From providing better nutrition to promoting appropriate exercise, the well-being of Peterborough’s seniors is at the heart of a new funding opportunity for local not-for-profit organizations.
The Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF) recently launched a new senior care micro grant program that offers two grants of up to $5,000 each to support senior care projects and healthy aging initiatives within the Peterborough area.
The deadline to apply for funding is Monday, September 30.
“These grants are important as they can be used to support seniors in many ways,” Vince Bierworth, GPHSF executive director, told kawarthaNOW.
“The money can be used towards research, equipment, nutrition programs, physical activity programs, and mental health programs that focus on improving seniors’ health and well-being,” Bierworth noted. “These are all important to healthy aging. We hope these grants will help further our community’s ability to support seniors.”
The senior care micro grant program is meant to be a low-barrier process for applicants. The grants can be used as seed money to address a new need or as financial support for an existing program.
“It would be great to see this money used as seed money to launch or further a new idea to support healthy aging and seniors in the Peterborough area, but ultimately our hope with these grants is to help improve the standard of living for seniors in our community and strengthen the supports available to them,” Bierworth said.
Applications are open to community and not-for-profit organizations, including medical organizations, that run programming and services or are proposing to run programming and services within the city or county of Peterborough and Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
According to GPHSF, proposed projects must be general in scope and inclusive of and serving as many seniors as possible. Projects must be completed within one year of grant approval, unless GPHSF grants an extension.
Grant funding can be applied to existing projects or new initiatives. All grant applications must be from a not-for-profit charitable organization with a charitable registration number, and include a project timeline and budget.
Priority will be given to projects that have a lasting impact on the community, support emerging needs in Peterborough, and improve the quality of life for seniors in the community.
GPHSF was originally established in 1999 as the St. Joseph’s Care Foundation with its primary focus to fund senior care projects and healthy aging initiatives within the Peterborough community. Over the years the foundation has grown, taken on new partnerships, and expanded its focus. While it also took on the name GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation, senior care has remained a primary and important focus for funding.
The senior care micro grants have been made possible by the June Towle Trust. Before she passed away in 2023, June Towle established a trust fund that would see money from her estate be donated to the GPHSF.
To apply for the grant and for additional details, visit the GPHSF website at www.gphsf.ca/seniorcaremicrogrant.
