Illinois Department on Aging

The Connecting Rural Older Illinoisans Grant opportunity directs funds to organizations to address rural area specific service issues, including transportation, technology, volunteer force development, and workforce development, that create barriers to older adults meeting their full potential.

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The Connecting Rural Older Illinoisans Grant funds are to be used for one of the following activities: • Develop and fund a stop-gap transportation program that will mitigate barriers to accessing programs and services leading to quality health outcomes and a reduction in social isolation and loneliness. • Increase access to broadband and internet for older adults to partner with technology and virtual programs provided through Title III. • Increase community connectivity through increasing the number of volunteers in the aging network. Activities can include outreach, recruitment, volunteer training, and/or volunteer recognition activities. • Improve workforce recruitment and retention within the aging network. Activities can include increasing financial compensation (salary, bonuses), increasing training opportunities, and facilitating employee recognition. The exact nature of the activities and the staff time required for the activities will vary based on identified community needs and priorities. AAAs may conduct the activities and opportunities through direct provision, partnership and/or contract with another organization, or utilization of a combination of the above. Applicants of this funding opportunity must demonstrate how the funds will be used to complete one of the following: 1. Increase transportation opportunities for older adults to access programs and services; 2. Increase older adult access to the internet; 3. Increase volunteer numbers and engagement; and/or 4. Recruit and retain talent/workforce.

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Nonprofit Organizations;

To be considered eligible for funding under this application, applicants must: 1. Be designated as an Area Agency on Aging by the State of Illinois; 2. Serving a rural population (PSA is not associated with a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as designated by the White House Office of Management and Budget); 3. Have an Affirmative Action Plan for staff regardless of the composition of the community; 4. Comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 5. Comply with the financial and programmatic reporting requirements set forth for this program on a regular and timely basis (quarterly program progress reports and fiscal reports are due to IDoA 30 days following the end of each quarter); 6. Hire appropriate staff and provide adequate supervision; 7. Include appropriate staff in orientation, training, and other meetings scheduled by the IDoA for this program; and 8. Permit access to program operations and records to IDoA staff for evaluation and monitoring purposes. Failure to comply with any of the “Applicant Requirements” during the program year can result in denial or discontinuation of funding for this program.

Older Adults, Caregivers

Direct Payments for Specific Use

Human Services

Applicants are required to: - Be registered in SAM prior to submitting the application; - Provide a valid DUNS number in the application; and - Continue to always maintain an active SAM registration with current information during the time for which it has an active Federal, Federal pass-through, or State award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal or State awarding agency. The State awarding agency may not make a Federal pass through or State award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUMS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the State awarding agency is ready to make a Federal pass-through or State award, the State awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal pass-through or State award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal pass-through or State award to another applicant.

None

Applications must be received via Amplifund by the due date and time listed in this NOFO to be considered for the award. Applications received after deadline shall not be considered eligible for the award. Please use this URL to apply: https://il.amplifund.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/ff773e9a-d5f4-4910-a7b2-d02b51e624b4 Applications submitted must include narrative description of how all aspects of the requirements shall be met by the grantee. Submission shall include: - Uniform State Grant Application - Project Narrative, including Sections A, B, C, and D - Budget using the Uniform Budget Template - Budget Narrative (included in Uniform Budget Template) Project Narrative shall be no more than seven (7) pages in length, 12 type-font, either Calibri or Arial. Narrative shall address each of the activity requirements listed for each of the objectives for this funding. A logic model with or without a Gannt chart is recommended to be included in the Program Design exhibit. Any logic model and/or related visual charts do not count towards the narrative page limit. Note: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide provides comprehensive information and tools to create program logic models. The guide can be accessed at the following link: Logic Model Development Guide (issuelab.org) The budget should be drafted using the Uniform Budget Template included with the award opportunity in Amplifund. All funded line items on the budget template must include a narrative description and/or justification. Do not complete the “Non-Grant Funding” section of the budget template, as this section is not applicable to this funding opportunity.

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Applications shall be evaluated on a 126-point total scale. Sections of the application are valued as follows: II. Narrative- 81 points Proposal must include the details on the activities the agency will complete for the project to meet the objectives for the funding. a. The narrative should provide a comprehensive overview of the proposed project, including, but not limited to: i. Rationale for how and why the activity area (transportation, internet, volunteer, workforce) was chosen for the specific Planning and Service Area; ii. Description of how the agency will increase public awareness and understanding of the topic area and services and resources, including the proposed project; iii. Description of how the agency will collaborate with public, private, not-for-profit, and/or healthcare sectors to better serve older adults and needs in the activity area; iv. Detailed description of the planning, program development, coordination, and service activities that will be conducted for the project; v. Projected goals, performance measures, and units of service that will be completed throughout the grant period. b. The narrative will need to include the frameworks, approaches, and activities that will be implemented to work towards the elimination of the disparities experienced by vulnerable and/or marginalized populations. Information that should be included to address this objective include: i. Basic demographic information of the areas impacted by the project, including the estimated number residents meeting the following criteria: 60+ population, 60+ poverty, 60+ minority, 75+ population, 60+ living alone, and 60+ rural. ii. Description of how members of vulnerable and/or underserved populations will be included in the program and/or services design, development, and implementation. Additionally, include how will organization ensure the input received from these members is reflected in the initiative activities. iii. Discuss the plan to monitor and/or evaluate the programs and/or services to ensure equitable impacts and outcomes in the short-term and the long-term. Include equity- focused benchmarks and/or key performance indicators that will be utilized in project monitoring and/or evaluation. III. Budget and Budget Narrative- 45 points a. Submit an accurate and complete budget utilizing the Uniform Budget Template. b. Provide a budget narrative addressing each expense listed on the budget template and how the expense will be utilized to complete the action plan set in the program narrative.

Submissions must be received by time and date, via Amplifund. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the application is received timely. Submissions received after this date and time shall not be considered or evaluated for award. For the purposes of this section, received shall be defined as submission of a complete application via Amplifund.

30 days

Evaluation scores may not be appealed. Only the evaluation process is subject to appeal. Appeals must be in writing in accordance with the grant application document. Written appeals must, at a minimum, include the following: • Name and address of appealing party; • Identification of the grant; and • A statement of reasons for the appeal. Appeals must be sent to: Illinois Department on Aging Office of the General Counsel One Natural Resources Way, Suite 100 Springfield, IL 62702-1271 Aging.OGC@illinois.gov

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No matching requirements

Funding shall be used exclusively for Connecting Rural Older Illinoisans Grant activities. Connecting Rural Older Illinoisans Grant related expenses shall include, but not be limited to, staffing costs, materials, supplies, travel, equipment, training, and consultant services. Expenses excluded include research and development, and construction as defined in the Uniform Budget Template. Any expenses associated with the application process, pre-award costs, or any work performed prior to period of performance in the Notice of State Award (NOSA) shall not be payable under the resulting grant. The grant award period will begin on August 1, 2023 and end on June 30, 2024. Grant funds must be expended within this time period. No funds will carry over into FY 2025. Work performed or grant related costs incurred prior to the period of performance shall not be payable by the grant or the Department. This grant shall not restrict indirect costs to the grant. The grantee shall either submit evidence of a federally negotiated rate, the rate as approved through the GATA Indirect Cost Rate System, or accept the de minimis rate.

Grantees shall be required to submit financial and programmatic reports, minimally, for the following reporting periods: o April 28, 2024 for January 1, 2024- March 31, 2024 activities o July 30, 2024 for April 1, 2024-June 30, 2024 activities

Non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. In accordance with the provisions of Subpart F-Audit Requirements, under 45 CFR Part 75.500, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year. Except as noted in 45 CFR Part 75.500.

Records must be kept available for 3 years after submission of the final expenditure report.

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FY 2024: $1,066,006

Anticipated Number of Awards: 9 Range of Awards: $50,000-$120,000 The Department reserves the right to award to all, some, or none of the applicant entities for this funding opportunity. Agreements are contingent upon and subject to the availability of sufficient funds. Grantor may terminate or suspend the Agreements, in whole or in part, without penalty or further payment being required, if I. Sufficient funds for the Agreements have not been appropriated or otherwise made available to the Grantor by the State or Federal funding source; II. The Governor or Grantor reserves funds; or III. The Governor or Grantor determines that funds will not or may not be available for payment.

The specific performance measures and the units of service will be unique to each project and will be based on the approach and the activities included in the project. Below are examples of performance measures and units of service for each of the grant activity types: Transportation • Performance Measurement: Decrease barriers caused by transportation to accessing healthcare, social services, and addressing daily living needs. o Unit of service: number of individuals completing initial enrollment into the Benefit Access Program. o Unit of service: number of subsidized/ free rides provided to individuals for medical appointments. o Unit of service: number of subsidized/ free rides provided to individuals for social service needs. Broadband/Internet • Performance Measurement: Increased Access to Reliable Internet to Access Virtual Programs and Services o Unit of service: number of households enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program o Unit of service: number of households with new internet account created • Performance Measurement: Increased Usage of Devices to Access Programs and Services o Unit of service: number of tablets/mobile devices provided to older adults o Unit of service: number of training sessions provided to older adults in how to use the devices Volunteer • Performance Measurement: Increase Older Adult Connections to the Community through Volunteer Programs o Unit of service: number of volunteer recruitment events completed o Unit of service: number of new volunteers that participated in a minimum of one volunteer event during the grant period o Unit of service: number of volunteer recognition activities and/or events Workforce • Performance Measurement: Decrease the number of staff position vacancies o Unit of service: number of staff recruitment events completed (e.g. college job fairs, community job fairs, etc.) o Unit of service: number of new employee incentive activities (e.g. training, signing bonus, etc.) • Performance Measurement: Decrease the rate of staff position turnover o Unit of service: number of staff retention activities completed o Unit of service: number of ongoing employee incentive programs (e.g. anniversary bonus, professional development opportunities) Each application must include clear and specific performance measures and units of service for each funded activity, along with the projected goals and units of service that will be completed throughout the grant period.

Note: While the Illinois Department on Aging does not fund nor specifically endorse any of the following organizations, the resources shared below may be beneficial in developing the project and action plan. Transportation: The National Aging and Disability Transportation provides resources, materials, and trainings regarding focusing on serving the older adult and adults with disabilities populations. The following link will lead you to their webpage focusing on rural transportation and the specific challenges and service opportunities in rural areas: https://www.nadtc.org/rural-transportation/. Internet: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity oversees the Connect Illinois program that seeks statewide broadband access and increased digital literacy and usage for residents. The website can be accessed at the following link: https://dceo.illinois.gov/connectillinois/broadbandequityinclusion.html. Volunteer Support: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults offers volunteer toolkits, as well as additional resources, research, and publications focusing on building, maintaining, and supporting volunteers. The Volunteer Toolkit can be obtained at: www.engagingolderadults.org/volunteer-toolkits. Workforce: LeadingAge facilitates information sharing and advocacy related to aging services workforce-related challenges. The landing page for the workforce related topics can be found at the following link: https://leadingage.org/topic/workforce/. Potential resources to support addressing the needs and priorities of underserved and diverse populations include the Disrupting Disparities: Challenges & Solutions for 50+ Illinoisans of Color report: final-aarp-disrupt-disparities-report.pdf (brightspotcdn.com) and the Disrupting Disparities: Solutions for 50+ LGBTQ+ Illinoisans report: Disrupting Disparities: Solutions for 50+ LGBTQ+ Illinoisans – SAGE (sageusa.org).

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Illinois Department on Aging One Natural Resources Way, Suite 100 Springfield, IL 62702-1271

www.ilaging.illinois.gov

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6/28/2023

FY 2024 : $1,066,006
FY 2025 : $1,000,000