2018 Senior Centers RFP

The Aging and Disability Services Division of the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from agencies to operate senior centers for socially isolated older adults (50+). Senior centers are age-friendly community hubs where older adults can access a range of activities and services to improve their health, well-being, and independence, and people of all ages can actively engage in their community by working with program staff and participants to build social and civic capital. The purpose of this funding process is to support senior centers that allow all older adults to experience stable health and age in place by promoting equity and reducing social isolation.

Successful applicants must demonstrate the ability to successfully deliver high quality, cost effective programs that improve the health, well-being, and independence of vulnerable older adults. High quality senior centers are those that:

1. Respond to the needs and interests of a diverse population of older adults from different cultural, generational, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and with increasingly complex social and physical needs.
2. Offer and encourage participation in evidence-based programs.
3. Employ outreach strategies to increase participation from older adults who do not regularly attend senior centers, including, but not limited to: those who do not have access to a senior center in their neighborhood; or whose language and culture may present a challenge to participation; or who cannot attend weekday programs due to work or family caregiving duties.
4. Build upon neighborhood strengths and community assets.
5. Develop partnerships that leverage and fully utilize existing resources, and are supported by diverse and sustainable funding streams.
6. Hire and retain quality staff and provide opportunities to develop local leaders/volunteers to support the senior center and the broader community.

Approximately $1.7 million is available through this RFP. HSD intends to fund a maximum of 14 senior centers at a base rate of $50,000 per site. Remaining funds will be allocated at the City's discretion to successful applicants/sites, based on the strength of the application, number of participants served, and impact on priority populations. No site will receive an allocation of more than $180,000.

Initial awards will be made for the period of January through December 2019. HSD intends to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2022 program year. However, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability.

*Please contact Senior Centers Request for Proposal coordinator for accommodation requests: Jon Morrison Winters at jon.winters@seattle.gov.