Government of Canada launches call for proposals for community projects to help seniors
Backgrounder
The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program whose goal is to enhance seniors’ social inclusion and ensure they can benefit from, and contribute to, the quality of life in their communities.
The objectives of the NHSP are:
- to promote volunteerism among seniors and other generations;
- to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others;
- to expand awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse;
- to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors; and
- to provide capital assistance for new and existing community projects and programs for seniors.
Since 2004, the NHSP has funded about 40,000 local projects and broader-reaching initiatives in hundreds of communities across Canada. The total Government of Canada investment has been more than $850 million. Program funding supports community-based projects and pan-Canadian projects.
Community-based projects
Community-based project funding supports activities in which seniors are socially engaged, connected and actively involved. Seniors lead and inspire projects to make a difference in the lives of others and in their communities. Organizations are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding.
As part of the 2024–25 NHSP community-based call for proposals, organizations were encouraged to apply for funding that supports the national priorities for this cycle:
Priority 1: Supporting healthy aging, which includes:
- addressing social isolation, including through supporting seniors’ digital literacy;
- addressing ageism; and
- supporting mental health and seniors living with dementia.
Priority 2: Preventing senior abuse, which includes:
- providing measures to reduce crimes and harm against seniors, including elder abuse; and
- developing educational material to prevent unscrupulous practices, financial fraud and scams from happening to seniors.
Priority 3: Celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion, which includes:
- promoting intergenerational mentoring and engagement;
- advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and helping to secure a better quality of life for Indigenous seniors; and
- collaborating with diverse communities, notably by serving members of the following vulnerable groups: low-income seniors, Indigenous Peoples, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, members of official language minority communities, seniors who primarily speak languages other than English or French, members of racialized and newcomer groups, persons with disabilities, veterans and seniors living in rural or remote areas.
Priority 4: Supporting financial security, which includes:
- helping seniors navigate and access government services and benefits and providing support to file their taxes; and
- supporting the financial empowerment of seniors.
For more information, visit the website for the New Horizons for Seniors Program – Community-based projects .
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