance on April 1, 2026, and may be renewed annually for up to three years, subject to continued funding and satisfactory progress. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend technical assistance webinars and review the application instructions, performance measure guidelines, and budget calculators, all of which are accessible via the AmeriCorps website.

Ensure all selected priorities have corresponding work plans; match volunteer numbers across work plans, narratives, and budgets; avoid placing more than 20% of volunteers in Other Community Priorities.