[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 180 (Monday, September 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48060-48062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23171]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration on Aging

[Program Announcement No. AoA-01-13]


Grants to Indian Tribal Organizations for Supportive and 
Nutritional Services for Older Indians

AGENCY: Administration on Aging (AoA), HHS.

ACTION: Announcement of availability of funds and opportunity to apply 
under the Older Americans Act, Title VI, Grants for Native Americans, 
Part A--Indian Program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Applicant Eligibility and Requirements: The AoA will accept 
applications for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2002 under the Older 
Americans Act, title VI, Grants for Native Americans, part A--Indian 
Program, from all current title VI, part A grantees, current grantees 
who wish to leave a consortium and apply as a new grantee, and eligible 
federally recognized Indian tribal organizations that are not now 
participating in title VI and would like to apply as a new grantee. 
Successful applications from new grantees will be funded if funds 
permit.
    Availability of Funds: Approximately $23 million dollars may be 
available in Fiscal Year 2002 to fund these grants.

DATES: The deadline date for the submission of applications is January 
18, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  M. Yvonne Jackson, Ph.D.; Office for 
American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs; 
Administration on Aging; Department of Health and Human Services; Cohen 
Building; Room 4743; 330 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20201; telephone (202) 619-2713; fax (202) 260-1012; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

1. Background and Program Purpose

    The Administration on Aging (AoA) is responsible for administering 
title VI, part A of the Older Americans Act (OAA). Through this title 
grants are awarded to Indian tribal organizations representing 
federally recognized Tribes for providing nutritional and supportive 
services to Indian elders.
    The 1978 Amendments to the Older Americans Act created title VI, 
Grants for Indian Tribal Organizations, to promote the delivery of 
supportive and nutritional services for Indian elders that are 
comparable to services provided under title III of the OAA. (Title III 
of the OAA, entitled Grants for State and Community Programs on Aging, 
is the nationwide program of supportive and nutritional services for 
persons over age 60 of all ethnic groups.)
    In the OAA Amendments of 1987, the name of title VI was changed to 
Grants for Native Americans, and part B, Native Hawaiian Programs, was 
added.
    Nutritional services and information and assistance services are 
required by the OAA. Nutritional services include congregate meals and 
home-delivered meals. Supportive services include information and 
assistance, transportation, chore services, and other supportive 
services that contribute to the welfare of older Native Americans.

2. Eligibility of an Indian Tribal Organization or Indian Tribe To 
Receive a Grant

    To be eligible to receive a grant, a tribal organization or Indian 
tribe must meet the application requirements contained in sections 
612(a), 612(b), and 612(c) of the OAA, which are: 612(a): (1) the 
tribal organization represents at least 50 individuals who are 60 years 
of age or older; and (2) the tribal organization demonstrates the 
ability to deliver supportive services, including nutritional services. 
Section 612(b): an Indian tribe represented by an organization 
specified in subsection (a) shall be eligible for only 1 grant under 
this part for any fiscal year. Section 612(c): for purposes of title 
VI, part A, the terms Indian tribe and tribal organization have the 
same meaning as in section 4 of the Indian Self Determination and 
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
    This announcement concerns all federally recognized Indian tribal 
organization, those currently participating in title VI, part A 
individually or as members of a consortium and those that are not 
currently participating in title VI, part A.

3. Available Funds

    Distribution of funds among tribal organizations is subject to the 
availability of appropriations to carry out title VI, part A. As stated 
in section 614A(a) of the Act, the amount of the grant made under this 
part to a tribal

[[Page 48061]]

organization for FY 1992 and for each subsequent fiscal year shall not 
be less than the amount of the grant made under this part to the tribal 
organization for FY 1991. As stated in section 614A(b) of the Act, if 
the funds appropriated to carry out this part in a fiscal year 
subsequent to FY 1991 exceed the funds appropriated to carry out this 
part in FY 1991, then the amount of the grant (if any) made under this 
part to a tribal organization for the subsequent fiscal year shall be: 
(1) increased by such amount as the Assistant Secretary considers to be 
appropriate, in addition to the amount of any increase required by 
subsection (a), so that the grant equals or more closely approaches the 
amount of the grant made under this part to the tribal organization for 
FY 1980; or (2) an amount the Assistant Secretary considers to be 
sufficient if the tribal organization did not receive a grant under 
this part for either FY 1980 or FY 1991.
    Applications from current grantees who are a part of a consortium 
and wish to leave the consortium will be treated as new grant 
applications. Successful new grant applications for both current 
grantees who are leaving a consortium and tribal organizations that are 
not current grantees will be funded pending availability of additional 
funds.
    Information on typical grant levels in FY 2001 is given below as a 
guide to POSSIBLE funding levels for Tribes representing the following 
documented numbers of Indian elders over age 60:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Population range (number of older Indians age 60
      years and over, represented by the tribal        Amounts of awards
                    organization)                          in FY 2001
------------------------------------------------------------------------
50 to 100............................................            $69,110
101 to 200...........................................             78,420
201 to 300...........................................             89,040
301 to 400...........................................            100,350
401 to 500...........................................            110,980
501 to 1500..........................................            128,550
1501+................................................            168,800
------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Application Process

    Applicants should submit applications, describing their proposed 
plans for nutritional and supportive services for older Indians for 
project period April 1, 2002--March 31, 2005, as described in section 5 
below, Content of the Application.
    A three-year project period was chosen in order to reduce the 
paperwork burden on the grantees. It is the intent of this agency to 
conduct on site monitoring at least once during the three-year project 
period.
    The Program Performance and Financial Status reports, due on a 
semi-annual basis, will be reviewed for compliance with the program 
regulations. Failure to submit the required reports during the project 
period may result in loss of future funds and possibly termination of 
the grant within the project period.
    Thirty days prior to the end of each budget period within the 
three-year project period grantees shall notify AoA as to their desire 
to continue as a grantee. Failure to submit this documentation within 
the required timeframe may result in loss of grant funding. At the 
beginning of each budget period within the three-year project period 
grantees will be notified of the funding level for the subsequent year.
    One original application, signed by the principal official of the 
Tribe, and two copies of the complete application, including all 
attachments, must be submitted to U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services; Administration on Aging; Margaret A. Tolson; Director; Grants 
Management Division; Room 4260; Cohen Building; 330 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201. Incomplete applications and 
applications postmarked after the closing date will not be considered 
for funding.

5. Content of the Application

    The application must meet the criteria in sections 614(a) and (b) 
of the Act, and title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 
1326.19. The application may be presented in any format selected by the 
tribal organization. Contact the AoA Regional Office in your geographic 
area if you have questions concerning the content of the application. 
The application must include the following information:

A. Objectives and Need for Assistance

    This section must include objectives, expressed in measurable 
terms, which are related to the supportive and nutrition service needs 
of the elders to be represented by the Tribal Organization. This 
section must also include a discussion of how the needs were 
determined.

B. Results or Benefits Expected

    The application should describe the results or benefits expected 
from each service proposed.

C. Approach

(1) Description and Method of Delivery of Each Service
    (a) Nutrition: Nutrition services are required. There should be a 
description of the methods, facilitates, and staff to be used in 
preparing, serving, and delivering meals, and the estimated number of 
persons to be served. The nutrition services provided, either directly 
or by way of a grant or contract, must be substantially in compliance 
with the provisions of part C, title III.
    If no title VI, part A funds are to be used for nutrition services, 
the application must state how such services are provided in other 
ways, and how they are financed.
    (b) Information and Assistance: Information and assistance services 
are required. They must be available for older Indians living in the 
title VI, part A service area and there should be a description of what 
information and assistance services will be provided and how they will 
be provided. The estimated number of individuals to be served should be 
stated. If no title VI, part A funds are to be used for information and 
assistance services, the application must state how such services are 
provided in other ways, and how they are financed.
    (c) Other Supportive Services: The application must describe any 
other supportive services to be provided wholly or partly by title VI, 
part A funds. The description should include what supportive services 
will be provided and how they will be provided. The approximate number 
of persons to be served by each service should be stated.Legal 
assistance and ombudsman services may be provided, but are not 
required. However, if provided, they should be reported as Supportive 
Services.If a tribal organization elects to provide legal services, it 
must substantially comply with the requirements in title 45 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations Section 1321.71, and all legal assistance 
providers must comply fully with the requirements in Section 1321.71(d) 
through Section 1321.71(k).
    Transportation of persons to nutrition sites or other places is to 
be considered as a Supportive Service.
    (d) Coordination with title III: The application should provide a 
description of how title VI and title III resources and services are to 
be coordinated within the title VI service area, including information 
and assistance service.
(2) Evaluation Criteria
    The application must discuss the criteria to be used to evaluate 
the results and successes of the program, based on the objectives and 
results or benefits expected indicated in Item A and B above. It will 
also explain the methodology that will be used to

[[Page 48062]]

determine if the needs identified and discussed are being met and if 
the results and benefits identified in Item B above are being achieved.

D. Geographic Location

    The application must include an appropriate narrative description 
of the geographical area to be served and an assurance that procedures 
will be adopted to ensure against duplicate services being provided to 
the same recipients. A map of the designated service area may be 
included in the application.

E. Additional Information:

(1) Older Indians in the Title VI, Part A Service Area
    The law requires that a tribal organization must represent at least 
50 persons aged 60 years or over in order to be eligible for title VI 
funding. Therefore, the number of persons aged 60 or over living in the 
proposed title VI service area must be stated in the application. The 
tribal organization may use the Census Bureau population figures, or 
may develop its own population statistics, but they must be approved by 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs or your tribal enrollment clerk in order 
to establish eligibility, as required in section 614(b) of the Older 
Americans Act, as amended. The amount of the grant is based on this 
number of Indians or Alaskan Natives age 60 years or over in the 
proposed service area. Thus, the application should include only the 
number if Indians and Alaskan Natives age 60 years or over in the 
proposed service area and not the total population census of all tribal 
members, age 60 and above, unless all the tribal members live in the 
proposed service area. If there is overlap between two or more title 
VI, part A applicants, as stated under Geographic Location, the 
eligible elders can only be counted once and included in one 
application. The applicants are responsible for determining how the 
eligible elders will be counted. The same elder may not be counted by 
more than one applicant. This must be stated clearly in the application 
and signed by the principal official of the tribal organization.
    As a separate matter, the regulations allow a Tribe to define, 
based on its own criteria, who the Tribe will consider to be an older 
Indian for purposes of eligibility to receive title VI services. If a 
Tribe selects a different definition of older Indian for service 
delivery, the application must state the age selected, and the number 
of Indian under age 60 eligible to be served. All Tribes in a 
consortium must use the same age for older Indian.
(2) Resolution
    The tribal organization representing a federally recognized Tribe 
must submit an original copy of the Tribal council resolution 
authorizing participation in title VI, part A for the grant period 
April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2005. If the tribal organization represents 
a consortium of more than one Tribe, a resolution is required from each 
participating Tribe, specifically authorizing representation by the 
tribal organization for the purpose of title VI, part A of the Older 
Americans Act for the grant period April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2005.
(3) Program Assurance
    Title VI, part A Program Assurances must be included in the 
application. The title VI, part A Program Assurances are those 
provisions identified in section 614(a) of the Older Americans Act, and 
in title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 1326.19(d), 
issued August 31, 1988 (see Appendix B). The tribal organization must 
state that it agrees to abide by all the provisions for the entire 
project period, April 1, 2002--March 31, 2005.
    Copies of the title III and title VI current law and regulations, 
and of part 92, may be obtained from the Regional Administrator for the 
Administration on Aging. (See Appendix A)
(4) Certification Forms
    Certifications are required of the applicant regarding (a) 
lobbying; (b) debarment, suspension, and other responsibility matters; 
and (c) drug-free workplace requirements. Please note that a duly 
authorized representative of the applicant organization must attest to 
the applicant's compliance with these certifications.
(5) Identifying Information
    Applications must identify both the principal official of the 
tribal organization, and the proposed title VI program director: Name, 
Title, Address including Zip Code, Telephone Number, and, if available, 
the FAX number and E-mail address. The tribal organization's EIN 
(Employer Identification Number) must also be included.
    If the applicant tribal organization is a consortium, the applicant 
must list the federally recognized tribes, which are included. The 
tribal resolution from each tribe in the consortium must be included in 
the application.
(6) Closing Date for Application
    To be eligible for consideration, applications must be received or 
postmarked on or before January 18, 2002. (Applicants are cautioned to 
request a legibly dated U.S. Postal service postmark, or to obtain a 
legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal 
Service. Private metered postmarks are not acceptable as proof of 
timely mailing.)
(7) Action on Applications
    Awards will be made by the Assistant Secretary for Aging. Funding 
decisions will be announced as soon as possible.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program #93.655 Grants to 
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiians. This program Announcement is not 
subject to EO 12372.


    Dated: September 10, 2001.
Josefina G. Carbonell,
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 01-23171 Filed 9-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P