Social Security – Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program

To comply with the Ticket-to-Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA) which was passed in December 1999, and reauthorized by the Social Security Protection Act of 2004, which requires the SSA to establish a community-based work incentives planning and assistance program. The purpose of the program is to support beneficiaries who want to return to work to make a successful and profitable transition to the workforce. Beneficiaries that continue to work improve their economic independence and financial security. WIPA projects help beneficiaries take advantage of our work incentives programs, which may delay or reduce the effect of work on monetary benefits and health insurance. Additionally, WIPA projects act as repositories for information about other work incentives, benefits counseling services, and other resources that may help beneficiaries succeed in their work attempts, or may assist beneficiaries to improve financial stability as they return to work.

Applicants applying for cooperative agreement funds may include State or local governments (excluding any State administering the State Medicaid program), public or private organizations, or nonprofit or for-profit organizations (for-profit organizations may apply with the understanding that no cooperative agreement funds may be paid as profit to any awardee), as well as Native American tribal organizations that the Commissioner determines is qualified to provide work incentives planning and assistance to all SSDI and SSI beneficiaries with disabilities, within the targeted geographic area. These may include Centers for Independent Living established under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, protection and advocacy organizations, Native American tribal entities, client assistance programs established in accordance with Section 112 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, State Developmental Disabilities Councils established in accordance with Section 124 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and State agencies administering the State program funded under Part A of Title IV of the Act. The Commissioner may also award a cooperative agreement to a State or local Workforce Investment Board, a Department of Labor (DOL) One-Stop Career Center System established under the Workforce Improvement Act of 1998, or a State Vocational Rehabilitation agency. Cooperative agreements may not be awarded to any individual, the Social Security Administration Field Offices, any State agency administrating the State Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Act, any entity that the Commissioner determines would have a conflict of interest if the entity were to receive a cooperative agreement under the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program or any organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 that engages in lobbying (in accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. 1611).

OAG provides a Notice of Cooperative Agreement Award as official notice for approved applications. The notice indicates award amount, the purpose of the award, award terms and conditions, the budget period, the anticipated project period, and the awardee's cost sharing requirement.

Generally, 3 to 6 months after the closing date established in the Federal Register announcement.