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Senior Community Service Employment Program

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a community service and work-based job training program for older Americans. Authorized by the Older Americans Act, the program provides training for low-income, unemployed seniors. Participants also have access to employment assistance through American Job Centers.

SCSEP participants gain work experience in a variety of community service activities at non-profit and public facilities, including schools, hospitals, day-care centers, and senior centers. The program provides over 40 million community service hours to public and non-profit agencies, allowing them to enhance and provide needed services. Participants work an average of 20 hours a week, and are paid the highest of federal, state or local minimum wage. This training serves as a bridge to unsubsidized employment opportunities for participants.

Participants must be at least 55, unemployed, and have a family income of no more than 125% of the federal poverty level. Enrollment priority is given to veterans and qualified spouses, then to individuals who are over 65, have a disability, have low literacy skills or limited English proficiency, reside in a rural area, are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have low employment prospects, or have failed to find employment after using services through the American Job Center system.

SCSEP grantees include state agencies and 15 national non-profit organizations. For more information on SCSEP programs in your area, use America's Service Locator or call the Toll-Free Help Line at 1-877-US2-JOBS (1-877-872-5627).


Announcements

  • US Labor Department announces more than $140 million in grants to provide job training services to unemployed, low-income older adults

    Twenty grants are being awarded to 19 national non-profit organizations through the program's general funds or funds set aside by statute to serve Native Americans or Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. The grants will support more than 34,000 positions. In addition, state and territorial grantees, which are awarded separately from this competition through a formula process, provide services for an additional 10,000 positions.

    These awards provide funding through the end of Program Year 2016. After Program Year 2016, the department expects these grantees to receive approximately $337 million annually for an additional three years, subject to appropriations

    See news release.

  • Re-Opening of Senior Community Service Employment Program National Grant Competition

    The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the re-opening of a $338 million grant competition for national organizations to provide critical job training and related services to low-income, older American workers through the Senior Community Service Employment Program.

    The 30-day extension will help ensure adequate coverage of the necessary geographic areas and associated participant slots. The Funding Opportunity Announcement, which includes information on how to apply, is available at www.grants.gov or https://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/FOA-ETA-16-04-A.pdf. Applications must be received no later than July 25, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.


  • Senior Community Service Employment Program National Grants for Program Year 2016

    On March 15, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the opening of a $338 million grant competition for national organizations to provide critical job training and related services to low-income, older American workers through the Senior Community Service Employment Program. The press release may be found at http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20160315-0.

    The Funding Opportunity Announcement, which includes information on how to apply, is available at www.grants.gov or https://doleta.gov/grants/pdf/FOA-ETA-16-04.pdf. Applications must be received no later than April 29, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.


  • PY 2016 Equitable Distribution

    Accessible now is the PY2016 Equitable Distribution (ED) for all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The new ED, which will be effective July 1, 2016, is based on the latest Census data for the distribution of the SCSEP-eligible population within each state. (The three overseas territories and the US Virgin Islands do not have any ED data.)

    The total PY 2016 allocation of positions for each state and nationwide shown in the attachment is the same as the PY 2015 authorized positions. The official grantee authorized position will not be announced until the new national grant applicants are announced as winners in the summer of 2016.

    For more information on the SCSEP Equitable Distribution, please refer to 20 CFR 641.140.