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 5.3 million low-income adults aged 60+ receive help from SNAP, but millions more are eligible but not enrolled in this critical food assistance benefit.¹

NCOA’s 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 ranging between $50,000 to $100,000 for 18 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.  Grant funds will be awarded to organizations with large scale capacity and proven success in enrolling older adults in SNAP and other benefit programs. Eligibility will be limited to organizations located in 20 states listed below, where less than 12% of older adult households have enrolled in SNAP.

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

Funding eligibility for this 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; or
• State and local government agencies serving older adults or adults with disabilities.

Organizations eligible to apply must be in the following states:

Grant funds rainging between $50,000 to $100,000 each will be awarded to selected organizations.  

How to apply

Organizations should submit their proposal through NCOA’s online platform by Friday August 30, 2024 at 5 pm ET. No late applications will be accepted.

Please send any questions to Center4EWB@ncoa.org.

Timeline for grant process

Funding opportunity announcement in full

Source

1. USDA. Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households, Fiscal Year 2020. June 2022. Found on the internet at https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Characteristics2020.pdf