Social Innovation Fund 2011 Competition Announced

This week, the Corporation for National and Community Service released the final notice for the Social Innovation Fund 2011 Competition. Recall that, in January, the Corporation solicited public comment in on a draft version of the guidelines. As the draft previewed, the 2011 competition is intended to increase transparency in the application process and expand access to funds for local organizations.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, the Corporation plans to award up to approximately $28 million in grants to up to ten intermediary grantmaking institutions, pending the availability of appropriations.  Each award will range from $1 - $7 million and will be matched dollar for dollar by the intermediary.  Subsequent awards by the intermediaries to their selected subgrantees will also be matched 1:1.

In this competition, intermediaries will not be able to apply for funds with subgrantees already  pre-selected.  Competitive subgrant competitions must be completed within six months of the grant award and are to be made in annual amounts of 100,000 or more, per year, for a period between three and five years. Subgrants should support local community based organizations to identify, validate, and grow promising approaches in the three priority issues areas: youth development, economic opportunity, and healthy futures. All subgrantees are required to demonstrate at least preliminary evidence of their impact and effectiveness.

Applications from intermediaries are due on April 12, 2011. Eligible applicants are 1) existing grantmaking institutions that invest in nonprofit community organizations or programs as an essential means of fulfilling their mission and vision or 2) eligible partnerships. An eligible partnership is a formal relationship between an existing grantmaking institutions and either an additional grantmaking institution, a State Commission on National and Community Service, or a chief executive office of a unit of general local government where the partner organizations will share responsibilities under the award. Applicants must be able to demonstrate either cash on hand or commitments toward meeting 50% of the required first year matching funds at time of application.

For more information, please see the full notice.