The Tufts Health Plan Foundation today announced new community investments of more than $1.1 million. The eight new grants reflect a commitment to advancing inclusive policies that create thriving and vital communities that work for people of all ages. For 2017, Foundation community investments top $3.15 million, including 30 new grants and on-going support for 15 multi-year initiatives.

“Communities have greater interest in age-friendly initiatives. There’s a growing understanding of the critical role older people play. They are an asset to community, and their voices and insights are invaluable to the public discourse on what communities need,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, vice president, corporate citizenship for Tufts Health Plan and president of its Foundation.

The Foundation’s new grants support initiatives to engage and train more advocates to participate in policy discussions; extend dementia-friendly programs to new communities; and address gaps limiting access to services and healthy, nutritious food. All are aligned with the Foundation’s focus on support for communities that work for everyone.

Grants in Policy and Advocacy

• Healthy Waltham (Waltham, MA)
  Waltham Connections for Healthy Aging
  To build momentum for the second and third years of this city-wide, age-friendly initiative. Two-year grant for $100,240.
• Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (Boston, MA)
  Older Adult Nutrition Access Project
  To improve older people’s participation in the SNAP program by training enrollment agency staff and promoting systemic advocacy and coalition building to defend federal nutrition programs. One-year grant for $60,000.
• Massachusetts Senior Action Council (Quincy, MA)
  Seniors Power Up!
  To organize and train diverse low-income older people in Massachusetts to use their collective voices to influence key public policy issues affecting their lives and their communities. Two-year grant for $150,000.
• Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (Providence, RI)
  Senior Voices for Aging in Community – Year 3
  To engage low-income seniors and develop them as community leaders with the capacity to effectively advocate for policy change. One-year grant for $50,000.

Grants focused on collaboration and community engagement (James Roosevelt, Jr., Leadership Fund):

• Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging and Senior Center Directors (Easthampton, MA)
  Dementia Friendly Massachusetts – Scale and Sustainability Phase (2018-2020)
  To scale the Dementia Friendly Initiative so more Massachusetts communities embrace and become active dementia-friendly communities. Three-year grant for $302,068.
• Rhode Island College Foundation (Providence, RI)
  Building an Age-Friendly Rhode Island, 2018-2019
  To build a powerful community coalition to advocate, design innovative solutions and develop programs/services for an Age-Friendly Rhode Island. Two-year grant for $252,400.
• SeniorCare, Inc. (Gloucester, MA)
  Age and Dementia Friendly Cape Ann
  To work with four Cape Ann communities to establish the first combined age- and dementia-friendly effort. Three-year grant for $190,650.

The Foundation also awarded a grant focused on Systems and Best Practices.

• Alzheimer’s Association of Rhode Island (Providence, RI)
  State of RI Alzheimer’s Five Year Plan Update
  To support the update of Rhode Island’s five-year plan on Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders. One-year grant for $15,000.

The new grants engage nearly 80 community organizations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.