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Seniors groups look to grants for new programs

Local organizations that work with seniors and provide senior services are being encouraged to apply for federal government funding.

Local organizations that work with seniors and provide senior services are being encouraged to apply for federal government funding.

The New Horizons for Seniors Program, a federal grants and contributions program, launched its 2012-2013 call for project proposals this week.

Non-profits, community based-coalitions, networks and ad hoc committees can receive up to $25,000 in funding per year. But their proposed project must meet certain criteria first.

New Horizons specifically supports projects led or inspired by seniors. It seeks to engage them with their community.

The project must meet one or more of New Horizons’ five objectives, which include: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance.

“The New Horizons for Seniors Program helps seniors put their experience to use through volunteerism and mentorship,” said Earl Dreeshen, member of Parliament for Red Deer, in a press release.

For Monica Morrison, the executive director at Golden Circle Senior Resource Centre in Red Deer, New Horizons is a great opportunity to try new things.

While many fresh ideas for proposals are still churning in her head, Morrison mentioned she’d really to like to see Golden Circle secure some capital to start up a senior fitness instructing program.

“Then interested seniors could be trained as fitness instructors and able to go out, interacting with their community and making it healthier.”

The criteria, which states that seniors have be directly involved and engaged in the planning and implementation of the projects for New Horizons to approve, it does make the process a bit tricky, noted Morrison.

“There’s lots of things we’d like to do, but not all of those meet the New Horizons objectives.”

Like Golden Circle, Red Deer’s Downtown House has used New Horizons in the past and is definitely considering new proposals, said Kathy Blaine, Downtown House’s treasurer.

“They’ve always come through for us,” she said of the program. “Currently, we’re wrapping up a project they funded that helped us upgrade our building to be more accessible.”

New Horizons, established in 2004, provided more than $35.6 million for almost 2,000 projects in the 2011-2012 fiscal year through its call for proposals.

The deadline for proposals is June 29. For more information, visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca/seniors.

rfrancoeur@www.reddeeradvocate.com