FOA-ETA-24-11.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) National Grants Competition for Program Year (PY) 2024

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-24-11

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.235

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is 05/06/2024. We must receive applications no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time.

Submit all applications in response to this solicitation through https://www.grants.gov. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.

On September 12, 2023, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) hosted a prospective applicant webinar for a pilot (optional) SCSEP demonstration grant funding opportunity, “New Demonstration Evaluation on Sector-Based Training for Low-Income Older Adult Workers.” The Sector Demonstration Evaluation will study the effect of sector-based training on older worker’s employment outcomes. The webinar provided an overview of the Sector-Based Training Demonstration Grants and gauged interest from potential applicants on their capacity to participate in the pilot evaluation. A pre-recorded copy of the webinar is available at the following link:

https://www.workforcegps.org/events/2023/08/24/14/50/Preview-of-New-Evaluation-on-Sectoral-Training-for-Low-Income-Older-Adults. Funding for the SCSEP Sector Demonstration Evaluation Grants will be competed under a separate announcement from the “SCSEP National Grants Competition for PY 2024” funding opportunity. The SCSEP Sector Demonstration Evaluation Grant funding opportunity is related to the SCSEP National Grant Competition, as both funding opportunities will require applicants to operate SCSEP projects that serve SCSEP-eligible older workers, and the Sector Demonstration Grants will provide awarded applicants an opportunity to test new approaches to serving older workers. Only current SCSEP National Grantees are eligible to apply for the optional SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grants. Current SCSEP National Grantees that are interested in the pilot demonstration grant funding opportunity are strongly encouraged to review the webinar to support successful grant application under the SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grant funding opportunity (FOA-ETA-24-12).

Additional information on the SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grants is available at grants.gov/search-results-detail/352104.

https://www.workforcegps.org/events/2023/08/24/14/50/Preview-of-New-Evaluation-on-Sectoral-Training-for-Low-Income-Older-Adults https://www.workforcegps.org/events/2023/08/24/14/50/Preview-of-New-Evaluation-on-Sectoral-Training-for-Low-Income-Older-Adults https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/352104

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS AND ADDRESS

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

C. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. WEB-BASED RESOURCES

B. INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

C. WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

D. SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

E. NOTICE TO INCUMBENT NATIONAL GRANTEES AND STATE GRANTEES

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

APPENDIX A: Literature Review on Employment for Older Workers

APPENDIX B: Resources on Evidence-Informed Design Models

APPENDIX C: Suggested Abstract Format

APPENDIX D: SCSEP Programmatic Assurances

APPENDIX E: Examples of Good Jobs Principles for Program Design

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $312,000,000 in grant funds authorized by the Title V of the Older Americans Act (OAA), as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3056 et seq.) for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (commonly referred to as “SCSEP”) National Grants Competition for Program Year (PY) 2024.

The Department anticipates awarding approximately 10-22 national grants, ranging from $2 million to $50 million, to organizations that will provide workforce development activities to support older workers in developing skills and obtain unsubsidized employment. The period of performance is 48 months and starts July 1, 2024, and ends June 30, 2028. Funding for PY 2024 National Grants will be referred to as “SCSEP National Grant Competition” under this funding opportunity announcement (FOA). SCSEP grantees must provide a 10 percent non-federal match.

A portion of the funding for SCSEP National Grants is set aside to fund competitive applicants with the ability to provide employment services to older Native Americans or Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. Note that for the PY 2024 SCSEP National Grant competition, the Department is increasing the available funding amounts for such set-aside applicants.

Note that ETA is requesting applications in order to make new SCSEP National Grant awards for PY 2024. The actual level of funding depends on final congressional action on the FY 2024 appropriation. However, we are inviting application now to allow enough time to complete the grant process if and when Congress appropriates funds for this program.

SCSEP is a community service and work-based training program for older workers. It provides subsidized, part-time, community service training for unemployed, low-income individuals aged 55 or older who have poor employment prospects. Through this program, older workers have access to SCSEP services and employment assistance through American Job Centers (AJCs).

Recognizing that SCSEP participants have a broad range of skill sets, interests, and barriers to employment, participants are placed in a wide variety of community service assignments (CSAs) at non-profit and public facilities, including day-care centers, senior centers, schools, and hospitals, where participants receive on-the-job training (OJT) from the host sites. The CSAs are intended to serve as a bridge to unsubsidized employment and promote employee self-sufficiency.

The Department strives for as many participants as possible to achieve unsubsidized employment, recognizing that SCSEP participants have a broad range of skill sets, interests, and barriers to employment. The Department is interested in proposed projects that will take a worker-centered approach to preparing participants for unsubsidized employment that: 1) include innovative and holistic solutions to address the unique needs, goals, and barriers to employment for SCSEP participants; 2) focus on particular sectors that are in-demand in the community and present viable opportunities for long-term, stable employment in good jobs for SCSEP participants; 3) meaningfully incorporate input from employers regarding their skill needs and input from participants regarding their needs and goals; and 4) include effective strategies for providing practical, short-term training opportunities for in-demand occupations that utilize on-the-job experiences (OJE) and/or skill-specific training.

In conjunction with the CSA, SCSEP grantees provide or help coordinate training and supportive services that support participants’ ability to reach the program and employment goals identified in their IEPs. The type of training and supportive services that grantees provide vary based on the needs and goals of individual participants, but in general, SCSEP grantees must have service delivery strategies that are designed to effectively prepare participants for placement into unsubsidized employment.

Awarded grantees are generally required to expend at least 75 percent of grant funds on participant wages and fringe benefits; however, grantees may request a waiver to use a greater portion of grant funds on additional training and supportive services (ATSS), such that they may spend not less than 65 percent of total funds for participants' wages and fringe benefits. Under this FOA, the Department is modifying its approach to generally allow for multi-year ATSS request approvals, eliminating the need to obtain a new approval for each program year. This approach will facilitate longer-term use of ATSS by grantees, allowing them to be more strategic in long-term project planning.

This FOA asks applicants to describe how they can promote and advance the Good Jobs Principles (principles that comprise a good, quality job) in their SCSEP projects and develop and incorporate strategies to help SCSEP participants learn about, prepare for, and obtain higher-quality jobs. This could include incorporating information on job quality into career search, discussing job quality considerations with employer partners, and/or incorporating job quality into community service assignments. Through this FOA, the Department is also seeking applications that include strategies to increase equity in participant recruitment and service delivery. Such strategies could include identifying training providers and/or other partners that work closely with historically marginalized populations, including veterans, returning citizens, people with disabilities or people of color, and/or identifying Minority Business Enterprises as employer partners.

Additionally, ETA is separately announcing in a different funding opportunity the availability of approximately $19 million in grant funds to apply for optional awards as part of a demonstration of sector-based training for older workers. ETA plans to conduct a rigorous four-year evaluation study that will measure the impact of industry or sector-based training on employment outcomes for older workers. Only current SCSEP National Grantees that apply for PY 2024 SCSEP National Grant funding are eligible to apply for a SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grant, and an applicant must receive a PY 2024 SCSEP National Grant to also be awarded a Sector Demonstration Grant. For the purposes of this FOA, current National Grantees are those entities https://www.dol.gov/general/good-jobs/principles that, at the time of application, currently operate a direct, ETA-funded SCSEP National grant program as a DOL grantee, having been awarded a grant in the PY 2020 SCSEP National Grant Competition). The Department anticipates awarding approximately 6-8 demonstration grants, ranging from $2 million to $5 million, to current SCSEP National grantees for the study. Current SCSEP National grantees are encouraged to apply for the optional SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grants, as it offers an opportunity to test a new approach for serving SCSEP participants with additional funds. Applicants must submit separate applications for both the SCSEP National Grant competition and SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grant to be considered for both funding award opportunities. Additional information and funding application instructions for the “SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grants” are listed under a separate Announcement No. FOA- ETA-24-12, available at grants.gov/search-results-detail/352104.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This announcement solicits applications for SCSEP National Grants for the four-year cycle beginning with Program Year 2024.

SCSEP National Grant Competition for PY 2024

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is the only Federally sponsored employment and training program specifically targeting low-income older individuals who seek to enter or re-enter the workforce. Program participants receive paid work experience at local public or non-profit agencies for approximately 20 hours per week while in community service assignments (CSAs) and other job training activities (42 U.S.C. § 3056(b)(1)(D), OAA sec.

502(b)(1)(D)). Participants gain valuable work experience providing assistance to community-based organizations, and in turn, employers benefit from an expanded pool of experienced, dependable workers in their local/regional economies. The dual goals of the SCSEP program are to promote useful opportunities through work experience training in community service activities and to move SCSEP participants into unsubsidized employment. The subsections below provide additional information regarding the Department’s specific priorities and focus areas under this

FOA.

Preparation for Unsubsidized Employment in Appropriate Sectors

The Department strives for as many participants as possible to achieve unsubsidized employment, recognizing that SCSEP participants have a broad range of skill sets, interests, and barriers to employment. The Department is interested in proposed projects that will take a worker-centered approach to preparing participants for unsubsidized employment that: 1) include innovative and holistic solutions to address the unique needs, goals, and barriers to employment for SCSEP participants; 2) focus on particular sectors that are in-demand in the community and present viable opportunities for long-term, stable employment in good jobs for SCSEP participants; 3) meaningfully incorporate input from employers regarding their skill needs and input from participants regarding their needs and goals; and 4) include effective strategies for providing practical, short-term training opportunities for in-demand occupations that utilize on-the-job experiences (OJE) and/or skill-specific training. The worker-centered approach ensures that workforce development and employment opportunities are accessible to and shaped by https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3056 marginalized workers and seek to offer quality jobs with family-sustaining wages and benefits, that workplaces are safe and healthy, and that workers have agency and voice and are treated with dignity and respect. Applicants should effectively utilize subject-matter experts from industry, education, state workforce agencies, labor market and economic research entities, aging and disability service organizations, job developers (or similar role), and/or other areas to inform and assist in skills training and work experience design, finding appropriate community service assignments (CSAs) and/or employment opportunities, and assisting participants in obtaining unsubsidized employment, particularly in good jobs.

To ensure an appropriate fit between participants, the trainings and CSAs offered, and job placement opportunities, the Department expects applicants to take a worker-centered approach to ensure participants are at the center of the grant program’s training and employment strategies.

Applicants must propose effective strategies to assess the participant pool and identify those participants whose individualized employment plans (IEPs) contain a goal of unsubsidized employment into good jobs that is attainable with additional support and training. Applicants should also include effective strategies to address participants’ barriers to employment such as disability, limited English proficiency, former incarceration, or low literacy skills. All SCSEP participants must have a goal of unsubsidized employment in their initial IEP. For participants for whom a goal of unsubsidized employment cannot be realistically attained through SCSEP alone, the Department expects applicants to propose other effective strategies and services to help participants achieve self-sufficiency, such as referrals to other services or programs, as identified in their IEPs.

As noted above, the Department encourages applicants to consider sectors and occupations that are in-demand and present opportunities for older workers to obtain stable employment in good jobs. In addition to jobs with consistently strong wages, the Department also encourages applicants to consider preparing participants for occupations that are critical to our economy’s continued economic growth and vitality, and for which adequate preparation can help participants navigate to good jobs, such as in the care economy. The care sector encompasses occupations that support home care (also known as direct care or elder care), direct support services related to employment, and childcare. The need for quality jobs in this sector is clear and supported by Executive Order (E.O.) 14095, Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers. As the Executive Order notes, by 2060, there will be twice as many adults over the age of 65 than in 2016, and projections indicate that there will be 8 million long-term care job openings over the next decade. Applicants should identify specific occupations within their chosen industry(ies), and include strategies to improve job quality in CSAs, training, and/or on-the-job experiences in their applications/project proposals.

Flexible, High-Quality Community Service Assignments

A core feature of SCSEP is the placement of participants in Community Service Assignments (CSA), which are part-time, temporary, employment opportunities completed at host agency sites. Through CSAs, participants gain valuable skills, increase their confidence to (re)enter the workforce, and earn income while assisting local organizations who provide needed services within their community. Program participants are compensated for hours worked at their CSA sites, being paid the highest applicable required wage (using project grant funds) between: the minimum wage applicable under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; the State or local https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/04/18/executive-order-on-increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers/ minimum wage for the most nearly comparable covered employment; or the prevailing rate of pay for persons employed in similar public occupations by the same employer.[i]

Consistent with the previous PY 2020 SCSEP National Grant competition, applicants may continue to propose alternative types of CSAs that enable the provision of SCSEP services in-person, via remote or telework arrangements, and/or via hybrid approaches. Selected awardees are required to ensure that all CSAs provide adequate supervision, development of needed soft skills, provision of appropriate training aligned to participants’ IEPs, and access to any digital tools and/or broadband connectivity necessary for the work assigned. Grantees implementing remote or hybrid assignments must also ensure that all participants are served equitably, including those who are not able to participate in remote, telework, or hybrid flexible work arrangements.

Strategic Use of Training and Supportive Services

In conjunction with the CSA, SCSEP grantees provide or help coordinate training and supportive services that support participants’ ability to reach the program and employment goals identified in their IEPs. The type of training and supportive services that grantees provide vary based on the needs and goals of individual participants, but in general, SCSEP grantees must have service delivery strategies that are designed to effectively prepare participants for placement into unsubsidized employment. Service delivery strategies must take into account the job requirements of in-demand occupations in the communities served, identify skill gaps and other barriers to employment among the SCSEP-eligible population, and design and offer training opportunities that address the identified skills gaps.

The OAA authority at 42 U.S.C. § 3056(c)(6)(C) allows grantees to request to use grant funds on additional training and supportive services (“ATSS”). As in past SCSEP funding competitions, successful applicants have the option to submit a separate ATSS request for these activities.

However, as explained in further detail in section VI.B.4.c of this FOA, the Department is modifying its approach with this PY 2024 funding competition to generally allow for multi-year ATSS request approvals. This approach will facilitate longer-term use of ATSS by grantees, allowing them to be more strategic in long-term project planning. Applicants that plan to submit an ATSS request should include proposed activities and estimated expenditures in their FOA applications, in both the Budget and Project Narrative sections, as appropriate.

ATSS activities can include participant training, supportive services, or a combination of both.

In general, the Department expects that proposed additional training components will prepare participants with skills relevant for employment in in-demand jobs and help participants overcome financial and logistical barriers to successful participation in SCSEP. See section VI.B.4.c, Special Program Requirements, for additional information on ATSS.

Focus on Job Quality and Equity

The Good Jobs Initiative,[ii] led by the Department of Labor provides critical information to workers, employers, and government agencies to help improve job quality and create access to good jobs, free from discrimination and harassment for all working people and particularly for underserved communities. Published by the Department and the Department of Commerce in 2022, The Good Jobs Principles[iii] establish a shared federal vision for the essential elements of a quality job. These Principles have helped inform billions of awards through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Invest in America Agenda, which has leveraged generational investments in https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/goodjobs/Good-Jobs-Summit-Principles-Factsheet.pdf

American communities to strengthen working conditions and expand the availability of stable, family-sustaining employment opportunities for all workers.

The Principles address issues that are vital to SCSEP’s goals of improving the employment outcomes of low-income older Americans. The Principles’ elements of a stable, quality employment opportunity include transparent and stable wages, predictable work schedules, benefits promoting economic stability and mobility, and inclusive and accessible opportunities for career advancement. This funding opportunity requires applicants to describe how they will work with host agencies to identify ways to incorporate one or more Good Jobs Principles into host agency agreements, and to note whether targeted industry sectors tend to offer working conditions consistent with the Principles. In addition to these required application components, the Department encourages applicants to more broadly describe how they can promote and advance the Good Jobs Principles in their SCSEP projects, and incorporate strategies to help SCSEP participants learn about, prepare for, and obtain high quality jobs. Additionally, the Department encourages applicants to describe how they will incorporate worker voice into their training and employment strategies. For both job quality and worker voice, these efforts could include educating participants on job quality indicators (i.e., competitive wages or employee benefits) to better inform their job search efforts, discussing job quality considerations with employer partners, and working with host agencies to identify ways to address job quality in participant assignments. For more detailed explanation of each Good Jobs Principle, as well as examples of relevant potential strategies and activities that applicants might incorporate into their proposals, see Appendix E.

Under this FOA, as defined in E.O. 14091 and first defined in E.O. 13985, the term “equity” means the “consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that often have been denied such treatment.” An equity gap exists when there is significant and persistent inequity or disparity for marginalized communities, in that individuals who belong to these communities are denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, including employment or educational opportunities.[iv] All workers should be respected, empowered, treated fairly, and should not face systemic barriers to advancement. Through this FOA, the Department is seeking applications that include strategies to increase equity in participant recruitment and service delivery. Such strategies could include identifying training providers and/or other partners that work closely with historically marginalized populations, including veterans, returning citizens, people with disabilities, people of color, and/or identifying Minority Business Enterprises as employer partners. Section 515 of the OAA requires that DOL conduct an analysis in SCSEP of the levels of participation and the outcomes achieved by minority individuals for each grantee by service area and in the aggregate. The results of this analysis are captured in the SCSEP Minority Report (Vol. 2), which provides a comparison of the participation of minority groups in SCSEP to their proportion in the population, and the employment outcomes of minorities in SCSEP compared to non-minorities. In drafting their project narratives, applicants should refer to findings from the Minority Report (available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/seniors/performance) and other relevant sources of equity data to help shape their statement of need and project design.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-03779/further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/seniors/performance

Performance Measurement

Section VI of this FOA explains how ETA will establish the performance goals for National Grantees under this grant competition. Program success is measured by the extent to which grantees meet or exceed the seven core performance measures outlined in section 513 of the OAA, as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 3056k) and the SCSEP regulations (20 CFR 641.710). For more information about the SCSEP program, visit: https://dol.gov/agencies/eta/seniors or review 20 CFR Part 641.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA), as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 3056, et seq.)

authorizes the SCSEP program and provides the funding authority for SCSEP National Grant competitions.

ETA is requesting applications in order to make new SCSEP National Grant awards for PY 2024. The actual level of funding depends on final congressional action on the FY 2024 appropriation. We are inviting application now to allow enough time to complete the grant process if and when Congress appropriates funds for this program.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding for SCSEP National Grants will be provided in the form of a grant to awarded applicants.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), ETA will award competitive grants to national non-profit organizations, Federal public agencies, or Tribal organizations that demonstrate the ability to administer a multi-state SCSEP program. We expect availability of approximately $312 million to fund approximately 10–22 SCSEP National Grants, including statutory set-asides for at least one award to an Indian/Native American organization and at least one award to an Asian and Pacific Islander organization, as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3056d(a)(3)). A portion of the funding for SCSEP National Grants is set aside to fund competitive applicants with the ability to provide employment services to older Native Americans or Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. Applicants for these statutory set-asides will hereafter be referred to as “Set-Aside applicants,” and general applicants for grant funding will be referred to as “General Applicants.” Note that for the PY 2024 SCSEP National Grant competition, the Department is increasing the available funding amounts for set-aside applicants serving the populations described above, as further explained below.

Awards made under this Announcement are renewable annually for a total of four years (48 months) based on annual Departmental application requirements and are subject to the availability of federal funds. In the event that additional PY 2024 funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional SCSEP National grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement. Alternatively, we reserve the right to decrease award amounts as needed, based on fiscal year congressional appropriation funding.

Provided below are the detailed specifications for award types, amounts, and the requirements for bidding on authorized positions.

https://dol.gov/agencies/eta/seniors

1. General Applicants

a) Maximum Request for Funding: General applicants may apply for up to $50 million and must apply to provide services in more than one state.

b) Minimum Request for Funding: To deliver services more efficiently, DOL has identified a suggested minimum funding level for this FOA, consistent with prior SCSEP competitions. These requirements are based on the National grantees’ share of the total PY 2023 SCSEP appropriation of $405,000,000. By statute, National grantees receive 78 percent of the total SCSEP appropriations, and the remaining 22 percent is reserved for grants to states, which are not included in this FOA. Applicants must apply for 10 percent, and are encouraged to apply for at least 20-25 percent, of the allocation of authorized positions in one of the states of the application for maximum operational efficiency, but applicants who fail to do so will not be penalized.

• Applicants must apply for at least 10 percent of a state’s authorized positions or $1,600,170 (which equates to a minimum of 165 positions), whichever is larger.

• If a state has fewer than 165 authorized positions (e.g., Idaho, Nevada, or Wyoming), the applicant must apply for the entire state.

Note: The SCSEPapply system requires applicants to meet the 10 percent minimum funding request threshold to successfully submit a bid. Examples of how applicants may apply for bids to meet the minimum threshold are provided in SCSEPapply.

c) Bidding Requirements: The online application and bidding instructions are located at www.SCSEPapply.org. The online portal shows all National grantee authorized positions by county, and provides a mechanism for grantees to electronically bid on available positions.

In conjunction with the minimum request for funding, applicants must adhere to the following requirements when bidding for authorized positions within SCSEPapply:

• Applicants must apply for all the authorized positions in a county.[v] (See item 5, ‘Allocation Formula Calculations,’ for additional information below).

• Applicants may request positions across multiple counties in a state, but the counties requested must be contiguous.

• Applicants may apply for more than one group of contiguous counties in a state (applicable to larger states), but each group of contiguous counties must meet the minimum state funding requirements.

• Applicants must list their requests for the number of authorized positions and geographic areas to be served by county and state through an online application portal. No paper bid submissions will be accepted.

DOL will review each applicant’s final bid in SCSEPapply.org when making final determinations about the allocation of authorized positions among grantees.

2. Set-Aside Applicants

a) Maximum Request for Funding: Set-aside applicants may apply for up to $6,875,882 or 709 authorized positions, equivalent to the total amount of funding available for Indian/Native American and Asian and Pacific Islander set-aside organizations (totaling $13,751,764 or 1,418 slots for both set-asides combined).

https://www.SCSEPapply.org

b) Minimum Request for Funding: There is no minimum funding request by state or county for Set-Aside applicants. Applicants may indicate the number of positions they propose to serve in each county, without regard to geographic contiguity. Although Set- Aside applicants are exempt from minimum funding requirements, they should consider program management and effectiveness when selecting in which state(s) and county(ies) to place their bid(s). A Set-Aside applicant that chooses to serve a small number of authorized positions in counties that are not contiguous may have challenges running an effective SCSEP program spanning across multiple jurisdictions.

3. Equitable Distribution

The Department ensures that SCSEP services are provided equitably within each State through an Equitable Distribution (ED) plan, in accordance with Section 507(b) of the OAA, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3056e(b)). The Department uses U.S. Census Bureau data aggregated by county and annual program appropriations to calculate the number of authorized positions allocated to each county within each State. The number of authorized positions for State grantees and National grantees combined is proportional to the number of eligible SCSEP participants in the county (people ages 55 and over, whose income level is at or under 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Level), compared to the state’s SCSEP-eligible population. For every authorized position, one or more program participants can receive services during the program year. Grantees may only enroll SCSEP participants who reside in a county in which they have secured available authorized positions.

4. Location of Authorized Positions

The number of authorized positions by county and State is listed at www.SCSEPapply.org.

The Department determines the allocation of authorized positions among the states and the proportion within each state allocated to National grantees by the process described in section 506 of the OAA as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 3056d). All counties in each state must receive an equitable share of SCSEP services through a combination of services provided by National grantees and State grantees; therefore, the Department suggests that all grant applicants consult with the state grantees regarding which specific geographic areas the awarded grantee intends to serve.

The Department may require grantees to serve one or more counties they did not identify/ select in their application to serve, or, to accept fewer or more positions in a county than requested in their application, in adherence of the statutory obligation of minimizing disruption of services (42 U.S.C. § 3056l(c)(9)-(10)). Specifically, the Department will select the eligible applicants to receive grants based on the following:

• The applicant’s ability to minimize disruption in services for participants and in community services provided; and

• Any additional criteria that the Secretary considers to be appropriate in order to minimize disruption in services for participants.

The Department reserves the right to make final decisions on the grantees in an area and may take into consideration special local conditions and otherwise unforeseen circumstances, including combining metropolitan statistical areas across State borders, to ensure effective, equitable, and efficient service delivery to all counties served.

http://www.scsepapply.org/

5. Allocation Formula Calculations

Applicants can calculate the estimated amount of funds allocated to a state (by county) using the “cost per authorized position” formula in section 506(g)(1) of the OAA, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3056d(g)(1)). Calculations must be based on the number of authorized positions for PY 2023, as a result of equitable distribution, rather than the number of enrolled participants that currently exists in the county. The unit cost is approximately $9,698 per authorized position, per 12-month period, based on the Federal minimum wage.[vi] The cost per position (cpp) is an estimate; however, it is a useful tool for applicants to determine their funding request under this proposal.

Example: A county has 61 available authorized positions. Therefore, the funding request proposal for a 12-month period would be $9,698 (CPP) x 61 (APs) = $591,578 (total funding requested).

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 48 months with an anticipated start date of 07/01/2024. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.

SCSEP National Grants are renewable annually for a total of four (4) years (48 months) based on annual Departmental application requirements and subject to the availability of funding, with an anticipated award date of July 1, 2024. The grant may be extended for a fifth year at the Department’s discretion, contingent upon the grantee meeting or exceeding the minimum negotiated performance measures (see 20 CFR 641.700), as allowed under section 514(a) of the OAA, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3056l(a)). Grantees must plan to fully expend each annual SCSEP National Grant during the grant award period of performance (generally, July 1 through June 30 of the subsequent calendar year). DOL does not anticipate period of performance extensions for SCSEP National Grants under this FOA.

The Department anticipates having a 4-month transition phase from approximately July 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024, during which SCSEP participants will be transitioned from previous grantees to the new awardees, as necessary. Successful applicants would thus begin direct service to SCSEP participants in their awarded counties on November 1, 2024. The dates of this transition period are subject to change based on the actual date of award and other relevant factors. Additional information on the SCSEP transition phase is provided in section VIII.F of this FOA.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

To be eligible for SCSEP National Grant funding under this FOA, an applicant must be a non-profit organization, Federal public agency, or Tribal organization that demonstrates the ability to administer a multi-state SCSEP program (20 CFR 641.400(a)), as specified in section II.A.4.

The Department reserves the right to award a grant to only one applicant per State, and to award an applicant funds to serve only one state. This does not, however, permit an applicant to apply to provide services in only one state. In keeping with the direction provided by Congress under the OAA, as amended, the following organizations are eligible to apply for SCSEP National Grant competition funding:

• Non-Profit Organizations: A “Nonprofit organization” is an agency, institution, or organization which is, or is owned and operated by, one or more corporations or associations of which no part of the net earnings inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual (42 U.S.C. § 3002(39)).

• Federal Public Agencies: Federal agencies must demonstrate that they have the statutory authority to receive other Federal grant funds (also known as gift authority) – see Section IV.B.4.a.4.

• Tribal Organizations: “Tribal organizations” are the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe, or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body [42 U.S.C. § 3002(56)]. “Indian tribe” means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians (including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) which: (A) is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians; or (B) is located on, or in proximity to, a Federal or State reservation (42 U.S.C. § 3002(27) and 20 CFR 641.140).

To be eligible for SCSEP National Grant funding under this FOA, an applicant must be a non-profit organization, Federal public agency, or Tribal organization that demonstrates the ability to administer a multi-state SCSEP program (20 CFR 641.400(a)), as specified in section II.A.4.

The Department reserves the right to award a grant to only one applicant per State, and to award an applicant funds to serve only one state. This does not, however, permit an applicant to apply to provide services in only one state. In keeping with the direction provided by Congress under the OAA, as amended, the following organizations are eligible to apply for SCSEP National Grant competition funding:

• Non-Profit Organizations: A “Nonprofit organization” is an agency, institution, or organization which is, or is owned and operated by, one or more corporations or associations of which no part of the net earnings inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual (42 U.S.C. § 3002(39)).

• Federal Public Agencies: Federal agencies must demonstrate that they have the statutory authority to receive other Federal grant funds (also known as gift authority) – see Section IV.B.4.a.4.

• Tribal Organizations: “Tribal organizations” are the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe, or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body [42 U.S.C. § 3002(56)]. “Indian tribe” means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians (including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) which: (A) is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians; or (B) is located on, or in proximity to, a Federal or State reservation (42 U.S.C. § 3002(27) and 20 CFR 641.140).

For the purpose of this FOA:

• Current grantees are those entities that, at the time of application, currently operate a direct, ETA-funded SCSEP National Grant program as a DOL grantee, having been awarded a grant in the previous PY 2020 SCSEP National Grant competition.

• New applicants are those entities that do not, at the time of application, currently operate an ETA-funded SCSEP program as a grantee. Entities that, at the time of application, only partner with a current SCSEP grantee as a sub-recipient or contractor, and do not currently operate a direct award from ETA, must submit their application(s) as a “new applicant.”

There are three (3) categories for which applicants may apply to receive a grant under this FOA.

Applicants applying for more than one category must submit separate applications for each category. Please note that regardless of the category selected, all successful applicants must equitably serve any qualified SCSEP-eligible individual in the areas that they are serving.

Applicants may apply to receive a grant under one or more of the following three categories:

1. General SCSEP National Grant Funds

The Department will accept applications for General SCSEP National Grant funds from nonprofit organizations, federal public agencies, and tribal organizations. General applicants must start block 15 of the SF-424 form, ‘descriptive title of the application project’ with the word “General,” and explicitly state in the application that they are applying for ‘General SCSEP National Grant funds.’

2. Indian/Native American Set-Aside Grant Funds

The Department will accept applications for “national grants to public or nonprofit national Indian [Native American] aging organizations with the ability to provide community service work-based training for eligible individuals who are Indians,” as required by 42 U.S.C. § 3056d(a)(3). The law defines the word “Indian” as a person who is a member of an Indian tribe [42 U.S.C. § 3002(26) and 20 CFR 641.140]. Additionally, the law treats set-aside grants as a subset of the SCSEP National Grants (42 U.S.C. § 3056d(a)(3)). (See 42 U.S.C. § 3056d(g)(5) and 20 CFR 641.140 for the definition of “National grantee”; see also 20 CFR 641.400(a) and 20 CFR 641.410(b)). Therefore, as with general SCSEP National Grant applicants, set-aside SCSEP National Grant applicants must show that the applicant is capable of administering a multi-state program (20 CFR 641.400(a)), however; applicants need not show that they are capable of administering a program that serves every part of the nation.

Set-Aside applicants must start block 15 of the SF-424 form, ‘descriptive title of application project,’ with the words “Indian/Native American” and explicitly state in the application that they are applying for ‘Indian/Native American SCSEP National Grant funds.’

3. Asian and Pacific Islander Set-Aside Grant Funds

The Department will accept applications for “Asian and Pacific Islander national grant funds from public or nonprofit Asian and Pacific Islander aging organizations with the ability to provide community service work-based training to older Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” as required by 42 U.S.C. § 3056d. The law defines the phrase “Asian American and Pacific Islander” as individuals having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far

East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands [42 U.S.C. § 3056p(a)(6)]. Additionally, as with the Indian/Native American set-aside grants discussed above, the law treats these API set-aside grants as a subset of the SCSEP National Grants.

Therefore, as with general SCSEP National Grant applicants, applicants for API set-aside grants under the SCSEP National Grants funding competition must show that they are capable of administering a multi-state program (20 CFR 641.400(a)), however; applicants need not show that they are capable of administering a program that serves every part of the nation.

Set-Aside applicants must start block 15 of the SF-424 form, ‘descriptive title of application project’ with the words “Asian and Pacific Islander” and explicitly state in the application that they are applying for ‘Asian American and Pacific Islander SCSEP National Grant funds.’

For details regarding applicant eligibility for the optional SCSEP Sector Demonstration Grants, see FOA-ETA-SCSEP-24-12, section III.A, Eligible Applicants.

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

SCSEP National Grants require cost sharing or funds matching (20 CFR 641.809). Cost sharing funds may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions, or a combination of the two, and must be, at minimum, equal to ten percent of the total cost of activities carried out under a SCSEP National grant. Applications that do not include any form of cost sharing or match will be removed from the competition and will not proceed to panel review for further consideration.

Selected awardees will be financially responsible if they fail to meet the cost-share requirement at 20 CFR 641.809. The Department considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency in addition to cost share funds as leveraged resources. (Section IV.B.2.A provides more information on leveraged resources).

Applicants must identify intended sources of this non-Federal share in the Project Budget (Budget Narrative). Compliance with this requirement will be determined by examining expenditures of SCSEP funds in accordance with 20 CFR 641.876. The cost share requirement must be fully met by the time that all SCSEP funds have been expended by the grantee, or by the grant period of performance end date. Some applicants may qualify for an exemption from the non-Federal share requirements. Please see FOA section IV.B.4.a.3 for more information.

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process.

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

Eligibility Section III.A

The components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening).

Section

IV.C.2

Application for federal funds request does not exceed the ceiling amount of $50 million for SCSEP National Grant award Section II.A

Active SAM Registration Section

IV.B.1

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section

IV.B.1

SF-424 includes a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Section

IV.B.1

SF-424 lists the cost sharing or match amount on line 18b Section

IV.B.2

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section

IV.B.2

Budget Narrative Section

IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section

IV.B.3

Attachment: General SCSEP National Grant applicants submitted their project plans (copy of application) to applicable State Governor(s) of state(s) in which they propose to operate SCSEP. (Attach copy of certified mail receipt to application).

Section

IV.B.4

Attachment: Copy of statutory provision (Federal Public Agencies, only) demonstrating they have the statutory authority to receive other Federal grant funds (also known as gift authority)

Section IV.B.4.a.2

Attachment: Copy of non-Federal Share Exemptions for the cost-share requirement at 20 CFR 641.809 (if applicable).

Section IV.B.4.a.3

This only applies to applicants that have a statutory exemption to their non-Federal share requirement at 20 CFR 641.809

Bids for Authorized Positions submitted via SCSEPapply.org by the application submission deadline

(Applicant’s successful submission confirmation is available online at SCSEPapply.org)

Section IV.B.1.c

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

Eligible applicants for the SCSEP National Grant funds may submit applications in the set-aside categories (Indian/Native American…