Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

The AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service grant supports initiatives that honor Dr. King’s legacy by transforming the federal holiday into a national day of service. This grant opportunity, offered by AmeriCorps under the Assistance Listing 94.014, is part of the federal agency’s broader mission to engage Americans in sustained volunteerism and community service. By mobilizing organizations and individuals to address pressing local issues, the program aims to encourage long-term civic engagement and foster collaboration within communities across the United States. The primary objective of this grant is to support service activities that occur on or around Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Projects should promote Dr. King's values of nonviolence, equity, and community empowerment, and applicants are encouraged to design service efforts that both commemorate the holiday and generate ongoing volunteer commitments. The funding supports a wide range of activities that fall within key areas such as disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, food and nutrition, health, housing, economic opportunity, and services for veterans and military families. Funding may be used for program planning and coordination, volunteer recruitment and training, materials and supplies necessary for service activities, and other related operational expenses. However, applicants must comply with any restrictions and cost principles outlined by AmeriCorps, and ensure that federal funds are used appropriately to achieve measurable community impacts. A cost sharing or matching requirement applies to this opportunity, which applicants must be prepared to meet. Eligible applicants include city and county governments, nonprofits (both with and without 501(c)(3) IRS status), private and public institutions of higher education, federally recognized and other Native American tribal entities, and State Service Commissions. The inclusive eligibility framework supports broad access to funding while requiring adherence to AmeriCorps compliance guidelines and documentation standards. Applications must be submitted via the designated federal grants system by April 30, 2026. The opportunity is currently accepting applications, with no pre-application requirements such as a Letter of Intent or Concept Paper. The competition does not provide detailed application component breakdowns or evaluation criteria in the synopsis, so applicants are advised to consult the full competition documents for comprehensive guidance. Questions about the program can be directed to the competition inbox at [email protected]. Although the synopsis does not mention specific award notification dates or performance periods, the recurring nature of the grant, coupled with a past history of annual cycles, implies that the program typically follows an annual cadence. Based on the April 2026 closing date, the next anticipated cycle is expected in April 2027. Applicants should monitor the AmeriCorps competition page or subscribe to alerts for updates. All interested parties are encouraged to begin preparations early and ensure full compliance with the agency’s application and programmatic requirements.