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Grant Programs

To address the health care needs of our communities and help meet the challenges of an aging society, the Tufts Health Plan Foundation is committed to funding Healthy Aging programs for adults ages 60 and older in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Through the programs we fund, we hope to elevate the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of older adults; enable them to contribute their experiences and knowledge to their communities; and ultimately help older adults live longer, healthier lives. The Foundation will make grants in four areas described in detail below:
Vibrant Lifestyles
Intergenerational Collaboration
Fall Prevention
Caregiver Support

Vibrant Lifestyles
Living vibrantly is the cornerstone of healthy aging.  The Tufts Health Plan Foundation seeks to support programs and initiatives that lead to the following beneficial outcomes for older adults:

  • Better physical health (i.e. increased strength, mobility, endurance, and better nutrition);
  • Improved cognitive and mental health;
  • Increased social, civic, and/or community engagement;
  • Decreased isolation and depression;
  • Prevention, delay or better management of chronic illnesses; and, ultimately,
  • A higher quality of and satisfaction with life.

Eligible programs will be expected to demonstrate how their activities contribute to one or more of these desired outcomes. Examples of eligible activities that may foster vibrant lifestyles for older adults include, but are not limited to:
  • Exercise and physical activity programs;
  • Nutrition programs including congregate meals and nutrition education; 
  • Evidence-based chronic disease prevention or self-management programs;
  • Social and recreational programming;
  • Arts and cultural programming and/or,
  • Programs that promote civic and community engagement through volunteerism, paid service work, or lifelong learning.

Please note:
  • Preference will be given to programs that combine more than one of the above programmatic elements for the same population in order to achieve greater outcomes. 
  • Transportation is viewed as a means of reducing barriers for older adults to get needed services.  For projects providing transportation, preference will be given to proposals that include transportation as part of a broader program leading to the outcomes listed above. 
  • The Foundation will not fund programs in institutional care settings for which the primary beneficiaries are residents of the facility.
  • The Foundation will not fund the direct provision of health care services. 

Intergenerational Collaboration
Intergenerational collaborations enrich the health and well-being of both older adults and young people.  While many benefits accrue to younger people involved in intergenerational collaborations, the Tufts Health Plan Foundation is interested supporting collaborations that focus on the following benefits for older adults:
  • The creation of meaningful relationships with young people;
  • A stronger link to and greater involvement in their communities;
  • Decreased social isolation and depression;
  • Improved cognitive fitness;
  • Transfer of experience, knowledge and skills, and acquisition of new knowledge and skills;
  • Improved life satisfaction, and/or
  • Improved health outcomes.

Eligible programs will be expected to demonstrate how their program activities affect one or more of these desired outcomes.  Examples of eligible activities may include, but are not limited to, those that bring together older adults and young people through:
  • Mentoring, tutoring, or educational programming;
  • Assistance with needed services such as shopping or transportation to appointments;
  • Physical and recreational activities; and/or
  • Civic and community engagement through volunteerism, paid service work, or lifelong learning.

Please note:
  • The Foundation will not fund programs in institutional care settings for which the primary beneficiaries are residents of the facility.

Fall Prevention
According to the Massachusetts Medical Society, falls are the No.1 cause of injury among older adults in Massachusetts, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. Our funding in Fall Prevention support of programs that prevent injury from falls.

Eligible programs in the area of fall prevention will be expected to demonstrate their contribution to one or more of these desired outcomes:
  • Increased strength and balance;
  • Reduction of fear of falls;
  • Greater mobility in and outside of home;
  • Fewer falls, hip fractures, head injuries, other injuries, fall-related hospitalizations, and/or fall-related deaths.

Examples of eligible activities may include but are not limited to:
  • Fall prevention and education for older adults, caregivers, and health professionals;
  • Exercise programs to improve strength and balance;
  • Home assessments and modifications;
  • Evaluation of vision, balance, and gait; and/or,
  • Instruction on medication side effects and interactions.

Caregiver Support
As the number of older adults being cared for by family members and other informal caregivers increases, greater education and support is needed to improve care and promote mutually beneficial relationships between caregivers and older care recipients. We seek to fund programs that provide support for family and other informal caregivers.

Eligible programs in the area of caregiver support will be expected to demonstrate their contribution to one or more of these desired outcomes for family and other informal caregivers and older care recipients:
  • Greater awareness of caregiver resources;
  • Greater knowledge of how to care for an older adult (safe transfers and lifts, special needs of older adults, nutrition, etc.);
  • Increased support from other caregivers and decreased caregiver isolation;
  • Improved emotional and physical well-being for caregivers;
  • Increase in time spent by older care recipients living comfortably and safely in a home or community setting; and ultimately,
  • Better physical and emotional health for older care recipients.

Examples of eligible activities may include but are not limited to:
  • Training on appropriate care for and the special needs of older adults;
  • Education on resources for caregivers; and,
  • Support groups for caregivers.

Please note:
  • The Foundation will not fund programs in institutional care settings for which the primary beneficiaries are residents of the facility.
  • Stipends or scholarships for Adult Day Care or Adult Day Health programs are not eligible.  Support groups for caregivers of older adults in these programs are encouraged to apply.