[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18383-18385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10019]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Availability of Funds for New Senior Companion Projects--
Nationwide

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(``Corporation'') announces the availability of up to $1,000,000 to 
support one national organization and five of its local affiliates to 
operate new Senior Companion Projects. The local projects must be 
located in geographic areas that do not fall within approved geographic 
service areas of current Senior Companion program sponsors or urban 
areas or large counties where the project serves only part of the city 
or county. The national organization will be expected to provide 
coordination, networking and training and technical assistance to its 
five local affiliates who combined will support a total of 225 Senior 
Companions. Awards will cover a twelve-month period and can be renewed 
for up to twenty-four additional months contingent upon the continuing 
need for the projects, performance and the availability of 
appropriations. This allows the Corporation to fund multi-state and 
multi-site projects that are national in scope and build on existing 
networks. The Corporation is seeking a national organization that is 
willing to actively promote senior service within its network and that 
have the potential to view older volunteers as an important resource in 
accomplishing its own objectives.
    The Senior Companion Program (SCP) provides opportunities for 
income eligible individuals 60 years of age and over to serve frail 
adults on a person to person basis. The SCP provides essential services 
that enable frail adults to continue to live in their own homes, while 
also enhancing the lives of the volunteers and those whom they serve.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 
May 11, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Application instructions and kits are available from the 
Corporation for National and Community Service, National Senior Service 
Corps, 1201 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20525, (202) 606-5000, 
ext. 261, TDD (202) 565-2799, or TTY via the Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-(800) 877-8339.
    Applications should be submitted to the Corporation for National 
and Community Service, National Senior Service Corps, 1201 New York 
Avenue, NW., Mailstop 9310, Attn: Barbara Wilson, Washington, DC 20525. 
The Corporation will not accept applications that are submitted via 
facsimile or e-mail transmission.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The Corporation is a federal government corporation that encourages 
Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage in community-based 
service. This service addresses the nation's educational, public 
safety, environmental, and other human needs to achieve direct and 
demonstrable results. In supporting service programs, the Corporation 
fosters civic responsibility, strengthens the ties that bind us 
together as a people, and provides educational opportunity for those 
who make a substantial commitment to service.
    The SCP is authorized by the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 
1973, as amended. (See 42 U.S.C. 5013 et seq.) The SCP is one of three 
programs that comprise the National Senior Service Corps. All three 
Senior Corps programs are based on the premise that seniors are 
valuable resources, can be mobilized to help meet priority community 
needs, and through their skills and talents can have an impact on 
national problems of local concern.
    The SCP was launched in 1974 with its first 11 projects. Today 
there are over 13,000 Senior Companions serving 48,000 frail adults 
annually. These Senior Companions provide high quality and reliable 
personal support to adults, primarily frail elderly, experiencing 
difficulties with activities of daily living, allowing them to live 
independently in their own homes for as long as possible. SCP focuses 
on those with moderate physical, mental or emotional impairments who 
are without adequate family support and who in the absence of non-
medical support services would be at risk of institutionalization. 
Senior Companions also assist clients in patient discharge programs at 
acute care, mental health, and long-term care facilities to make the 
transition to living in less restrictive community settings, and some 
Senior Companions provide short-term respite for primary care givers of 
frail adults in times of special need.

B. Purpose of This Announcement

    The Corporation is soliciting applications from national nonprofit 
organizations in order to fund multi-state and multi-site projects that 
are national in scope and build on existing networks of the national 
organizations. The Corporation is interested in expanding the Senior 
Companion Program to serve new geographic locations currently unserved 
by the program. The Corporation is interested in focusing on in-home 
assignments for older persons most in need and respite for family care 
givers.
    Many older adults experience problems in one or more routine 
activities of daily living (ADLs) which

[[Page 18384]]

makes them homebound. With the support of a caring adult, many of these 
individuals are able to remain at home. This in-home support often 
makes the difference between living independently at home and premature 
placement into a long-term care facility, especially when immediate 
family members are not present to provide support.
    It is essential that project activities strive to result in 
improvements that otherwise would not occur. While multiple benefits 
may be realized through these projects, the primary outcome objectives 
should be focused on:
    (a) Reducing the gap between available services and the need for 
services among the frail elderly in need of independent living support. 
Depending upon the specific needs identified within a community, this 
might involve increasing the number of persons who receive services, 
increasing the amount of service available to current service 
recipients, or adding types of services that are needed but not 
currently available within the community; and
    (b) Increasing the efficiency of service delivery by making use of 
the diverse talents of volunteers. This might involve freeing 
professional and paraprofessional care givers from routine tasks, 
improving coordination of services, or improving the appropriateness of 
the level and type of service delivered.
    Activities should complement services being provided by medical 
professionals and para-professionals and others who are also providing 
services to the older person.

C. Eligible Applicants

    National nonprofit organizations that operate in more than one 
state are eligible to apply. The Corporation defines a national 
nonprofit organization as one whose mission, membership and activities, 
or constituencies are national in scope. However, an organization 
described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
(26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4)) that engages in lobbying activities is not 
eligible to apply, serve as a host site for volunteers, or act in any 
type of supervisory role in the program. The Corporation is seeking a 
national organization that is willing to actively promote senior 
service within its networks and that views older volunteers as an 
important resource in accomplishing its own objectives.
    All activities within a proposal should be coordinated through a 
well-developed national strategy and unified programmatically by a 
common theme and program elements, including training and technical 
assistance. In designing a program, an applicant should consider its 
national, regional and local capacities.
    The local affiliates of the national organizations must have or 
develop strong partnerships with the aging network; hospitals and other 
health care providers; care giver coalitions and agencies; volunteer, 
church and civic groups that provide in-home and respite services; 
businesses and community members; and collaborations with RSVP, Learn 
and Serve America and/or AmeriCorps.

D. Award Process and Estimated Number of Awards

    The Corporation will issue a letter of intent to provide funding to 
the approved applicant. This letter will instruct the national 
organization to work with the Corporation to identify the local 
affiliates that will serve as local project sites. The official awards 
will be made only after the Corporation is satisfied that the local 
sites are located in currently unserved geographic areas and that the 
local affiliates have the capacity to effectively implement the 
program.
    The Corporation anticipates making one award to a national 
organization and approximately five awards to local affiliates of the 
national organization.

E. Scope of Grant

    The amount of the grant for the national organization will include 
funds to cover national coordination, networking, training and 
technical assistance. The amount of the grants to the local affiliates 
will include funds to support approximately 45 Senior Companion 
Volunteer Service Years (VSYs.). The amount of each local grant will 
include funds to cover: volunteer cost reimbursements including 
stipends of approximately $2,662 a year for each Volunteer Service Year 
(VSY), transportation, meals and insurance; and volunteer support costs 
including project administration, staff and training and technical 
assistance. The average Federal Cost per Volunteer Service Year (VSY) 
is approximately $4,000 for standard volunteers and $4,600 for 
volunteer leaders.
    Grant applicants should demonstrate their commitment to cost-
sharing by offsetting part of the costs. This support can be achieved 
through cash or in-kind contributions.
    Publication of this announcement does not obligate the Corporation 
to award any specific number of grants or to obligate the entire amount 
of funds available, or any part thereof, for grants under the Senior 
Companion Program.

F. Period of Awards

    Grants cover twelve months and may be renewed for up to twenty-four 
additional months contingent upon the continuing need for the projects, 
performance and the availability of appropriations.

G. Submission Requirements

    To be considered for funding, applicants must submit five copies of 
the following (with original signatures on items 1 and 2):
    (1) An Application for Federal Assistance, Corporation Form 424-
NSSC (OMB 3045-0035), Parts I through III;
    (2) Signed Assurances (424-B) and Certifications (424E-G);
    (3) Verification of status as a non-profit organization as 
described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
    (4) Most recent audit report.

H. General Selection Criteria

    The Corporation will initially determine whether the organization 
is eligible and whether the application contains the information 
required in the application materials. All activities within the 
proposal should be coordinated through a well-developed national 
strategy and unified programmatically by a common theme and program 
elements, including training and technical assistance.
    To ensure fairness to all applicants, the Corporation reserves the 
right to take action up to and including disqualification, in the event 
that a proposal fails to comply with any requirements specified in the 
application instructions. After this initial screening, the Corporation 
will assess applications based on the following criteria that will be 
further specified in the application instructions:
    (1) The capacity of the applicant to effectively implement the 
Senior Companion Program according to law, regulations and current 
Corporation policy, procedures, and priorities.
    (2) The cost-effectiveness of the proposal; the applicant's ability 
to leverage significant additional resources from non-federal sources 
to support and sustain the project; the extent to which the national 
organization can demonstrate the capacity to continue the projects at 
the local level in subsequent years.
    The Corporation will take into consideration the following factors 
after the proposals are assessed:

[[Page 18385]]

    Geographic Location: The Corporation will assure a mix of urban and 
rural sites.
    Diversity: The Corporation will select organizations whose local 
projects have the capacity to recruit ethnic and racial minorities, 
males and persons with disabilities.

I. Applicable Regulations

    Regulations governing the Senior Companion Program are located in 
45 C.F.R. Part 1207 (1997).

J. Program Authority

    The Corporation's authority to make these grants is codified in 42 
U.S.C. 5013.

    Dated: April 10, 1998.
Thomas L. Bryant,
Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 98-10019 Filed 4-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P