Dear Colleague, 

In January 2010, Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW)will release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for lead state organizations in the Elder Economic Security Initiative™ (Initiative). WOW is a national advocacy organization with over 40 years of experience working to promote economic security across the generations. The Initiative combines research, organizing and advocacy at the national, state and community levels to advance policy and program change to promote the economic security of elders and their families.

Underpinning the Initiative is the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index). Developed by WOW and the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, the Elder Index measures what it costs for seniors to age in place, taking into account how costs differ based on geographic, housing and health circumstances. The Elder Index is being used by policy makers, advocates and service providers across the country to inform aging policy and program planning, development and evaluation.

To date, WOW has partnerships with non-profit organizations and state agencies in twelve states, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and West Virginia. WOW and its state partners work collaboratively to carry out the Initiative and release county-by-county Elder Index data in the state.

To find out more about the Initiative and/or the RFP, please contact Stacy Sanders, Associate Director of the Elder Economic Security Initiative, at ssanders@wowonline.org or (202) 464-1596 x108.

Visit the Initiative’s website at: http://www.wowonline.org/ourprograms/eesi/.