CMAA Planning and Allocations Process
Every two years, Central Mass Agency on Aging follows a complete allocations process.
1. Through a series of public hearings, focus groups, surveys, etc., needs, and consequent gaps in services are identified.
2. Utilizing this information, Staff works with the Planning and Allocations Committee (P&A) and the Advisory Council to establish a list of priorities for services to address the unmet need.
3. These needs are forwarded to the Board of Directors. It is the Board that finalizes the list of priorities. These priorities, along with mandated objectives from the Older Americans Act, form the basis not only for allocations, but also for the “Area Plan” which provides direction for Agency work over a 4 year period.
4. “Letters of Intent” are requested (advertised in the legal section of the newspaper, posted on the CMAA web site and mailed to current grantees, COA’s, and other interested parties).
5. These “Letters of Intent” are screened and applications for Title III funding are then issued to appropriate agencies and programs.
6. Once EOEA has estimated the amount of funding CMAA will receive, the Finance Committee works with the Executive Director and the Fiscal Director to establish an Agency budget. This budget will then provide the exact figures available for allocation.
7. When applications for funding are received, the Planning and Allocations Committee interviews each applicant. Each proposal is looked at by virtue of its merits and where the proposed program stands in view of the established priorities and the Area Plan.
8. The P&A Committee then chooses programs that best match the unmet needs, looking to fill gaps in services throughout the region. Some programs are funded at amounts less than requested due to a variety of factors, particularly the amount of money available and the history of service.
9. Once the P&A Committee has sorted through programs and award amounts, the recommendation is brought to the Advisory Council for discussion and for a preliminary vote. The Advisory Council looks at the P&A recommendations, and may offer alternatives. However, once the Advisory Council votes on the recommendations, they are then forwarded to the CMAA Board of Directors.
10. The CMAA Board of Directors then also discusses the recommendations, and offers its own counsel on what is before them. They then take a vote on the recommendations. This vote of the Board is final. When this vote is over, contracts may be issued to grantees, contingent upon actual allocations from the Executive Office of Elder Affairs in Boston.
LEGAL NOTICE
Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging will hold a Bidders’ Conference on Tuesday, March 23rd 2021 starting at 10:00 AM. Please contact Ethan Belding,
Director of Planning and Research at ebelding@seniorconnection.org for a link to attend.
The purpose of this Bidders Conference is to review FFY 2022 priorities for funding under the Older Americans Act, the application process, including letters of intent, and highlight criteria used by the Planning and Allocations Committee in its review of proposals.
Only organizations which submit a letter of intent that appropriately addresses the FFY 2022 Priorities will be invited to submit a full proposal. The Planning and Allocations Committee determines the type of services to be funded by the area agency under each priority. The Committee reserves the right to request interviews with any or all applicants.
Applicants’ letters of intent will then be considered for the following areas:
- III B Supportive Services
- III C Regional congregate and home delivered meal services
- III D Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
With adequate notice, people with disabilities may request special accommodations (e.g. sign interpreter, sound system, etc.). For more information, please call CMAA at (508) 852-5539
Website: www.seniorconnection.org
EOE/AA