On September 9, 2020, the Government of Canada launched the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) 2020–2021 Call for Proposals for community-based projects across Canada.

The deadline to submit applications is October 20, 2020. If your organization would like to apply for funding or learn more about this funding opportunity, visit our website. To simplify the application process and for us to provide funds more rapidly, organizations can now complete and submit project proposals online.

This year, organizations can apply for funding to support seniors dealing with the pandemic by submitting project proposals that offer specific COVID-19 relief and recovery activities for seniors. More traditional NHSP projects planned for delivery in 2021–2022 can also be submitted.

The New Horizons for Seniors Program supports projects that address one or more of the five program objectives:

• promoting volunteerism among seniors and other generations;
• engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others;
• expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse;
• supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors; and
• providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors.

Organizations are invited to apply for funding that supports the program’s national priorities:

1. Supporting healthy ageing
   • including addressing social isolation, mental health and dementia, and supporting accessible intergenerational housing
2. Preventing elder abuse and fraud
   • including measures to reduce crime and harm against seniors and supporting financial empowerment of seniors
3. Combatting ageism, celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion
   • including promoting labour market participation of seniors, particularly members of underrepresented or underserved groups, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of racialized and newcomer groups, and members of LGBTQ2 communities, and promoting intergenerational mentoring and engagement
4. Improving seniors’ access to government services and benefits
   
   • including helping seniors navigate access to government benefits, and providing support to file their taxes
5. Adapting community-based organizations to a more virtual environment
   • including by developing and delivering virtual programming, and recruiting and training volunteers to support the social inclusion of seniors

Community-based projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding. Funds are set aside for small grants of up to $5,000 for organizations that have not received funding from the program in the past five years.

We encourage you to follow Seniors in Canada on Facebook and Twitter for access to the most up-to-date information about the benefits, programs and initiatives available to seniors. Please comment on, like and share our content to help spread the word about the 2020–2021 NHSP community-based Call for Proposals and other important seniors-related announcements. Feel free to use #SeniorsInCanada to join the conversation.

For more information on this call for proposals, contact: New Horizons for Seniors Program – Community-based projects.