Government of Canada launches New Horizons for Seniors Program 2014-2015 Call for Proposals for Community-Based Projects
News Release
May 13, 2014 – Ottawa, Ontario – Employment and Social Development
The Government of Canada is seeking applications for projects that will help Canadian seniors use their leadership abilities, skills and experience to continue to make a difference in their communities through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).
NHSP community-based projects help empower seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with others and support communities by increasing their capacity to address local issues.
The call for proposals will close on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Quick facts
- Organizations may receive up to $25,000 in grant funding. Projects must address one or more of the program’s five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance.
- Over 1,770 NHSP community-based projects were approved through the 2013-2014 call for proposals, for a total of more than $33.4 million in funding.
- Economic Action Plan 2014 proposes an additional $5 million per year for the NHSP to support additional projects that benefit seniors.
- Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada.
Quote
“Our Government recognizes that seniors have helped build our country and continue to contribute their skills and experiences to communities and workplaces across Canada. Through initiatives such as the NHSP, we are empowering seniors by supporting projects that help improve their well-being and maintain a good quality of life.”
– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)
Contacts
Earl Maynard
Office of the Minister of State (Seniors)
819-953-1144
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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Backgrounder
The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in the lives of others and in their communities. Through the NHSP, the Government of Canada encourages seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others. Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada.
NHSP funding is targeted to community-based projects, pan-Canadian projects and pilot projects that focus on issues like social isolation and intergenerational learning.
Community-based project funding supports activities that engage seniors and address one or more of the program’s five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation, and capital assistance. These projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per year per organization in grant funding.
Pan-Canadian projects provide support to help seniors protect themselves from elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud. These projects help community members to recognize elder abuse in all its forms and to improve the quality of life, safety and security of seniors. Projects focus on developing tools, resources and promising practices that can be adapted and shared across communities, regions or Canada; they may be eligible to receive up to $250,000 per year for a maximum of three years.
Pilot project funding provides support to help address seniors’ isolation by establishing better social support networks and resources and initiating community interventions. It also identifies intergenerational learning projects that help seniors develop new interests and share their knowledge and experience with others. These pilot projects are eligible to receive up to $100,000 of federal funding over a maximum of 24 months, which will be matched with funding from other sources. The first call for proposals for pilot projects was launched on October 3, 2013 and closed on November 13, 2013.
For more information on the NHSP, visit esdc.gc.ca/seniors.
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