Corporation Press Releases

RE: Invitation to apply for Older Americans Act Funding

Applications are invited for grants under the Older Americans Act, as amended in the year 2000, for Title III (Part B, Community Services; Part C, Nutrition Services; Part D, Disease Prevention, Health Promotion Services, Medication Management. Grants will be awarded through a competitive proposal review process to support and extend comprehensive and coordinated services enabling persons age 60 and over to remain living in their homes and communities. The communities are Ashland, Dover, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland and Westborough.

Proposals must support or extend (1) access to services, (2) in-home services, (3) legal services, (4) community based services and/or (5) nutrition services. Within those five general categories, the most recent Needs Assessment Survey and Area Plan process identified the following ten priority services:

Preparing tax forms
Getting home repairs
Estate planning/wills
Paying for property tax
Transport for medical appointments
Managing Money/bills/claims
Transport for basic errands
Finding exercise athletic programs
Coping w/large debt/credit card bills
Applying/appealing for financial assistance (i.e. food stamps, fuel assistance)

The above list does not imply a ranking of the priorities. Proposals in these service areas will be ranked above other proposals. Also, proposals that serve all or most of the 14 towns in the service area are encouraged. Besides service priorities, funding decisions will take into account the experience and organizational capacity of the applicant organization.

In addition, we prefer proposals that start-up new, innovative approaches to meeting the needs inherent in the service priorities. We discourage proposals that require long term funding. Contract year for activities funded will be from October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007.

Older Americans Act funds are Federal funds. For certain organizations, receipt of these funds may trigger expensive auditing requirements. For all recipients, there are substantial grant-reporting and program-monitoring requirements. Applicants unfamiliar with Title III grant requirements should request and carefully review a copy of Title III, Grant Procedures Manual, FY2006-2007, available from BayPath Elder Services.

Last year, 2005-2006, five Title IIIB (Community Services) grants were made in amounts ranging from $7,500 to $46,500. One Title IIIC (Nutrition Services) grant was made last year for $238,000. Title III D funding was made available in amounts $490-$3,200.

Deadline for applications is 5 p.m., Monday, May 22, 2006. A technical assistance session for prospective applicants will be held Monday, April 24, 10:30 a.m. at BayPath Elder Services, 354 Waverley Street, Framingham, MA. For further information, to obtain an application packet or to attend the technical assistance session, contact Judy Zyirek at (508) 872-1866 ext 110.