Some of the Lifespan Respite grantees in collaboration with their state respite coalition and/or other partners, have used their initial Lifespan Respite infrastructure building grants, expansion grants or integration and sustainability grants to offer mini-grants to local community-based organizations to expand or enhance respite services in local communities. Examples of the RFPs/RFAs used by state grantees to solicit proposals, PPT presentations on mini grant implementation and outcomes, and other related information are included here.
Alabama
In 2022, Alabama Lifespan Respite issued an RFP for Respite Care Program Grants to increase direct respite care services to existing and start-up programs that provide services to underserved populations. Priority is given to programs serving rural communities, Hispanic/Latino and/or African American families, and children at risk for abuse and neglect. Other populations will be considered as well.
Colorado
The Colorado Respite Care Program (CRCP) periodically awards Community Grants to qualified for-profit, nonprofit agencies or governmental entities currently providing respite services. This program is an effort to respond to the respite care needs of Colorado's family caregivers of individuals with special needs, chronic conditions, older adults, foster children and kinship relations and more. Organizations will be awarded funds to support families in need of respite care.
Massachusetts
Request for Responses, Massachusetts Lifespan Respite Coalition (MLRC), Respite Innovation Mini-Grants, Application for Funding, Issued by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services
Issue Date: Feb 1, 2013, RFR application and Budget Template.
For more information on Massachusetts mini-grant awards, visit the MLRC website.
PPT Presentation, 2014 National Lifespan Respite Conference, Measuring Impact: Evaluation Lessons from Massachusetts’ Lifespan Respite Coalition Programs
New York
2016 Mini-grants
Using Lifespan Respite grant funds, the New York State Caregiving and Respite Coalition awarded mini-grant awards to community and faith-based organizations using Lifespan Respite grant funds. See the NYSCRC Oct 2016 newsletter for mini-grant descriptions. New York has awarded additional minigrants several times since then.
2022-23 Mini-grants
North Carolina
Money Follows the Person Partnership
A joint effort of the Lifespan Respite Care Project, under the Division of Aging and Adult Services and the Money Follows the Person Project, under the Division of Medical Assistance
NC's “Just One More” initiative to bring new or enhanced respite services to each of NC’s 100 counties
Request for Applications (RFA) North Carolina Lifespan Respite Project Mini-Grant Funding Application Packet released by the Lifespan Respite Project, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services Issue Date: December 30, 2011.
North Carolina provided between $5,000 and $20,000 to each mini-grant awardee. One objective of the mini grant was to test the value of a tool to help caregivers plan their respite time.
Between March 2012 - May 2013:
PPT Presentation, 2013 National Lifespan Respite Conference, Giving Your Communities the Freedom to Care: How a Little Money Can Go a Long Way includes outcomes from the mini grant initiative.
- 14,126 hours of respite provided to 235 new families.
- Trained 86 volunteers.
- 12 new or enhanced services have been sustained (summer camps, private pay options, volunteer teams).
Mini-grants Lessons Learned:
- It was time consuming to manage nine grantees, but funding catalyzed nine communities across the state to create a lasting effect on peoples’ lives.
- Timing and approach seem to be key elements in introducing and using the “Maximizing Respite Time” planning tool.
- In more than one setting, caregivers no longer receiving grant-funded services looked for informal/unpaid respite supports. Once experienced, respite was viewed as valuable.
- Average caregiver burden scores significantly declined from pre to post-respite only for those caregivers that talked to their provider about respite planning using the respite planning tool. Burden scores did decline for those caregivers that did not receive consultation from their provider on respite planning, but the decline was not significant.
Mini-Grant Tools and Reports
Setting Goals to Maximize Your Respite Time Tool
Mini-grant Summary Tables
Mini-grant Summary Report, March 2012-May 2013
Caregiver Survey Results
Ohio
OH Lifespan Respite Volunteer Respite Expansion Mini-grants
Oklahoma
OK Lifespan Respite local grantees (awarded 2014)
South Carolina
2020-2022. Samples from South Carolina’s Alzheimer’s Resources Coordinating Council (ARCC) mini grant program and modified versions used by South Carolina for the Breakroom minirants:
2012 Mini grant program. South Carolina Lifespan Respite Care Project, Supplemental Grant Program: Expansion of Respite Care Through the Faith Community. Released by the South Carolina Respite Coalition, Issue Date: Feb 15, 2012, click here for RFP.
Wisconsin
Current: RCAW currently has in place several grant awards for respite providers and community-based programs to expand and enhance respite care, including: