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BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative Request for Application

This Request for Application (RFA) is to identify community colleges to implement and evaluate the BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative in the following states:

• Alabama • Arizona • California • Florida • Georgia • Illinois • Mississippi

• New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • South Carolina • Tennessee • Texas.

The RFA is presented by AARP Foundation in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) Social Innovation Fund.

Notice of Intent to Apply Deadline: While not mandatory, applicants are strongly encouraged to email a letter of intent to apply by September 25, 2015 to SIF@aarp.org.

Application Deadline: Applications are due October 22, 2015 at 11:59 PM ET and must be completed online using Foundation Connect.

[Notice Regarding Public Disclosure: Please note that all information submitted in this procurement process may be made public if directed by the Corporation for National and Community Service or required by law. This may include the names of organizations that submitted proposals, contact information, summaries of applications and budgets, reviewer ratings and comments, and other information.]

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Table of Contents

I. Program Description……………………………………………………………………3 II. Eligibility Information……………………………………………………………………8 III. Subgrant Award Information…………………………………………………………...10 IV. Application Information…………………………………………………………………10 V. Review Criteria…………………………………………………………………………..13 VI. Application Process……………………………………………………………………..15 VII. Timeline…………………………………………………………………………………..16 VIII. Additional Terms and Conditions……………………………………………………...17 IX. Appendix……………………………………………………………………………….…21

Information related to BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative is available at www.aarpfoundation.org/sif.

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I. Program Description

A. Program Overview

BACK TO WORK 50+ (BTW 50+)is a program model developed by AARP Foundation to help unemployed and underemployed people aged 50 to 64 gain the confidence, skills, and opportunities they need to find full-time employment, improve their financial capability, and avoid poverty later in life. BTW 50+ is currently operating in American Job Centers and community colleges in 20 locations. Learn more at www.aarp.org/backtowork50plus.

The BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative (WESI) is the version of BTW50+ that is specifically designed to equip older women with the confidence, skills,and opportunities they need to regain full-time employment. Community colleges that are effective and trusted leaders in their communities are well positioned to anchor this initiative. Higher education has long been a resource for older adult women and we believe that collaborating with colleges will allow us to collectively build a model to be even more effective in helping this often ignored population secure work and reach financial security. By identifying and evaluating the most effective integrated services that provide job search strategies, training, and support for moving older adult women from vulnerability to stability, we set the stage to scale the program across the community college system as well as adapt the model to other systems in underserved communities.

BTW 50+: WESI is focused on helping older women, but is made possible through a federal grant from the Social Innovation Fund, and program services must be made available to all, without regard for race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or religion. Learn more at www.aarp.org/backtowork50plus.

In 2014, AARP Foundation received a Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to serve as an intermediary grantmaking organization that identifies, supports, and monitors the community colleges selected to implement and evaluate the BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative. The subgrant competition was open to community colleges in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Texas. Five community colleges received funding to implement and evaluate BTW50+:WESI in early 2015.

This RFA is expanding upon the initial request to include up to three additional subgrantees and the eligible states that can apply. For the purposes of this RFA, community colleges from the following states may apply: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

The Social Innovation Fund, a key White House initiative, combines public and private resources to grow the impact of innovative, community-based solutions that have compelling evidence of improving the lives of people in low-income communities throughout the United States. SIF was founded on the fundamental idea that we can make enormous progress towards overcoming the nation’s most significant challenges by finding and growing promising solutions with evidence of effectiveness. As part of this public/private partnership, AARP Foundation has matched dollar for dollar the $3 million it received from the Social Innovation Fund, effectively doubling to $6 million the total investment in the implementation and evaluation of BTW 50+: WESI. The same principle is

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required from community college subgrantees, which will also provide a 1:1 match to their subgrants.

A webinar that provides further details on program overview will be held on September 24, 2015 at 2:00 PM ET. Please visit www.aarpfoundation.org/sif for more information.

B. Implementation of BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative Building upon AARP Foundation’s current BACK TO WORK 50+ intervention, BTW 50+: WESI is a partnership between AARP Foundation and community colleges that create a continuum of services designed for unemployed and low income women. BTW50+ WESI enables participating community colleges to meet the needs of low income older workers in their community by developing employment and training services that equip older workers for in-demand jobs, build their financial capability, and strengthen their economic stability.

C. Specific Subgrant Activities

Establishing Project Infrastructure

Identify staff and infrastructure to support implementation and oversight of BTW 50+: WESI on campus and in the community.

Planning and Coordination

Establish a formal collaboration with Workforce Investment Boards, the community college career center, employers, non-profit service providers (including financial capability providers), and computer training instructors who will support job candidates in the core services.

Gather Resources for BTW 50+ Database

Submit college-centric “launch” information and local job search and support resources for the AARP Foundation Impact system.

Maintain Leadership Support

Demonstrate and maintain senior institutional leadership and an experienced manager for BTW 50+: WESI

Mixed Marketing and Outreach

Collaborate with AARP Foundation to use multiple channels to recruit 50+ female jobseekers interested in full-time employment and direct them to the AARP Foundation Call Center through the BACK TO WORK 50+ toll-free number for initial intake and registration for the information sessions.

Serve 8 waves Implement BTW 50+: WESI through at least eight waves of job candidates between March 2016 and December 2018. See the calendar in the Appendix.

Information Sessions Host a minimum of eight BTW 50+: WESI information sessions –at least one at the launch of each new wave. where 50+ job candidates will learn how to utilize AARP Foundation’s guide “7 Smart Strategies for 50+ Job seekers”1 in their own community; Each information session should host at least 63 female 50+ job candidates. Subgrantees may hold more information sessions with fewer candidates per session.

1 Learn more about “7 Smart Strategies for 50+ Jobseekers” at www.aarp.org/backtowork50plus.

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In addition to providing the above program services, the applicant should also plan for the following:

1. Key staff must participate in BTW 50+: WESI orientation in February or March 2016, monthly BTW 50+: WESI network virtual meetings, quarterly training (1.5 hours/quarter) and one-on-one meetings.

2. Program manager and coaches must use the AARP Foundation Impact system to track activities of individual job candidates from participation in the information session through hire, including job candidate entering information as their status change. In addition, a project manager should perform

2 Learn more about AARP Foundation Finances 50+ at www.aarp.org/finances50plus

Select Job Candidates for Core Services and Provide Coaching & Training

Enroll at least 35 job candidates per wave in the core services of the BTW 50+ program for up to 10 weeks. Core Services are:

• Cohort development and group coaching that builds a community network of 50+ job candidates;

• Targeted individual job search coaching and career counseling that provides an initial assessment, personal advising on current job search strategies, and assistance with a job search plan that is informed by local labor market information, input from local employers and training providers;

• Integrated financial capability building workshops and referrals to local resources that help build emergency savings and reduce debt using or based on AARP Foundation’s Finances 50+ curriculum; 2

• Computer skills assessment and training; • Access to short-term training and credentialing for locally in-

demand jobs; and • Activities that connect job candidates to employers through, for

example, hiring events, information interviews, work and learn opportunities.

A subset of this group will move on to specific job skills training offered by the community college that meets in-demand job requirements. Tuition assistance is an allowable cost of this subgrant and should be budgeted.

Episodic Coaching through Job Skills Training and Job Search

Continue to support BTW 50+: WESI job candidates after they have completed the core services while they are training for a specific job or pursuing a specific job.

Transition Support Continue to support BTW 50+: WESI job candidates for 30 days after they have been hired.

Employer Access Create opportunities for job candidates who participate in core services to have special access to interviews, internships, and possible work opportunities with local employers.

Evaluation Oversight and Data Capturing

Assist with AARP Foundation evaluation partners with local implementation and ensure timeliness of up-to-date job candidate data.

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data quality control checks on a regular basis. Subgrantees will comply with AARP Foundation data security requirements.

3. Subgrantee teams will also share learning, challenges, and best practices and collect stories from program graduates and stakeholders that demonstrate the impact of the initiative in their community.

4. Subgrantees should devote staff resources to compliance with CNCS grant regulations. Compliance efforts will continue throughout the grant period, but some – notably those pertaining to criminal history background check requirements – will also require significant effort at the outset of the grant.

BTW 50+: WESI applicants should also seek to achieve the following short-term outcomes:

1. Serve 520 women through information sessions, and 280 women through the core services during the 36-month subgrant period with an increasing percentage that complete the core services;

2. Identify factors that consistently lead to participants attaining relevant job search skills and successfully securing interviews and job offers;

3. Identify factors that encourage female job candidates to complete training for specific job skills required for in-demand jobs; and

4. Demonstrate that participants develop increased financial capability including increased savings, debt reduction and asset management.

A longer-term outcome is the percentage of participants who obtain and retain employment in locally in-demand industries.

D. Evaluation of the BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative

The BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative will build upon preliminary evidence from AARP Foundation’s existing BACK TO WORK 50+ program by reviewing data from the initial community college pilot sites located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas to establish baseline metrics. The goal of SIF funded programs is to move from preliminary to moderate or strong evidence within 3-5 years. Level of evidence definitions are provided in the endnotes.i

The framework for evaluating BTW 50+: WESI focuses on four key and interconnected questions: 1. Are 50+ women able to generate a steady source of income through employment after

participating in BTW 50+: WESI? 2. Are they able to develop the financial behaviors and capability that help them manage their

income effectively after participating in BTW 50+: WESI? 3. Are communities building the requisite and sustained capacity to help older women maintain

employment and manage it effectively for as long as needed after implementing BTW 50+: WESI?

4. What factors help to influence program completion rates, employment success, and financial stability among women age 50+ who participate in the BTW 50+: WESI program?

AARP Foundation has contracted with an independent evaluation firm that will supervise the entire

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evaluation process as well as design and carry out implementation evaluations3 for each subgrantee. The impact evaluation will begin in the third year of the subgrant cycle to establish causal evidence of BTW 50+: WESI’s impact. It is also expected that subgrantees will use evaluation findings to improve their BTW 50+: WESI and share their learnings throughout the national SIF economic opportunity network of subgrantees doing similar work with other intermediary organizations.

Subgrantees will participate in the evaluation at a minimum by: • Contributing to the development of data collection protocols based on their understanding of

program operations; • Informing participating job candidates that BTW 50+: WESI is under review and their

feedback and involvement is extremely important; • Entering information into the AARP Foundation Impact system at least monthly about each

job candidate who enrolls in BTW 50+: WESI; • Administering baseline/customer satisfaction surveys during information sessions and

sending completed copies to the evaluation team; • Participating in in-depth interviews with evaluation staff for the implementation evaluation; and • Tracking information about hired participants in the AARP Foundation Impact system,

following up with these individuals 30 days after the hired date, and informing them that they will be contacted at 90 days and 6 months after hired date by the evaluation team.

• With the support of AARP Foundation’s independent evaluation firm, coordinating with local Institutional Review Boards to secure approval for various phases of the evaluation process.

The staff activities above may not include all that is necessary to support the evaluations. Subgrantees should plan to commit sufficient resources to the evaluation process.

E. Federal Grant Compliance

This program is funded by AARP Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service Social Innovation Fund. The subgrants are federal grants, and subgrantees will need to commit to the terms and conditions for receiving federal grants (which may change or be updated by the federal government during the project period). Awardees will be subject to the following (as applicable):

1. 2 CFR Part 175: Award term for trafficking in persons 2. 2 CFR Parts 180 and 2200: Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension 3. 2 CFR Part 215 and 45 CFR Part 2543: Uniform Administrative Requirements for

Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-110)

4. 2 CFR Part 220: Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular A-21) 5. 2 CFR Part 225: Cost Principles for State, Local and Tribal Governments (OMB

Circular A-87) 6. 2 CFR Part 230: Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122)

3 Definition: Implementation evaluations are similar to process evaluations, as they assess program delivery (a subset of formative evaluation).

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7. 45 CFR Part 2541: Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments

8. 45 CFR Part 2545: Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)

9. 45 CFR Part 2555: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance

The Single Audit Act (31 U.S.C. Chapter 75) and OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/a133/a133_revised_2007.pdf). In addition, subgrantees must also comply with additional provisions from the Corporation for National and Community Services, which include:

• Keeping timesheets for every employee who is supported by the subgrant or the matching funding committed to the project.

• Conducting the specific individual eligibility check for each employee and coach who is supported by the subgrant or the matching funding committed to the project.

• The individual eligibility checks must be completed prior to project start and must include: o search on National Sex Offender Public Website; o for project staff not engaging with job candidates on regular basis: criminal

background check in state of residence and state of work; o for project staff that are engaging with job candidates on regular basis: FBI check.

Subgrantee must retain a record of the National Sex Offender Public Website search and associated results either by printing the screen(s) or by some other method that retains paper or digital images of the NSOPW checks that shows the date the search was performed. Subgrantee’s inability to demonstrate that it conducted an NSOPW or the required criminal history check as specified in the regulations may result in sanctions, including disallowance of costs.

For additional details and resources on CNCS’s criminal history background check requirements, please visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/criminal-history-check.

• Refraining from engaging in prohibited activities mentioned throughout this RFA.

F. Additional Support and In-Kind Assistance from AARP Foundation

AARP Foundation will select subgrantees and administer the subgrants, AARP Foundation is contracting with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), which will provide technical assistance and day-to-day program management.

In addition to funding, AARP Foundation will provide in-kind investments and technical assistance to enhance community college activities. They include:

• Multi-channel marketing using co-branded materials and newspaper ads placed in local newspapers.

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• Promotion through the AARP network, and in collaboration with AARP state offices. • Staff licenses and training for data collection and report generation in the AARP Foundation

Impact system. • Access to the BACK TO WORK 50+ Community of Practice. • “7 Smart Strategies for 50+ Jobseekers” guides and AARP Foundation Finances 50+

session workbooks for facilitators and participants. • Access to and training on the BACK TO WORK 50+ Virtual Career Network (VCN). • Additional training and program resources as needed.

II. Eligibility Information A. Applicant must be a community college (excluding for-profits) located in:

1. Alabama; 2. Arizona; 3. California; 4. Georgia; 5. Florida; 6. Illinois 7. Mississippi 8. New Mexico; 9. New York; 10. North Carolina 11. South Carolina; 12. Tennessee; and 13. Texas.

B. Geographic service area includes substantial concentration of low-income and under or

unemployed women ages 50 and older. Low income is defined as:

• A population of individuals or households being served by a subgrantee on the basis of having a household income that is 200 percent or less of the applicable federal poverty guideline, or

• Either a population of individuals or households, or a specific local geographic area, with specific measurable indicators that correlate to low-income status, such as, but not exclusive to, K-12 job candidates qualifying for free- or reduced-lunch, long-term unemployment, risk of homelessness, low school achievement, persistent hunger, or serious mental illness. An application that proposes to rely on measurable indicators should fully describe the basis for relying upon those indicators (including citations to appropriate studies). The application also must describe and cite the source of data supporting the conclusion that the targeted community meets the indicators; or.

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Underemployed is defined as: • A worker who is working part time but would like to work more hours towards being a

full-time employee to earn a family sustaining income; or • A worker who is overqualified for her current position and seeks a position that suits

her current qualifications, which, as a result, would increase her total income towards a family sustaining income.

Unemployed is defined as:

• A worker who does not have a paid job and is actively looking for work, but is unable to find employment.

C. Commitment to provide 1:1 direct cash match to subgrant. Subgrantees are required to match the entire amount of the subgrant from AARP Foundation on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The match must be in non-federal cash and in-kind match is not allowable. Matching funds may come from state, local, or private sources, which may include state or local agencies, businesses, private philanthropic organizations, or individuals. Federal funds, including federal block grants being distributed by state or local governments, may not be used toward the match requirement. In general, the following types of funding are allowable as match:

• Unrestricted funding; • Funding restricted specifically for the SIF project; • State or local government funds, provided they are not federal in origin and not

already dedicated to an existing project; • Cash; and • Program incomes, excluding federal sources (e.g., tuition).

In general, the following are not allowable as match:

• Federal funding, including pass-through funds; • Funding restricted to a another program or project; and • In-kind donations. • Staff time contributed by another organization.

D. Commitment to comply with Social Innovation Fund and Federal Grant Policies.

Applicants must have the capability to meet federal grant requirements. Organizations that have been convicted of a federal crime are not eligible to apply. Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 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.

III. Subgrant Award Information

A. Potential Award Ranges • Total subgrant awards: up to three

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• Subgrant ranges: $100,000-$200,000 per year

B. Subgrant Period

January 1, 2016- February 28, 2019 Because only a year 1 budget is required for submission, the grantee will submit six weeks prior to the end of project year a simplified application for continuance, which will include a budget for the next project year. Continuation will be based upon current performance (as detailed in grant agreement’s scope of work) and compliance to grant terms. Subgrantee will be required to meet the match every 12 months of the grant. The subgrant period may extend beyond the 38-month period pending status of the evaluation, progress of subgrantee towards project goals and available funding.

C. Reporting Requirements

Subrecipients will be required to submit calendar quarterly reports that provide programmatic status of their project. Reports are due 20 days after the end of the calendar quarter.

Subrecipients will be required to submit quarterly or monthly financial reports that provide details with regards to project expenses incurred and allocation of expenses between Federal share and subrecipient (match) share. Reimbursement for expenses for each report month will not exceed the match portion. Financial reports also include details with regards to funding sources for the match requirement. Financial reports are due 20 days after the end of the reporting period.

The subgrantee will receive contact information on individual participants through AARP Foundation Impact, a client relationships management (CRM) system. The subgrantee will update the AARP Foundation Impact system with the particular services that are provided to each participant of the information sessions who are accepted into the coaching and training programs. Each subgrantee staff person will receive a license to use Foundation Impact and will receive training on how to use the system. AARP Foundation shall cover the cost of the annual license and shall provide help desk support for users. The subgrantee must update participant records by the 9th of each month, based on the previous month’s activity though more frequent updating is strongly encouraged.

D. Indirect Cost Rate

Applicant should use its Federally-negotiated and approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (“ICRA”) in its budget. If the applicant does not have a Federally-negotiated and approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, it should use 10%. Applicant’s indirect costs charged to the Federal Share cannot exceed 10% of total direct costs. Additional Indirect Costs may be allowable to charge against the Subrecipient Share.

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Target # (for 3 years) Number of women who attend information sessions

520

Number of women who complete core services expectations, and gain employment

280 Core Services 180 Employed

Number of women who enroll in specific job skills training; (a subset of those who join core services)

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IV. Application Information

The online application requests basic organizational contact information as well as the sections listed below.

Project Summary (250 character limit) In a few sentences, briefly explain your proposed BTW 50+: WESI project including the geographic area you will serve and potential partner organizations.

A. Program Experience (8000 character limit)

In this section, applicants should articulate how they meet the eligibility criteria for this subgrant and describe the geography and demographics of their service area. Also include experience and understanding of how to address known barriers to reach and engage specific vulnerable populations with special emphasis on older workers.

Applicants should include experience in designing, implementing and assessing workforce development programs or initiatives that demonstrate solid infrastructure, institutional commitment and potential for success in adopting BTW 50+: WESI. Priority will be given to community colleges that are currently implementing and evaluating programs or initiatives focused on identifying low-income job candidates from a particular at-risk category and enhancing their opportunities for work attachment. This program experience should be described in detail, including how it will be utilized to implement the proposed WESI program.

B. BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative Implementation (8000 character limit) Outline the labor market in your community and the projected in-demand entry jobs relevant to job skills of BTW 50+: WESI target population. Explain how your institution will work with employers and others to develop specific job skills training to prepare workers for those jobs. Connect those opportunities to the pipeline of support you will provide for 50+ unemployed and underemployed women through BTW 50+: WESI. Describe how you will host the information sessions, provide the core services described earlier in this RFA, and continue to support job candidates through their specific job skills training, job search, and initial employment period. Explain the steps you will take to ensure you are able to meet the subgrant targets. If you need to adjust the targets to reflect reality of your service, provide new targets and an explanation. Articulate the challenges you foresee and how you will address them in your planning and implementation. On-going project management is a critical feature of the WESI program. Applicants must have a dedicated project manager identified at the start of the grant period. Please provide

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the name of the dedicated project manager, including title, and how the individual’s time will be allocated towards the project.

A key component and future vision of BTW 50+: WESI is a collective impact4 approach initiated locally through subgrantees. Community colleges are invited to discuss any experience they have partnering with a local workforce investment board and working with employers and other applicable non-profit organizations. Priority will be given to those applicants intending to enhance or develop a formal coalition or network that would work with AARP Foundation to develop common outcomes and a vision for long-term impact in helping economically disadvantaged older women generate steady sources of family sustaining income.

C. Commitment to Evaluation (8000 character limit) Applicants will need to demonstrate their commitment of the time and resources it takes to participate in evaluation activities, which will result in implementation evaluations in years 1 - 3 and an impact evaluation beginning in year 3. Describe how your team will work with an evaluation firm and collect high quality data throughout multiple phases of the program. Some of these data will be qualitative in nature, such as using log sheets to document coaching sessions and record observations about partnership development, relationships with employers, feedback from job candidates, changes to program operations and more. Applicants will need to show they are committed to such data collection activities and are willing to dedicate the time and resources needed to work with the external evaluator and participate in evaluation training activities. This will include clear communication and documentation about how BTW 50+: WESI will be implemented and the extent to which subgrantee inputs, activities and outputs are adhering to the program model (e.g., fidelity of implementation based on the logic model). Finally, describe who will be responsible for inputting data into the AARP Foundation Impact system and how you will provide oversight. Applicants must explicitly state their willingness and commitment to use the AARP Foundation Impact system to enter client data in a timely manner and/or anytime there is a status change (e.g., job candidate moves from “training” to “job pursuit”). Experience with client relationship management systems will be considered as an added capability. Applicants will need to demonstrate their understanding and commitment to quality control of data entry, and express interest in using these data for improvement of BTW 50+: WESI as well as other workforce development programs they may be implementing. Applicant should also include evidence from similar workforce development programs that the applicant has implemented and present data illustrating applicant’s experience with client tracking and follow-up and the ability to capture attrition rates (and the reasons for them) accurately.

4 Collective Impact is a model in which cross-sector coalitions form to identify a common set of challenges and evidence-informed and evidence-based solutions, and then work together to implement the solution. See the SIF NOFA for specific characteristics. http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2014_SIF_NOFA_1.pdf

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D. Organizational Capacity (8000 character limit) Organizational capacity should include institutional commitment to administer the program through the corporate and career education department or a similar department that maintains relationships with employers on campus. Evidence of institutional commitment may include description of how BTW50:WESI participants would be supported by a student career center and documentation of dedicated staff with sufficient internal managerial authority to drive the program to success. Applicants should document evidence of structural institutional connections to the workforce development system, including examples of successful working relationships with local workforce investment boards and local employers. Applicants should document their experience in managing and/or participating in federal grants, including compliance with federal grant reporting requirements, adequate fiscal controls and systems to manage a federal grant, and ability to abide by the additional terms and conditions included in RFA. Additional evidence of institutional commitment should include senior leadership commitment to the 1:1 match requirement; senior leadership commitment to creating a unique BTW50+:WESI presence within the community college’s programs and services; and assignment of the BTW 50+: WESI project manager role to an internal staff person with line responsibility and managerial authority over the coaches.

Priority will be shown to community colleges that document structural and leadership commitment to this project.

E. Budget Narrative (5000 character limit)

The proposal should contain a one-year budget that reflects both the requested subgrant and the 1:1 match.

Applicants’ budgets will be reviewed to ensure that they are reasonable and appropriate to meet applicants’ proposed program goals. Applicants’ budget narratives should align with the proposed budget. For items such as travel and consultants, please include details in how the total amount was determined. For example, if you list $2000 in travel, you should provide amount for transportation, hotel, food, etc. per person for each trip. For hourly staff (e.g., coaches), you should include number of hours and hourly rate you anticipate. When completing your budget, you should also include the staff time needed to participate in evaluation activities, such as entering participant data in the AARP Foundation Impact system, administering surveys and participating in in-depth interviews conducted by evaluators. Include travel for up to four staff members to attend the BTW 50+: WESI Orientation in February or March 2016 at AARP Foundation in Washington, DC, and the costs to conduct background checks. Finally, costs for marketing/outreach, tuition assistance, and supportive services should be included in the overall budget. We recommend budgeting for at least a ..5FTE for a program manager and that ideally coaches

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will dedicate at least 20 hours a week to providing and supporting the Core Services, and data entry needs of this program.

V. Review Criteria A. Program Experience (20%)

AARP Foundation will assess applicants’ experiences in designing, implementing and assessing workforce development programs or initiatives that demonstrate solid infrastructure, institutional commitment and potential for success in adopting the WESI model. Priority will be given to community colleges that are currently implementing and evaluating programs or initiatives focused on identifying low-income students from a particular at-risk category and enhancing their opportunities for academic success and work attachment. Applicants also will be assessed on their experience and capacity to provide a range of services designed to build and sustain a pathway for students to follow from study to employment. Pathway elements that AARP Foundation’s preliminary evidence suggests would be relevant to positive program outcomes include experience providing financial capability training; experience providing student coaching toward job attachment; and mutually beneficial working relationships with local workforce investment boards and local employers. The scoring criteria of the Program Experience section will be: • Current implementers of BACK TO WORK 50+ or similar workforce development

program focused on enhancing outcomes for a distinct category of students, particularly women and/or 50+, and has preliminary evidence of existing program effectiveness (e.g., graduation/completion rates).

• Participation in Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCT) grant program or similar federal grants.

• Demonstrated experience providing financial capability and/or literacy training. • Demonstrated experience providing student coaching toward job attachment or similar

activity. • Demonstrated staff capacity to lead and manage workforce-related projects focused on

positive employment outcomes. • Existing functional relationships with local workforce investment boards and employers

(particularly those in growth industries). • Demonstrated experience in providing a pipeline of students moving from academic

study and skill development to gainful employment. • Demonstrated understanding of the state, regional and local labor and services market. • Presenting a compelling statement of need for their college and surrounding community,

including understanding of the vulnerable 50+ population and gaps in services that will be addressed through their program.

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B. BACK TO WORK 50+: WESI Program Model Implementation (20%)

AARP Foundation will assess applicants’ plan to implement the WESI model in their own communities. Applicants also will be assessed on their experience and capacity to provide a range of services designed to build and sustain a pathway for job candidates from Core Services to employment. Pathway elements that AARP Foundation’s preliminary evidence suggests would be relevant to positive program outcomes include experience providing financial capability training; experience providing student coaching toward job attachment; and mutually beneficial working relationships with local workforce investment boards and local employers.

The scoring criteria of the Program Model Implementation section will be:

• Detailed understanding on how current experiences relate to implementation of BTW 50+: WESI.

• Clear understanding on how applicant will implement BTW 50+: WESI. • A logic model that outlines how the applicant plans to execute the initiative in their

community. • A plan for how the applicant will reach and serve the target numbers of female job

candidates within the scope of the subgrant period. • A description of how the applicant will manage the compliance requirements of the

federal grant.

C. Commitment to Evaluation (20%) Applicants will need to demonstrate their understanding of the time and resources it takes to work with an evaluation firm and collect high quality data throughout multiple phases of the program. Some of these data will be qualitative in nature, such as using log sheets to document coaching sessions and record observations about partnership development, relationships with employers, feedback from clients and more. Applicants will need to show they are committed to such data collection activities and have the resources to work with the external evaluator. This will include clear communication and documentation about how the WESI model should work and the extent to which activities are adhering to this model (e.g., fidelity of implementation). Applicants must explicitly state their willingness and commitment to using AARP Foundation’s proprietary technology-based client profile and management system, the Foundation Impact system, to enter client data in a timely manner and/or anytime there is a status change (e.g., client moves from “training” to “job pursuit”). Experience with client relationship management systems, especially Salesforce, will be considered as an added capability. Applicants will need to demonstrate their understanding and commitment to quality control of data entry, and express interest in using these data for improvement of the WESI program as well as other workforce development programs they may be implementing. Evidence from similar workforce development programs that the applicant has implemented will be assessed. Applicants will be asked to present data illustrating how clients have progressed through their programs, including applicants’ experience with client tracking and

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follow-up and the ability to capture attrition rates (and the reasons for them) accurately. A key component of the WESI project is a collective impact approach initiated locally by the subgrantee. Community colleges will be invited to propose how they will begin to lay the groundwork for this approach in the first year by partnering with a local workforce investment board, and working with employers and other applicable non-profit organizations. Ultimately the intent is to develop a formal coalition or network that would work with AARP Foundation to develop common outcomes and a vision for long-term impact in helping economically disadvantaged women generate steady sources of family sustaining income.

The scoring criteria of the Commitment to Evaluation section will be:

• Understanding of and commitment to evaluation activities and working with an independent evaluation firm.

• Ability to utilize the Foundation Impact System for data entry and exercise quality control over their data in the interest of the project and their own learning.

• Demonstrated assessment of prior program experience and effectiveness. • Plan for adopting a collective impact approach to workforce development within the

local community. • Understanding of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) in their institution.

D. Organizational Capacity (30%)

AARP Foundation will assess applicants’ organizational capacity to successfully execute the program goals they outline in their proposals. Priority will be shown to community colleges who document structural and leadership commitment to this project. Evidence of institutional commitment may include the presence of a student career center and documentation of dedicated staff with sufficient internal managerial authority to drive the program to success. Applicants should document evidence of structural institutional connections to the workforce development system, including examples of successful working relationships with local workforce investment boards and local employers. Applicants should document their experience in managing and/or participating in federal grants, including complying with federal grant reporting requirements. Applicants should document their institutional commitment to the project. Evidence of institutional commitment should include senior leadership commitment to the 1:1 match requirement; senior leadership commitment to the integration of WESI program model into the community college’s programs and services; and assigning the WESI project manager role to an internal staff person with line responsibility and managerial authority.

The scoring criteria of the Organizational Capacity section will be:

• BACK TO WORK 50+ WESI is housed in the area of the community college with primary responsibility for corporate and career education, workforce development training, short term training and/or career counseling and has access to dedicated business services/employer focused staff.

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• College has a dedicated student career center and demonstrated engagement with local employers in opportunities with highest employment need.

• Clear plan for program management including dedicated internal staff with sufficient managerial and decision-making authority.

• Evidence of structural institutional connections to workforce development system, including local workforce investment board and employers.

• Demonstrated experience managing and/or participating in federal grant programs, including reporting and controls to maintain compliance.

• Demonstrated evidence of institutional and leadership commitment to the project through coordinated leveraged internal expertise for academic advising, enrollment, financial aid, and internships/ work experience.

E. Budget Appropriateness (10%) Applicants’ budgets will be reviewed to ensure that they are reasonable and appropriate to meet applicants’ proposed program goals. Applicants’ budget narratives should align with proposed budgets.

The scoring criteria of the Budget Appropriateness section will be

• Budget line items align with budget narrative. • Budget proposal reasonable and appropriate to meet program goals. • Budget includes adequate staff time dedicated to the initiative.

VI. Application Process

A. Letter of Intent All applicants interested in applying for the BTW 50+: WESI subgrants are strongly encouraged to submit a non-binding Letter of Intent to AARP Foundation by September 25, 2015. The letter of intent should be submitted to SIF@aarp.org. In the subject line, applicants should write Letter of Intent.

In the body of the email, applicants should list: • Name of organization • Address of organization • Name of authorized representative • Title of authorized representative • Email of authorized representative • Phone of authorized representative • Geographic area served

B. Application Process All applicants must complete their application online. For any organization that has not applied online with AARP Foundation, it should begin the application process by going to www.aarpfoundation.org/sif. On this site will be a link to the online application. Organizations

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that have not applied for grants to AARP Foundation will need to register their authorized representative.

There will be two webinars to assist applicants. The first webinar will focus on programmatic and evaluation elements of the BTW 50+: WESI program and will be held on September 21st at 3:00 PM ET. The second webinar will focus on application and compliance requirements and will be held on September 23 at 3:00 PM ET. Webinar details will be made available on www.aarpfoundation.org/sif, which will also include a recording of the webinar. If, after the webinar, applicants have additional questions, please send your questions to SIF@aarp.org. Questions will be summarized and answered on www.aarpfoundation.org/sif beginning on September 21. Updates to the FAQ will be posted on a weekly basis, as needed, each Thursday afternoon up to the application deadline of October 22.

In addition, the applicant should upload the following components when completing the application: 1. One-year budget utilizing the budget template (which is available on

www.aarpfoundation.org/sif). 2. Letter of project commitment from community college president/provost. 3. Letter from CFO confirming ability to meet match. 4. Letters of commitment from local workforce investment board(s) and employer(s). 5. Most recent A-133 audit. 6. Most recent letter stating current federal indirect cost rate. 7. Documentation stating existing tax status:

IRS certification of non-profit status; A copy IRS affirm instrumentality letter; A letter ruling showing their exemption under IRS Section 115; or Formal documentation from the sovereign state's taxing authority that gives

them governmental powers.

VII. Timeline Please note several key dates that we expect applicants to be aware of when submitting their application.

1) October 30 – November 9, 201: AARP Foundation will contact by October 30 applicant’s primary contact with a list of clarification questions identified by the reviewers. Applicants must reply via email to SIF@aarp.org by 11:59 PM ET on November 9.

2) November 12-20, 2015: During this time AARP Foundation will make site visits to finalists to seek application clarification, current and potential capability for federal grant compliance and understand its capacity and commitment towards data capturing and evaluation. Institution leaders, project lead, development/external relations office and staff overseeing financial oversight and grant compliance should be made available.

3) There will be a Subgrantee convening at AARP Foundation headquarters in Washington, DC in February or March, 2016. The two-day on-boarding session will focus on the WESI model, federal and CNCS grant compliance training, relationship development and evaluation preparation. Individuals responsible for project oversight, grant compliance, evaluation implementation should attend the convening.

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Below is the expected timeline for the subgrant award process.

• September 21, 2015: Programmatic and evaluation webinar • September 23, 2015: Technical assistance for application process webinar • September 25, 2015: Non-binding letter of intent deadline • October 22, 2015: Proposal deadline • November 5, 2015: Finalists contacted with request for clarification and copies of subgrant

agreement terms and conditions • November 12, 2015: Deadline for clarification • November 12-19, 2015: Site visits (virtual and actual) to finalists • December 12, 2015: Approved subgrantees notified with request for any change in terms

and conditions • December 17, 2015: Final subgrantee award terms and conditions sent to subgrantees • January 15, 2016: Signed Grant Awards Returned to AARP FDN • February/March, 2016: Grantee convening

VIII. Additional Terms and Conditions Applicants should also be aware of terms and conditions of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Social Innovation Fund Grant, which will also be included in subgrant agreements. While these are not all of the terms and conditions that will be included in the subgrant agreement, we want to highlight sections that focus primarily on grant compliance and oversight.

A. Financial Management Standards 1. General The subgrantee must maintain financial management systems that include standard accounting practices, sufficient internal controls, a clear audit trail, and written cost allocation procedures, as necessary. The subgrantee’s financial management systems must be capable of distinguishing expenditures attributable to this award from expenditures not attributable to this award. The systems must be able to identify costs by programmatic year and by budget category and to differentiate between direct and indirect costs or administrative costs. For further details about the grantee’s financial management responsibilities, refer to OMB Circular A-102 and its implementing regulations (45 CFR Part 2541) or A-110 (2 CFR Part 215) and it’s implementing regulations (45 CFR Part 2543), as other applicable OMB regulations. 2. Consistency of Treatment To be allowable under an award, costs must be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally financed and other activities of the subgrantee. Furthermore, the costs must be accorded consistent treatment in both federally financed and other activities, as well as between activities, supported by different sources of funds. 3. Audits Organizations that expend $500,000 or more in a year in total federal awards (grants or cooperative agreements) shall have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the Single Audit Act, as amended, 31 U.S.C. 7501, et seq., and

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OMB Circular A-133. If the Awardee expends federal awards under only one federal program, it may elect to have a program specific audit, if it is otherwise eligible. A grantee that does not expend $500,000 in federal awards is exempt from the single audit requirements of OMB Circular A-133 for that year. However, records must be available for review and audit. The recipient of a federal grant (pass-through entity) is required in accordance with paragraph 400(d) of OMB Circular A-133, to do the following with regard to its subrecipients: (1) identify the federal award and funding source; (2) advise subrecipients of all requirements imposed on them; (3) monitor subrecipient activities and compliance; (4) ensure subrecipients have A-133 audits when required; (5) issue decisions and ensure follow-up on audit findings in a timely manner; (6) where necessary, adjust its own records and financial statements based on audits; and (7) require subrecipients to permit access by the pass-through entity and auditors to records and financial statements, as necessary, for the pass-through entity to comply with A-133. 4. Indirect Cost Rates Reimbursement for indirect costs, general and administrative costs, overhead, or any similar cost rate type agreement, will be at the rate(s) and on the base(s) specified in the approved award budget. These amounts are subject to finalization by AARP Foundation or CNCS. Any provisional rate(s) is subject to downward adjustment only under this award. Accordingly, final approved rate(s) charged to this award may not exceed the maximum provisional rate(s).

5. Program Income

a. General. Income, including any fees for service earned as a direct result of the subgrant-funded program activities during the award period, must be retained by the subgrantee and used towards match requirement.

b. Excess Program Income. Program income earned in excess of the amount needed to finance the subgrantee match must be added to funds committed to the subgrant-funded project and used to further expand eligible program activities and objectives.

B. Prohibited Program Activities

Subgrantees must comply with the prohibitions on use of CNCS funds in section 174 of the NCSA (42 U.S.C.§12634). While charging time to this subgrant, the subgrantee, and anyone acting under the supervision or authority of the subgrantee, may not engage in the following activities: 1. Attempting to influence legislation. 2. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes. 3. Assisting, promoting or deterring union organizing. 4. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements. 5. Engaging in partisan political activities or other activities designed to influence the

outcome of an election to any public office. 6. Conducting a voter registration drive or using subgrant funds to conduct a voter

registration drive.

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7. Participating, in or endorsing, events or activities that is likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected Officers.

8. Engaging in religious instruction; conducting worship services; providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship; constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship; maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship; or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.

9. Providing a direct benefit to: a. A for-profit entity; b. A labor union; c. A partisan political organization; d. An organization engaged in the religious activities described in the preceding

subclause, unless Agreement funds are not used to support the religious activities; or

e. A nonprofit entity that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section(c)(3) of U.S.C. Title 26.

10. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services. 11. Subgrant funds may not be used for international travel or projects where the primary

beneficiaries of an activity are outside the United States. 12. Such other activities as CNCS or AARP Foundation may prohibit.

Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the above activities on their own initiative, on non-CNCS time, and using non-CNCS funds.

C. Certification – Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters

Acceptance of the subgrant agreement will result in certification required by the government-wide regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, 2 CFR Part 180, Section 180.335 that neither the applicant nor its principals:

1. Is presently excluded or disqualified; 2. Has been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in §

180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it for one of those offenses within that time period; Is presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State, or local) with commission or any of the offenses listed in § 180.800(a); or

3. Has had one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or default.

The terms “debarment”, “suspension”, “excluded”, “disqualified”, “ineligible”, “participant”, “person”, “principal”, and “voluntarily excluded” as used in this document have the meanings set out in 2 CFR Part 180, subpart I, “Definitions.” A transaction shall be considered a “covered transaction” if it meets the definition in 2 CFR part 180 subpart B, “Covered Transactions.”

D. Assurance requirement for subgrant agreements

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You agree by submitting this proposal that if we approve your application you shall not knowingly enter into any lower tier covered transaction with a person who is debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this covered transaction, unless authorized by us.

E. Assurance inclusion in subgrant agreements You agree by submitting this proposal that you will obtain an assurance from prospective participants in all lower tier covered transactions and in all solicitations for lower tier covered transactions that the participants are not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction.

F. Assurance of subgrant principals You may rely upon an assurance of a prospective participant in a lower-tier covered transaction that is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction, unless you know that the assurance is erroneous. You may decide the method and frequency by which you determine the eligibility of your principals. You may, but are not required to, check the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs.

G. Non-assurance in subgrant agreements If you knowingly enter into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended, debarred, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction, in addition to other remedies available to the federal government, we may terminate this transaction for cause or default.

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Appendix 1: BACK TO WORK 50+ WESI Wave Cycle Calendar

Cohort Month Activity # of Participants

February (2016) Launch Initiative by completing

Background checks etc.

Feb-March Planning/Training

Wav

e #1

April-June (2016) Information Sessions 63 JuneAugust Core Services (10 weeks) 35 Sept 2016-March 2017

Employment, Job Specific Training, or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

Oct 2016-Sept 2017 Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths) Up to 30 who become employed

Implementation Evaluations

Wav

e #2

September (2016) Information Sessions 63 Oct-Dec Core Services (10 weeks) 35

Jan–June (2017) Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

Feb-Dec Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths) Up to 30 who become employed

Wav

e #3

January (2017) Information Sessions 63

Feb-April Core Services (10 weeks) 35

April- Sept Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

May 2017-Mar 2018 Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths) Up to 30 who become employed

Wav

e #4

April (2017) Information Sessions 63 May-July Core Services (10 weeks) 35

July-Dec Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

Aug 2017-June 2018

Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths) Up to 30 who become employed

Wav

e #5

July (2017) Information Sessions 63/ Aug-Oct Core Services (10 weeks) 35

Oct-May Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

Nov 2017-Nov 2018 Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths) Up to 30 who become employed

Wav

e #6

Oct (2017) Information Sessions 63/ Oct-Dec Core Services (10 weeks) 35

Jan-May (2018) Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

Feb-Nov Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths) Up to 30 who become employed

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i CNCS and the Social Innovation Fund use the following definitions of preliminary, moderate and strong evidencei, recognizing there are multiple levels of development within each tier.

1. Preliminary evidence means evidence that is based on a reasonable hypothesis supported by credible research findings. Thus, research that has yielded promising results for either the program model or a similar program model will meet CNCS’ criteria. Examples of research that meet the standards include: 1) outcome studies that track participants through a program and measure participants’ responses at the end of the program; and 2) third-party pre- and post-test research that determines whether participants have improved on an intended outcome.

2. Moderate evidence means evidence from previous studies on the program, the designs of which can support causal conclusions (i.e., studies with high internal validity) but have limited generalizability (i.e., moderate external validity). This also can include studies for which the reverse is true—studies that only support moderate causal conclusions but have broad general applicability. The following would constitute moderate evidence: (1) At least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental or quasi-experimental study supporting the effectiveness of the practice strategy, or program, with small sample sizes or other conditions of implementation or analysis that limit generalizability; (2) at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental or quasi-experimental study that does not demonstrate equivalence between the intervention and comparison groups at program entry but that has no other major flaws related to internal validity; or (3) correlational research with strong statistical controls for selection bias and for discerning the influence of internal factors.

3. Strong evidence means evidence from previous studies on the program, the designs of which can support causal conclusions (i.e., studies with high internal validity), and that, in total, include enough of the range of participants and settings to support scaling up to the state, regional, or national level (i.e., studies with high external validity). The following are examples of strong evidence: (1) More than one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study or well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study that supports the effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program; or (2) one large, well-designed and well-implemented randomized controlled, multisite trial that supports the effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program.

Impact Evaluation W

ave

#7

Jan (2018) Information Sessions 63/site Feb-April Core Services (10 weeks) 35/site

April-Oct Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

May 2018-April 2019 Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths)

Up to 30 who become employed

Wav

e #8

April (2018) Information Sessions 63/site May-July Core Services (10 weeks) 35/site

July-Dec Employment, Job Specific Training or In Job Pursuit

Estimated 10 in training and 20 in employment or job pursuit

Aug 2018- June 2019 Post-Employment Follow-up (30 days, 90 days and 6 mths)

Up to 30 who become employed