# Senior Community Service Employment Program (17.235)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/17-235-senior-community-service-employment-program/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

Senior Community Service Employment Program is run by Department of Labor. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $1.7 billion in 465 grants, about $3.6 million per award.

## Objectives

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a community service and work-based job training program for older Americans. Authorized by the Older Americans Act, the program provides training for low-income, unemployed seniors. Participants also have access to employment assistance through American Job Centers.
SCSEP participants gain work experience in a variety of community service activities at non-profit and public facilities, including schools, hospitals, day-care centers, and senior centers. This training can serve as a bridge to unsubsidized employment opportunities for participants.
Participants must be at least 55, unemployed, and have a family income of no more than 125% of the federal poverty level. Enrollment priority is given to veterans and qualified spouses, then to individuals who are over 65, have a disability, have low literacy skills or limited English proficiency, reside in a rural area, are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have low employment prospects, formerly incarcerated within the last five years, or have failed to find employment after using services through the American Job Center system.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $442 million | 96 |
| 2022 | $384 million | 77 |
| 2023 | $387 million | 116 |
| 2024 | $399 million | 126 |
| 2025 | $58.8 million | 53 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AARP Foundation | District of Columbia | $198 million |
| Cwi Works, Inc | Maryland | $196 million |
| National Council on the Aging, Inc. | Virginia | $146 million |
| Ncba, Inc. | District of Columbia | $100 million |
| SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc | Texas | $95.6 million |
| Easter Seals, Inc. | Illinois | $93.9 million |
| Goodwill Industries International, Inc. | Maryland | $92.5 million |
| National Asian Pacific Center on Aging | Washington | $59.5 million |
| National Urban League, Inc. | New York | $57.7 million |
| The Workplace Inc | Connecticut | $46.4 million |
| La Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores (the National Association for Hispanic Elderly | California | $40.0 million |
| Vermont Associates for Training & Development, Inc | Vermont | $38.3 million |
| Department of Aging California | California | $29.6 million |
| National Indian Council on Aging | New Mexico | $26.4 million |
| New York State Office for the Aging | New York | $25.4 million |
| National Able Network Inc | Illinois | $23.7 million |
| Department of Elder Affairs Florida | Florida | $22.9 million |
| Texas Workforce Commission | Texas | $21.7 million |
| PA Department of Aging | Pennsylvania | $19.5 million |
| Operation Able of Greater Boston Inc | Massachusetts | $19.4 million |