Prepare to apply

Before you start your application, gather your supporting documents, and get familiar with the information you will be asked to provide.

On this page

• Prepare your documents
• How to answer the application questions

Prepare your documents

You must include the following with your application for it to be considered complete:

• A document that provides proof of operations of your organization (only if you do not have a CRA business number)
  • A document from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) dated within the last 2 years showing the valid business number (copy must be provided with your application), or
  • A Quebec enterprise number (NEQ); or
  • Other provincial, territorial, federal corporation number (copy of patent letter must be provided with your application)
• A quote from a contractor for each activity, if you are proposing renovations or a repair project
• A letter of community support dated no earlier than July 1st, 2023

What happens if a supporting document is missing from your application

If your application is incomplete, we will send you an email. You will have 5 business days to submit the missing information. If your application is not complete and the mandatory documents are not submitted by that time, we will reject it as ineligible.

How to answer the application questions

The purpose of this section is to help you fill in the application. It describes the specific information you need for each question on the form.

In this section

• Section A
  • The following information on successful projects is posted on Open Government
  • Part 1 – Organization (Questions 1 to 19 of the application form)
  • Part 2 – Project (Questions 20 to 29 of the application form)
  • Part 3 – Budget (Questions 30 to 32 of the application form)
  • Part 4 – Program specific questions and checklist (Questions 33 to 37 of the application form)
  • Part 5 – Attestation
  • Part 6 – Sample community support letter

Section A

Important information appears in Section A of the application and is for your information and understanding. It contains information about the Attestation, the information you provide in the application, and the access to information. Read this information carefully.

The following information on successful projects is posted on Open Government

• organization name
• business number
• amount of funding
• project title
• agreement number
• agreement dates
• location

Part 1 – Organization

A - Organization identification (Questions 1 to 19 of the application form)

• Legal name (Question 1)

  What is your organization's legal name? The legal name is usually:

  • the name on your registration with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or provincial/territorial equivalent, or
  • the name used on funding cheques, bank accounts, etc.
• Operating (common) name (if different from legal name) (Question 2)

  What is the operating (or common) name of your organization (if it differs from the legal name)?

  Please include full name rather than an acronym.

• Year established (Question 3)

  State the year your organization was established.

• Organization type (Question 4)

  This question is mandatory. Choose 1 of the following:

  • Not-for-profit

    Not-for-profit organizations are established for purposes other than financial gain for their members. They primarily receive provincial/federal funding (supplemented by fundraising and fees), often rely on volunteers to deliver programs, and are often governed by a Board of Directors or a Committee. These organizations include:

    • community, charitable or voluntary organizations, including faith-based organizations (for example, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques)
    • associations of workers or employers as well as professional and industrial organizations
    • Indigenous not-for-profit organizations
    • non-governmental organizations
    • unions sector councils
    • not-for-profit Band Councils
  • Public sector

    All companies and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada are classified as public sector employers. For the purposes of certain statutes, various agencies, such as school boards and hospitals, are considered part of the public sector. They are often referred to as parapublic organizations. Public sector employers can be large or small, though often have numerous employees and are governed by Public Policy mandates.

    Public sector employers include:

    • Public community colleges and vocational schools
    • Public health, including public hospitals, nursing homes, senior citizen homes, rehabilitation homes
    • Public degree-granting universities and colleges
    • Municipal governments and agencies, including regional legislative bodies and departments
    • School boards and elementary and secondary institutions
    • Territorial governments

    When a public sector employer uses a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) registered charity business number, it does not change the organization’s designation to a not-for-profit.

  • Private sector

    Private sector employers are established in order to generate a profit or to provide an economic advantage to their proprietors, members or shareholders. They primarily operate through company profits, but can be supplemented by Provincial/Federal government funding. These employers are privately owned and are independently managed. Note that volunteers may deliver some programs and a Board of Directors may govern the business.

    Private sector employers include:

    • bodies, incorporated or unincorporated, including partnerships and sole proprietorships
    • financial institutions
    • business, incorporated or unincorporated bodies, which include:
      • federal Crown corporations operating in a competitive environment and not ordinarily dependent on appropriations for operating purposes as indicated in Schedule III, Part II of the Financial Administration Act
      • provincial and territorial Crown corporations recognized as operating in a competitive environment and not ordinarily dependent on appropriations for operating purposes
      • private health and educational institutions
      • independent owners of franchises
    • Indian band corporations
    • private band councils
    • private universities or colleges
• Organization category (Question 5)

  This question is mandatory. Select the most appropriate category from the following based on what you chose in Question 4.

  • Not-for-profit sector

    • local community, charitable, or voluntary
    • provincial non-governmental organizations
    • national non-governmental organizations
    • not-for-profit band councils
    • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) with a focus on encouraging employment
    • unions
    • associations of workers and/or of employers
    • Indigenous not-for-profit groups
    • sector councils
  • Private sector

    • businesses, bodies incorporated or unincorporated
    • banks
    • private universities or colleges
    • Indian band corporations (profit basis)
    • private band councils
  • Public sector

    • public degree school boards / school districts
    • municipal public health
    • municipal governments and agencies
    • provincial governments and agencies
    • territorial governments
    • public community colleges and vocational schools
    • public degree-granting universities
    • public degree-granting colleges

  • Post-secondary institutions, as well as social service and public health institutions, are eligible with the agreement of the provincial or territorial government
  • For-profit organizations may be eligible for funding if the nature and intent of project activities is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program objectives
• Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number (Question 6)

  A business number is a unique 15-digit number that the CRA assigned to your business or legal entity. For example, 123456789 RR 0001.

  If you do not have a business number, provide 1 of the following:

  • your provincial/territorial corporation number (in other words the number found on your letters of patent)
  • a document from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) dated within the last 2 years (copy must be provided with your application)
  • your Registraire des Entreprises du Québec (REQ) number
  • your federal corporation number with Industry Canada
  • a document confirming the proof of operations for your organization, such as:
    • governance structure
    • articles of incorporation
    • list of board of directors
    • others
• Organization primary address (Question 7)

  State the primary address of your organization. The primary address is usually the head or main office. The full mailing address including city, province and postal code are required.

• Mailing address (is it the same as the organization primary address?) (Question 8)

  State “yes” or “no” to the question of whether your mailing address is the same as the primary address. If you answer “no”, state the mailing address of your organization.

• Organization’s primary activities (Question 9)

  Describe your organization’s primary activities and include the following information:

  • the main activities of your organization
    • mission
    • mandate
    • objectives
  • any specific groups that use the same facility. For example:
    • seniors club
    • Royal Canadian Legion
    • FADOQ Club, etc.
  • if your organization is the only one in your community that offers a meeting place or accessible communication technology

  Explain how your organization serves seniors (if applicable). Ensure to include, if your organization offers accessible communication/information technology in your community.

  If applicable, identify the target group(s) that best aligns with your organization’s mandate or purpose.

  If you wish to identify your target group(s) as visible minorities, please specify a group in the space provided (Other (specify)).

  A person in a visible minority group is someone (other than an Indigenous person) who is non-white in colour/race, regardless of place of birth. For an exhaustive list of visible minority groups please see the Employment Equity Act.

  Please specify in the space (Other (specify)), if your organization’s primary activities also target veteran seniors or seniors who primarily speak languages other than English and French.

  Ensure to select the target group(s) that best aligns with your organization’s mandate or purpose (you can select more than one). Note that the Glossary on the web page lists the definitions.

  • Seniors
  • Individuals experiencing homelessness
  • Youth
  • Women
  • Newcomers
  • Visible Minorities
  • Members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
  • People with disabilities
  • Low income
  • Remote/rural
  • Official language minority communities
  • Indigenous peoples:
    • First Nations
    • Inuit
    • Metis
    • urban/non-affiliated
  • Other: specify
• Primary contact information (Questions 10 to 13)

  Who is the main contact person for the proposed project? Provide the contact information for the person who will be ESDC’s primary contact person in respect to your application for funding.

  This person must be available for questions from the time of submission to the time decisions are communicated in February 2024 in the event the Department needs to reach out for clarification and/or documentation.

  Should the contact details change after your application submission, please notify the Department in writing as soon as possible.

  Note that this email address will be used for all correspondence.

• Secondary contact (Questions 14 to 16)

  If we cannot reach the main contact, who else can we contact? Provide the person’s full name, telephone number where we can reach them during business hours and their email address. The secondary contact’s information should be different from the main contact person.

  This person must be available for questions from the time of submission to the time decisions are communicated in February 2024 in the event the Department needs to reach out for clarification and/or documentation.

  Note that this email address will be used for all correspondence.

• Secondary contact address (Question 17)

  Select the correct address. If different from the main address, provide another address.

• Does your organization owe any amount to the Government of Canada? (Questions 18 and 19)

  If “Yes”, complete the fields for each amount owing. We will not reject your application for this reason. However, you must provide detail as to the type of debt and the arrangements you have for repayment.

  For example:

  Amount owing	Nature of amount owing	Department or agency to which money is owed
  $10,000	Overpayment	Employment and Social Development Canada
  $5,000	Taxes	Canada Revenue Agency

  Answering “Yes” will not make your application ineligible. However, you must provide details about the type of debt owed.

  If you have a payment plan in place to repay the debt, check “Yes” under Question 19, otherwise check ‘No’. You may be asked to provide the current arrangements for repayment during the assessment of your application.

Part 2 – Project

A - Project identification (Questions 20 to 23 of the application form)

• Project title (Question 20)

  Give a short title that describes your project. The title must be a maximum of 64 characters. Do not use “New Horizons for Seniors”, or your organization’s name.

• Planned project start date and end date (Questions 21 and 22)

  This question is mandatory. State the planned start and end dates of your project. The start date should be mid to end of March 2024.

  We expect to finalize funding decisions by February 2024.

  Once the agreement has been signed, you must complete your project activities within 12 months, but no later than March 31, 2025.

  We will notify you in writing of the outcome of the review of your application. You cannot begin any of the proposed activities or incur any expenses until your project is approved, and both you and the Department sign a Funding Agreement. Do not assume any commitment until the signing of the Funding Agreement. If you purchase anything for the project after the approval but before the signing of the Agreement, the amount will not be reimbursed, and your project may no longer be eligible.

• Amount requested from Employment and Social Development Canada (Question 23)

  Indicate the amount you are requesting for your proposed project. It cannot exceed $25,000.

  For organizations with offices in multiple locations, each location is eligible to apply for funding. They must each operate independently and have a separate governing structure. Organizations that do not operate independently may only receive a maximum amount of $25,000 for all locations.

  Organizations can only submit 1 application per project. Multiple activities in a project may not exceed a total of $25,000 per organization.

B - Project description (Questions 24 to 29 of the application form)

The Department uses the information you provide in this section as part of the assessment in determining whether your proposed project is eligible for funding.

• Project summary (Question 24)

  In 500 words or less, include a brief project summary which:

  • identifies the need for this project, and demonstrates how your project will address the needs of seniors
  • clearly describes how seniors will participate in the project activities
  • indicates the expected results of your project, including the number of seniors you expect to use your service or to benefit from the activities. Make sure they are realistic and clearly defined

  Project activities must meet at least 1 of the program objectives.

  If applicable, describe how your project targets:

  • vulnerable seniors’ populations (consult the list in question 29)
  • rural and remote areas

  Note

  • Projects that target vulnerable seniors’ populations or rural or remote areas will receive extra points in the assessment
  • New applicants will receive extra points in the assessment if they have:
    • not received funding from NHSP before; or
    • if they have not received funding from NHSP in the last 5 years (April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019)
  • You can apply for funding to deliver new programs for seniors or to continue delivering existing programs for seniors. The operational costs of your organization are not eligible

  Seniors must be actively involved in the project’s development or implementation in a meaningful way. Be sure to identify the role of seniors. It is not enough that an organization proposes to carry out an activity and then recruits seniors to take part in it. Consulting with seniors to develop a project of benefit to them is also not sufficient.

  • Project example 1

    There is a gap between seniors and youth in your community. You propose a project that focuses on bringing seniors and youth together. Senior volunteers will share their life experiences and knowledge with youth. Youth share their life experiences with seniors. Your project activities include reading, tutoring, crafts, helping them with shopping and gardening. You request $17,000 for these activities.

  • Project example 2

    Your organization has a broken dishwasher. An inspector said to replace it because it does not meet sanitation standards. The organization’s current programs and activities for seniors are at risk until you install a new dishwasher. A new dishwasher will allow social activities for seniors to continue. You request $700 to purchase a new dishwasher.

  • Project example 3

    An age-friendly community organization offers a few initiatives concentrated on empowering low-income seniors and other generations in the form of information sessions, workshops and one-on-one support led by retired professionals as volunteers:

    • a retired bank advisor provides information and resources for the development of money management skills and the ability to reach financial goals to increase the seniors’ financial security
    • a retired social worker shares resources with seniors on how to find safe and affordable housing and access relevant social and financial services
    • a retired human resources specialist teaches unemployed jobseekers on how to prepare resumes and get ready for job interviews

  • Project example 4

    Age-friendly community initiatives that support the social inclusion of seniors and reduce isolation, for example:

    • building of social inclusion networks
    • helping hands programs
    • workshops that teach or share skills
    • information that promotes independence
• Project objectives and national priorities (Question 25)

  In 500 words or less, describe how your project meets:

  • 1 or more of the program objectives
    • If you seek funding for capital assistance, your project must meet at least 1 additional program objective along with capital assistance 2 program objectives.
  • 1 or more national priorities
    • If your project responds to 1 or more of the national priorities, your application will receive additional points in the assessment.
• Project activities and timelines (Question 26)

  This question is mandatory. Describe, in full detail, the proposed project activities. These must be broken into clear steps. Explain the timeframes involved in completing each step (for example, September to October 2023 – Purchase equipment)

  Project activities are the steps that you will take to meet the objectives of the project. Activities should be S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

  The activities should show how you would achieve the project outcome(s).

  Include details about all the planned activities. Refer to the eligible activities list below.

  Note

  In question 30 of this application, you will have to identify the cost associated with each of the activities you identify.

  • Examples of eligible activities:

    • organize weekly in-person sessions for seniors to provide them with support or training and the opportunity to socialize
    • organize financial literacy seminars to local seniors inviting financial experts to give tips on how to manage finances
    • provide sessions on how to manage online banking and on avoiding financial scams
    • capital assistance for age-friendly exercise equipment that would make it easier for seniors to remain actively engaged
    • capital assistance for technology to provide seniors with the opportunity to gain digital literacy skills
    • teach seniors the tools they need to connect with others online
    • set up seniors-led meetings with other seniors, creating an online support network of seniors
    • transportation to provide a personal service to seniors:
      • transportation services for appointments
      • home visit
      • service call
      • meal delivery service
    • renovations and repairs to facilities owned by the organization that specifically run programs and activities for seniors
  • Ineligible activities include, but are not limited to:

    • basic and personal needs such as health care, food or nutrition, shelter, personal transportation, or income support
    • activities where the role of seniors is minimal or not clearly described
    • core operational tasks (tasks regularly or normally carried out by your organization such as human resources, accounting and any task that is not related to the project)
    • projects seeking funding to renovate or maintain an establishment that is:
      • not owned by the applicant
      • does not provide direct seniors’ programming (for example, theatres, healthcare establishments such as health and foot clinics)
    • items of a personal or medical nature such as:
      • wheelchairs
      • scooters
      • cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses
      • first aid equipment
      • automated blood pressure monitor
      • defibrillators
      • hearing aids
      • medical or therapeutic treatments
    • purchase of gift card
    • purchase of vehicle
    • purchase of land or buildings, including new construction
    • the purchase of equipment for a new building that your organization does not yet occupy
    • programs or services that fall within the responsibility of other levels of government
• Will any of the proposed project activities be delivered at your organization’s primary address? Will any of the proposed project activities be delivered in a different location from your organization’s primary address? (Question 27)

  State where your project activities will be taking place. Will they be at the organization’s main address and/or at a different location? If you answered “yes” to a different location, include the address for every other location.

  If your project’s activities take place in a rural or remote area, your application will receive extra points in the assessment.

• Will the project or any of its activities involve or benefit people in English or French linguistic minority communities in Canada, in some way? (Question 28)

  We commit to enhance the vitality of the English and French linguistic minorities in Canada. We support and assist their development and foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society. Official language minority communities are English-speaking communities established within the province of Québec and French-speaking communities established outside the province of Québec.

  If your proposed project involves official language minority communities, you should answer "Yes" to this question. Complete the question following the instructions in the application form.

  Answering “No” to this question will not invalidate your application.

  If your project supports members of official language minority communities your application will receive extra points in the assessment.

• Is your project targeting vulnerable groups? (Question 29)

  Indicate the vulnerable groups your project is targeting, if applicable. You can select more than 1.

  For example:

  • Indigenous Peoples
  • persons with disabilities
  • members of racialized and newcomer groups
  • members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
  • low-income seniors
  • veterans
  • members of official language minority communities

  Please specify in the space (Other (specify)), if your project’s primary activities target:

  • visible minorities
  • veteran seniors
  • seniors who primarily speak languages other than English or French

  If your project targets vulnerable seniors’ populations, your application will receive extra points in the assessment.

Part 3 – Budget (Questions 30 to 32 of the application form)

Applicants must provide an estimate of the project’s costs. We use the information to assess the overall cost of the proposed project. We are looking to understand the expenditure(s) to be covered by all anticipated sources of funding.

For the applications submitted through the online application or through Grants and Contribution Online Services (GCOS), and if you are applying for funds for a capital asset or renovation(s):

• you will be required to upload your quote(s) within the application

• Project costs (expenses) for the eligible activities or services of the proposed project (Question 30)

  This question is mandatory.

  List each activity that you described in question 26. Then, indicate the associated cost with each of those activities.

  Costs must be reasonable and support project activities.

  For online applications, please allocate the costs of your project for each cost category, taking into account the activities described in question 26.

  The total in this question may be higher than the amount listed in question 23.

  Quote

  Should your project require renovations and/or repairs, you must include a minimum of 1 quote.

  Note:

  Salaries, wages and mandatory employment-related costs (MERCs) must not be more than 25% of the funding request from the program. If the amount you request exceeds this threshold, we will adjust the amount requested so it meets the 25% maximum.

  You can use the following calculation:

  • requested funding ($) x 25% (0.25) = maximum amount for staff wages

  For example: You request $25,000 from us. $25,000 x 0.25 = $6,250 is the maximum amount you can request from us for staff wages. This salary maximum allows for more funding to be directed towards project activities.

  • Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

    • core operational expenses of an organization, such as:
      • salary dollars unrelated to project activities
      • rent and utilities
      • day-to-day maintenance of facilities including general operating costs of your organization that are not related to this project
    • activities where the role of seniors is minimal or not clearly described
    • salaries for elderly caregiving services
    • purchase of gift card
    • purchase of vehicle
    • purchase of land or buildings, including new construction
    • repairs or renovations to a building or the purchase of equipment for the new building that your organization does not yet occupy
    • decorating and beautification costs, such as:
      • painting
      • landscaping for aesthetics purposes
    • unexpected costs, planned contingency costs, or costs for potential price increases
  • Example 1 of how to fill out the budget section at question 30:

    ABC Senior’s Club is submitting an application for a project to improve the social participation of immigrant seniors in a city. As part of the project, seniors involved with the organization will :

    • run English Cafes where immigrant seniors can practice their English conversation skills:
      • snacks – cost: $1,000
      • rental space for English cafes – cost: $2,000

    In addition, the club will:

    • provide transportation to various activities – cost: $3,000
    • organize and implement fraud and elder abuse workshops:
      • workshop facilitators fees – cost: $ 5,000 ($1,000 x 5 workshops)
      • rental space for workshops – cost: $5,750 ($1,150 x 5 workshops)
    • advertise – cost: $2,000
    • hire a part-time program assistant to help administer the project – cost: $6,250 ($25/hour x 10 hours x 25 weeks)

    

    Image 1: Text version

    Example 2 of a completed budget section for question 30 of the application form. It consists of a list of activities or services on the y axis. It indicates cash and donation (in-kind) and the value of each on the x axis.

    The first column lists examples of eligible activities. This list includes:

    • part-time program assistant
    • promotion and advertising
    • van rental for social outings
    • workshop facilitators
    • rental space for workshops
    • rental space for English cafes
    • snacks for English cafes

    The second column is a set of check boxes to indicate activities funded with cash.

    The third column is a set of check boxes to indicate activities funded with a donation (in-kind).

    The fourth and last column is a value associated with each activity.

    The bottom row is the total cost of eligible activities or services.

• Funding sources (revenues) for the proposed project costs noted above (Question 31)

  This question is mandatory. Complete the question following the instructions in the application form.

  If you are getting a cash contribution from another source, tell us how much. Include proof with your application.

  Donations (in-kind) are goods or services that people or organizations give to you for free. Your organization or other organizations or partners can donate. Donations include equipment, services, or labour that you receive free.

  To be eligible as a donation:

  • you must need it for the project to succeed
  • the organization who gives it to you also gives you a document showing its commitment

  We will recognize in-kind contributions only if we can estimate what your organization would pay for the contribution.

  List the name for each organization providing funding. Indicate the type of funding and value associated with it.

  Note:

  The amount requested here must match the amount in question 23 and the amount requested from the department in question 30.

  The total funding for eligible activities or services in this section must correspond to the total cost of the activities and/or services eligible under question 30. It may be higher than the amount listed in question 23. It includes all the sources of funding, confirmed or not, to realize the project.

  • Example 2 of how to fill out the funding sources (revenues) in question 31:

    ABC Senior’s Club will also work with XYZ Seniors Community who will provide:

    • access to their fitness facilities of $8,000
    • additional cash funding of $4,000

    ABC Senior’s Club (Self-funded) provide a contribution in cash of $2,000.

    

    Image 2: Text version

    This table is an example of a completed funding section for question 31 of the application form. It consists of a list of organizations that are providing funding to your project on the y axis. It indicates cash and donation (in-kind), amount confirmed, and the funding amount on the x axis.

    The first column lists examples of organizations that will provide funding towards the project. This list includes:

    • Employment and Social Development Canada
    • XYZ Fitness: fitness facilities
    • XYZ Fitness: cash funding
    • ABC Senior’s Club: self-funded

    The second column is a set of check boxes to indicate if the funding will be provided with cash or donation (in-kind). There is also a check box to indicate if the source of funding is confirmed.

    The fourth and last column is a value associated with each funding source.

    The bottom row is the total funding for eligible activities or services.

• Budget details (Question 32)

  Note

  This question is mandatory.
  Please use this field to describe the details of all costs indicated under question 30.

  • Provide a brief and clear justification of how you intend to use the money; and
  • Demonstrate that the costs are reasonable and support the project activities

  Use the example below to describe the planned project costs:

  • your organization is requesting $25,000 from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC):
    • $6,250 - Part-time program assistant. The part-time program assistant will lead the project, engaging with the senior and youth participants. The Program Coordinator we will seek will have a deep, established background in arts and crafts, and will be a senior
    • $2,000 - Promotion and advertising. We will pay for ads in the Generic Today newspaper for 2 months to promote the project activities to local seniors in the community. We will also pay for radio ads for 2 months to promote the project activities
    • $3,000 - Van rental for social activities. This rental will enable seniors who do not have their own vehicles to be able to go for and actively participate in social activities
    • $5,000 - Workshop facilitators. We will bring 6 workshop facilitators to the project activity location to speak with the project participants. The invited workshop facilitators have expertise in arts and crafts, and their purpose will be to help inspire and encourage senior participants. $5,750 - Rental space for workshops. To ensure the success of this part of the project, we need to rent space for all the arts and crafts workshops. The activities need to be conducted in a pleasant, safe atmosphere, and in rooms accessible to seniors with disabilities as well. We will welcome up to 100 participants (70 seniors and 30 young people)
    • $2,000 - Rental space for English cafes. In the same way, we need to rent space for this type of activities that are part of our project. We anticipate a high participation rate for our community of up to 200 participants (150 seniors and 50 youth). $1, 000 - Snacks for English cafes. We will provide snacks and coffee for all program participants during weekly meet-ups. The meet-ups will happen at our facilities

Part 4 – Program-specific questions and checklists (Questions 33 to 37 of the application form)

• Program objectives (Question 33)

  Choose at least 1 program objective that your proposed project supports. If your proposed project is requesting capital assistance, you must choose at least 2 program objectives, one of which is capital assistance.

  Examples of activities relating to:

  • promoting volunteerism among seniors and other generations
    • For example, seniors volunteering in a community kitchen
  • engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others
    • For example, seniors tutoring students
  • expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse
    • For example, seniors leading a support group to help seniors recognize types of elder abuse and/or provide information on available supports
  • supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors
    • For example, seniors’ lawn bowling tournament
  • providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and programs for seniors
    • For example, seniors’ club needing to renovate their roof in order to continue delivering activities
• National priorities (Question 34)

  If applicable, choose a national priority that your proposed project will support. Projects that meet at least 1 of the national priorities will receive extra points in the assessment.

  Examples of projects relating to:

  • supporting healthy aging
    • For example, a seniors group is planning a senior-led yoga in the park series.
  • preventing seniors abuse
    • For example, seniors-led fraud prevention seminars that teach other seniors how to detect a fraudulent call and avoid getting scammed.
  • celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion
    • For example, diverse seniors leading story time with kids either virtually or in person, encouraging intergenerational and cross-cultural mentoring and engagement.
  • supporting financial security
    • For example, seniors-led tax clinics that assist other seniors in getting their taxes filed or helping them to apply for government benefits, such as Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), Old Age Security (OAS) benefits, etc.
• Community support (Question 35)

  Describe how your community supports this project. Include the following in your response:

  • the need for the proposed project in your community
  • how your project will likely benefit the community
  • the types of people or organizations that will benefit from your project activities

  In addition, provide a letter or document that shows community support for your project.

  • Letter of support of the proposed project

    Provide 1 letter or document from another organization or group showing community support for your project. A sample letter may be shared with the supporting organization. The letter of support must be in a PDF format to ensure that it is valid.

    Sample community support letter

    A letter of support must come from other groups or organizations, such as:

    • a local golden-age club
    • your Member of Parliament (MP)
    • other community leader or organization
    • faith-based institutions
    • your financial institution

    Letters from project partners or members of your group or organization are not valid.

  • Letter of support must be recent and dated no earlier than July 1, 2023.

    The letter must clearly indicate support for the proposed project. The proposed project must be for the current year and the letter must include:

    • the name and description of the organization offering support
    • address and phone number of the organization offering support
    • the name, position title, signature of the author, and the date
    • where possible, the letter must:
      • be written on the author organization’s letterhead
      • include the website address and email address

    Note:

    The organization supporting your proposed project can reference a previous activity that your organization undertook that was a success. Remind them to include it in the letter. This will demonstrate their view of your organization’s value to seniors.

• Indicate the number of seniors and non-seniors who will take part in the planning and design of the proposed project activities (Question 36)

  Indicate the number of seniors and non-seniors who will take part in the planning and design of the proposed project.

  Provide the following information:

  • demonstrate how seniors will actively be involved in the planning, development or implementation of your proposed project
  • outline the participation of seniors in the project activities

  Note

  Seniors must be actively involved in the project’s development or implementation in a meaningful way. Be sure to identify the role of seniors. It is not enough that an organization proposes to carry out an activity and then recruits seniors to take part in it. Consulting with seniors to develop a project of benefit to them is also not sufficient.

• How many individuals will benefit from the proposed project activities once the project is complete? (Question 37)

  Specify the number of seniors and non-seniors that will benefit from the project.

  Provide the following information:

  • demonstrate how your project will contribute to improving the social inclusion of seniors
  • demonstrate how seniors will benefit from the project
  • demonstrate what needs your project will address
  • describe how it will benefit the community

  Your community or other communities in the area should benefit from your project. For example, seniors can gather community members to clean up a local park and arrange community activities. This will result in a more inviting park for social gatherings, and lead to increased cooperation. This then further improves the community through the partnerships that are developed.

  If a specific group will benefit from this funding apart from seniors, please include this information. The NHSP focuses on seniors helping their communities. However, your project can also include people who are not seniors.

• Program checklist

  Review the checklist carefully. Make sure you have all the documents you need before you apply. If your application is incomplete, we will reject it.

  For the applications submitted through the online application only, include the following information when submitting any supporting documentation to us:

  • the name of your organization
  • the title of your proposed project
  • the confirmation number provided on the confirmation page

Part 5 – Attestation

This question is mandatory. In order for your application to be eligible, you, as an official representative who has the capacity and the authority to submit proposals on behalf of your organization, must:

• attest that you have the capacity and authority to submit the application
• certify that the information provided is true, accurate, and complete, and
• attest that you have read and understood all of the program’s requirements.

In order to do this, the official representative must provide their name, title, and the date.

As this is an attestation, no signature is required.

Part 6 – Sample community support letter

Community support is an important element of a New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) funding application for the $25,000 grant process. When organizations apply for funding, they are required to provide at least 1 letter or document from another organization or group showing community support for their project. A compelling letter of community support from a respected organization or community leader can make the difference in an application’s funding recommendation. There are no additional points given if more than 1 letter of support is provided.

The guidelines and template below may help with this activity.

Letters of community support must be recent and clearly dated (no earlier than July 1, 2023) and must include:

• the name and a description of the organization offering the support
• your name, position title, and signature, as well as the date
• where possible:
  • be written on the author’s organization letterhead
  • include the website address, email address, postal address and phone number

Letters must clearly endorse the project and clearly demonstrate the following:

• your knowledge and support of the organization
• your knowledge and support of the proposed project
• the need that will be addressed by the proposed project in your community
• the project’s likely benefits to the community

The project endorsement within a letter of support will be assessed by the Department. The letter will be evaluated against the NHSP program objectives and the National Priorities of the Call for Proposals (CFP).

In addition:

• if you are aware of a previous activity the organization undertook that was a success, you may wish to reference this in the letter to demonstrate your view of the organization’s value to seniors
• once completed, the support letter needs to be sent to the organization/applicant for them to submit with their application package

Letter template

[Date] (no earlier than July 1, 2023)

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP)
Regional office address
[City, Province Postal Code]

Subject: Support Letter “[Project Title]”

Dear Madam, Sir

I am writing to you on behalf of (organization offering the support) in support of an application submitted by [applicant organization name] in [insert location], for funding through Community-based stream of the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).

[Provide a brief description of the supporting organization]

The outlined project will [Provide a brief description of the project and the impacts it has on seniors in your community].

[Provide a brief description on how the project will advance the established National Priorities (supporting healthy ageing, preventing senior abuse, celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion, supporting financial security).]

I support this project as it will support local and community needs such as [provide at least 1 example]. Overall, the project will benefit our community by [provide a short sentence or 2]

For the reasons noted above, I am excited to support your funding request.

Yours sincerely,
[Name]
[Title]
[Name of Organization]
[Address]

[Email Address]