Key Takeaways

  • NCOA is releasing a new funding opportunity for organizations to help older adults enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

  • Twenty organizations will receive awards of $25,000 each.

  • The deadline for applications is Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 3 pm ET.

Millions of older adults are food insecure, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the nation's largest food safety net program—offers a way for seniors to afford healthy, nutritious food. Roughly 5 million older adults receive help from SNAP, but millions more are eligible but not enrolled in this critical food assistance benefit.

NCOA’s Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative is a national effort that supports community-based organizations and agencies to assist older adults (i.e., age 60 and over) in applying for and enrolling in SNAP. 

With generous support from the Walmart Foundation, NCOA is announcing this funding opportunity to award the next round of the Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative participants. NCOA will provide 20 selected organizations with grants of $25,000 for 17 months to implement a Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative Program. Awarded organizations will be expected to use person-centered strategies in a coordinated, community-wide approach to find and enroll older adults aged 60+ years with limited income and resources to access available food benefits.  

Download the full funding opportunity announcement. (Also available to preview at the bottom of this page)

Funding eligibility for Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative Program grant

Organizations eligible to apply for funding include: 

  • Public or nonprofit providers of services to older adults including, but not limited to: Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), State Units on Aging (SUAs), Centers for Independent Living (CILs), community health centers, or senior centers;  
  • Faith-based organizations; 
  • State and local government agencies serving older adults or adults with disabilities; or 
  • Agencies serving those communities that we deem hardly reached and underrepresented among our direct service recipients, including people residing in rural areas, border communities, immigrants, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, members of tribal communities on and off reservation land, members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency (LEP), veterans, or others as defined by the applicant. 

Grants of $25,000 each will be awarded to selected organizations.  

Informational webinar

An informational webinar about this opportunity was hosted on September 8, 2002. Download the webinar FAQs and access a recording of the webinar - password: JF+*XrR7

How to apply

Interested organizations should submit a letter of intent by Thursday, September 22, 2022. The application will be available to those who submit a letter.  Proposals are due Thursday, September 29, 2022. 

Please send any questions to  hungerinitiatives@ncoa.org.

Timeline for grant process

Thursday, September 8, 2022 3 pm ET Optional informational webinar about grant opportunity
Thursday, September 15, 2022 3 pm ET Deadline to submit letter of intent
Thursday, September 29, 2022 3 pm ET Deadline to submit proposal
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 Notification of applicants selected to receive awards
Thursday, December 1, 2022 Selected grantees begin work

Funding opportunity announcement in full