Seniors

$5.4 Million in ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

NOTE: This category is interchangeably referred to as Seniors or Older Adults.

Senior man smiling.

On February 3, 2022, the City Council allocated $5 million for Seniors. The City Council designated the Community Health, Environment & Culture Committee (CHECC) to oversee the implementation planning for this category. The implementation plan and associated criteria for distribution was approved by CHECC August 9, 2022. City Council approved the plan on August 18, 2022. The plan provides support to organizations and services that support programming for older adults through a combined competitive process.

On February 8, 2023, the City Council was provided an update on the COVID-19 Recovery & Resiliency Plan and the ARPA SLFRF Program, including available balances from the competitive process, program savings, and interest earned.

The City Council directed the available balances from Youth and Seniors to be further discussed at a Governance Committee meeting. On February 15, 2023, the Governance Committee recommended a total of $1.5 million for Youth and Seniors to be taken to the Community Health, Environment & Culture Committee (CHECC) for policy direction. Of this amount, $313 thousand was unallocated from the competitive process, and $1.2 million was added to the Youth and Seniors categories from ARPA SLFRF available funds from interest income and program balances. The CHECC discussed the priorities and plan for these funds on February 21, 2023.

On March 9, 2023, the City Council approved the priorities and plan, with a competitive process (RFP) for Non-Profit Social Services, Youth, and Seniors totaling $1.67 million to be open from March 13 through April 27, 2023. Of the total RFP amount, $500 thousand is allocated for senior services.

Spending Framework

The spending plan for Seniors provides programming support to non-profits serving older adults to:

  • Address increased isolation by providing connections to community services and resources
  • Reduce food and resource insecurity for those with financial constraints
  • Mitigate increased social and emotional issues for caregivers
  • Improve the safety and quality of care of older adults

View Implementation Plan(PDF, 101KB)

Older Adults (Programming Services)

COVID-19 Impact Programs / Strategies Equitable Outcomes Amount
Increased social isolation
  • Community-based transportation to expand access to Senior Centers and resources
  • Fund non-center-based programming to reduce social isolation
  • Connection to volunteer, workforce training, and employment opportunities
Connect older adults with barriers to community services and resources $2 Million
Increased food and resource insecurity
  • Neighborhood-based access to food and commodities
  • Navigation services to coordinate access to resources across providers and services for home bound seniors
  • Direct financial assistance to stabilize seniors in crisis
  • Connection to workforce training, employment and volunteer opportunities
Alleviate increased cost and scarcity of resources for older adults with financial constraints $2 Million
Increased responsibility on informal and unpaid caregivers
  • Caregiver connection to available resources, education and training to include training for older adults with dementia & other cognitive issues
  • Fund respite resources for caregivers
Mitigate increased social and emotional issues for caregivers to improve the safety and quality of care provided to older adults $1 Million
Total $5 Million

Additional & Reallocated Funding

The table below provides an overview of the $500 thousand approved by the City Council on March 9, 2023. Of this, $427 thousand in available funds from ARPA SLFRF interest income and program balances were added to this category for a total investment of $5.4 million.

COVID-19 Impact Programs / Strategies Equitable Outcomes Amount
Increased food and resource insecurity
  • Neighborhood – based access to food and commodities
  • Navigation services to coordinate access to resources across providers and services for home bound seniors
  • Direct financial assistance to stabilize seniors in crisis
  • Connection to workforce training, employment and volunteer opportunities

Alleviate increased cost and scarcity of resources for older adults with financial constraints

$500,000
Increased responsibility on informal and unpaid caregivers
  • Caregiver connection to available resources, education and training for older adults with dementia & other cognitive issues
  • Fund respite resources for caregivers

Mitigate increased social and emotional issues for caregivers to improve the safety and quality of care provided to older adults

NOTE: $72,661 in unallocated balances from the first RFP.

Request for Proposals (RFPs)

RFP # 1 Timeline

  • Sept. 9, 2022: Release of RFP for senior services providers.
  • Oct. 28, 2022: RFP closes.
  • Sept. 6 and 8, 2022: Training and technical assistance workshops.
  • Sept. 16, 2022: RFP pre-submittal conference.
  • Sept. 18 and 19, 2022: Further training and technical assistance workshops.
  • Nov. - Dec. 2022: RFP evaluation and scoring.
  • Jan. 26, 2023: Post solicitation briefing to City Council.
  • Feb. 2, 2023: City Council approval.
  • March 2023: Contracts begin.

RFP # 2 Timeline

  • March 13, 2023 - April 27, 2023: RFP opens.
  • March 23, 2023: RFP pre-submittal conference.
  • March 28, 2023: Training and technical sessions.
  • May 5 - May 10, 2023: RFP evaluation and scoring.
  • June 1, 2023: Post-solicitation approval by City Council.
  • July 2023: City Council approval, contracts anticipated to begin.

Community Health, Environment & Culture Committee

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