45 C.F.R. §§ 2521.40–2521.95

§2521.40. What are the matching requirements?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.40

If you are subject to matching requirements under § 2521.35, you must adhere to the following:

(a)

Basic match— At a minimum, you must meet the basic match requirements as articulated in § 2521.45.

(b)

Regulatory match— In addition to the basic requirements under paragraph (a) of this section, you must provide an overall level of matching funds according to the schedule in § 2521.60(a), or § 2521.60(b) if applicable.

(c)

Budgeted match— To the extent that the match in your approved budget exceeds your required match levels under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, any failure to provide the amount above your regulatory match but below your budgeted match will be considered as a measure of past performance in subsequent grant competitions.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

§2521.45. What are the limitations on the Federal Government's share of program costs?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.45

The limitations on the Federal Government's share are different—in type and amount—for member support costs and program operating costs.

(a)

Member support— The Federal share, including AmeriCorps and other Federal funds, of member support costs, which include the living allowance required under § 2522.240(b)(1) of this chapter, FICA, unemployment insurance (if required under State law), and worker's compensation (if required under State law), is limited as follows:

(1)

If you are a professional corps described in § 2522.240(b)(2)(i) of this chapter, you may not use AmeriCorps funds for the living allowance.

(2)

Your share of member support costs must be non-Federal cash.

(3)

AmeriCorps's share of health care costs may not exceed 85 percent.

(b)

Program operating costs. The AmeriCorps share of program operating costs may not exceed 67 percent. These costs include expenditures (other than member support costs described in paragraph (a) of this section) such as staff, operating expenses, internal evaluation, and administration costs.

(1)

You may provide your share of program operating costs with cash, including other Federal funds (as long as the other Federal agency permits its funds to be used as match), or third-party in-kind contributions.

(2)

Contributions, including third party in-kind must—

(i)

Be verifiable from your records;

(ii)

Not be included as contributions for any other Federally assisted program;

(iii)

Be necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient accomplishment of your program's objectives; and

(iv)

Be allowable under applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cost principles.

(3)

You may not include the value of direct community service performed by volunteers, but you may include the value of services contributed by volunteers to your organizations for organizational functions such as accounting, audit, and training of staff and AmeriCorps programs.”

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005, as amended at 89 FR 46033, May 28, 2024; 89 FR 66615, Aug. 16, 2024]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005, as amended at 89 FR 46033, May 28, 2024; 89 FR 66615, Aug. 16, 2024]

§2521.50. If I am an Indian Tribe, to what extent may I use tribal funds towards my share of costs?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.50

If you are an Indian Tribe that receives tribal funds through Public Law 93-638 (the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act), those funds are considered non-Federal and you may use them towards your share of costs, including member support costs.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

§2521.60. To what extent must my share of program costs increase over time?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.60

Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, if your program continues to receive funding after an initial three-year grant period, you must continue to meet the minimum requirements in § 2521.45 of this part. In addition, your required share of program costs, including member support and operating costs, will incrementally increase each grant period to a 30 percent overall share by the fourth grant period and beyond (tenth year and any year thereafter that you receive a grant), without a break in funding of five years or more.

(a)

Minimum Organization Share—

(1)

Subject to the requirements of § 2521.45 of this part, and except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, your overall share of program costs will increase as of the fourth consecutive year that you receive a grant, according to the following timetable:

(2)

A State commission may meet its match based on the aggregate of its grantees' individual match requirements.

(b)

Alternative match requirements— If your program is unable to meet the match requirements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section and it is located in a rural or severely economically distressed community, you may apply to AmeriCorps for a waiver that would decrease the level of your required match.

(c)

Determining Program Location.

(1)

AmeriCorps will determine whether your program is located in a rural county by considering the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beale Codes.

(2)

AmeriCorps will determine whether your program is located in a severely economically distressed county by considering unemployment rates, per capita income, and poverty rates.

(3)

Unless AmeriCorps approves otherwise, as provided in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, AmeriCorps will determine the location of your program based on the legal applicant's address.

(4)

If you believe that the legal applicant's address is not the appropriate way to consider the location of your program, you may request the waiver described in paragraph (b) of this section and provide the relevant facts about your program location to support your request.

(d)

Schedule for current program grants— If you have completed at least one three-year grant cycle on the date this regulation takes effect, you will be required to provide your share of costs beginning at the year three level, according to the table in paragraph (a) of this section, in the first program year in your grant following the regulation's effective date, and increasing each year thereafter as reflected in the table.

(e)

Flexibility in how you provide your share— As long as you meet the basic match requirements in § 2521.45, you may use cash or in-kind contributions to reach the overall share level. For example, if your organization finds it easier to raise member support match, you may choose to meet the required overall match by raising only more member support match, and leave operational match at the basic level, as long as you provide the required overall match.

(f)

Reporting excess resources.

(1)

AmeriCorps encourages you to obtain support over-and-above the matching fund requirements. Reporting these resources may make your application more likely to be selected for funding, based on the selection criteria in §§ 2522.430 and 2522.435 of these regulations.

(2)

You must comply with § 2543.23 of this title and applicable OMB circulars in documenting cash and in-kind contributions and excess resources.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005, as amended at 89 FR 46033, May 28, 2024]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005, as amended at 89 FR 46033, May 28, 2024]

§2521.70. To what extent may AmeriCorps waive the matching requirements in §§ 2521.45 and 2521.60 of this part?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.70

(a)

AmeriCorps may waive, in whole or in part, the requirements of §§ 2521.45 and 2521.60 if AmeriCorps determines that a waiver would be equitable because of a lack of available financial resources at the local level.

(b)

If you are requesting a waiver, you must demonstrate:

(1)

Initial difficulties in the development of local funding sources during the first three years of operations; or

(2)

An economic downturn, the occurrence of a natural disaster, or similar events in the service area that severely restrict or reduce sources of local funding support; or

(3)

The unexpected discontinuation of local support from one or more sources that a project has relied on for a period of years; or

(4)

Organizational revenue of less than $500,000.

(c)

You must provide with your waiver request:

(1)

A description of the efforts you have made to raise matching resources; and

(2)

A request for the specific amount of match you are asking AmeriCorps to waive; and

(3)

A budget and budget narrative that reflect the requested level in matching resources.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005, as amended at 89 FR 46033, May 28, 2024]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005, as amended at 89 FR 46033, May 28, 2024]

§2521.80. What matching level applies if my program was funded in the past but has not recently received an AmeriCorps grant?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.80

(a)

If you have not been a direct recipient of an AmeriCorps operational grant from AmeriCorps or a State commission for five years or more, as determined by the end date of your most recent grant period, you may begin matching at the year one level, as reflected in the timetable in § 2521.60(a) of this part, upon receiving your new grant award.

(b)

If you have not been a direct recipient of an AmeriCorps operational grant from AmeriCorps or a State commission for fewer than five years, you must begin matching at the same level you were matching at the end of your most recent grant period.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

§2521.90. If I am a new or replacement legal applicant for an existing program, what will my matching requirements be?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.90

If your organization is a new or replacement legal applicant for an existing program, you must provide matching resources at the level the previous legal applicant had reached at the time you took over the program.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

§2521.95. To what extent may I use grant funds for administrative costs?

45 C.F.R. § 2521.95

(a)

Not more than five percent of the grant funds provided under this part for any fiscal year may be used to pay for administrative costs, as defined in § 2510.20 of this chapter.

(b)

The distribution of administrative costs between the grant and any subgrant will be subject to the approval of AmeriCorps.

(c)

In applying the limitation on administrative costs AmeriCorps will approve one of the following methods in the award document:

(1)

Limit the amount or rate of indirect costs that may be paid with AmeriCorps funds under a grant or subgrant to five percent of total AmeriCorps funds expended, provided that—

(i)

Organizations that have an established indirect cost rate for Federal awards will be limited to this method; and

(ii)

Unreimbursed indirect costs may be applied to meeting operational matching requirements under AmeriCorps' award;

(2)

Specify that a fixed rate of five percent or less (not subject to supporting cost documentation) of total AmeriCorps funds expended may be used to pay for administrative costs, provided that the fixed rate is in conjunction with an overall 15 percent administrative cost factor to be used for organizations that do not have established indirect cost rates; or

(3)

Utilize such other method that AmeriCorps determines in writing is consistent with OMB guidance and other applicable requirements, helps minimize the burden on grantees or subgrantees, and is beneficial to grantees or subgrantees and the Federal Government.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]

Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12595.

Source

Source: 59 FR 13794, Mar. 23, 1994, unless otherwise noted.

Amendments

[70 FR 39598, July 8, 2005]