The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following funding opportunities to advance inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities:
- Hybrid Programming for COAs Grant – Executive Office of Elder Affairs (deadline, Sept. 25)
A new $1.45M grant opportunity is available from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), funded by the American Rescue Plan Act Home and Community-Based Services. The Hybrid Programming for COAs Grant will support Councils on Aging (COAs) in Massachusetts to begin or strengthen their ability to deliver hybrid (in-person and virtual) programs for older adult residents.
COAs must apply online before September 25th, 2023 using the MassGRANTS application portal. Applicants can create partnerships to apply together. One COA may apply for up to $100,000; two COAs may apply for up to $200,000; three or more COAs may apply for up to $300,000. EOEA anticipates that grant awards will be made in January 2024, and COAs will have through March 2025 to expend funds.
- Accelerating Climate Resilience – Metropolitan Area Planning Council (deadline, Sept. 15)
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council is offering another round of Accelerating Climate Resilience Municipal Grants to help advance strategies that protect people, places, and communities from the impacts of climate change.
For FY24, MAPC is offering one-year grants for technical assistance, programs, capacity building, and capital improvement / construction projects.
More info, including registration for an informational webinar on 8/21, is available here.
REMINDERS on previously announced age-friendly funding opportunities:
- Municipal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvement Grant Program, The Massachusetts Office on Disability, (MOD) – submission period opens August 1
Eligible applicants for ADA Improvement Grants include any Massachusetts city or town. These grants will support capital improvements specifically dedicated to improving programmatic access and/or removing barriers encountered by persons with disabilities in applicant facilities throughout the Commonwealth. Grants will be awarded to successful applicants to remove barriers and create and improve accessible features and programmatic access for persons with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth.
More information is available here.
- MassDOT Safe Routes to Schools’ “Signs and Lines” Program – Coming Soon!
Communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly may be interested in the MassDOT Safe Routes to School Program, which to launch both the Signs & Lines Program AND the Infrastructure Grant Program at the same time this year. Older adults benefit from the same safety improvements as students walking and bicycling to school and so age and dementia friendly stakeholders can be valuable partners in pursuing grant support.
Both application periods open on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 with one informational webinar. MassDOT encourages municipal staff, school and school district staff, SRTS task force members, and anyone else interested in Safe Routes to School to attend. MassDOT will provide details on both application processes and expected project timelines, as well as review some examples of eligible and ineligible projects. The webinar will wrap up with a Q&A session.
All application materials will be available on the Engineering page of the Safe Routes to School website when the grant programs launch on August 23, 2023. More information will be shared on an August 23rd webinar and those interested can register here.