Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2010 AOA PC 1009
Apply for HHS 2010 AOA PC 1009
- The Administration on Aging in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pension Counseling and Information Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.048 Special Programs for the AgingTitle IVand Title IIDiscretionary Projects.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 5, 2010 and posted on Feb 5, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 5, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Eligible applicants include domestic public or private and non profit entities including state, local and Indian tribal governments, faith based organizations, community based organizations, and institutions of higher education, with a proven record of advising and representing individuals who have been denied employer or union sponsored pensions or other retirement savings plan benefits, and which have the capacity to deliver services on a regional basis.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Pension Counseling and Information Projects grant is a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging (AoA) that supports regional programs designed to help people understand, locate, claim, and protect employer-sponsored retirement benefits. The core problem the grant is responding to is that the U.S. retirement system is sprawling and hard to navigate: there are hundreds of thousands of private-sector plans plus thousands more public plans, each with its own rules layered on top of federal and state labor and tax law. At the same time, real-world disruptions like plan underfunding, freezes, terminations, layoffs, plant closures, employer mergers, name changes, relocations, and business closures routinely leave workers and retirees unable to find their plan, unsure how to apply, or facing miscalculations and denials. Family changes such as death and divorce also create confusion about survivor benefits and benefit division. The announcement stresses that trustworthy, individualized help is often difficult to find because no single government agency is responsible for hands-on assistance like verifying benefit calculations, interpreting plan language, or doing the time-consuming investigative work needed to reconstruct work histories and prove eligibility. Private attorneys can also be out of reach for many low- and moderate-wage workers because pension matters are specialized and smaller claims may not be economically attractive for private representation. For older adults, especially disadvantaged seniors, successfully securing earned pension income can be the difference between remaining independent at home or facing severe hardship.
The program has a long track record. Congress directed AoA to create demonstration projects beginning in 1993, and the Pension Counseling and Information Program became permanent in 2000 under Title II of the Older Americans Act. AoA describes two defining features that applicants are expected to reflect: first, assistance that is trustworthy and personalized and provided regardless of age, income, or the dollar value of the pension claim; and second, broad expertise across employer-sponsored retirement arrangements, including both public and private sponsors and both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. By the time of this posting, AoA reports the program covered 27 states through regional counseling projects plus a national technical assistance project, and it cites outcomes including nearly $100 million recovered for clients, framed as a strong return on federal investment. AoA also emphasizes that even when a benefit is not ultimately owed, clients benefit from credible answers and closure after long periods of uncertainty.
What AoA is funding here is the establishment or continuation of a regional pension counseling and information project, with a detailed project plan required. The centerpiece is direct counseling, information, and advocacy services short of formal litigation. That includes helping clients obtain and analyze governing plan documents and relevant records (employment and earnings histories), calculate or validate benefits, prepare and submit benefit claims, and pursue administrative appeals. It also includes negotiating settlement agreements when appropriate, doing targeted communications on a client’s behalf (letters, emails, calls), and conducting deeper investigative work when needed. A specific priority is locating "lost" plan sponsors for people who earned benefits but lost contact because the employer changed identity or ceased operating. Projects must also be able to handle simpler front-end needs like answering basic questions about pension plans and the rules that apply. In addition to casework, projects must build and use a regional referral network for needs outside the project’s scope, such as pension litigation, drafting Qualified Domestic Relations Orders, actuarial work not tied to case services, retirement or estate planning, financial education/advice, and other low-income or aging-related legal services.
The service model is explicitly regional. AoA recommends proposing a region of 4 to 6 contiguous states and delivering identical services with equivalent access throughout that region. Applications must explain why the chosen region makes sense, such as alignment with a federal court circuit, an established multi-state identity, or existing partnerships and infrastructure. If an applicant proposes fewer than 4 or more than 6 states, AoA signals it will expect much stronger justification, potentially supported by data like pension participation levels or volume of pension inquiries. A key boundary condition is that AoA will not fund a proposal that serves less than an entire single state. The subject matter is also clearly limited: the focus is employer-sponsored retirement income benefits (defined benefit pensions and defined contribution/profit-sharing retirement plans) offered by private or government employers. The grant does not fund work on health, welfare, or disability benefits, and it does not cover Social Security, Veterans benefits, or other public entitlement programs.
Equity of access is a firm requirement. Projects must provide equivalent services and equivalent access regardless of a person’s age or income, as long as the person has a connection to the region either because they live/worked there when earning the benefit or because the plan is sponsored/administered/trusteed for workers in the region. Services must be free to access and structured to reach low-income, rural, and other hard-to-reach seniors, including through practical tools like a toll-free phone line and a simple website. If the sponsoring organization has different eligibility rules for its other programs, the application must explain how it will prevent confusion internally and ensure staff apply the pension project’s broader eligibility consistently.
Outreach is treated as a major operational requirement, not an optional add-on. Projects are expected to run efficient, region-wide outreach primarily aimed at generating appropriate client intake and building referral relationships, with some targeted efforts for underserved groups and people with limited English proficiency when needs are identified. Outreach should be specialized and not merely folded into general agency outreach. Projects must use a uniform program brochure and align other materials with AoA’s messaging platform, with the national technical assistance project coordinating brochure orders to maintain consistent quality. Applicants are expected to set aside a clearly identified outreach budget for printing, postage, phone, travel, and related costs. Proposals must also show capacity to handle media inquiries quickly and effectively. While public presentations and workshops are not prohibited, the announcement notes they have generally been less effective for generating clients; if included, they must be tightly focused on client generation or network-building, centered on pension rights and remedies (not general financial planning), and designed so they do not drain resources from direct counseling and higher-yield outreach.
A strong intake and referral network is another explicit expectation. AoA encourages projects to cultivate coordinated pipelines with likely high-volume referral sources such as federal/state/local pension offices, elected officials’ constituent services, law firms and solo practitioners with pension expertise, bar associations and lawyer referral services, legal services programs, State Units on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, and community organizations working on elder rights and consumer protection. To keep the program accountable and to help AoA evaluate what works, projects must track outreach activities and results, including what outreach was done (target, method, frequency) and how clients heard about the project, using AoA-defined baseline data elements and reporting methods.
Funding details in the posted notice indicate an estimated $1.2 million total, with approximately 6 awards anticipated. Individual awards are expected to range from $150,000 to $200,000. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applies. Eligible applicants include domestic public and private nonprofit entities with a proven record advising and representing individuals denied pensions or other employer-sponsored retirement plan benefits, and with the capacity to deliver services on a regional basis. The eligibility list includes state, local, and federally recognized tribal governments; faith-based and community-based organizations; and public or private institutions of higher education, among others. The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2010-AOA-PC-1009 under CFDA 93.048. The posting date was February 5, 2010, with an application closing date of April 5, 2010, and an archive date of May 5, 2010.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the Pension Counseling and Information Projects grant?
The Pension Counseling and Information Projects grant is a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration on Aging (AoA). It funds regional programs that help people understand, locate, claim, and protect employer-sponsored retirement benefits through direct counseling, information, and advocacy services (short of formal litigation).
2) What problem is this grant designed to address?
The grant responds to how difficult it can be for workers and retirees to navigate employer-sponsored retirement benefits. The retirement system includes hundreds of thousands of private-sector plans and thousands of public plans, each with different rules layered on federal and state labor and tax laws. Real-world events like layoffs, plant closures, mergers, relocations, employer name changes, underfunding, freezes, terminations, and business closures can make it hard to find a plan or correctly claim benefits. Family events like death and divorce also create confusion about survivor benefits and benefit division.
3) What kinds of services are funded under this program?
The centerpiece is direct pension counseling, information, and advocacy services short of formal litigation. Funded activities include helping clients obtain and analyze plan documents and relevant records; reconstruct employment and earnings histories; calculate or validate benefits; prepare and submit claims; pursue administrative appeals; communicate with plans on the client’s behalf (letters, emails, calls); negotiate settlement agreements when appropriate; and conduct investigative work when needed.
4) Does the project help locate “lost” pension plans or missing plan sponsors?
Yes. A specific priority is locating “lost” plan sponsors for people who earned benefits but lost contact due to employer identity changes, mergers, relocations, or business closures.
5) Are projects allowed to represent clients in court (formal litigation)?
The funded service model is described as counseling, information, and advocacy services short of formal litigation. Projects are expected to build and use a referral network for matters outside the project’s scope, including pension litigation.
6) What topics and benefit types are included in the grant’s scope?
The focus is employer-sponsored retirement income benefits offered by private or government employers, including both defined benefit pensions and defined contribution/profit-sharing retirement plans.
7) What is explicitly not covered by this grant?
The grant does not fund work on health, welfare, or disability benefits. It also does not cover Social Security, Veterans benefits, or other public entitlement programs.
8) Who is expected to be served by these projects?
Projects must provide equivalent services and equivalent access regardless of a person’s age or income, as long as the person has a connection to the region either because they lived/worked there when earning the benefit or because the plan is sponsored, administered, or trusteed for workers in the region.
9) Are services required to be free?
Yes. Services must be free to access and structured to reach low-income, rural, and other hard-to-reach seniors.
10) How are projects expected to ensure equitable access across the region?
AoA expects identical services with equivalent access throughout the proposed region. Practical access tools mentioned include a toll-free phone line and a simple website, along with outreach designed to reach underserved groups.
11) What is the required geographic service model (regional requirement)?
The service model is explicitly regional. AoA recommends proposing a region of 4 to 6 contiguous states and delivering identical services across that region.
12) Can an applicant propose fewer than 4 states or more than 6 states?
AoA indicates it will expect much stronger justification if a proposal covers fewer than 4 states or more than 6 states. The notice suggests justification may be supported by data such as pension participation levels or the volume of pension inquiries.
13) Is it allowed to propose serving only part of a state?
No. AoA states it will not fund a proposal that serves less than an entire single state.
14) What factors should an application use to justify its chosen region?
Applications must explain why the chosen region makes sense. Examples mentioned include alignment with a federal court circuit, an established multi-state identity, or existing partnerships and infrastructure.
15) What are the two defining features AoA expects applicants to reflect?
AoA highlights two defining features: (1) trustworthy, personalized assistance provided regardless of age, income, or the dollar value of the pension claim; and (2) broad expertise across employer-sponsored retirement arrangements, including public and private sponsors and both defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
16) What is the history of this program?
Congress directed AoA to create demonstration projects beginning in 1993, and the Pension Counseling and Information Program became permanent in 2000 under Title II of the Older Americans Act.
17) What outcomes has AoA reported for the program?
AoA cites outcomes including nearly $100 million recovered for clients and frames this as a strong return on federal investment. AoA also notes that even when a benefit is not ultimately owed, clients still benefit from credible answers and closure after long uncertainty.
18) What non-casework responsibilities do projects have besides direct counseling?
Projects must build and use a regional referral network for needs outside the project’s scope. They must also conduct region-wide outreach aimed primarily at generating appropriate client intake and building referral relationships, and they must track outreach activities and results using AoA-defined baseline data elements and reporting methods.
19) What kinds of services should be handled through referrals rather than direct project services?
Examples listed for referral include pension litigation, drafting Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs), actuarial work not tied to case services, retirement or estate planning, financial education/advice, and other low-income or aging-related legal services.
20) What are the outreach expectations under this grant?
Outreach is treated as a major operational requirement. Projects are expected to run efficient, specialized, region-wide outreach primarily to generate client intake and build referral relationships, including targeted efforts for underserved groups and people with limited English proficiency when needs are identified.
21) Are workshops or public presentations required or encouraged?
They are not prohibited, but the notice states they have generally been less effective for generating clients. If included, they must be tightly focused on client generation or network-building, centered on pension rights and remedies (not general financial planning), and designed so they do not drain resources from direct counseling and higher-yield outreach.
22) Are there requirements for outreach materials like brochures?
Yes. Projects must use a uniform program brochure and align other materials with AoA’s messaging platform. The national technical assistance project coordinates brochure orders to maintain consistent quality.
23) Does the application need to include a dedicated outreach budget?
Yes. Applicants are expected to set aside a clearly identified outreach budget for printing, postage, phone, travel, and related costs.
24) How should projects handle media inquiries?
Proposals must show capacity to handle media inquiries quickly and effectively.
25) What intake and referral relationships does AoA encourage?
AoA encourages projects to cultivate coordinated pipelines with likely high-volume referral sources such as federal, state, and local pension offices; elected officials’ constituent services; law firms and solo practitioners with pension expertise; bar associations and lawyer referral services; legal services programs; State Units on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging; Aging and Disability Resource Centers; and community organizations focused on elder rights and consumer protection.
26) What reporting or tracking is required for outreach?
Projects must track outreach activities and results, including what outreach was done (target, method, frequency) and how clients heard about the project, using AoA-defined baseline data elements and reporting methods.
27) Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include domestic public and private nonprofit entities with a proven record advising and representing individuals denied pensions or other employer-sponsored retirement plan benefits, and with the capacity to deliver services on a regional basis. The eligibility list includes state, local, and federally recognized tribal governments; faith-based and community-based organizations; and public or private institutions of higher education, among others.
28) What level of expertise must applicants demonstrate?
Applicants are expected to reflect broad expertise across employer-sponsored retirement arrangements, including both public and private sponsors and both defined benefit and defined contribution plans, and the ability to provide individualized help such as interpreting plan language, validating calculations, and investigating work histories and eligibility.
29) What are the estimated funding amount and number of awards?
The notice indicates an estimated $1.2 million total, with approximately 6 awards anticipated.
30) What is the expected size of individual awards?
Individual awards are expected to range from $150,000 to $200,000.
31) Is there a cost-sharing or match requirement?
Yes. The notice states that a cost-sharing or matching requirement applies.
32) What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
This opportunity is described as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
33) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2010-AOA-PC-1009 and the CFDA number is 93.048.
34) What were the key dates for this funding opportunity?
The posting date was February 5, 2010. The application closing date was April 5, 2010. The archive date was May 5, 2010.
35) What is a “regional pension counseling and information project” expected to produce in an application?
The grant funds the establishment or continuation of a regional project and requires a detailed project plan. The plan should reflect direct client services, a regional service footprint with equivalent access, an outreach strategy with budget, and a referral network to address matters outside the project’s scope.
36) If an organization has stricter eligibility rules in its other programs, can it still run this pension project?
Yes, but the application must explain how the organization will prevent confusion and ensure staff apply the pension project’s broader eligibility consistently, since pension project services must be available regardless of age or income (within the regional connection rules).
37) What is meant by “trustworthy, individualized help” in this notice?
The notice emphasizes hands-on assistance that may involve verifying benefit calculations, interpreting plan language, and doing time-consuming investigative work to reconstruct work histories and prove eligibility. The goal is to provide credible answers and practical help that clients often cannot get from a single government agency or afford through private legal representation.
38) Does the program only focus on large pension claims?
No. AoA expects assistance to be provided regardless of the dollar value of the pension claim.
39) Does the project need to provide both basic information and complex case assistance?
Yes. Projects must be able to handle simpler front-end needs like answering basic questions about pension plans and applicable rules, as well as more involved services like document analysis, claim preparation, appeals, and investigative work.
40) How does AoA describe the broader impact of this work for older adults?
AoA stresses that for older adults, especially disadvantaged seniors, securing earned pension income can be the difference between remaining independent at home and facing severe hardship.
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