Request For Applications (RFA) Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 26, 2016

Transcription

1 Work for : Older Adult Self-Employment Grant Program Request For Applications (RFA) Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 26, 2016 AARP Foundation is requesting applications from eligible organizations to partner with the Foundation to host the workshop component of Work for a new initiative that will help low income adults age 50+ to understand the pros and cons of self-employment and support them through the early steps to take that will encourage their success. Partner organizations will host and facilitate 90-minute introductory workshops designed by AARP Foundation to walk participants through the Work for materials. In addition, partner organizations will: connect program participants with local, accessible resources; submit timely reports on workshop attendance and participant referrals; and regularly participate in a community of practice with other grantees to assist with the evaluation of this initiative and help to build a body of evidence regarding its effectiveness. Application Deadline: Applications are due August 26, 2016 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and must be completed online. AARP Foundation Overview AARP Foundation focuses on supporting and advancing effective solutions to help vulnerable older adults transform their lives today and secure the essentials for their future. AARP Foundation is working side by side with other organizations to reach more people, work more efficiently and make resources go further. AARP Foundation seeks to support organizations whose evidence-based interventions can change the lives of adults age 50+ with low- and moderate-incomes and that align with the Foundation s strategic priorities. Program Overview AARP Foundation, with support from The Hartford, is launching Work for Yourself@50+ a new initiative to help older vulnerable adults assess opportunities to pursue self-employment and

2 build the skills and connect with resources that will enable them to generate income through working for themselves in a variety of ways. Creating and owning a business has long been heralded as a path to financial success and economic mobility. In fact, business equity is the second largest source of household wealth behind home equity. For low- and moderate- income (LMI) individuals, self-employment and business ownership can contribute meaningfully to family economic security. However, lowincome older adults considering entrepreneurship as a career move, or who are looking to reenter the workforce in a nontraditional capacity face unique hurdles that can prevent them from successfully attaining their goals, and many may not know where to connect with trustworthy resources to help them reach their goals. The decision to pursue a new venture is not one to be taken lightly and Work for Yourself@50+ breaks the choices down for older adults in an approachable way through five steps: 1.) A careful consideration of the potential and perils of working for yourself; 2.) Exercises to help develop the self-employment idea; 3.) A realistic overview of what it takes to pursue a selfemployment opportunity; 4.) Guidance to help avoid pitfalls and scams; and 5.) Ways to find trustworthy support and services. WFY will address these unique hurdles for older adults with multiple offerings: Work for Yourself@50+: Five Simple Steps to Get You Started Toolkit This publication will provide an overview of the opportunities available to work for yourself and information about what older adults should know about the advantages and challenges of a variety of income-generation opportunities. Within the Toolkit, worksheets and exercises will guide older adults through the thought process and initial steps to decide whether to start and how to begin to prepare for an entrepreneurial opportunity, and will point them towards services and programs that can provide the hands-on support and training that can help them to launch their own microbusinesses. Work for Yourself@50+ Website ( Because technology will play an increasingly important role in how people work for themselves, the program website will be specifically designed to supplement the material in the Toolkit. The website is where individuals can find interactive versions of the worksheets and checklists and additional information and resources. Work for Yourself@50+ Workshop The workshop will be offered in a limited number of communities by selected partner organizations. This first look workshop will walk small groups of participants (between 15 and 20 attendees per workshop) through the Toolkit and connect them with local resources and programs to help them achieve their 2 v

3 self-employment or income generation goals. Partner organizations will be selected through a competitive application and funding process. In order to successfully implement the Work for Yourself@50+ program, grantees will perform the following activities: Conduct local outreach and marketing, jointly with AARP Foundation, that directs vulnerable 50+ to the AARP Foundation Call Center to register for a workshop and receive a free Toolkit publication via mail or . Schedule, publicize, and host at least three small group workshops serving a total of at least 50 participants throughout the grant period (October 15, 2016 April 15, 2017). Partners must host at least one workshop before the end of Future workshops must be scheduled before the completion of the prior workshop (and at least 6 weeks in advance of the scheduled date). Identify, refer, and connect workshop participants to at least two local services and programs that can help them achieve their self-identified employment and income generation goals. Services and programs can include financial capability classes or coaching, microbusiness development training or microfinance support, business boot camps, employment services, entrepreneur mentorship programs, workforce development or vocational training. Within two weeks of workshop completion, provide reports on attendance, referrals and connections made for participants. In addition, provide brief narratives on at least two participants goals, concerns, questions, prior experience, and motivations these narratives will be used by AARP Foundation to identify specific individuals to follow up with in order to build a program story bank. Assist AARP Foundation in creating a community of practice through regular participation in conference calls or virtual discussions with AARP Foundation and other grantees to share and respond to challenges, successes, and opportunities in delivering the program. Participate in virtual onboarding training to be conducted between October 17 and October 21, In addition to funding, AARP Foundation will provide in-kind investments and technical assistance to support and enhance the Work for Yourself@50+ activities. They include: Work For Yourself@50+ toll-free number ( ) connected to AARP Foundation Call Center to manage client intake and workshop registration. 3 v

4 Database management and regular communications with registered participants to encourage and support program engagement. Program promotion through the AARP Foundation network and marketing channels, and coordination with AARP state offices. Specific information regarding AARP Foundation s marketing efforts is available at the end of this document. Generating reports on registered participants, program outcomes, and grantee partner progress for use in program implementation, or to supplement grantee communications and fundraising efforts. Work for Yourself@50+ Toolkit publication, PowerPoint presentation and facilitator notes for the workshop, and webinar training for workshop facilitators, programmatic templates, and reporting forms. Marketing support with standardized templates for marketing materials, maintenance of program website ( and story bank with participant narratives. Information about and connections to other relevant AARP Foundation programs that can support participant success. Access to the Work for Yourself@50+ community of practice. AARP Foundation is committed to assessing the effectiveness of its programmatic investments. Please refer to the Logic Model attachment to the RFA for a visual representation of the inputs, outputs, and expected outcomes from the larger multi-year Work for Yourself@50+ initiative. Should your organization be selected to receive a grant from AARP Foundation, you will be expected to generate a Logic Model for the specific inputs, outputs, and expected outcomes appropriate for your grant. Eligibility Information Applicant must be a 501(c)(3) organization, nonprofit or state/county community college, or workforce investment board (WIB) with a significant understanding of AARP Foundation s Work for Yourself@50+ or similar programs, and a demonstrated history and institutional commitment to entrepreneurship/microbusiness development leading to improved financial stability and community empowerment. Grant Award Information 4 v

5 Potential Award Range: $10,000 - $20,000 grants awarded to up to 15 partner organizations Grant Period: October 15, 2016 April 15, 2017 Proposal Type: Work for Yourself@50+ Partner Grants Round 1 Reporting Requirements: In addition to the reports specified in the grantee implementation activities above, AARP Foundation requires quarterly programmatic and financial reports. Reports are due by the end of the calendar month following the calendar quarter end. Indirect Cost Rate: AARP Foundation will fund an indirect cost rate of 10% of the total direct costs or the grant program. Application Process Applications must be submitted via the AARP Foundation online portal by August 26, 2016 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. The following documents must be uploaded and attached to the Attachments section of the application: Documentation stating existing tax status At least two (2) Letters of Agreement (LOAs) or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) from local organizations that provide any of the following programs or services: financial capability classes or coaching, microbusiness development training or microfinance support, business boot camps, employment services, entrepreneur mentorship programs, workforce development or vocational training, or other related services not currently offered at your organization. The LOAs or MOUs from the above partners should acknowledge that they are aware of the proposed project and willing to be a resource to which the grantee can refer participants for additional support services following the completion of the Work for Yourself@50+ workshop. Applicants may be contacted for clarifications to their Applications. Clarifications should be uploaded to the Application site and must be completed by September 16, 2016 by 11:59pm Eastern time. Further details about the clarification process will be provided as appropriate. All applicants will be notified regarding the status of their application no later than October 14, Please send any questions to AARP_Foundation_Grants@aarp.org 5 v

6 Application Information The Application allows for the applicant to provide further details on the proposed project, what the applicant hopes to achieve with the project, and how the applicant expects to achieve those results. Please be specific and concise. SECTION 1: Project Plan Project Goal and Organizational Mission (2500 characters) What is the community need your organization seeks to address? Please provide information on how Work for fits with your organizational mission or existing job placement, workforce development, entrepreneurship, or microbusiness development program goals. Increase in the Number of People your Project will serve? (2500 characters) To what extent will this project provide your organization with an opportunity to expand or deepen your reach within your community? What are the specific activities that will allow you to reach that goal? Please list past experiences in expanding projects to more people while maintaining project fidelity. (2500 characters) Plan and Key Project Milestones (5000 characters) How will your organization implement the program to achieve the programmatic goals and outcomes? What are the dates related to key project milestones? How long do you see this project being maintained beyond the funding period? Consistent implementation (2500 characters) Please elaborate on your organization s history in hosting and facilitating interactive small group workshops. What steps will your organization take to reduce delays, cancellations, and postponements of the workshop? How will the organization assure that the room space and reliable internet access needed for the workshop are consistently available? SECTION 2: Community Served Geography (2500 characters) What are the specific areas (neighborhoods, cities, counties) the proposed program will serve? AARP Foundation is seeking applicants from across the country, representing diverse communities with large concentrations of individuals 50+ with household 6 v

7 incomes below $40,000/year. We particularly encourage applicants from the greater Hartford, CT; Baltimore/Washington; Chicago; Los Angeles; New York; Philadelphia; and Miami metropolitan areas. Population Demographics (2500 characters) AARP Foundation s target population is low-income or vulnerable older adults (individuals age 50+ with household income below $40,000/year). How do the demographics of your community match these target demographics? What percentage of the people currently served by your organization is age 50+ with income below $40,000/year? How many people does your organization currently serve? SECTION 3: Organization Resources Experience of Individuals Involved in the Leadership and Execution of Project (5000 characters) Please provide details on how the experiences of the organizations and individuals associated with the program are relevant for the execution of the proposed program. Who will be the program lead? How much time will the person dedicate towards the program? How many FTEs are currently dedicated to this program, if any, and how many will be dedicated to the proposed program? Other Funding or Revenue Sources (2500 characters) What other funding or revenue sources, if any, will fund this program? What level of match will your organization provide to the program? Critical Partnerships or Collaborations (2500 characters) Are there critical partnerships or collaborations with other organizations for the program? In addition to the previously mentioned MOUs or LOAs, please list the organizations, the primary individual associated with organization, and role the organization will play in the program. Captured Metrics (2500 characters) As noted in the grantee activities and reporting requirements sections, the grantee will provide reports on attendance, referrals and connections made for participants, as well as brief participant narratives. Please describe your organization s prior experience providing reports and narratives like this on a regular basis. 7 v

8 Risks Associated with the Project (2500 characters) What are the risks associated with the program that could diminish its ability to achieve its goal? How will the risks be mitigated? Budget Line Narrative (8000 characters) Please explain line items for the program budget. Line items may include but are not limited to: marketing and outreach, local referral partner development and program management, workshop room rental fees, workshop refreshments, etc. Review Criteria In evaluating qualifying applications, AARP Foundation will pay particular attention to the following criteria: How effectively will the organization execute the project plan including making decisions about when the workshops will be held and what marketing channels/tactics will be utilized in order to reach the target vulnerable 50+ audience? (20 points) How effective will the organization be in creating (sustaining) strong connections with local resources that can provide desired support services to participants? (20 points) How does the organization demonstrate possessing the expertise, resources, and capacity to implement the proposed project successfully? How do the designated staff and/or volunteers demonstrate competency in facilitating interactive workshops with the target audience? (15 points) How well does the organization demonstrate its capability to report attendance, referral information, and narratives in a timely manner? (15 points) How does Work For Yourself@50+ fit with the overall mission or programs of the organization? (15 points) Is the timeline for your project reasonable and clear and does your staff and organization have the experience to meet the milestones listed on your timeline? (5 points) What is the specific geographic area(s) you will serve and what is the degree to which your project will be serving low-income or vulnerable older adults? (5 points) Does the budget ensure the proper level of staffing and reasonable costs to achieve the proposed project results? (5 points) 8 v

9 Timeline Request for Application release July 18, 2016 Technical assistance call/webinar In conjunction with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity - August 4, pm-5pm Eastern Time Registration URL: Webinar ID: Applications due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time August 26, 2016 Clarification period August 26, September 16, 2016 Grantees notified October 14, 2016 Important Program Dates and Deliverables Onboarding Webinar with AARP Foundation Staff: Week of October 17, 2016 Specific Date TBD At least one Work for Yourself@50+ workshop must be delivered by December 31, By the end of the grant period on April 15, 2017, at least 50 individuals from the Foundation s target audience (50+ with household income below $40,000/year) must have participated in the workshops and been referred to appropriate local resources. Within two weeks of the completion of each workshop, grantee must report attendance and referral information and identify at least two individuals from the workshop participants who should be contacted for story generation. All reporting must be completed by the end of the grant period on April 15, v

10 AARP Foundation Logic Model Template Work for Inputs Resources Activities Outputs Participation Outcomes Short Medium Long Grantee Five Simple Steps to Get You Started Toolkit First look workshop Program website Grantee partners Funding Technical Assistance Foundation Impact System Database Call Center Community of Practice Convening Facilitator Training Market the program Develop referral network Deliver workshops and make referrals AARP FDN Client intake and materials fulfillment Develop program materials, and provide administrative and evaluative support Select grantees to implement program Onboard grantee partners, provide support and foster Community of Practice 7,000 individuals utilize Toolkit 1,500 individuals receive First Look training and referrals to local resources 2,000 preand postsurvey participants 30 grantee partners across the country LMI 50+ recognize and consider a diverse range of income-generation opportunities LMI 50+ increase understanding of opportunities for entrepreneurship and incomegeneration through self-employment Grantee partners increase their knowledge about the needs of LMI 50+ LMI 50+ build entrepreneurial confidence, capability, and connections, increasing awareness and use of local resources that can support successful income-generation Workforce programs recognize and support nontraditional employment activities that generate income Entrepreneurship field builds capacity to effectively serve LMI 50+ LMI 50+ successfully pursue a range of income-generation opportunities including selfemployment, increasing their financial stability and strengthening their local communities Partnerships and linkages between microbusiness development organizations and workforce programs are created or strengthened and focused on the needs of LMI 50+ Assumptions For low- and moderate-income (LMI) 50+, self-employment can fill the need to generate income when traditional opportunities for wage labor are scarce and the value of retirement savings has declined (or never existed). At the same time, those who want to consider entrepreneurship face unique hurdles, and many may not know where to connect with trustworthy resources to help them on their way. Contextual Factors Factors that could inhibit successful achievement of long-term outcomes include 1) volatile or recessive economic conditions that inhibit the demand or ease of developing new self-employment opportunities, and limit financial support networks and 2) changes in state or national regulations/policies that affect the type of work a self-employed individual may successfully engage in.

11 Work for Marketing and Communications Support for Workshop Providers Overview Reaching out to low-income older adults to participate in the Work for workshop is essential to the program s success. While AARP Foundation brings many marketing and communications tools to the table, local community partner-driven outreach is also a powerful driver of workshop interest and attendance. AARP Foundation will offer support in a variety of forms to ensure that community outreach is wellrounded and reaches as many individuals as possible. The following information is intended as a broad outline of the resources available to community partners. AARP Foundation Marketing Resources AARP Foundation will provide technical and marketing assistance to workshop providers in the form of: Work for Yourself@50+ Toolkit: Production of Work for Yourself@50+ Toolkit for distribution at workshops Social media support: Workshop promotion on Facebook, Twitter and other social media properties Earned media support: Press release templates regarding collaborations with new workshop providers, to be distributed locally Marketing collateral: Templates for flyers to promote workshops to consumers Workshop training: PowerPoint presentations and training of workshop providers AARP State Office Connections: Connections with state-based AARP chapters for local program awareness and public dissemination of marketing materials, when applicable Marketing language: Content guidelines for all discussions, text, media and literature surrounding Work for Yourself@50+. Local Promotional Activities Remember, grassroots promotion is essential, so take advantage of local opportunities for promotion. Here are a few ideas: Flyers in libraries, workforce centers, Goodwill Career Centers and senior centers Direct mail Radio and TV ads One-Stop Center referrals Promotion at local community events

12 Brand Guidelines AARP Foundation will provide guidelines outlining the appropriate use of logos and other brand elements to include when creating new materials. These materials will be provided when the agreements with the workshop providers are signed. All literature containing the AARP Foundation logo or discussing Work for must be submitted to AARP Foundation for approval at least two weeks in advance of public distribution.