As funds become available, the Corporation solicits applications for RSVP grants from eligible organizations through a competitive process.
(a) What are the application requirements for an RSVP grant? An applicant must:
(1) Submit required information determined by the Corporation.
(2) Demonstrate compliance with any applicable requirements specified in the Notice of Funding Availability or Notice of Funding Opportunity.
(b) What process does the Corporation use to select new RSVP grantees? (1) The Corporation reviews and determines the merits of an application by its responsiveness to published guidelines and to the overall purpose and objectives of the program. In conducting its review during the competitive process, the Corporation considers the input and opinions of those serving on a peer review panel, including members with expertise in senior service and aging, and may conduct site inspections, as appropriate.
(2) The selection process includes:
(i) Determining whether an application complies with the application requirements, such as deadlines, eligibility, and programmatic requirements, including performance measurement requirements;
(ii) Applying published selection criteria, as stated in the applicable Notice of Funding Availability or Notice of Funding Opportunity, to assess the quality of the application;
(iii) Applying any applicable priorities or preferences, as stated in the applicable Notice of Funding Availability or Notice of Funding Opportunity;
(iv) Ensuring innovation and geographic, demographic, and programmatic diversity across the Corporation's RSVP grantee portfolio; and
(v) Identifying the applications that most completely respond to the published guidelines and offer the highest probability of successfully carrying out the overall purpose and objectives of the program.
(c) How is a grant awarded? (1) Subject to the availability of funds, the award will be documented by a Notice of Grant Award (NGA).
(2) The Corporation and the sponsoring organization are parties to the NGA. The NGA will document the sponsor's commitment to fulfill specific programmatic objectives and financial obligations. It will document the extent of the Corporation's obligation to provide assistance to the sponsor.
(d) What happens if the Corporation rejects an application? The Corporation will return to the applicant an application that is not approved for funding, informing the applicant of the Corporation's decision.
(e) For what period of time does the Corporation award a grant? The Corporation awards an RSVP grant for a specified period that is 3 years in duration with an option for a grant renewal of 3 years, if the grantee's performance and compliance with grant terms and conditions are satisfactory. The Corporation will use the Denial of Refunding procedures set forth in 45 CFR part 1206 to deny funding to a grantee when the Corporation determines that the grant should not be renewed for an additional 3 years.
(f) What assistance in preparation for competitive award of all RSVP grants will the Corporation provide to sponsors who have previously received a grant and whose grants are expiring in fiscal year 2011, 2012, or 2013? (1) For each grant expiring in fiscal years 2011, 2012, or 2013, the Corporation will evaluate the grant, to the maximum extent practicable, in fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively.
(2) The evaluation will give particular attention to the different needs of rural and urban projects, including those serving Native American communities, and will evaluate the extent to which the sponsor meets or exceeds performance measures, outcomes, and other criteria established by the Corporation.
(3) To the maximum extent practicable, the Corporation will ensure that each evaluation is conducted by a review team made up of trained individuals who are knowledgeable about RSVP, including current or former employees of the Corporation and representatives of communities served by RSVP volunteers, who will provide their input and opinions concerning each grant.
(4) The Corporation will use the evaluation findings as the basis for providing recommendations for program improvement, and for the provision of training and technical assistance.
(5) The evaluation will assess:
(i) The project's strengths and areas in need of improvement;
(ii) Whether the project has adequately addressed population and community-wide needs;
(iii) The efforts of the project to collaborate with other community-based organizations, units of government, and entities providing services to seniors, taking into account barriers to such collaboration that such programs may encounter;
(iv) The project's compliance with the program requirements for the appropriate use of Federal funds as embodied in a protocol for fiscal management;
(v) To what extent the project is in conformity with the eligibility, outreach, enrollment, and other requirements for RSVP projects; and
(vi) The extent to which the project is achieving other measures of performance developed by the Corporation, in consultation with the review team. [76 FR 20246, Apr. 12, 2011]