Overview
The Supportive and Social Day Program Expansion Grant is designed to increase the capacity of Social and Supportive Day Programs throughout Massachusetts to serve older adults and individuals of any age currently living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD).
Overall, funding will support the following objectives:
- Expand Supportive and Social Day Programs throughout Massachusetts for individuals age 60 and older or living with ADRD at any age
- Address unmet needs for more Supportive and Social Day Programs, culturally tailored programs, and programs delivered within age- and dementia-friendly physical spaces
- Provide one-time funding to Supportive and Social Day Programs capable of sustaining themselves beyond the grant period
Organizations can apply for one of three categories:
- Category 1: Planning
- Category 2: Expansion
- Category 3: New Program Launch
Organizations applying for Category 1: Planning can request up to $50,000. Organizations applying for Category 2: Expansion or Category 3: New Program Launch can request up to $300,000.
Who can apply?
Any of the following can apply if they are located in Massachusetts and they serve Massachusetts residents 60 years of age and older and/or individuals of any age living with ADRD:
- Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs)
- Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)
- Councils on Aging (COAs)
- Community-based non-profit organizations
Organizations can create partnerships to apply together. Organizations without experience providing home and community-based services (HCBS) Supportive and Social Day Programs must partner with an experienced provider to apply.
If applicants wish to apply together, the organization that will act as the financial agent for the grant should submit one application on behalf of the entire partnership. For additional details on applying as a partnership, including budget guidelines, please see the FAQ under Helpful Resources.
Eligible Activities
Applicants can apply for one of the following categories:
- Category 1: Planning: researching and developing a comprehensive business strategy to establish or enhance Supportive and Social Day Program(s). This business strategy must be rooted in the needs of the community the program serves. This category is solely for planning purposes and excludes implementation activities.
- Category 2: Expansion: expanding or improving existing Supportive and Social Day Program(s). This category is for changing an existing Supportive and Social Day Program. That may include research and development if it is linked to expanding existing program(s).
- Category 3: New Program Launch: implementing one or more new Supportive and Social Day Program(s). That may include research and development if it is connected to launching a new program(s).
A full list of eligible activities under each category is available in the RFA located under Helpful Resources. EOEA will consider each category equally when reviewing applications.
Grant funds can be used to supplement, but not supplant, existing Medicaid HCBS or any other state-funded initiatives. Grant funds also must not overlap with any Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver extension proposals.
Priority Criteria
EOEA will prioritize applications that meet one or more of the following criteria when awarding grants:
- Applications that meet a demonstrated unmet need in the community, such as:
- Providing diverse, culturally and linguistically tailored programs
- Expanding program days or hours to meet the needs of caregivers and older adults
- Hiring staff to meet a program’s waitlist
- Creating a new Supportive and Social Day Program to address a lack of nearby programs
- Applications from organizations that serve Gateway Cities or Rural Communities in Massachusetts. Areas that fall into these categories can be identified in the Department of Public Health’s Office of Rural Health Rural Definition and Mass General Law Chapter 23 Section 3A Gateway Municipality Definition.
- Applications that limit indirect costs to at or below 10% of the overall project budget
- Applications that include two or more improvements to the physical space to meet the needs of older adults and individuals with ADRD. Please refer to the Age and Dementia Friendly Design Considerations for Physical Infrastructure for examples (Category 2: Expansion and Category 3: New Program Launch only).
- Applications that provide a clear and detailed plan, including explaining all necessary budget items for executing their intended project. Plans should clearly demonstrate organizations have the operational capacity to execute their project.
Ineligible Expenses
Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Costs incurred outside of the grant period (i.e., contract start date through March 31, 2025)
- Loan repayment
- Temporary wage increases
- Capital expenses not directly related to the program objectives outlined in the grant
- Transportation-related expenses that account for over 50% of the total grant Budget
- Programming supplies (e.g., community inclusion activity fees) that account for over 20% of the total grant Budget
- Equipment or devices given to individuals for permanent use
Grant funds cannot be used to cover expenses that occurred before the grant start date or after the grant end date of March 31, 2025. EOEA may extend the grant end date at its discretion.
Helpful Resources
Interested applicants can attend a Bidder’s Conference on January 18, 2024 from 10–11 AM to learn more about the Supportive and Social Day Program Expansion Grant and ask any questions. Please email MAHCBSGRANTS@pcgus.com to receive information about the Bidder’s Conference.
You can also explore the following resources:
Questions
For questions about the grant program, please email MAHCBSGrants@pcgus.com. You must submit any questions before the deadline, which is January 25, 2024, at 5 PM.
Questions will not be answered individually. Answers to all submitted questions will be posted on the EOHHS website.
You cannot make any changes to your grant application after it is submitted.