Availability of Funds for Grants to Support New Senior Companion Projects

AGENCY:

Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION:

Notice of availability of funds.

SUMMARY:

The Corporation for National and Community Service (hereinafter, the “Corporation”) announces the availability of approximately $1,000,000 for grants to support five new Senior Companion Projects in geographic areas that do not fall within approved service areas of current Senior Companion Projects. Individual grant awards will be approximately $200,000 to cover the costs of 45 Senior Companions for twelve months. The purpose of the Senior Companion Program (SCP) is to provide opportunities for income eligible individuals 60 years of age and over to serve frail adults.

DATES:

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m (Eastern Daylight Time) July 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Five original signature copies of the application must be submitted to the following address: Corporation for National and Community Service, National Senior Service Corps, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20525 Attn: Mr. John Keller. The Corporation will not accept applications that are submitted via facsimile or e-mail transmission. Applications submitted via overnight mail that arrive after the closing date will be accepted if they are postmarked at least two days prior to the closing date. Otherwise, late applications will not be accepted.

Applications: Applications can be obtained by contacting the appropriate Corporation State office listed below. A copy of the Federal Regulations that govern the SCP will be included with the application package.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact John Keller at 202-606-5000 ext. 285. TDD (202) 565-2799. This notice may be requested in an alternative format for the visually impaired.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

The Corporation is a federal government corporation that encourages Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage in community-based service. This service addresses the nation's educational, public safety, environmental, and other human needs to achieve direct and demonstrable results. In supporting service programs, the Corporation fosters civic responsibility, strengthens the ties that bind us together as a people, and provides educational opportunity for those who make a substantial commitment to service.

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) is authorized by the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as amended (Public Law 93-113, Title II, Part B, 42 U.S.C. 5013) and provides opportunities for income eligible individuals 60 years of age and over to serve adults with special needs. The SCP was launched in 1974 with its first 11 projects. Today there are over 14,000 Senior Companions serving 61,900 frail adults annually in 207 local SCP projects. These Senior Companions provide high quality and reliable personal support to adults, primarily frail elderly, experiencing difficulties with activities of daily living, allowing them to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. The SCP focuses on those with moderate physical, mental or emotional impairments who are without adequate family support and who in the absence of non-medical support services would be at risk of institutionalization. Senior Companions also assist clients in patient discharge programs at acute care, mental health, and long-term care facilities to make the transition to living in less restrictive community settings. Some Senior Companions provide short-term respite for primary care givers of frail adults in times of special need.

B. Purpose

The purpose of the new Senior Companion Projects is to expand the program to serve new geographic locations currently unserved by the program. It is expected that the new projects will create quality opportunities for seniors to provide in-home assistance to frail adults, enabling them to live independently.

C. Eligible Applicants

Public agencies (including state and local agencies and other units of government), non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education and Indian Tribes are eligible to apply. Sponsors of Senior Companion Projects that receive no funds from the Corporation, other than funding for Programs of National Significance (PNS), are eligible to apply. Current sponsors of Senior Companion Projects funded by the Corporation are not eligible to apply. However, an organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4)) that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to apply, serve as a host site for volunteers, or act in any type of supervisory role in the program.

D. Number of Awards

The Corporation intends to fund five projects in approved service areas that do not currently have a local project of the Senior Companion Program.

E. Suggested Amounts of Awards

The average amount of awards will be approximately $200,000.

F. Program Period of Performance

The program period for all grants is twelve months. Future funding is contingent on performance and the availability of appropriations.

G. Submission Requirements

To be considered for funding, applicants must submit five copies of the following:

(1) An Application for Federal Assistance, Form 424-NSSC

• Part I—Facesheet (Modified Standard Form 424-with original signature)
• Part II—Budget (NSSC Form 424A-with accompanying Budget Narrative)
• Part IV—Attachments
• Part V—Assurances (Form 424B-with original signature)
• Part VI—Certifications (Form 424C-with original signature)

(2) A Project Narrative with completed Project Planning and Reporting Workplans

(3) Verification of status as a non-profit organization as described in Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (if a non-profit organization)

H. Selection Criteria

The Corporation will initially determine: (1) whether the organization is eligible; (2) whether the application contains the information required in the application materials, and (3) whether the geographic location of the proposed project is an approved geographic service area that does not currently have a federally funded SCP.

After this initial screening, the Corporation will select and evaluate applications based on the following criteria:

(1) Program Design (60%):

(a) Getting Things Done: meeting community needs.

(b) Strengthening Communities.

(c) Fostering Participant Development.

(2) Organizational Capacity (25%)

(3) Budget/Cost-Effectiveness (15%)

The Corporation will take into consideration the following factors after the proposals are assessed:

Geographic location: The Corporation will assure a mix of urban and rural sites.

Diversity: The Corporation will select organizations whose local projects have the capacity to recruit ethnic and racial minorities, males and persons with disabilities.

I. Applicable Regulations

Regulations governing the SCP are located in 45 CFR Part 2551.

J. Program Authority

Corporation Authority to make these grants is codified in 42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.