NEWS

Age-Friendly Funding Alert: Respite Innovations Grant Program, MassTrails

Dec 7, 2022

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following funding opportunities that advance inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities:

The Respite Innovations Grant Program – Executive Office of Elder Affairs (deadline January 12, 2023)

The Respite Innovations Grant Program launched yesterday afternoon (12/6), and seeks applications that propose new or enhanced respite models that enhance, improve, expand, and/or reorganize how respite is currently provided. The contracted grant period will be for a duration of two years (April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2025).

Massachusetts organizations with experience providing home and community-based respite services are eligible to apply online before 5PM on January 13, 2023 using the MassGRANTS application portal.

Priority will be given to applications that:

  • Provide support for those with intensive care needs in the community
  • Develop respite options for caregivers of individuals with complex medical, cognitive, or behavioral needs
  • Build or enhance parent-to-parent or caregiver-to-caregiver models
  • Develop options to address the workforce needs of HCBS respite providers
  • Provide person-centered respite services that are gender-inclusive and serve culturally, linguistically, or ethnically diverse caregivers
  • Develop respite services for older adult caregivers

Please refer to the grant website to learn more and access helpful resources, including FAQs, a guide to using the MassGRANTS application portal, and the detailed Request for Applications (RFA).

There will also be a bidders conference on December 14th from 3-4 PM. Potential applicants and interested parties must email MAHCBSgrants@pcgus.com to receive the meeting link. Potential applicants are also encouraged to submit questions in advance of the conference to the same email.

Please note that you cannot make any changes to your grant application after it is submitted. For any questions, please send an email to MAHCBSgrants@pcgus.com.

MassTrails provides grants to support recreational trail and shared use pathway projects across the Commonwealth. The award maximum depends on the project type and needs and is generally $60,000 for “local” projects and up to $500,000 for projects demonstrating critical network connections of regional or statewide significance.

Eligible grant activities include project development, design, engineering, permitting, construction, and maintenance of recreational trails, shared use pathways, and the amenities that support trails.

MassTrails grants are REIMBURSEMENT grants, meaning grantees must first pay for expenditures and then submit for reimbursement using the required documentation.

MassTrails grants are MATCHING grants and require that proponents provide a minimum of 20% of the total project cost.

Eligible projects require documented land owner permission submitted with the application and are subject to all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations

MassTrails grants are reviewed and recommended by the Governor’s Inter-Agency Trails Team and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB).