As we resume our Funder Profiles series, we venture into new territory by featuring our first government funding source, the New Horizons For Seniors (NHFS) Program. Administered by Economic and Social Development Canada, NHFS is a federal grants and contributions program that financially supports projects that enhance the lives of seniors and their communities.
It’s estimated that by 2026, one in five Canadians will be aged 65 and above (Source: Government of Canada Publications). As the nation’s fastest growing demographic, it is critical that all levels of government extend supports that facilitate healthy aging and empower older adults to live their greatest lives possible. To that end, NHFS funding aims to help an exceptionally wide range of different organizations (including for-profit) advance the social inclusion and community engagement for seniors, heighten awareness of elder abuse, and promote intergenerational collaboration.
Support for projects that safeguard the health and well-being of older adults in every Province and Territory is channeled through two (2) funding streams:
Community-Based Projects
Under this stream, grants of up to $25,000 are allocated to “community-based projects that are designed by seniors for seniors. This program funds projects that empower seniors in their communities and contribute to improving their health and well-being.” Capital projects may also be funded through this stream for new and existing programs that increase the quality of life for older adults.
Pan-Canadian Projects
The objective of this stream is to invite eligible organizations to submit an application that broadly describes a concept for a collective impact plan that will measurably increase the social inclusion of vulnerable seniors.
Grants of $1 million to $5 million with a duration of up to 5 years will aim to help:
Organizations to remove social inclusion barriers for vulnerable seniors more effectively;
Seniors access information, programs, and services that prevent social isolation;
Develop innovative approaches to engage and keep senior volunteers to improve their social inclusion in their communities, and;
Address systemic barriers that contribute to the social isolation of vulnerable seniors.
NHFS-funded initiatives across Canada significantly reduced the risk of severe physical and mental health outcomes for thousands of seniors who endured amplified levels of social isolation and loneliness during the pandemic. By investing in projects that reconnected older adults with family, friends and the community, NHFS substantially decreased their odds of experiencing heart disease, stroke, dementia and other isolation-induced ailments.
As one of the federal government’s most ample funding bodies, NHFS allocated more than $64 million in grants to 3,445 projects throughout Canada in 2021. Amounts ranged from $414 to $25,000 and addressed a plethora of issues related to the wellness of older adults including recreation, active living, arts and culture, continuing education and mental health.
To learn more about NHFS’ funding streams and upcoming deadlines, you can visit their website by clicking on the button below:
