Strengthening Aging Services for Minority Populations Through Technical Assistance, Resource Development, and Program Coordination

Description

This forecast is for two related funding opportunities that will be addressed in one funding opportunity announcement. Applicants are eligible to apply for one or both opportunities. The maximum number of awards any single applicant can receive is two - one for the Minority Aging Technical Assistance & Resource Center (TARC) Program, which would focus on a specific minority group, and one for the Coordinating Center for Minority Aging TARC Programs. Information on each of the funding opportunities are detailed below. OPPORTUNITY 1: Minority Aging Technical Assistance & Resource Center (TARC) Program (Maximum number of awards: 5; Award Ceiling: $221,000; Award Floor: $215,000) Within the older adult population, there exists considerable diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, cultural background; and sexual orientation/gender identity. Diverse older adults often encounter unique challenges when seeking home and community-based services and other long-term care. The Older Americans Act (OAA) mandates that services and supports it funds be targeted with particular attention paid to those in greatest economic and social need and who are further isolated by their race/ethnicity and/or English speaking proficiency. Many human services organizations serving older adults and their families report needing training and technical assistance to better target and serve diverse populations. Similarly, diverse older adults themselves can often benefit more equitably from culturally appropriate services and supports. The two primary objectives of this new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) are as follows: 1. Develop and disseminate training and technical assistance to strengthen the national capacity to address the multi-faceted needs of a diverse older adult population in areas such as (but not limited to) economic security, access to services, housing needs, self-advocacy, family and caregiver supports, and trauma informed approaches.2. Develop, test and disseminate approaches that aging and human services network agencies can employ to more successfully work one-on-one with diverse older adults, their families, and family caregivers. ACL anticipates awarding up to five cooperative agreements under Opportunity Number 1, one each focusing on the following diverse older adult populations: African American, Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander, Native American and LGBT. No entity will be awarded more than one award under Opportunity 1. OPPORTUNITY 2: Coordinating Center for Minority Aging TARC Program (Maximum number of awards: 1; Award Ceiling: $75,000; Award Floor: $50,000) The Coordinating Center will work to ensure that the five ACL-funded Minority Organizations Technical Assistance Programs are working together as a cohesive unit, sharing information with each other, across the Aging Network, with other ACL funded Resource Centers, as well as ensure the TA programs are sharing information through regular trainings, webinars, and joint conference presentations. The Coordinating Center will ensure that the coalition of five TARC programs, funded under Opportunity Number 1, serve as an integrated resource for the Aging Network to accomplish its work in culturally sensitive and culturally competent manner. The Coordinating Center grantee will develop and test methods for ensuring the Minority Aging TARC Programs are effectively coordinated in their TA efforts while at the same time, exploring opportunities to expand the reach and focus to other diverse populations and the programs that serve them. While the aging services network routinely meets targeting requirements, there remains considerable opportunity to bolster the capacity of the aging services network to better target and serve diverse populations. The primary goal (objective) of the proposed new Coordinating Center are threefold: To the greatest extent possible, explore ways to ensure that ACL’s Minority Aging TARC Program is effectively reaching target populations, while looking more broadly for opportunities to engage other diverse populations, including persons with disabilities; 2. Where appropriate, work with other ACL-funded resource centers to ensure the needs of diverse older adults, families and family caregivers are addressed; and3. Explore and support opportunities for the Minority Aging TARC Program grantees to support the replication and translation of best practices to the disability services networks.

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