The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following funding opportunities that support inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities.
- Activation Grant, Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts – concept papers due March 1.
The Health Foundation announces the opening of the 2026 Activation Fund grant opportunity, which provides capacity-building support for organizations working to address community-identified health needs of Central Massachusetts residents and workers.
The Activation Fund supports discrete, one-year projects in Central Massachusetts (targeting between $50,000 and $125,000) aimed at helping an organization move to its next level of capacity and effectiveness that can be sustained over time. In general, grants support projects that will not require ongoing fundraising beyond the end of the grant period. The Health Foundation does not name specific health issues or priority areas, instead looking to community-based organizations to identify health issues and potential solutions.
Funding guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions may be found on the Foundation’s website. The deadline for submission of a brief concept paper is March 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
- Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds, Mass. DPH – applications are due March 31st.
The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds (the Funds) is now accepting proposals for the 2026 grantmaking cycle. The Healthy Aging Funds will support age-friendly efforts while advancing the objectives in ReiMAgine Aging 2030: The Massachusetts Plan.
This opportunity is designed to disrupt the root causes of inequitable health outcomes—such as structural racism, poverty, and power imbalances—by supporting Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) changes. Our goal is to support approaches that move upstream from programmatic work and create lasting, community-centered change.
Massachusetts-based nonprofit organizations, municipalities, quasi-governmental groups, and coalitions may apply for the funding streams below:
- PSE Change supports approaches at local, regional, or statewide levels that pass or change laws and rules, retool organizational and cross‑organizational systems, shift power, and improve economic, social, or physical environments.
- Community Health Improvement Planning (CHIP) invests in local or regional assessment, planning, and implementation processes that use Community Health Assessment data to set priorities, align partners, and drive measurable health improvement through PSE change.
- Healthy Aging supports PSE strategies aligned with the Commonwealth’s ReiMAgine Aging 2030 plan and the WHO/AARP domains of livability, elevating upstream change that helps older adults thrive across gateway cities and rural areas.
More information on the Funds are available here.
- AARP Community Challenge (application due March 4)
Since its inception in 2017, the AARP Community Challenge has awarded 2,100 grants totaling $24.3 million to projects that benefit residents — especially those age 50 and older — and accelerate community change.
Details on grant categories and supporting information are available here.
- MassTrails, MassDOT and Department of Conservation & Recreation (applications due Feb. 2, 2026)
MassTrails provides matching grants to communities, public entities, Native nations, and non-profit organizations to plan, design, create, and maintain the diverse network of trails, trail systems, and trails experiences used and enjoyed by Massachusetts residents and visitors. Applications are accepted annually for a variety of well-planned trail projects benefiting communities across the state.
The award maximum depends on the project type and needs and is generally $100,000 for recreational trails projects and up to $500,000 for shared-use path 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).
More info and the online application are available here.
- Community Compact IT Grant Program, applications due Feb. 5
The Community Compact IT Grant Program is a competitive grant program focused on driving innovation and transformation at the local level via investments in technology. Using the transformative powers of IT, we can drive innovation, make government more efficient, save taxpayer money, and make it easier for residents to interact and transact with their local government.
Communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly can consider this grant to imrpove digital equity among older adults and people of all ages.
Grants of up to $200,000 support the implementation of innovative IT projects by funding related one-time capital needs such as technology infrastructure or software. Incidental or one-time costs related to the capital purchase such as planning, design, installation, implementation and initial training are eligible.
Applications from eligible municipalities will be accepted from January 5, 2026 and closes February 5, 2026 at Noon. Projects awarded grants must be completed within 18 months of the grant award.