2021 CARES ACT MINI-GRANT for Providers of Supportive Services for Older Adults and/or Care Partners

Background

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law March 27, 2020, provides additional funding to states, territories and tribes for the various programs authorized by the Older Americans Act (OAA). CARES Act funds will help strengthen services that support the health, safety, and independence of older adults and their caregivers challenged by the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. To help support the great dedication by community partners in York and Cumberland Counties, Southern Maine Agency on Aging will serve as a pass-through agent, helping to disseminate CARES Act funds by making one-time Mini-Grants to qualified organizations delivering vital support services to older adults and their care partners in York and Cumberland Counties.

Funds will be distributed through a competitive grant application process. Organizations may apply for one-time grants of up to $7,500.

Eligibility

If you represent a community-based organization that serves older adults and/or their care partners and you have seen a significant increase in demand for your services, lost revenue due to closure, lost an ability to fundraise, or have identified financial challenges in returning to full operations post-pandemic, you are eligible to apply. An organization must be a non-profit exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in order to be eligible for the CARES Act Mini-Grant. The following groups are eligible to apply for a CARES Act Mini-Grant:

Community-based organizations operating York or Cumberland County that serve older adults (aged 60+) and their care partners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizations providing services that meet essential needs of older adults in York and Cumberland Counties including, but not limited to: adaptive equipment, heating and/or cooking fuel, services that mitigate social isolation, home modification/repair, transportation, grocery shopping, and in-home support such as homemaking and personal care.
If your community-based organization has already received a CARES Mini-grant from the Southern Maine Agency on Aging or elsewhere and you are otherwise eligible, you can apply again for additional funding in this round.

Priority

As defined under the Older Americans Act, priority will be given to organizations that serve older adults with the greatest economic and social need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals, including low-income minority older individuals, older individuals with limited English proficiency, and older individuals residing in rural areas).

Funding

Submission of an application does not guarantee that a CARES Mini-grant will be awarded.
CARES Mini-grants will be awarded up to $7,500 per organization as determined by SMAA.
CARES Mini-grant funds may be requested by an organization in order for reimbursement of expenses relating to COVID-19 response activities or programming.
All applications must provide a brief budget to justify the need for the CARES Mini-grant applied for and how such award will be used on COVID-19 related expenses.

Timeframe

Applications must be submitted by midnight on Friday, March 5th. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.
Award notices will be announced and dispersed in March.
The grant term runs 1/1/2021 – 9/30/2021, which means that all funds must be utilized during this period.
Funds can be used for expenses that have already been accrued during the COVID-19 crisis, with documentation and receipts provided.

Reporting

Data reporting will be expected. CARES Mini-grant recipients must track all expenses paid or reimbursed by the grant amounts and keep records of such for no less than 7 years from the date they receive the CARES Mini-grant funding.
Each awarded recipient will need to send the following to SMAA on or before October 10, 2021:

1) How many unduplicated clients were served (i.e. 20 clients) during the grant term
2) The total “units of service” provided during the grant period (i.e. 200 meals) during the grant term.

By submitting this application for CARES Mini-grant funds, you, on behalf of your organization, agree and acknowledge as follows:

All information submitted in the application is accurate and complete.
The organization meets all eligibility requirements necessary to receive the CARES Mini-grant funds applied for.

All grant funds shall be used solely for the purposes described in the original application. The funds shall not be expended for any other purpose without SMAA’s prior written approval. Any funds not expended for the purposes of stated in the original application during the term of the funding period must be immediately repaid to SMAA.

Records of receipts and expenditures paid or reimbursed by the CARES Mini-grant funds, as well as copies of reports submitted to SMAA, shall be kept for at least 7 years following completion of the grant term.

SMAA shall have the right to monitor and conduct an evaluation of this grant and to review financial and other records regarding the grantee’s use of CARES Mini-grant funds. The organization’s books and records shall be made available for SMAA’s inspection within 5 business days of a request from SMAA for the purpose of verifying expenditures and reviewing program activities and accomplishments. An organization failing to make such documentation available to SMAA as described above shall be required, upon notice from SMAA, to immediately repay the entirety of the CARES Mini-grant funds.

SMAA is acting merely as an intermediary to disseminate the funds made available under the CARES Act. The organization shall be fully liable and responsible for complying with the requirements of OAA, the CARES Act, and the requirements set forth herein and shall indemnify SMAA for any claims against it arising from the CARES Mini-grant award to the organization prohibited without the prior written approval from SMAA. SMAA shall have the right to release information on any public media regarding the CARES Mini-grant to the organization. By applying for the CARES Mini-grant, the organization gives SMAA the right to reference the organization’s name and logo in such public release..

Any use of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s (SMAA) name or logo or any publicity regarding a CARES Mini-grant by the organization is prohibited without the prior written approval from SMAA. SMAA shall have the right to release information on any public media regarding the CARES Mini-grant to the organization. By applying for the CARES Mini-grant, the organization gives SMAA the right to reference the organization’s name and logo in such public release.