Human Services Opens $5 Million Grant Opportunity to Help Make Communities Age-Friendly

Grants Will Support Statewide Efforts to Make Communities More Inclusive, Allow Residents to Age in Place

August 5, 2024

(TRENTON) – Human Services today announced that local government and nonprofit entities can apply for Age-Friendly grants to develop local age-friendly initiatives and implement recommendations from the New Jersey Age-Friendly Blueprint that support the health and wellbeing of older New Jerseyans.

“Age-friendly” describes a global movement to make communities more welcoming and livable for people of all ages. Released by the Department in May, the NJ Age-Friendly Blueprint outlines age-friendly strategies and best practices to improve New Jersey’s communities for older adults and enable people to remain in their homes and communities as they age.

“This is a great opportunity for communities to implement policies and make improvements to better serve the needs of residents as they age. We know that remaining at home and engaged in our communities leads to better health outcomes for older adults. Making New Jersey more age-friendly benefits all of us, so I encourage all municipalities, counties, and nonprofits interested in supporting these efforts to apply,” said Commissioner Sarah Adelman.

Local government and nonprofit entities can submit applications for one of the following grants:

• Age-Friendly Communities grants of $70,000 each to build community partnerships, execute a community needs assessment, create an action plan to become an Age-Friendly Community, and enroll in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.
• Age-Friendly Project grants of $100,000 each to implement a project that addresses one or more recommendations from the Blueprint.

The Department’s Division of Aging Services (DoAS) will manage the grant, provide training to grantees, and help promote age-friendly practices throughout the state. Both grant opportunities promote public, private, and cross-sector partnerships, as well as public policies that improve the health, wellbeing, satisfaction, and quality of life for all residents by addressing the eight age-friendly domains of livability:

• Outdoor spaces and buildings
• Transportation
• Housing
• Social participation
• Respect and social inclusion
• Civic participation and employment
• Communication and information
• Community support and health services

“Everyone benefits from making communities more livable for people of all ages. We are providing financial and technical support to assist communities that want to become age-friendly because we know it makes a difference and will have a lasting impact on future generations. I hope organizations will take advantage of this funding opportunity and apply,” said Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services Kaylee McGuire.

In 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order 227 creating an Age-Friendly State Advisory Council within Human Services. The executive order called for the department to develop a blueprint, informed by the Advisory Council, outlining strategies to advance age-friendly practices across the state. Commissioner Adelman chaired the Council.

The Blueprint focuses on:

• Positioning New Jersey as an innovator in aging
• Expanding the number of age-friendly municipalities
• Viewing aging as an asset
• Embedding aging in all policies
• Reimagining and integrating the continuum of long-term care services
• Helping residents have the resources to live a meaningful life in the community they choose
• Giving people of all ages access to health and social supports and reducing disparities

“We have grants available for communities who have not yet started on the path towards becoming age-friendly, and those who have and are ready to put their plans into action. Wherever you are in the age-friendly process, these grants can help communities reach their age-friendly goals,” said Division of Aging Services Assistant Commissioner Louise Rush.

New Jersey’s population of individuals 65 and over is expected to grow from 1.5 million in 2019 to 1.9 million by the year 2030. By the end of this decade, 1 in 5 New Jerseyans will be 65 or older.

In 2021, New Jersey became the ninth state to join the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities. This designation recognizes progress made to make the state more accessible and inclusive for all residents. These grants will build on decades of advocacy and efforts throughout many existing communities in the state to promote Age-Friendly practices. There are currently 24 communities in New Jersey currently in the network.

View the RFP and details here.