Cooperative Agreement ME2023003

APPLICATION PURPOSE: THE UNMET NEED FOR VOLUNTEER DRIVERS IS STAGGERING. BY 2030 THERE WILL BE 61 MILLION BABY BOOMERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 68 AND 84. PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION CURRENTLY ACCOUNTS FOR 17% OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES AND IS SECOND ONLY TO HOUSING. MOREOVER THREE OUT OF FOUR OLDER ADULTS LIVE IN RURAL OR SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES THAT LACK THE DENSITY FOR TRADITIONAL MASS TRANSPORTATION. IN THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE RESIDENTS ATTEMPT TO MEET THIS NEED WITH VOLUNTEER DRIVER PROGRAMS DEMAND FOR SERVICE FAR OUTSTRIPS SUPPLY. JUST AS INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO DONATE BLOOD KNOW THEY CAN GO TO THE RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS WHO WISH TO DRIVE FOR THE NATIONS AGING POPULATION WILL TURN TO AVDC. AVDC WILL STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A NATIONWIDE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN VOLUNTEER DRIVERS TO AID OLDER AMERICANS IN RURAL OR SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES THAT LACK TRADITIONAL MASS TRANSPORTATION. AVDC HAS A 23-MONTH WORK PLAN DESIGNED TO ENGAGE AND INVOLVE ALL THREE SECTORS OF THE ECONOMYBUSINESS AND INDUSTRY PHILANTHROPY AND GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS. WITH VAST EXPERIENCE IN HEALTH-RELATED PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS TIPS FROM FORMER SMOKERS AND DRINK LESS BE YOUR BEST THE CDC WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT. THE CDC REGARDS ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AS NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OLDER ADULTS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND PREVENTS INJURIES. USING MARKETING EXPERTS AND THE DIVERSE COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE AVDC WILL DEVELOP STRATEGIC MESSAGES FOR A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE THE WAY AMERICANS THINK ABOUT AND SUPPORT VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. AVDC WILL ALSO CONVENE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL COMPRISING LEADERS FROM EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS AND NONPROFIT TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS WITH VOLUNTEER DRIVER EXPERIENCE. USING THIS FEEDBACK AVDC WILL DEVELOP PLANS FOR A WEBSITE WITH LANDING PAGES FOR VOLUNTEER DRIVERS AS WELL AS NONPROFIT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL CONCLUDE WITH A REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION AND WILL INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN THE TECHNOLOGY PLAN AND THE FINDINGS OF THE LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE. ; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: AVDC WILL CARRY OUT ITS MISSION THROUGH A PLANNING EFFORT THAT INCLUDES: 1) AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN THAT ANALYZES OTHER PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS REVIEWS LITERATURE AND EXAMINES RELEVANT POLICY; 2) A TECHNOLOGY PLAN THAT MAPS PUBLIC ACCESS TO VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES; 3) A 24-MEMBER LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE THAT CONVENES STAKEHOLDERS FROM PHILANTHROPY PRIVATE BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS (LOCAL STATE NATIONAL AND TRIBAL) TO CAPTURE AND TRANSLATE THE VALUE OF RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AS SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTEER-BASED SERVICES TO THEIR WORK AND 4) A REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE INTENDED IMPACTS OF THIS PLAN FOR AVDC WILL INCLUDE: INCREASED SUPPLY OF VOLUNTEER DRIVERSTHROUGH A NATIONAL PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AVDC WILL INSPIRE PERSONAL COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN VOLUNTEER DRIVER PROGRAMS. IMPROVED ACCESS TO SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTHGREATER AVAILABILITY OF NONPROFIT VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES WILL REDUCE INEQUALITY FOR HISTORICALLY-UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE NUTRITION AND SOCIALIZATION. IMPROVED SAFETYADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES MAKE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS SAFER FOR ALL PEOPLE. IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY OF NONPROFIT COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMSBUILDING INNOVATIVE PARTICIPATION AND VOLUNTEERISM THROUGH PURPOSE-DRIVEN RESEARCH TO FOSTER UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION WILL BRING TO BEAR THE SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS THAT SUPPLEMENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. ; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: AVDC INTENDED BENEFICIARIES WILL INCLUDE: PROGRAMS THROUGH A NATIONAL PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AVDC WILL INSPIRE PERSONAL COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN VOLUNTEER DRIVER PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE NATION. HISTORICALLY-UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS THROUGH IMPROVED ACCESS TO SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AVDC WILL INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR HISTORICALLY-UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE NUTRITION AND SOCIALIZATION. PUBLIC ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES WITH A GREATER SUPPLY OF VOLUNTEER DRIVERS MAKE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS SAFER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE FOR ALL PEOPLE. ; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE