The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM), a technical assistance center funded by the Federal Transit Administration, is interested in case studies on collaborations among the transportation, aging services, and public health sectors on this issue: The role of transportation in reducing social isolation among older adults, leading to improved physical and mental health outcomes for this population.
NCMM is seeking nonprofit or public organization eligible to receive federal funds to write up a detailed case study on a local, regional, or state cross-sector collaboration addressing this issue. The applicant should have been involved or be familiar with such a collaboration and be able to provide a detailed report of the project and its outcomes.
NCMM will fund case study write-ups from no more than 3 communities. Each organization applying will be responsible for writing up only one case study.
Proposals are due March 14, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
Elements to be included in the Letter of Interest
- Name of the organization submitting the letter.
- A clear indication that the organization is eligible to receive federal funds and is registered in, or willing to become registered in the System of Award Management (SAM) system.
- Name and title of individual submitting the Letter of Interest.
- Name and title of individuals who will lead and work on the project, and a short statement of relevant experience.
- Brief description (max 250 words) of the collaboration that the organization is proposing to write up.
- Description (max 250 words) of the organization’s participation in or knowledge of the collaboration.
- A statement that the organization has the capacity to complete the work by July 31, 2022.
- A proposed budget for completing the write up of the case study
Questions & Answers
Don’t see your question below? E-mail Amy Conrick. Questions will be answered up to the submittal deadline of March 14, 2022.
What are the key dates to know regarding this opportunity?
Letters of Interest Due: (extended to) March 11, 2022
Selected communities notified: March 15, 2022
Deadline for funding to be expended: June 30, 2022
Deadline for case study to be submitted: July 31, 2022
What is the timeline for the activities to be discussed in the case study?
The activities can have occurred anytime from January 2018 to the present day. NCMM realizes that there were few opportunities to transport older adults outside their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic (beginning approx. March 2020). Letter submitters can also make a case for activities that occurred before January 2018 if those activities meet all the other criteria for this opportunity.
How much funding is available?
Communities can request up to $15,000. A detailed budget on how the money will be spent must be provided with the Letter of Interest
What can funds be spent on?
- Gathering data, including primary and secondary data
- Writing up the case study
- Travel associated with gathering data for the case study
- Target audience incentives (e.g., for interviews)
- Partner-related expenses
- Meeting costs
Who is eligible to receive the funding?
The applicant organization must be a non-profit or a government agency that is able to receive, or be a subrecipient of, federal funding. The organization must also be registered in, or willing to become registered in, the System of Award Management (SAM) system (sam.gov).
What type of activities should the case study cover?
We are looking for an activity that provided transportation to older adults to more than one social activity (i.e., not just a single event) that reduces their social isolation and increases their opportunity to socialize within their community. The activities would ideally involve another community agency, with the transportation provider working in partnership to implement trips to the activities.
Who can the transportation described in the case study be provided to?
The target audience should be any older adult resident in the community. Community can be defined as a town, city, county, multi-county region, or state. It cannot be limited to the existing membership of an organization (e.g., a church’s current congregation), but must be open community-wide.
What type of activities cannot be included in the case study?
Transportation related to the following destinations would not qualify as an activity for the case study, unless they were provided in the broader context of a social isolation activity: 1) health care appointments, 2) grocery stores or food banks, or 3) bank visits.
What type of primary impacts should be discussed in the case study?
Data showing impacts such as the following should be addressed in the proposed case study:
- Behavior change that occurred by providing transportation to a cohort of older adults that led them to more regular attend social activities/events
- Improved mental or physical health, as self-reported by the cohort of older adults participating in the activities
What type of secondary impacts should be discussed in the case study?
These can include the following, among other examples:
- New partnerships created between transportation provider, senior services providers, public health agencies, social work agencies, etc. because of the activities discussed in the case study
- New funding streams for transportation through partnerships with senior services providers, public health agencies, social work agencies, etc.
What type of data is NCMM looking for?
Baseline and post-activity data are preferred, but NCMM understands that these data may be difficult if they were not gathered at the time of the case study activities. Post-data that show an increase in participation, increase in ridership, expanded geographic reach to older adults coming to social activities may also be included. NCMM will also consider anecdotal data, such as that gathered through interviews with the target audience of older adults or descriptions of new partnerships.
What type of partnerships is NCMM looking to be reflected in the case study?
The partnership should include at least two different agencies, one of which provided transportation and one of which provided the activities discussed in the case study. For example, partners may include the local public transportation agency, the council on aging or other senior services organization, the public health department, a health care entity.