RRF: Professional Education & Training Grants Program (US)

Deadline: 1-Dec-20

The RRF Foundation for Aging (formerly known as The Retirement Research Foundation) is accepting applications for Professional Education & Training Grants Program.

RRF funds professional education and training projects that will be broadly disseminated to achieve a national impact. RRF recognizes the importance of a well-trained workforce to serve older persons.

Of particular interest are programs that:

• Increase the knowledge and skills of professionals and paraprofessionals who serve older people;
• Expand the capacity and number of professionals and paraprofessionals prepared to meet the growing needs of an ageing population.

Priority Areas

RRF Foundation for Aging focuses on improving the quality of life for older people. In an effort to strengthen the Foundation’s impact, RRF has established Priority Areas.

• Caregiving: Ensuring that caregivers are informed, well-trained, and supported while providing care to older people in community settings;
• Economic Security in Later Life: Valuing the dignity of older people through efforts that ensure and protect their economic security and well-being;
• Housing: Promoting efforts that make housing more affordable and provide coordinated services that enable older people to live safely in community settings;
• Social and Intergenerational Connectedness: Strengthening social bonds through efforts that promote meaningful connections, including those that span generations;
• Organizational Capacity Building: Improve the management and governance of organizations in Illinois;
• Other Promising Projects: While Priority Areas reflect RRF’s primary funding interests, they remain open to supporting other opportunistic ageing projects (on a selective basis).

Eligibility Criteria

Professional Education and Training Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations that are

• Proposing a project that has a significant focus on those working with persons, ages 65 and older;
• Proposing a project that will have national reach across the U.S. or regional reach within the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, or Florida.

How To Apply 

RRF requests that all proposals include the components outlined below.  You will upload each of these documents as individual files via their online application.

Formatting Guidelines

• Kindly use a 12-point Arial font.
• Word documents should be single-spaced with 1” margins.
• The Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, Budget Narrative, and Timeline are to be uploaded as Microsoft Office documents (.doc/.docx or .xls files).
• The Budget should be uploaded as a Microsoft Excel file.
• Please note that, except for the Executive Summary and Bios/Resumes, there is no page or length restriction.

1. The Executive Summary is a separate two- to three-page summary that concisely describes the project. The Executive Summary offers a succinct overview of your project and allows RRF to understand what you are trying to accomplish. Include brief information about the project’s need, objectives, methods, total cost, and the amount requested from RRF.
2. The Proposal Narrative provides an opportunity for you to describe your project thoroughly to RRF by addressing the following:
   • Applicant Organization
     • Include a brief history of your organization, recent accomplishments, and the organization’s qualifications to lead this project;
   • Project Significance
     • Importance and relevance of the proposed project;
     • Background information on the issue(s) to be addressed;
     • The literature review that includes existing training programs or curriculum that are relevant to the proposed project (if applicable);
     • Evidence that trainee audiences have an interest in completing the training if any;
     • Anticipated contribution of the project.
   • Project Goals and SMART Objectives
     • Concisely state the goals of your project and list Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives to achieve the goals.
     • Include anticipated outcomes and/or accomplishments.
   • Proposed Methods 
     • Target group participating in the training;
     • Means of recruitment or referral;
     • Program design, including content, methods, sequence, and location where the educational experience will be delivered;
     • Group or individual that will conduct the training;
     • Sample of preliminary curriculum or an outline of training content.
   • Evaluation 
     • Methods that will be used to measure progress toward objectives;
     • Outcomes or impact that will be measured;
     • Types of data that will be collected;
     • Methods that will be used to analyze the data.
   • Dissemination
     • Describe how program results will be disseminated and to what audiences, including any meetings, professional journals, conferences, etc., where the program will be shared;
     • Curriculum, products, websites, tools, etc., to be developed.
   • Plans for Continued Support
     • Describe plans for continued support if the project is expected to operate beyond the period for which grant funds are requested.
   • Personnel
     • Describe the key personnel and their qualifications to lead this effort;
     • Include job descriptions for any staff to be hired.
3. The Budget, Budget Narrative, and Timeline will be uploaded as three individual Microsoft Office documents.  While RRF does not require a standard form for these documents, samples are provided for illustrative purposes.  You may use more than one page for each document.
   • The Line Item Budget includes all expenses and income, including grant funds requested from RRF and funds received and/or requested from other sources for this project, if any. Please include the percentage of time allocated for project staff.  Up to 10% of the funds requested from RRF may be allocated for indirect project costs.
   • The Budget Narrative describes how the budget relates to the proposed project activities. Budget narratives generally contain a description for each line item identified in the budget, explaining how the requested amount was computed.
   • The Timeline corresponds directly to the activities that are described in the proposal.
4. In addition to the documents listed above, you will also be asked to upload:
   • The Signature Page to provide proof of who in your organization has authorized this project.
   • Resumes of no more than 2-3 pages for the Project Director and other key project staff. Include job descriptions for positions to be filled. Upload in one file
   • Current Board of Directors roster with affiliations. Upload in one file
   • Signed letters of support, if appropriate. Upload in one file
   • Letters of commitment from collaborators, if applicable. Upload in one file
   • IRS 501(c)(3) designation letter or other evidence of federal nonprofit status.
   • Most recent audited financial report (preferred) or IRS 990.
   • Most recent annual report (an optional item).

For more information, visit http://www.rrf.org/apply-for-a-grant/professional-education-training-grants/