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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

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

  • a document that provides proof of operations of your organization
    • If you have a CRA business number :
      • a document from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) dated within the last 2 years showing the legal name and valid business number (copy must be provided with your application)
    • If you do not have a CRA number:
      • a document that provides proof of operations of your organization
        • a Quebec enterprise number (NEQ), or
        • other provincial, territorial, federal corporation number (copy of patent letter must be provided with your application)
  • a letter of community support dated no earlier than July 1, 2025
  • if applicable, a quote from a contractor for each activity, if you are proposing renovations or a repair project (must be dated within one (1) year)
  • a letter indicating provincial or territorial agreement (if applicable)

Note: Important tip to help you complete your application

ESDC recommends that you have a copy of the Prepare to Apply section available (either in print or virtual format) while you are completing the Application Form to ensure you include all the required information for each question.

Please note that each section of the application needs to be filled out and that ESDC will not click on or go to websites or other links that are included in the application form to find the required information.

What happens if a supporting document is missing from your application

If your application is incomplete, it will be screened out.

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.

Application forms:

There are 2 methods of applying. ESDC provides detailed instructions on how to use:

Time estimates:

ESDC provides time estimates in each part to assist you. This gives you an idea of the average time it could take to complete it. It could take less or more time depending on your situation. These estimated timelines are based on having all the information ready to go. The time for consultations with partners and planning would require more time.

In this section

Section A – Notice to Applicants

Important information appears in Section A of the application to help you:

  • prepare and complete your application
  • submit your application

It also contains details about key points such as:

  • your personal information
  • access to information
  • how information provided in your application will be used or disclosed

Please 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

Section B – Organization

Part 1 – Organization identification (Questions 1 to 19 of the application form)

Estimated time of completion for Part 1: 30 minutes.

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 indicate the full name and not only an acronym (unless your organization name is in an acronym form).

Year established (Question 3)

State the year your organization was established.

Organization type (Question 4)

This question is mandatory. Choose one of the following:

  • Not-for-profit

    Not-for-profit organizations are organizations that do not seek financial gain.  They primarily receive provincial/territorial/federal funding (supplemented by fundraising and fees). They often:

    • rely on volunteers to deliver programs
    • are 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 overseen by the Government of Canada are public sector employers. Under certain statutes, some agencies, such as school boards and hospitals, are considered public sector. They are often referred to as parapublic organizations. Public sector employers can be large or small. They have 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

    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.

    Note: The following organizations are eligible with the agreement of their provincial or territorial government:

    • post-secondary institutions
    • social service and public health institutions
    • provincially/territorially funded institutions

    This agreement must be indicated by a letter from the province or territory.

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
  • 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
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business number (Question 6)

A business number is a unique 9-digit number that the CRA assigned to your business or legal entity. For example, 123456789 RR 0001. Please see the CRA business number or registration number for further reference.

Find more information about the Canada Revenue Agency.

Acceptable alternatives  

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

  • a document that provides proof of operations of your organization
  • your provincial, territorial/federal corporation number (copy of patent letter must be provided with your application)
  • your Registraire des Entreprises du Québec(NEQ) number
  • a letter indicating provincial or territorial agreement
Organization primary address (Question 7)

State the primary address of your organization. The primary address is usually the head or main office. The full address is required including city, province and postal code. You cannot include a PO Box, this information, if applicable, can be included in the next question.

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

Note: ESDC does not fund core operational expenses

Target Group(s)

If applicable, identify the target group(s) that best align(s) with your organization’s mandate or purpose (you may select more than 1).

  • Seniors
  • Individuals experiencing homelessness
  • Youth
  • Women
  • Newcomers
  • Black people
  • Racialized people
  • 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

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

Primary contact information (Questions 10 to 13)

Who is the main contact person for the proposed project? ESDC will require a primary contact who they can reach out to regarding your organization’s application for funding.

This person must be available for questions from the time the application is submitted to the time decisions are communicated in February 2026.

Please provide the primary contact information. If the contact details change after your application is submitted, please notify the Department in writing as soon as possible.

Note that the email address provided will be used for all correspondence. ESDC does not accept grant writers as the primary contact.

Secondary contact information (Questions 14 to 17)

If ESDC cannot reach the main contact, who else can ESDC contact? Provide the person’s full name, telephone number where ESDC can reach them during business hours and their email address. The secondary contact’s information must 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 2026. ESDC will reach out if they require additional clarification and/or documentation.

Note that the email address provided 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. ESDC will not reject your application for this reason. However, you must provide the details 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

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.

Section B - Part 2 – Project Proposal (Questions 20 to 29 of the application form)

Estimated time of completion for Part 2: 6 hours.

Project Proposal 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 end of March 2026.

ESDC expects to finalize funding decisions by early February 2026.

Once the agreement has been signed, you must complete your project activities within 12 months, but no later than March 31, 2027.

ESDC 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 ESDC have signed 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.

Proposals that include multiple locations within an overall organization normally cannot exceed a total of $25,000 per organization, however:

  1. We will accept multiple applications from organizations with the same CRA Business Number and same governance structure, as long as the total amount requested from ESDC does not go over $25,000
  2. If the applicants who share the same CRA Business Number can demonstrate that they operate under a different governance structure (such as: submitting proof of operations), then multiple applications could all be eligible for funding, for a maximum amount of $25,000 per location that demonstrated that they operate independently

For example:

XYZ Senior’s Centre has 5 locations managed by the organization, operating under the same business number with the same Board of Directors. Each location wants to propose different activities (for example, one wants to start an intergenerational crafting circle, and another wants to expand their Monday coffee chat to happen on Wednesdays as well).

For this scenario, there are 2 options to apply:

  • Option 1- Each XYZ location can apply separately for the project activities taking place at their location, however, the total accumulated requested amount cannot be higher than $25,000.

  • Option 2 - XYZ Senior’s Center can submit one application requesting up to $25,000 for all the project activities that would take place at the different locations.

In comparison:

123 Veteran's Society has 7 independent chapters, each with their own Board of Directors and operates independently. Each chapter can apply for up to $25,000 using their CRA Business Number.

Project Proposal Description (Questions 24 to 29 of the application form)

Project summary (Question 24)

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

  • 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 planning and delivery of the project activities
  • indicates the expected results of your project, including the number of seniors you expect to use the service or 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 (Vulnerable Groups))
  • rural and remote areas

Notes:

  • 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 (before April 1, 2020)
Project example:

ABC Senior’s Club is submitting an application for a new project to improve the social participation of newcomer seniors in a city. As part of the new project, seniors involved with the organization will run Coffee meetups where newcomer seniors can practice their English conversation skills. The organization will also be organizing various activities and workshops on fraud and elder abuse.

Program objectives and national priorities (Question 25)

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

Notes:

  • projects submitted for this grant (up to $25,000) do not have to meet any of the National priorities. However, if your project does meet 1 or more of the National priorities, it will receive additional points during the assessment process
  • the quality of the information you provide is more important than the number of priorities you address. For example, fully outlining how you meet 1 objective and/or national priority will be scored higher than attempting to cover multiple objectives and priorities with minimal details
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 2026 - Purchase equipment)

Project activities are the steps that you will take to meet the project objective(s). 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) and outputs and these must be well explained and demonstrate the central roles of seniors in their planning and delivery.

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

Note: In question 30 (Project Costs) of this application, you will have to identify the costs associated with each of the activities you identify.

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.

If the address of the proposed activities is residential, an explanation is required in question 26, to explain why they take place at a residential address.

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)

ESDC commits to enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minorities in Canada. ESDC 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:

  • have low income
  • are Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis)
  • are women
  • are youth
  • are 2SLGBTQIA+
  • are members of Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs)
  • are Black people
  • are racialized people
  • are newcomers
  • are persons with disabilities
  • are individuals experiencing homelessness
  • seniors who primarily speak languages other than English or French
  • are veterans
  • are living in rural and remote settings

Note: Having the participation from diverse seniors in your project activities means your project meaningfully targets a group of vulnerable seniors. Your project must be designed with clear efforts to reach 1 or several groups of vulnerable seniors or provide services specifically tailored to their needs.

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

Estimated time of completion for Part 3: 2 hours.

Applicants must provide an estimate of the project's costs. ESDC uses the information to assess the overall cost of the proposed project. ESDC wants to understand the proposed expenditure(s) and all anticipated sources of funding (cash and/or donation (in-kind)). For example:

  • funds requested from ESDC
  • funds provided by:
    • your organization
    • other organization(s)
    • private sector organization(s)
    • other government(s)

You will be required to provide your quote(s) dated no more than in the last year within the application if you are applying for funds for renovations/repairs (capital expenditures).

The list of eligible costs and ineligible costs are found on the Who Can Apply page.

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.

These costs must be:

  • reasonable
  • eligible
  • support project activities

The total amount in this question may be higher than the total amount in question 23 (Amount Requested from ESDC) if you are including additional sources of funding or support.

Budget example

This example follows the example from Question 24 (Project Summary). The budget for the ABC Senior's Club proposal for English coffee meetups and various other activities would have the following proposed budget:

Image 1: Project Costs Chart
Budget item Cost ($ value)
Staff Wages:
Part-time program assistant $3, 750 ($25/hour x 7.5 hours x 20 weeks)
Project Costs:
Snacks $1,500
Rental space for English coffee meetups $3,000
Transportation to activities $3,000
Workshop facilitator fees $5,000 ($1,000 x 5 workshops)
Rental space for workshops $5750 ($1,150 x 5 workshops)
Advertising $3,000
Capital Assets:
None  
Facilities:
None  
Total project cost $25,000

Image text version:

This image is an example of a project costs chart. On the y axis is a column with a list of budget items including:

  • part-time program assistant
  • snacks
  • rental space for English Coffee meetups
  • transportation to activities
  • workshop facilitator fees
  • rental space for workshops
  • advertising
  • accountant

The next column is a list of values for these items for these items which is totaled at the bottom.

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. Note that the additional funding sources listed should be necessary for the project to succeed.

Cash Contributions

If you are getting a cash contribution from another source, tell us how much.

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

If you include any ticket costs or other “nominal fees” in your project, it should clearly be linked to project activities.

Donations (in-kind)

Donations (in-kind) are goods and/or services that people or organizations give to you for free for the proposed project. They can be provided by:

  • your organization
  • other organizations
  • partners

They can include:

  • equipment
  • services
  • paid labour from within the organization or from another organization that is not being charged to the project

Notes:

  • The amount requested from ESDC added here must match the amount in question 23 (Amount Requested from ESDC) and the amount requested from ESDC in question 30 (Project Cost)
  • 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 (Project Cost)

Funding Sources Example:

This example follows the example from Question 24 (Project Summary). 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: Funding sources for the proposed project costs
Source Name Source Type: Cash Source Type: Donation (in-kind) Funding amount ($ value) Confirmed
Amount requested from ESDC x   $25,000  
XYZ Fitness - fitness facilities   x $8,000 Yes
XYZ - cash funding x   $4,000 Yes
Self-funded x   $2,000 Yes
Total funding for proposed project costs $39,000
Image 2: Text version

This table is an example of a completed table of proposed project costs. 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:

  • ESDC
  • 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 (Project Cost).

  • 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:

  • ABC Senior's Club is requesting $25,000 from ESDC:
    • $3,750 - Part-time program assistant. The part-time program assistant will lead the project, promote the project and recruit seniors to take part in the project activities
    • $3,000 - Promotion and advertising. This will pay for ads in the "Generic Today" newspaper for 2 months to promote the project activities to local seniors in the community. This will also pay for radio ads for 2 months to promote the project activities
    • $3,000 - Van rental for project activities. This rental will enable seniors who do not have their own vehicles to be able to go for and actively participate in project activities described in Questions 24 (Project Summary and Question 25 (Program Objectives and Priorities)
    • $5,000 - Workshop facilitators. This will bring 5 workshop facilitators to the project activity location to speak with the project participants. The invited workshop facilitators have expertise language tutoring and are trained on fraud and elder abuse. They will deliver the information sessions
    • $5,750 - Rental space for workshops. To ensure the success of this part of the project, a rental space for all workshops will be required. The activities need to be conducted in a pleasant, safe atmosphere, and in rooms accessible to seniors with disabilities as well. This rental space will welcome up to 100 participants
    • $3,000 - Rental space for English coffee meetups. A high participation rate is anticipated for the community of up to 200 seniors
    • $1,500 - Snacks for English coffee meetups. This will provide snacks and coffee for all program participants during weekly meetups

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

Estimated time of completion for Part 4: 2 hours.

Note: For questions 33 (Program Objectives) and 34 (National Priorities), you will need to explain how you intend on reaching those objectives in the activities and summary questions (question 24 (Project Summary), question 25 (Program Objectives and Priorities) and question 26 (Project Activities and Timelines). Checking off the boxes in these next 2 questions is not sufficient.

Program objectives (Question 33)

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

Examples of activities relating to program objectives can include (but are not limited to):

  • promoting volunteerism among seniors and other generations
    • for example:
      • seniors volunteering in a community kitchen that is recognized for assisting other seniors in the community
      • seniors preparing teaching materials and volunteer teaching about woodworking and metalworking
  • engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others
    • for example:
      • seniors teaching other seniors how to use online tools (video chat applications) and new technologies (such as tablets)
      • Indigenous Elders helping Indigenous peoples who want to reclaim their traditions and cultural identities and share them with others
  • expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse
    • for example:
      • seniors leading workshops to help seniors recognize the types of elder abuse and/or provide information on available supports
      • seniors leading support groups for other seniors who have experienced elder abuse, including financial abuse
  • supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors
    • for example:
      • seniors meeting bi-weekly to prepare and share their favourite recipes with other seniors
      • seniors organizing a recreational flight rally and history of aviation event
  • providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and programs for seniors
    • for example:
      • purchase of necessary equipment (for example saddles and tack) to support a new seniors' riding program
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.

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

Examples of projects relating to:

  • supporting healthy aging
    • for example, a seniors' group is planning a senior-led yoga in the park series
  • preventing senior 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 participating and leading weekly cooking classes by sharing their favorite recipes and dishes with other seniors, while encouraging 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 your proposed project. Include the following in your response:

  • the need for the proposed project in your community
  • how your project will likely benefit seniors in the community
  • a description of who (people and organizations) will benefit from your project activities, including the targeted vulnerable groups
  • a description of who will be supporting the project and an explanation of why they will support the project

It is mandatory to include with your application a letter that shows community support for your project. The letter must be signed by the supporting group or organisation. ESDC will not accept letters following the CFP deadline of September 17, 2025.

Letter of support of the proposed project

Provide 1 letter 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

Notes:

  • a letter of support must come from other groups or organizations, such as:
    • a local seniors club
    • your Member of Parliament (MP)
    • other community leader or organization
    • faith-based institutions
    • your financial institution
  • letters from members of your group or organization are not valid
  • letter must be signed by the supporting organization. Unsigned letters will not be accepted.
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

Notes:

  • Seniors must actively be involved in the project’s development or implementation. Refer to the definition of “active participation” in the glossary which can be found on the “What this Program Offers” section
  • Be sure to identify the role of seniors and how it will increase their social inclusion.
  • It is not enough that an organization proposes to carry out an activity and then recruits seniors to take part in it
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. It is expected that more seniors will benefit from the project than non-seniors.

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 the outcomes and outputs of your organization's 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 other seniors and their communities. However, your project can also include people who are not seniors. (for example: a musical hour with youth and seniors)

Program checklist

Review the checklist carefully. Make sure you have all the documents you need before you apply.

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

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

Incomplete applications will be screened out. ESDC will not reach out to you for missing information.

Section B - Part 5 – Attestation

Estimated time of completion for Part 5: 5 minutes

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 sign an Agreement on behalf of the applicant organization
  • 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.

Note: An official representative of the organization must complete this section. If completed by a third-party, the application will be ineligible.

As this is an attestation, no signature is required.

Section B - Part 6 – Sample Community Support Letter

Estimated time of completion for Part 6: 2 days which includes the back and forth with the organization providing the 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 from another organization or group showing community support for their project. There are no additional points given if more than 1 letter of support is provided.

Because of its' importance,  a letter of support is required for all applications. Applications missing a support letter are considered incomplete and screened-out as ineligible. ESDC will not accept letters of support after the CFP deadline of September 17, 2025.

The guidelines and template below may help with this activity. The letters of support must include:

  • a signature date of no earlier than July 1, 2025
  • the name and a description of the organization offering the support
  • the supporter's name, position title, and signature, as well as the signature date
  • the supporter's signature;
  • the supporter's knowledge of the applicant organization and why they support them
  • the supporter's knowledge of the proposed project and why they support it
  • the need that will be addressed by the proposed project in the community
  • the project's impact on seniors in the community
  • where possible:
    • be written on the author's organization letterhead including the website address, email address, postal address and phone number
    • mention a previous activity the organization undertook that was a success, to demonstrate the supporter's view of the organization's value to seniors

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).

Note:

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

Letter template

[Date] (no earlier than July 1, 2025)

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

Subject: Support Letter "[Project Title]"

To whom it may concern,

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

Our mandate is to [Brief description of the supporting organization].

The mandate of [applicant organization name] is to [brief description of the applicant organization]. We support this organization because [brief description].

Through the NHSP funding, [applicant organization name] aims to [brief description of the project].

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

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

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

[Email Address]

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2025-08-29