FY26 Senior Employment Specialist Program (SESP)

The Senior Employment Specialist Program (SESP) provides funding to Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) subgrantees to assist with the planning for and dissemination of information and referrals to the various federal, state, and local training and employment programs to support employment opportunities for older adults. Open attachment "FY26 SESP Allocations" for allocation information.

SESP is funded through Illinois State General Revenue Funds (GRF). The SESP FY26 Planning Allocations are based on the number of Comprehensive One-Stop Centers* and the 55+Poverty Level population located in the SESP Grantee’s service area. NOTE: Some SESP Grantees have been allotted one Comprehensive One-Stop Center because they work directly with the center in their service area even though they do not have a Comprehensive One-Stop Center in their specific service area. Uses and Restrictions: Funding shall be used exclusively for SESP activities. SESP related expenses include, but are not limited to: staffing costs, materials, supplies, travel, equipment, training, and consultant services. Expenses excluded include research and development, and construction as defined in the Uniform Budget Template. Any expenses associated with the application process, pre-award costs, or any work performed prior to period of performance in the Notice of State Award (NOSA) shall not be payable under the resulting grant.

On an applicant-by-applicant basis.

For questions regarding AmpliFund please email Aging.GATA@illinois.gov Please contact Luis Rodriguez for Programmatic questions at Luis.Rodriguez3@Illinois.gov.

To be considered eligible for funding under this application, applicants must: 1. Be designated as an Area Agency on Aging and/or SCSEP sub-grantee by the State of Illinois; 2. Have an Affirmative Action Plan for staff regardless of the composition of the community; 3. Comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 4. Comply with the financial and programmatic reporting requirements set forth for this program on a regular and timely basis; 5. Hire appropriate staff and provide adequate supervision; 6. Include appropriate staff in orientation, training, and other meetings scheduled by the IDoA for this program; and 7. Permit access to program operations and records to IDoA staff for evaluation and monitoring purposes. 8. Grantee shall respond to all inquiries, requests, emails, and phone calls from the Department within three business days. In the event the contact person at the Grantee agency is unavailable, Grantee will immediately provide an alternate contact person who will respond within three business days. 9. Grantee shall participate in any Department directed surveys or requests for feedback from persons receiving assistance funded by this Grant. Failure to do so may result in withholding of payment pending compliance. See the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR 200.339) and 13.3 of this contract regarding non-compliance. Failure to comply with any of the “Applicant Requirements” during the program year can result in denial or discontinuation of funding for this program.

A Notice of State Award (NOSA) shall be sent to each successful applicant using the GATA web portal. A Uniform Grant Agreement shall be sent to the Grantee once the awarded entity has signed the NOSA. The NOSA shall include estimated project start date, as well as any programmatic and financial special conditions.

The NOSAs shall include all necessary information regarding terms, conditions, and additional requirements of the resulting grants.

Grantees shall be required to submit financial and programmatic reports, minimally, for the following reporting periods: o October 31, 2025 for July 1, 2025- September 30, 2025 activities o January 31, 2026 for October 1, 2025- December 31, 2025 activities o April 28, 2026 for January 1, 2026- March 31, 2026 activities o July 30, 2026 for April 1, 2026-June 30, 2026 activities Reports should be emailed to the Title V Program Coordinator, Aging.OAS@illinois.gov, and Aging.fiscal@illinois.gov.

Luis Rodriguez -- Luis.Rodriguez3@Illinois.gov