Best Grants for Seniors in New York

Not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, churches, and municipalities in Canton, New York can apply for Northern New York Community Foundation’s Canton Community Fund grants, with awards up to US $4,000 for special projects, start-up programs, or capital items. Senior services initiatives that improve life for older residents may be eligible.

New York senior services organizations that help older adults remain in their homes can access funding through Isaac H. Tuttle Fund to support community-based programs in Manhattan. Grants back general operations or specific initiatives that enhance daily life and fill gaps in support services for low-income seniors aged 65 and older.

With a mission to improve the lives of vulnerable seniors, people with disabilities, and disadvantaged families, McKeen Fund provides New York nonprofits with project-specific funding. 501(c)(3) public charities, especially Roman Catholic and senior-service organizations, may receive support for capital needs, equipment, endowments, or defined programs serving older adults, children, and families.

Young, emerging American opera singers connected to participating New York music schools or opera programs can receive career development funding, including supplemental project grants. Grants from Shoshana Foundation help New York opera talent advance professional training and early-career opportunities through nominations by partner schools and apprenticeship programs rather than direct applications.

Nonprofit organizations providing early childhood education, family crisis support, environmental justice, or arts programs in New York City may be eligible for grants of US $10,000 - US $25,000. Grants from Sills Family Foundation help community-based groups, including those serving justice-impacted families, immigrants, refugees, and asylees, cover one-year program or general operating needs.

Nonprofit organizations involved in arts, culture, and education in Dutchess County, New York can seek funding to expand programs and improve access for youth and senior citizens. Focused on community enrichment, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley invites eligible tax-exempt organizations to apply for grants up to US $3,000 to benefit local residents, including older adults.

The Robinson Foundation Grant, established in 2016, aims to alleviate hardships faced by individuals and communities, demonstrating God's love through charitable contributions. As a family-operated foundation, it focuses on creating meaningful, long-term impacts in various areas including animal welfare, education, and disaster relief. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) public charities. The foundation prioritizes fiscally responsible projects with the potential for tangible results, while not supporting capital projects.

New York 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving seniors and other residents of Eastern Niagara County can seek funding for programs and projects through the Grigg Lewis Foundation. Support may cover senior services alongside arts and culture, education, health and wellness, human services, youth, community improvement, and historic preservation, including multi-year, challenge, or matching grants.

Qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofits in New York working on food access and hunger relief can apply for support to provide healthy meals to people facing food insecurity. The Ann B Zekauskas Family Foundation funds food banks, neighborhood kitchens, and related programs, which may benefit organizations serving seniors and other vulnerable groups.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Central New York seeking start-up or supplemental funding for social or health care projects, including senior services, can apply for grants from Mid-York Foundation. Focused on community benefit, it supports programs such as senior citizen services, emergency services, libraries, and related initiatives in Chenango and Madison Counties.

Nonprofits and artist-led groups offering arts education projects for older adults in New York can receive US $4,000 - US $8,000 for sequential, skill-building, participatory art programs. Lower Manhattan Cultural Council funds Creative Learning projects in Manhattan community settings such as senior centers, libraries, recreation centers, and community centers during 2026.

New York organizations hosting public literary readings or writing workshops can receive up to US $3,000 to pay participating writers, helping support programs that may serve seniors and other community members. New York groups such as libraries, senior centers, community centers, and cultural venues apply as sponsors, while Poets & Writers pays eligible poets and writers directly.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving seniors and broader community needs in New York towns like Stamford and Worcester can seek funding to improve quality of life, health care, housing, and safety. Focused on community well-being, the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation also supports education, youth programs, historic preservation, volunteer groups, religious services, and municipal infrastructure.

Teams to Promote Aging in Place in OMH Supportive Housing (TPAP) 

Request for Proposals

The purpose of “Teams to Promote Aging in Place in OMH Supportive Housing or TPAP” Geriatric Demonstration Project is to facilitate supportive housing residents aging in place based on their priorities and preferences who are age 55 years and older, as well as residents younger than 55 years living with complex medical conditions that necessitate homecare. Older adults living in OMH supportive housing are at risk of losing community tenure due to emerging unmet care coordination, cross service system navigation, and homecare needs compounded by lack of connection to social determinants of health (SDOH) resources, and community and natural supports. Grant funding will support an enhanced home care rate, provision of at least one paid peer professional, and enhanced care coordination with the local office for aging and community partners that addresses social determinants of health and social engagement needs. OMH supportive housing residents identified as at risk for losing community tenure will be supported by an interdisciplinary care team of (1) an OMH supportive housing case manager, (2) a local office for aging case manager, (3) a homecare professional, and (4) at least one mental health or substance use/gambling peer professional who will collaborate with the residents to identify outstanding service and social needs. This will build a person-centered, holistic plan that is based on the older adult’s priorities and preferences for aging in place. A peer professional in this RFP is defined as a person certified, or provisionally certified, as a mental health Peer Specialist through the New York Peer Specialist Certification Board or a person certified, or provisionally certified, as a substance use/gambling Recovery Peer Advocate through the New York Certification Board. Grantees will also be required to collaborate with community-based organizations across service systems, including mental health, aging, substance use, and gambling harms, that also address social determinants of health and social engagement needs, such as, but not limited to, Social Care Networks, Rural Health Networks, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Older Adult Rural Support Program, Regional Economic Development Councils, or Downtown Revitalization Initiatives. This may include projects focused on community inclusion, the Dwyer Veterans Peer-to-Peer Support Program, club houses, OASAS and OMH recovery centers, older adult centers, faith-based, civic, arts, cultural organizations, etc. To foster sharing of best practices in meeting the holistic needs of OMH supportive housing residents, grantees and their partners will participate in virtual and in-person learning collaboratives that include crossdisciplinary training curriculum consisting of trainings chosen in consultation with the chosen grantees and the Geriatric Interagency Mental Health Substance Use Disorder Planning Council and the Master Plan for Aging advisory groups.

Wrap around funding will be available to provide services and goods not covered through existing reimbursement channels that support aging in place in OMH supportive housing. Examples include, but are not limited to, non-medical transportation, memberships to community groups and/or gyms, continuing education, supplies to support personal interests and hobbies, large print calendars, pill containers, and mobility aids. Wrap-around funding can also be used to provide technological support based on the residents’ needs and preferences. Examples include equipment (laptops, computers, personal devices, and/or internet access), online communities and devices to support engagement (Virtual Senior Centers, GetSetUp, Discover Live interactive virtual tours, animatronic pets, and online support through self-help and peer support groups), and technology literacy classes (for email, video chats with friends, children, grandchildren, etc., banking, patient portals, and education on fraud protection) are additional supports to help people use technology to age in place.

This RFP can be used to expand or enhance existing aging programs in OMH supportive housing or can be used to develop a new program that meets all the program requirements. OMH CR-SROs awarded the “Aging in Place Pilot” grant MH253015 may also apply for this grant for their supportive housing programs.

All types of proposals will be evaluated using the same criteria and applicants must identify the geographic designation they will serve, rural or non-rural. Rural counties in NYS are listed in the table below.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in New York that address basic needs, community vitality, or volunteer-driven causes can apply for Ameriprise Financial’s community grants. Focus areas include hunger relief, shelter and supportive housing, adult self-sufficiency, community development, and cultural enrichment, which may benefit programs serving low-income or vulnerable seniors.

Teaching artists, artist collectives, and nonprofit organizations can receive up to US $7,500 to deliver multi-session arts education projects with closed groups of learners in New York’s Columbia, Greene, and Schoharie Counties. Grants from CREATE Council on the Arts can support community-based programs serving seniors, such as residents of senior living facilities or older adults receiving social services.

New York arts nonprofits, community arts organizations, and Staten Island-based artists can receive $750 - $3,000 to create public arts and cultural projects that engage local residents, including seniors. Focused on community arts and cultural programming, Staten Island Arts invites first-time applicants working in any artistic discipline, including arts exposure programs in public schools and senior centers.

Nonprofit organizations providing direct services for seniors, housing, health, or family support in New York and other MGM regions can seek one-year community grants. Grants from MGM Resorts Foundation help agencies address senior services, affordable housing, food insecurity, homelessness, health and wellness, and related human services where MGM employees live and work.

The Hansen Family Foundation Grant seeks to empower organizations that uphold the American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Focused on diverse causes like children, education, animals, environmental conservation, humanitarian efforts, and arts, the foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that create positive change. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, while political campaigns and organizations with high budgets or overheads are ineligible. This grant fosters impactful contributions to society.

New York 501(c)(3) public charities working on senior services, community health, or related programs can seek project and capacity-building support, with limited operating support for smaller budgets. With a mission managed through the William E. & Maude S. Pritchard Charitable Trust, this fund assists work tied to Nassau and Suffolk counties, including services for seniors, housing, health, and youth development.

Biomedical research institutions and scientists conducting leprosy-related studies can apply for $87,500 - $250,000 in research funding, including projects based in New York. With a mission to advance biomedical discovery, New York Community Trust provides competitive grants for work on diagnosis, treatment, transmission blocking, and surveillance of leprosy, which may intersect with aging and gerontology research.

Focused on senior services, Harry Sudakoff Foundation invites New York 501(c)(3) organizations to apply for project-based grants supporting human services for seniors, alongside related community and family programs. Awards range from US $5,000 - US $40,000 and may also support arts, education, environment, or science initiatives that benefit older adults.

New York 501(c)(3) and nonprofit organizations serving seniors can access funding through Ponce De Leon Foundation for community projects in senior services, healthcare, housing, education, and social services. Grants of US $5,000 - US $30,000 support programs benefiting older adults in Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Hudson counties.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR)

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is the State’s affordable housing agency, with a mission to build, preserve, and protect affordable housing and increase homeownership throughout New York State. HCR develops, preserves and protects affordable housing and invests in economically vibrant communities. We work with many private, public and nonprofit partners to create safe, healthy and affordable housing opportunities for all New Yorkers.

HCR is charged with carrying out Governor Hochul’s new $25 billion, five-year, comprehensive housing plan to increase housing supply by creating or preserving 100,000 affordable homes across New York including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes.

RESTORE Program

The Residential Emergency Services to Offer (Home) Repairs to the Elderly (RESTORE) program provides financial resources to assist senior citizen homeowners aged sixty and over with the cost of addressing emergencies and code violations that pose a threat to their health and safety or affect the livability of their home. Assistance with the cost of these critical repairs will enable seniors to continue to live independently in their homes. The funds made available in this RFA are appropriated 2026-27 NYS State Budget funds.

Eligible applicants for the RESTORE programs are units of local government and not for-profit corporations that have been providing relevant service to the community for at least one year prior to application. 

Charles Hayden Foundation

The Charles Hayden Foundation is committed to expanding opportunities for young people and helping them build the knowledge, skills, experiences, and relationships they need to thrive in school, work, and life.

We support youth-serving nonprofit organizations and public district, charter, Catholic, and independent schools, as well as organizations that strengthen the capacity of those serving young people. Our grantmaking spans academic success, social and emotional development, post-secondary pathways, and career-connected learning, with an emphasis on programs and organizations that create meaningful opportunities and demonstrate positive outcomes for young people.

The Foundation primarily supports young people from low-income communities in New York City and Boston, with some grantmaking in Newark, New Jersey.

Our Grantmaking

The Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the following areas:

• Academic Readiness: Programs and initiatives that strengthen young people’s academic skills and provide access to educational, enrichment, and other learning opportunities that prepare them for future educational and career pathways.
• Social, Emotional, and Practical Skills: Programs and services that help young people develop the social, emotional, and practical skills they need to thrive in school, work, and life.
• Post-Secondary Success: College access and persistence efforts that prepare young people to pursue post-secondary opportunities, matriculate, persist, and successfully graduate.
• Career-Connected Learning: Opportunities that enable young people to explore their interests, gain exposure to careers, build real-world skills and experiences, and pursue meaningful career pathways.
• Organizational Capacity Building: Support for organizations that strengthen youth-serving nonprofits and schools through technical assistance, training, and other capacity-building services. This may include support in areas such as program quality and improvement, leadership and staff development, organizational strategy, data and evaluation, infrastructure, and other areas that strengthen organizational effectiveness and improve outcomes for young people.

Multi-Year Grant Opportunity: Supporting Strategic Plan Implementation

The Charles Hayden Foundation is launching a Multi-Year Grant Opportunity to help strengthen organizations and improve outcomes for young people in New York City and Boston. Through this opportunity, the Foundation anticipates inviting up to 10 organizations to receive multi-year project grants over a two- to three-year period to support strategic initiatives identified as priorities in their current strategic plans.

Proposed initiatives may build upon or enhance an existing Charles Hayden Foundation-supported program, such as hiring additional program staff to expand or strengthen services, or focus on an organizational capacity-building effort, such as implementing a new data and evaluation system.

Organizations selected for a Multi-Year Grant will receive a two- to three-year award that will replace their annual Charles Hayden Foundation grant for the duration of the grant period. Current annual grant funding will continue as part of the multi-year award, along with additional funding awarded to support the proposed strategic initiative. Organizations that are not selected will remain eligible to apply through the Foundation’s annual grantmaking process.

Project Criteria

Proposed projects should represent strategic investments that strengthen an organization’s ability to serve young people over the long term. Examples of eligible projects include:

• Hiring key leadership or program staff
• Expanding or enhancing existing programs
• Strengthening organizational capacity
• Building evaluation, learning, or data systems
• Technology or infrastructure improvements
• Other strategic initiatives identified in the organization’s strategic plan

The Foundation anticipates providing partial support for proposed initiatives and generally will not fund the full cost of a project. Award amounts will be determined based on the scope of the proposed initiative and the resources required for successful implementation. Because these grants support strategic initiatives over a two-to-three-year period, the Foundation anticipates that most requests will exceed an organization’s current annual Charles Hayden Foundation grant.

New York State Council on the Arts

NYSCA upholds the right of all New Yorkers to experience the vital contributions the arts make to our communities, education, economic development and quality of life. NYSCA funding supports the visual, literary, media and performing arts and includes dedicated support for arts education and underserved communities. NYSCA further advances New York's creative culture by hosting convenings with leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources.

Our Mission: To foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all.

Huntington Arts Council

The Huntington Arts Council, a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, promotes arts and culture generated by Long Island artists to our children and to the general population. We work to enrich the cultural, social and economic life of the community by nurturing the professional development of artists, and by providing timely news and events via Arts Cultural Magazine (reaching 20,000 per issue). Our Arts-in-Education program reaches 35,000 children annually through our partner school districts. We also offer artistic programs and services to our more than 100 cultural organization members who encompass the broad spectrum of arts disciplines.

Arts Education Grants

Supporting the role, the arts play in engaging students and participants of all ages through sequential, hands-on arts instruction. 

The Arts Education grant is designed to support arts education projects that bring teaching artists into dedicated learning spaces for students of all ages.  

Funds support arts education projects for closed groups of learners. 

All Arts Education projects must be carried out in partnership with a public school or in partnership with an existing closed group of learners including but not limited to a club, residents of a senior living facility, individuals receiving social services, or a camp. 

The Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations that enhance the well-being of disadvantaged children and families in Yates and Monroe counties, NY. Focused on collaboration and measurable outcomes, the Foundation seeks programs that provide healthcare access, assist seniors, and promote economic security. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations serving these areas. The Foundation prioritizes projects with long-term commitments to specific neighborhoods, thus fostering community empowerment and sustainable impact.