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Award Letter and application with budgetJuly 11, 2017 Linda Desmond Northampton Senior Center 67 Conz Street Northampton, MA 0 1060 Dear Ms. Desmond: MAYOR DAVID J. NARKEWICZ City of Northampton Office of the Mayor 210 Main Street Room 12 Northampton, MA 0 1060-3199 (413)587-1249 Fax: (413) 587-1275 mayor@northamptonma.govI am writing to congratulate you and your organization on being chosen to receive a funding award from the City of Northampton's Community Block Development Block Grant Program for the year July 1, 2017 -June 30, 2018. The services your project provides will be valuable assistance to individuals and families in need in Northampton. As the federal allocation received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development changes from year to year, we are grateful when we can at least level fund programs, even if the award amount is not what you requested. The amount allocated this year for the Northampton Senior Services EARN Program is $4,000. My office will be in touch with you about finalizing a scope and budget for the contract. If you have any questions, please contact Cam Leon, Assistant CDBG Administrator, at 587-1286 or via email at cleon@northamptonma.gov. Please accept my appreciation for the ongoing commitment shown by you and your staff to provide this critical service to the residents of our city. 51 .... lly_, ___ _David Narkewicz Mayor Enc. Income Guidelines CITY OF NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM Application for Funding July 1, 2017 -June 30, 2018 GENERAL INFORMATION (Please type or print clearly) Applicant/Organization: (The entity empowered to execute the contract) Northampton Senior Services an d Senior Center Address: 67 Conz Street, Northampton, Massachusetts, 01060 Federal Tax Identification Number: Organization's DUNS Number: ____________________ _ Program DUNS Number (if different from Organization): __________ _ Program Contact Person: _L_in_d _a _D _es_m_o_n _d __________________ _Title: DirectorTelephone: _4_13_5_8_7_1_2_31 _______________________ _ E Mail: ldesmond@northamptonma.gov **************************************************************************************************** PROTECT INFORMATION Project Name: Northampton Senior Services' EARN Program (Employment After Retirement Network} 0New project (no prior CDBG funding) Don-going project (previously funded) CDBG Request: $,_9_S_O_O _________________ _Check the category which best describes the type of funding requested: □Housing[aPublic Service D Economic Development D Public Facility D Infrastructure □OtherLocation (Please provide address where project will be physically implemented) Street(s): Senior Center, 67 Conz Street, Northampton, MA. Census Tract(s): __________________ _ Check here if City-wide: 0 Project Eligibility This project must meet at least ONE of the following HUD national objectives (see instructions for definitions). Check the one that applies: _x __ l. Benefits low/moderate (L/M) income individuals/households ___ 2. Addresses the prevention or elimination of slums or blight ___ 3. Meets an urgent community development need that alleviates a serious and immediate threat to health or welfare. Select the statement that best describes how this project or activity meets one of the national objectives above: D I/M. Area Benefit: the project meets the identified needs of L/M income persons residing in an area where at least 51 % of those residents are L/M income persons according to the US Census Bureau. The benefits of this type of activity are available to all persons in the area regardless of income. Examples: street, park, and other infrastructure improvements. 11/7 I/M. Limited Clientele: the project benefits a specific group of people (rather than nsidents of a designated area), at least 51 % of whom are L/M income persons. The following groups are presumed to be L/M, per HUD: abused children, elderly persons, battered spouses, homeless, handicapped, and illiterate persons. Examples: all public services are L/M limited clientele. D I/M. Housing: the project adds or improves permanent residential housing structures that will be occupied by L/M income households upon completion. Housing can be either rental or owner-occupied units in either single or multi-family buildings; rental units for L/M income persons must be available at affordable rents. Examples:acquisition of property, rehabilitation of existing housing, conversion of non-residential structures into housing. Note: New housing construction is generally not an eligible activity, although site acquisition and site improvements are eligible. 17 I/M. Jobs: the project creates or retains permanent jobs, at least 51 % of which are ral<efi by L/M income persons or considered to be available to L/M income persons. Examples: loans to new businesses, assistance to existing businesses to expand operations. □ Micro-Enterprise Assistance: the project assists in the establishment of aoenterprise or assists persons developing a microenterprise ( a microenterprise isdefined as having five or fewer employees, one or more of whom owns the business). This activity must benefit L/M persons or jobs as defined in previous sections. D Slum or Blighted Area: the project is in a designated slum/blight area and the result of this project addresses one or more of the conditions that qualified the area. □Spot Blight: the project will prevent or eliminate specific conditions of blight orp y 1cal decay outside a slum area. Activities are limited to clearance, historicpreservation, and rehabilitation of buildings, but only to the extent necessary toeliminate conditions detrimental to public health and safety.2 Project Description Please provide a detailed description of the proposed project, how your project meets the HUD national objective(s) and community needs identified in the City's Consolidated Plan located on the City's website: http://ma-northampton.civicplus.com/965/Cornmunity-Development . H the project is new, describe why it is needed. If the activity is on-going, please explain the importance of continued funding. Add an additional page if needed. *See attachment #1 Project Beneficiaries Public Services: Estimate the number of persons expected to benefit: Eco�omic Development: Estimate the number of jobs to be created: Estimate the number of jobs to be retained: Estimate the number of businesses to be assisted: Please identify the primary beneficiaries this project will serve: t/ Persons who are homeless Persons with physical disabilities Persons with Low /Moderate incomes Elderly At-risk youth Other (specify): __________ _ Describe the process you will use to identify and document that at least 51 % of the beneficiaries of your project have Low /Moderate incomes. (Attach intake form to be used) Everyone participatinQ in the EARN proQram will be asked to complete a financial eligibility form. See attachment #2 Time Frame: Provide an activity schedule (include start/completion dates) and indicate accomplishments you intend to achieve at significant stages of the schedule: 3 See attachment #3 for Time Frame PROTECT ADMINISTRATION How do you intend to implement this project? Utilize existing staff D Hire new employees § Hire subcontractors II Volunteer positions ti' Please quantify: (i.e. # of full time, part time and/ or volunteer positions) A one year contracted part-time consultant will be hired to support the development and expansion of EARN. Twenty EARN volunteer members will assume leadership and working roles in event planninA, traininA, orQanisinA and marketinQ. Provide an overview of your organization, including length of time in existence, experience with conducting activities for which funding is being sought, current services and successes that reflect organizational capacity. Add a page if needed. For over 50 years the Northampton Senior Services and Senior Center (Council on Aging} has been providing programs, services and activities for the benefit and enhancement of Northampton residents 60 or older. Presently there are mon 2000 members who have utilized the services and activities more than 35,000 times during the last year. Since Bridge Employment is a documented need for the cohort we serve, it is appropriate for the Senior Center to assume a lead role in addressing that need through the EARN initiative. PROTECT FINANCIAL INFORMATION Does the proposed project require financial support from other source(s)? □Yes lvl No If yes, amount of funds required/ leveraged from other sources: $ ______ _ Have all required funds been secured _N_/A _______________ _ 4 Is the applicant or affiliate, subsidiary or parent organization in arrears to the City of Northampton or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for taxes of any kind? OYes 0No BUDGET INFORMATION A.) Please submit a copy of your overall agency budget for the current fiscal year in which you are operating and a copy of the agency's most recently completed audit. *No specific format required.B.) Please submit a Proposed CDBG Budget for the project (not the agency) using the format below. Proposed Project Budget Public Services and other Non-Construction Related Projects Budget Line Item CDBG Allocation Total Project Budget (not agency budget) Salaries: total $7800 Position #1 $7800 (describe) Position #2 (describe) Position #3 (describe) *Overhead Costs $1200 outreach material Other ( specify) $500 Transportation Total $9500 *Overhead includes items such as: Space rental, utilities, supplies, postage, equipment rental, telephone, advertising, printing. 6 Please describe the status of securing the other funding sources required for project implementation: No other sources of funding are required at this time. Outcome Performance Measurement This section must be completed in order to be considered for funding. HUD requires recipients of Federal funding to assess the outcomes of programs and activities. A Performance Measurement System has been designed to establish and track measurable goals and objectives. All applicants selected for funding will be required to comply with the Performance Measurement System. Choose one objective and one outcome. OBJECTIVES: The proposed activity meets which of the following goals? ( select only one) Note: When selecting an objective ask: 1) what is the purpose of the activity? 2)what is the larger community need to be addressed?Create a suitable living environment This objective relates to activities that are designed to benefit communities, families, or individuals by addressing issues in their living environment (such as poor quality infrastructure) to social issues such as crime prevention, literacy or elderly health services Provides housing support services This objective focuses on housing programs where the purpose of the program is to meet individual, family, or community needs and not programs where housing is an element of a larger effort, since such programs would be more appropriately reported under suitable living environment Creates economic opportunities This objective applies to the types of activities related to economic development, commercial revitalization, or job creation 7 OUTCOMES: Performance Measurement Outcome Statement Please provide an Outcome Statement for your project using the above format: The Objective that best reflects EARN is to -Create a suitable living environment. The Outcomes that best reflect the EARN initiative is-Availability/Accessibility. The Outcome Statement is in Attachment #4 Name (print): Linda Desmond Signature: ____________ _ Date: 2/23/2017 E-Mail:ldesmond@northamptonma.gov Phonenumber: 4 13 587 1231 APPLICATION SUBMISSION CHECKLIST ITEM INCLUDED Fully Completed Application Form -Agency Contact Person and ProjectContact PersonComplete list of other Project Funding Sources Agency Budget Audit/ most recent agency audit Project Budget Performance Measure Outcome Statement Original Signature on Submission 9 ATTACHMENT 1 CDBG Application February 2017 EARN Program Page 3 Project Description NORTHAMPTON SENIOR CENTER EARN INITIATIVE The Growing Need for Senior Employment Across the nation, seniors are seeking employment in ever greater numbers in order to achieve economic security and maintain an adequate quality of life after retirement. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, seniors between the ages of 65 and 7 4 will be the fastest growing segment of the labor market; in 2022 , almost 32% of them will be working, up from 20% in 2002. Workers 75 and over will more than double, from 5% in 2002 to 11 % in 2022. There are many reasons for this growing need: •More seniors have greater debt than ever before when they leave the workforce. Because of theever-increasing cost of health care and the enormous rise in the cost of their children'seducation, today's seniors have not been able to save adequately for their retirement.•Many retirees have lost significant retirement investments during the Great Recession and thevalue of their homes, often their greatest asset, drastically declined during this time as well.•In addition, Social Security has not kept up with the cost of living. According to aMassachusetts AARP study the average Massachusetts retiree receives $15,189 per year. Thestudy also indicated that Social Security is the only source of income for three in tenMassachusetts residents over age 55. Many seniors now have low to moderate incomes.•According to a new report by Bankrate, senior citizens in Massachusetts may be the mostunprepared (for retirement) workers in the country. Residents in Massachusetts over 65 yearsof age and older have a median income equivalent to 40% earned by people aged 45 to 64.This is the largest "income gap" in the United States.•The senior population is living longer due to advances in medicine, increasing the number ofyears they will need funds to maintain their quality of life. •Unlike a generation ago, most employers no longer provide benefitted pensions. Otherretirement instruments such IRAs and 401 (k)s have not come close to the same level of savingsand benefits for retirees.•Some seniors lost their jobs during their prime earning years because of corporate downsizingor manufacturers moving their operations abroad. Older workers often had trouble finding newjobs due to age discrimination and/or technological changes in their field.•Seniors may have experienced an unexpected major illness which made them unable to workfor a long period of time, depleting their savings and reducing their income.•The large generation of Baby Boomers has started to retire and will continue doing so for thenext 15 years or so, increasing the number of seniors in our population who need to seekemployment. According to the Pew Research Center and Social Security, about 10,000 BabyBoomers turn 65 every day. Northampton Senior Center Launches the EARN Initiative To address this need here in Northampton, the Northampton Senior Center has launched an initiative called the Employment After Retirement Network (EARN). Started in the fall of 2016, this new initiative plans to provide a number of crucial services to help seniors seeking employment find local jobs. The name for this type of employment is Bridge Employment, defined as working for pay after retirement. The services will be centered at the Northampton Senior Center since seniors are comfortable and familiar with the Center. During our Open House in Octo her, the Northampton Senior Center organized a discussion group on the evolving need for employment after retirement. Facilitated by area career consultant, Fern Selesnick, the participants discussed the challenges of understanding the current job search process, such as where to search for jobs, how to prepare resumes that make it past the first electronic review, using social media, and what kinds of computer skills are most valuable to have. By the end of the meeting it was agreed that a multi-pronged, focused approach was needed to assist seniors with developing job search skills and obtaining employment. Since that October meeting, a volunteer Steering Committee has met monthly to discuss the EARN program design and to identify existing resources that might be interested in being part of the network. Steering Committee members have professional experience in the fields of marketing, education, information technology, grant writing, non-profit organizations and public agencies, fundraising, business start-ups, international business, entrepreneurship, career counseling, event planning and facilities management. (Added experience from bios received thus far) The following EARN Vision Statement was adopted: The Employment After Retirement Network (EARN) is a comprehensive initiative to connect skilled retirees and local employers. The Program's intent is to facilitate a win/win for seniors seeking additional income and employers who will benefit from hiring a skilled, experienced employee. The EARN Committee proposes to provide the following during the first year: •Community outreach and marketing to seniors seeking employment and local employers•Trainings to update job search skills, computer and other necessary job skills•An employment fair for seniors featuring local employers seeking skilled, experienced workers•Creation of an in-house senior job bank and resource database•Identification of collaborative community partners.•Hiring of a part-time EARN Coordinator, a one year part-time contracted position, to work withthe Steering Committee to implement the initiativePart-time Coordinator Will Implement EARN Initiative To carry out these tasks listed above, the Northampton Senior Center proposes the hiring of a part-time EARN Coordinator for 10 hours per week to work with the Steering Committee members for one year to start up the initiative. The EARN Steering Committee and the Director of the Northampton Senior Center have had discussions about collaboration with other community organizations. Initial responses from the Chamber of Commerce and the Hampshire/Franklin Career Center have been positive. The EARN Coordinator will help to reach out and identify more community stakeholders for this program. A dedicated resource such as the one year part-time coordinator position will result in the EARN start­up initiative successfully achieving the above stated goals in a defined timetable and will help ensure the sustainability of the project. The key responsibilities of the EARN Coordinator will be to: •Work with the Steering Committee to create and implement a Marketing and CommunityOutreach Strategy to launch this initiative.•Create a liaison between employers in the community ( such as the five area colleges, Chamberof Commerce members, local businesses, etc.) and those seniors looking for employment.•Create a data base or clearinghouse of those prospective seniors looking for employment withlocal companies looking to hire senior workersProject Addresses HUD National Objective and Northampton Economic Development Plan Our proposal addresses the HUD national objective of creating a suitable and improved living environment for older people living within the income threshold of poverty. Our program objectives and outcomes also reflect the City ofNorthampton's Economic Development Plan by empowering Northampton seniors to secure employment that will increase their retirement income and provide a means for economic security and sustainability. Summary This initiative by the Northampton Senior Center will not only help us meet the needs of our current low to moderate income senior constituents, but will also prepare us to provide effective services for the growing target population of seniors in the future. The intent of the EARN program is to link local community-minded companies with a skilled, experienced workforce thereby meeting this ever­increasing need in our community. With a part-time Coordinator for the start-up year, we expect that the EARN program will address the Bridge Employment phenomena here in Northampton and be a program model of excellence for other senior programs in Massachusetts and around the country. ATTACHMENT# 3 EARN TIME FRAME/ACTIVITY SCHEDULE July 1-One year part time consultant hired. July 1st (on going)-Four committees will be formed and committee leaders will be selected. Julylst thru September30-Advisory Board will expand to 20 members. July 1st thru September 30th-Community partners will meet with EARN consultant and EARN's Community Outreach committee to identify areas of resource sharing (examples; employment counseling and IT training from Hampshire/Franklin Career Center). July 1st thru December 30-During the first half of the funding phase, EARN members, under the leadership of the consultant, will design an outreach campaign to identify SO retirees who need supplemental income (Bridge Employment). Beginning in July and on-going-Organizations and Institutions will be approached by committee members (ex. UMass, Smith College, Cooley Dickenson Hospital, etc.). They will be educated on the value of employing older workers (flexibility in work schedule, dependability, multiple life time skills, etc.) Monthly-Support groups and training opportunities will be organized monthly. Monthly-The Chronicle will have job opportunities posted. August-A Job Bank will be developed on the Senior Center web site. September-An Employment Fair will be planned by the Senior Center and Earn members in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and the Franklin and Hampshire County Career Center. June 30th-A total of 200 retirees will have participated in skill development and training, employment counseling and attended support groups. SO will have found Bridge Employment through the EARN initiative. June 30th-Outcomes will be measured and additional funding will be secured to continue and expand the Northampton Senior Center's EARN initiative. ATTACHMENT #4 Outcome Statement •200 seniors seeking employment will receive training that will update their job search methods, their computer and social media skills, and facilitate their access to the Senior Center job bank and other resources to assist them in obtaining employment •50 low and moderate income seniors will find employment that will help them maintain economic security and an adequate quality of life. •20 area employers (UMass, Smith College, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, etc.) will be using the employment resources of the EARN program to hire older workers. 2/24/2017 City of Northampton Mail -CDGB application a Cityof Notfhamplon. Cam Leon <cleon@northamptonma.gov> CDGB application 1 message Linda Desmond <ldesmond@northamptonma.gov> To: Cam Leon <cleon@northamptonma.gov> Hi Cam, Attached is the Senior Center's CDGB application. Thank you for your consideration. Kind regards, Linda 6 attachments � CDBG Finished Grant.pdf 234K � COA BUDGET FY17 (1).xls 36K � Attachment #3 EARN Time Frame final final.doc 28K � Attachment #4 EARN Outcomes final.doc 28K � EARN Finacial Eligibility Attachment 2.doc 30K � Earn Proposal Attachment 1.docx 24K https://mai I .google.com/mail/?ui=2&i k=537d60cObc&view= pt&search= i nbox&th= 15a7Obb99ac98ea7&sim I= 15a7Obb99ac98ea7 Fri, Feb 24, 2017 at 10:27 AM 1/1