Training and Professional Awareness Support (TAPAS) Grant from VCPEA

VCPEA announces the continued availability of funding to support local, regional, and statewide training and professional awareness events that directly address the problems of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation in Virginia. The VCPEA hosts an annual statewide conference devoted to this mission each May, so priority will be given to projects that build local or regional capacity in these areas when awarding TAPAS grants. Applications from statewide organizations will be considered but not prioritized.

Beginning July 1, 2014, the VCPEA set aside funds for these purposes on an annual basis. The amount of funding will vary depending on the financial success of the VCPEA, which is shaped by membership dues (when they are in place), donations, and revenues from its annual conference. Funding awards will be addressed on a first-come, first-served basis for each year. Once allocated funds have been distributed, no other funds will be made available until the next year.

Two VCPEA purpose areas are relevant to this funding announcement:

• Public Awareness: To disseminate information to the public about elder abuse and how persons can help to combat elder abuse; and

• Professional Awareness: To compile, publish, and disseminate to targeted professional groups and stakeholders information and materials about best practices in order to prevent, report, remedy, and combat elder abuse.

Eligible applicants include any Virginia-based non-profit organization, unit of local or state government, regional authority, or advocacy organization with mission statements, programs, or mandates that are consistent with the mission of VCPEA: “to assure older Virginians a life free of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”

Matching funds are not required. However, VCPEA urges applicants to partner with local and regional stakeholder agencies and/or local merchants to provide additional funding or other in-kind donations to support these training events. Whenever possible, VCPEA encourages applicants to charge registration fees at training events, to develop an independent funding source to support other training, and professional awareness efforts.

All activities proposed for TAPAS funding shall be carried out in an ethical, respectful, and non-discriminatory fashion, and shall be consistent with all relevant federal and state law, policy, and regulations.

Applicants must send a letter of application, no more than four pages in length, with at least the following:

1. Description of the training or professional awareness event, including an agenda;

2. Summary of target audience and/or likely attendees;

3. Explanation of how funds will be used. Be specific with regard to cost estimates and breakdowns;

4. Dates for training or professional awareness event, and date when project will be completed;

5. Plans for evaluating the impact/effectiveness of the event; and

6. Explanation for how this event supports the purpose areas of VCPEA.

7. Send completed application to VCPEA at info@vcpea.org. Applicants will receive a letter or email announcing VCPEA’s funding decision within 90 days of receipt of application.

Funds will be made available immediately upon approval of the application.

Recipients of training funds must include the following acknowledgement of the Virginia Coalition for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Inc., on all materials announcing the event and on all recipient-generated materials prepared for and distributed at the event:

“This event/training/meeting/webinar is supported by the Virginia Coalition for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Inc. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the conveners/authors/trainers and do not necessarily represent the views of the Virginia Coalition for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.”

In addition, recipients are required to send a brief statement to VCPEA after the event, sharing a copy of the training agenda, results from evaluations, and an explanation of how funds were used and expended.

All unused funds must be returned to VCPEA. Statements should be sent to info@vcpea.org within 30 days of the event.

2023 TAPAS Grantees

Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society/Southwest Virginia Elder Task Force

Piedmont Senior Resources, Area Agency on Aging

RVA World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Conference