BC | Age-friendly Communities Grants

The Age-friendly Communities Grant Program is delivered by BC Healthy Communities (BCHC) in partnership with the BC Ministry of Health (MoH) and funded by the MoH.

In an age-friendly community, older adults are supported to age-in-place, living active, socially engaged, independent lives. To help local and Indigenous governments achieve the vision of building age-friendly communities, the Age-friendly Communities Grant Program includes:

• cash grants; combined with
• in-kind, customized Age-friendly Capacity Building supports.

The grants offered include two funding streams. Local and Indigenous governments are invited to apply for Stream 1: Planning (maximum $25,000) or Stream 2: Projects (maximum $15,000) funding.

Stream 1: Planning (Up to: $25,000)

The Planning grant stream provides Indigenous and local governments with an opportunity to demonstrate an age-friendly focus on all aspects of the planning process, setting a foundation for the success of future Stream 2: Projects grants.

• The development of a local age-friendly assessment and action plan; and/or
• Adding an age-friendly and equity lens to existing plans or policies, such as:
  • Comprehensive Community Plans, Official Community Plans, or community or neighbourhood plans;
  • Reconciliation plans, frameworks, or agreements;
  • Zoning and other bylaws (subdivision, snow removal, parking, etc…);
  • Development permit requirements, Community health and wellness plans;
  • Emergency response, evacuation, and/or emergency social services plans; and/or
  • Design guidelines, Active transportation planning, Food security/food systems planning;
  • Community planning processes related to social determinants of health (e.g., affordable housing, homelessness, etc…).

Click here to see some examples of past Age-friendly assessments and action plans.

Stream 2: Projects (Up to: $15,000)

The Projects stream provides funding to carry out one or some of the actions (projects) identified in the Planning phase. Typically, to be eligible for Stream 2: Projects grant funding, applicants are required to have completed an age-friendly assessment and action plan through the Stream 1: Planning grant. However, applicants can apply directly for Stream 2: Projects funding if they provide an existing age-friendly assessment and action plan. Some examples of age-friendly projects can be found here.

Age-friendly Capacity-Building Supports

The Age-friendly Communities Grant Program includes a cash grant as well as in-kind support from BCHC staff. Support could range from consultation by phone/email to face-to-face or in-community collaboration. BCHC’s role in building community capacity may include (but is not limited to):

• Providing input on goal development and policy recommendations;
• Offering guidance on reflective planning practice;
• Supporting monitoring and evaluation strategies including the development of indicators, data collection methods and evaluation frameworks;
• Researching a variety of topics areas ranging from processes (e.g., partnership development, data collection strategies) to content (e.g. housing, food systems, transportation planning, and revisions to Official Community Plans or Regional Health and Wellness plans);
• Developing in-person and online community engagement processes, including support with planning and design;
• Connecting local and Indigenous governments to community-based organizations, other local and Indigenous governments and regional health authorities (e.g. introductions, convening meetings, bridge-building);
• Reviewing documents and advising on best practices;
• Participating on advisory committees;
• Sharing resources developed by BC Healthy Communities and others; and
• Designing and delivering online trainings and webinars specific to your needs.

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