ADVISORY    :     Older Worker Bulletin No. 03-08

TO               :    Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Grantees  

SUBJECT        :    Funding Instructions for National Grantee Incentive Awards

1.       PURPOSE:     To announce procedures for the award of funds under the Older Americans Act of (OAA) Amendments of 2000 in the amount of $750,000, denoted as Incentive Awards.  This money is reserved for National Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) grantees.  It is an incentive award for efforts to minimizing disruptions to participants while transferring them among projects.

2.         REFERENCES:  Section 515(c)(1) of the Older Americans Act Amendments of2000.

3.                 BACKGROUND:  The Older Americans Act (OAA) Amendments of 2000 is the legislation authorizing the SCSEP.  The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the U.S. Department of Labor administers the program through grant agreements with eligible organizations, such as governmental agencies as well as public and private non-profit agencies and organizations.

In Program Year (PY) 2003, the Department competed the National grants portion of Title V of the OAA.  In recognition of the outstanding work that all National grantees undertook to ensure a smooth transition from one grantee to another as a result of the competition, the Department has made available Incentive Awards in the total amount of $750,000, for SCSEP projects in PY 2003. The incentive award funds were awarded to the following national grantees: AARP Foundation, in the amount of $200,000; Senior Service America, Inc., and Easter Seals, in the amount of $125,000; Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores, Experience Works, Inc., Mature Services, Inc., National Able Network, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc., National Council on the Aging, Inc., National Indian Council on Aging, SER-Jobs for Progress, Inc., and the USDA Forest Service, in the amount of $30,000 each.   

4.          ACTION:   In order to receive the funds, the grantees must submit a proposal describing what SCSEP allowable activities they will undertake using these funds.  In addition, each proposed project must be accompanied by an SF424 form and SF424A (detailed budget).  This grant is not a modification to their existing grant, but a separate grant, which will be identified by a new grant number.  Information on how this funding will be reported will be provided in the near future.

5.       PLANS:  ETA plans to fund 13 Incentive Award grants ranging in size from $30,000 to $200,000, for projects to be conducted during PY 2003, ending on June 30, 2004.  The proposals are not restricted to a particular activity, however, the funding must be used for an allowable SCSEP activity.  For example, grantees may use the funds for such activities as improving services to older disabled persons, finding new ways to work with One-Stops, working with limited English speaking people, developing useful relationships with Faith-Based Organizations, or any other allowable cost.    

6.         PROCEDURES:   The Federal Project Officers will contact each individual National grantee, to discuss the projected projects funded by these Incentive Awards.  National grantees will be required to revise projects, on an as needed basis.

The proposal must contain a brief narrative of 10 or fewer pages.  It should describe the objectives of the activity, a plan for achieving them, and appropriate measures of performance, if applicable. The application package should include a SF424, and a SF424A (sufficient budget detail to identify costs). The usual SCSEP cost categories (75 percent on Wages and Fringe Benefits and 13.5 percent on Administrative costs) do not apply to these funds.

7.        SCHEDULE:  Grant application packages must be received by the ETA Office below no later than COB November 24, 2003.

Acceptable Methods Of Submission: 

HARD COPY ONLY.

Send the completed and signed grant application (maximum 13 pages) and two copies to:

10.      INQUIRIES: Questions should be directed to your Federal Project Officer.