Call for Proposals: New Horizons for Seniors Program

On November 23, 2021, the Government of Canada will launch the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) 2021-2022 call for proposals (CFP) for community-based projects across Canada. 

Please note that the online application and applicant guide will only be available on the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) web site starting on November 23, 2021. It is important to note that you cannot submit your application until on or after November 23, 2021, after the CFP is officially launched. Please consult the ESDC Funding Programs page.

The deadline to submit applications will be December 21, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. Organizations will have a total of four (4) weeks to submit their applications. The information on the NHSP web pages will help you learn more about this funding opportunity, as of November 23, 2021.

The New Horizons for Seniors Program supports projects that address the following 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.

What’s new for the 2021-2022 Call for Proposals?

One application stream: Community-based projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding. New applicants and organizations that have not been funded in the past five years are encouraged to apply.

 To simplify the application process and provide funds to communities more rapidly, organizations will need to complete and submit their application online. 

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

1.      Supporting healthy ageing, including addressing social isolation, including through supporting seniors’ digital literacy, addressing ageism, mental health and dementia, and by developing and delivering virtual programming for the above. 

2.      Preventing senior abuse, including helping seniors navigate access to government benefits and providing support to file their taxes, supporting financial empowerment of seniors, and measures to reduce crimes and harm against seniors. 

3.      Celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion, including promoting intergenerational mentoring and engagement, and serving members of the following vulnerable groups: Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of racialized and newcomer groups, members of LGBTQ2+ communities, low-income seniors and veterans.

4.      Helping seniors to age in place, including providing practical supports to seniors to help them remain in their homes longer.

We encourage you to follow Seniors in Canada on Facebook and on Twitter or access canada.ca/seniors  to obtain the most up-to-date information about the benefits, programs and initiatives available to seniors. Additionally, we are asking you to comment, like and share our content to help spread the word about the 2021–2022 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.