Tufts Health Plan Foundation announced new community investments of more than $1.7 million to build healthier communities by promoting collaboration and improving systems and best practices.
These grants reflect the Foundation’s commitment to advancing age-friendly policies and practices that are relevant, focus on older adults, and include them in community solutions. To date this year, the Foundation’s active community investments, including ongoing commitments to previously announced grants, total more than $2.6 million.
“Momentum is building around the age-friendly movement,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president, corporate citizenship for Tufts Health Plan. “These grants emphasize collaboration and system change. Whether in Boston, Cape Cod, the Berkshires, New Hampshire, or Rhode Island, these efforts will lead to health improvements for older adults and the entire community.”
In addition to supporting regional and local efforts to help communities become more age-friendly, the new Foundation investments: train first responders and healthcare professionals to better understand the needs of those living with dementia; inform older adults about healthcare choices; improve access to wellness programs and classes for vulnerable older adults to manage their chronic diseases; expand availability of supportive services at senior housing sites; identify factors influencing the health of older adults; and increase awareness of social isolation and mental health among older adults.
“Our investments focus on improving community livability and addressing inequities to help older adults live healthier, fulfilling lives,” said Moreno Cargie. “Every community has different needs and opportunities. Some communities are just starting; others have been engaged in this work and are ready to take their initiatives to the next level. We want to honor communities where they are.”
The 21 new grants represent collaborations with more than 200 community organizations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Eighteen Systems and Best Practices grants address health and wellness, workforce development, purposeful engagement, and field and capacity building.
• Alzheimer’s Association, MA/NH Chapter (Waltham, MA)
Healthcare and Community Dementia Training—to increase workforce capacity for addressing dementia-related issues by training first responders, direct health care workers, and professionals from various community sectors. Two-year grant for $240,875.
• Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association (Concord, NH)
Aging Mastery Program Expansion and Sustainability in Central New Hampshire—to expand access to the Aging Mastery Program across central New Hampshire and the Seacoast. One-year grant for $40,000.
• Enterprise Community Partners (Boston, MA)
Health and Senior Housing Learning Collaborative for Community Development Corporations—to build capacity for Boston-area Community Development Corporations to engage in a health and housing learning collaborative whose ultimate goal is for older adults to benefit from improved individual and community health. One-year grant for $50,000.
• Friends of Dedham Council on Aging (Dedham, MA)
Livable Dedham: Building a Suburban Model—to build the capacity of Livable Dedham initiative as it takes on age-friendly initiatives in its community. One-year grant for $54,545.
• Friends of Salem Council on Aging (Salem, MA)
Feasibility Study of an Intra-City Shuttle—to support a feasibility study for convenient, accessible, and affordable transportation through an intra-city shuttle for Salem residents, especially older adults. One-year grant for $30,000.
• Friends of Yarmouth Council on Aging (Yarmouth, MA)
Incubator and Thought Partner—to implement activities identified in the age-friendly survey and advance regional age-friendly work throughout Cape Cod. One-year grant for $89,000.
• Friends of the Belmont Council on Aging (Belmont, MA)
Towards Becoming an Age Friendly Belmont—to support a community needs assessment documenting how to make Belmont more age-friendly. One-year grant for $8,000.
• Honoring Choices Massachusetts (Weston, MA)
Who’s Your Agent? Ambassador Program—to launch an ambassador program supporting peer-to-peer healthcare planning discussions for older adults. One-year grant for $55,000.
• Local Initiative Support Corporation (Providence, RI)
The Intergenerational Farmer’s Market Project—to support intergenerational programming that alleviates social isolation by bringing together older adults and teens in the Central Falls/Pawtucket area of Rhode Island. One-year grant for $75,000.
• Mill City Grows (Lowell, MA)
Increasing Older Residents’ Access to Healthy Foods—to pilot and expand mobile market stops to include older adults who have not been able to access fresh food markets. One-year grant for $15,000.
• Partners for a Healthier Community (Springfield, MA)
LiveWell Springfield Coalition Age-Friendly City Project—to build the capacity of Springfield residents and stakeholders as they advocate for and advance an age-friendly framework focused on housing and transportation. Two-year grant for $99,988.
• Rhode Island Parent Information Network (Cranston, RI)
Own Your Health: A System to Support Evidence-Based Health Promotion in RI for Older Adults—to work with partners in the Own Your Own Health Collaborative to improve Rhode Island’s system for accessing evidence-based programs for older adults. One-year grant for $81,497.
• St. Elizabeth Community (Providence, RI)
The WellCare Program—to expand and sustain the nationally recognized Support and Services at Home (SASH) program, a proven best practice, in Rhode Island. One-year grant for $65,000.
• Sustainable Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission Foundation (Manchester, NH)
Becoming an Age-Friendly Community – Phase II—to pilot age-friendly projects with communities and businesses in the Manchester, New Hampshire region. One-year grant for $50,280.
• The Greater Boston Food Bank (Boston, MA)
Creating Food Security Networks for Seniors—to strengthen the food security network and expand older adults’ access to fresh, nutritious food. One-year grant for $30,000.
• The Latino Health Insurance Program (Framingham, MA)
Mi Vida, Mi Salud: Supporting Latino Families with Diabetes Program—to expand training and access to a Spanish language, evidence-based diabetes program for older adults. One-year grant for $50,000.
• Trustees of Boston University (Boston, MA)
Strengthening an Age-Friendly Community through Capacity Building and Partnerships that Address Behavioral Health Concerns in Older Adults—to address older adults’ behavioral health needs through an awareness campaign and training in partnership with the Age-Friendly New Bedford Coalition. Two-year grant for $138,889.
• Whittier Street Health Center (Roxbury, MA)
Geriatric Program—to help older adults remain physically and mentally healthy as they age in community by improving access to clinical interventions through community-based social supports. One-year grant for $55,302.
The Foundation also awarded three grants from the James Roosevelt, Jr., Leadership Fund.
• Berkshires Tomorrow (Pittsfield, MA)
Age-Friendly Berkshires—to grow and expand Age-Friendly Berkshires, a diverse stakeholder collaboration, by implementing their Age-Friendly Action Plan. Two-year grant for $178,510.
• University of Massachusetts Foundation (Boston, MA)
Age-Friendly Boston Initiative: Phase II—to leverage partnerships, build new collaborations and engagement, and intersect with initiatives in priority sectors as identified in the implementation phase and Age-Friendly Boston Action Plan. One-year grant for $104,105.
• University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH)
Senior Leadership Alumni Network—to leverage the Senior Leadership Series and develop community leaders into advocates for a range of age-friendly issues in New Hampshire. Two-year grant for $185,311.
About our grant program
Tufts Health Plan Foundation awards grants twice a year. Interested organizations should submit a letter of intent (LOI) through the online system accessible via tuftshealthplanfoundation.
About the Tufts Health Plan Foundation
Established in 2008, Tufts Health Plan Foundation supports the health and wellness of the diverse communities we serve. The Foundation has given nearly $26 million to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island nonprofits that promote healthy living with an emphasis on older adults. The Foundation began funding in New Hampshire in 2016. The Tufts Health Plan Foundation funds programs that move communities toward achieving age-friendly policies and practices that are relevant, focus on older adults, and include them in community solutions. Visit www.tuftshealthplanfoundation.