ESDC: New Horizons for Seniors – Community-based projects

Deadline: July 14, 2026

Program Summary:

The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) community-based stream is a federal grant. It supports projects that are designed by seniors and for seniors in their communities. This program funds projects that empower seniors in their communities through increased social inclusion.

Eligible organizations can apply for up to $50,000 for projects that are led by seniors and are volunteer based.

Organizations with a mandate or mission to primarily serve seniors are strongly encouraged to apply.

Program objectives:

This is mandatory for your application.

Projects submitted for this grant (up to $50,000) must meet 1 of the program objectives.

Note: The quality of the information is important. Fully describing how your project meets the objective(s) will be part of the scoring.

Objective 1: Promoting volunteering among seniors and other generations:

Your project will encourage seniors to volunteer and get involved in their community. By volunteering, seniors can connect with others and feel included and valued. Volunteering should complement, not replace, paid employment. For example:

• connecting seniors to volunteer organizations within the community
• developing volunteer resources such as a volunteer handbook for seniors
• expanding leadership and mentorship opportunities for volunteers that are seniors
• implementing new strategies for recruiting and retaining volunteers that are seniors
• seniors volunteering in a community kitchen that is recognized for assisting other seniors in the community

Objective 2: Engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others:

Your project will foster social inclusion by connecting individuals through mentoring of shared experiences. It helps seniors stay involved in their communities and share their life and work experience by mentoring others. For example:

• seniors teaching youth in their community on gardening
• seniors guiding other seniors on how to use online tools and new technologies (such as social media, video chat applications, and personal assistants)
• providing opportunities for peer mentoring on topics such as grieving, senior caregivers, and dementia
• Indigenous elders helping Indigenous people who want to reclaim their traditions and cultural identities and share them with others

Objective 3: Expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse:

Your project will raise awareness among seniors in the community about potential abuse. For example:

• workshops that teach seniors how to recognize different types of elder abuse and where to get help
• easy to read materials, like pamphlets or brochures, that explain how to prevent financial abuse and show how to spot scams and fraud
• digital skills training that helps seniors use technology safely and avoid online scams and fraud

Objective 4: Supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors:

Your project will create opportunities for social participation targeted toward seniors. For example:

• supporting an event where seniors share stories from the past
• bringing seniors together regularly to socialize and listen to talks on different topics
• providing dance classes to encourage social connection through activity

Objective 5: Providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors:

Your project will help to remove barriers to participate and enable seniors to be more engaged in their communities. Capital assistance projects must primarily help seniors to improve their social inclusion. For example:

• renovating an unused space to offer a new seniors program

Note: If your proposed project is requesting capital assistance, it must meet 2 program objectives:

• objective 5: Capital Assistance
• any other objective

Capital assistance projects may use up to $25,000 of the total approved funding, for eligible capital expenses.

Whenever possible, applicants should consider supporting local, regional or national businesses by choosing to “Buy Canadian” when purchasing goods and services for their project.

National priorities:

This is not mandatory for your application.

Projects submitted for this grant (up to $50,000) do not have to meet 1 of the following National priorities. However, if your project does meet 1 of the National priorities, it will receive extra points during the assessment process. To receive additional points only one national priority needs to be met.

Note: The quality of the information is important. Fully describing how your project meets the priority(ies) will be a part of the scoring.

Priority 1: Supporting healthy aging:

Including:

• addressing social isolation, including through supporting senior’s digital literacy
• addressing ageism
• supporting mental health and seniors living with dementia

Priority 2: Preventing senior abuse:

Including:

• providing measures to reduce crimes and harm against seniors including senior abuse
• developing educational material to prevent unscrupulous practices, financial fraud, and scams from happening to seniors

Priority 3: Celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion:

Including:

• promoting intergenerational mentoring and engagement
• advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and helping to secure a better quality of life for Indigenous seniors
• collaborating with diverse communities notably by serving members of the following vulnerable groups who:
  • have a low income
  • are Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis)
  • are women
  • are 2SLGBTQIA+
  • are members of Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs)
  • are Black people
  • are racialized people
  • are newcomers
  • are persons with disabilities
  • are individuals experiencing homelessness
  • are veterans
  • are living in rural and remote settings

Priority 4: Supporting financial security:

Including:

• helping seniors navigate and access government services and benefits, and providing support to file their taxes
• supporting financial empowerment of seniors

Projects:

Your project must meet all of the following criteria:

• be no longer than 52 weeks
• request no more than $50,000
• meet 1 program objective*
• seniors will lead or play a vital role in its planning and/or delivery
• seek to benefit seniors and their communities
• demonstrate cost effectiveness (value for money)

* Note: If your proposed project is requesting capital assistance, it must meet 2 program objectives:

• objective 5: capital assistance
• any other objective

Capital assistance projects may use up to $25,000 of the total approved funding, for eligible capital expenses.

Activities:

Applications must demonstrate the active participation of seniors in the eligible activities. Activities must be confirmed and described when the application is submitted. The application cannot indicate that it will be determined by a committee after the project has been approved for funding.

Examples of eligible activities:

• seniors sharing their knowledge, skills and experience with other seniors
• promoting awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse
• seniors involved in developing/sharing tools and resource materials to benefit other seniors
• seniors learning from each other’s life experiences
• purchase or replacement of equipment for programs and activities for seniors (must be related to the project objectives and activities). An example can include purchasing a sewing machine for arts and crafts classes or tools for seniors to mentor woodworking.
• renovations and repairs to facilities owned by the applicant and where programming directly related to seniors is offered, such as renovating a space where social gatherings take place to encourage social inclusion (i for example: board games, coffee or a place to gather and chat)
• travel to the main activity location in instances where seniors are unable to reach it otherwise, if the main activities are eligible

Grant Amount:

Up to $50,000 for a project that is up to 1 year in duration

Eligible Applicants:

To apply, you must meet all the eligibility criteria found below.

Organizations with a mandate or mission to primarily serve seniors are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligible Applicants:

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Coalitions, networks and ad hoc committees
• Municipal governments
• Research organizations or institutes
• Educational institutions (in other words, universities, colleges, CEGEPs, school boards/school districts) *
• Public health and social services institutions
• Indigenous organizations, including:
  • band councils
  • tribal councils
  • self-government entities
• *Provincially/territorially funded institutions are eligible with the agreement of the provincial/territorial government.

Ineligible Applicants:

• For-profit organizations

Note to organizations located and operating in Québec

If your project proposal is selected for funding, you may be required to obtain approval from the Quebec government before you can accept our funding. Please consult the Act of respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif

Note on proposals that include multiple locations within an overall organization

1. ESDC will not accept multiple applications from organizations with the same Canada Revenue Agency Business Number.
2. If your organization has multiple locations, you will be required to submit one application per CRA business number.

Note: ESDC may consult with the Canada Revenue Agency to confirm information provided in the application.