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10 Best Grants to Boost Nursing Home Activities and Engagements

Nursing Home Activities and Operation Schematics

Although most nursing homes are operated for profit, they are still eligible for most health-related grants. Interestingly, there are several grant options that a nursing home that is looking for funding and support can access.

These grants come with certain eligibility requirements, and if your nursing home meets the eligibility requirements, you will likely get the grant.

In this article, we are going to look at available grants a nursing home can apply for to fund a wide range of activities, from arts and crafts to physical fitness programs, and music therapy.

Best Available Grants for Nursing Home Activities

  1. National Institute on Aging (NIA)

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) was established in 1974 to improve the health and well-being of older adults through research.

It conducts and supports genetic, biological, behavioral, social, and economic research on aging and the challenges and needs of older adults.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is at the forefront of scientific discovery about the nature of healthy aging to extend the active years of life. It is also the lead federal agency for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia research.

National Institute on Aging (NIA) supports scientific initiatives and innovation at universities, medical centers, and research institutes in the U.S. and around the world; conducts research at its scientific laboratories in Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland; and maintains an active communications and outreach program to share knowledge and disseminate information to the broader research community.

How to Apply

Use the application instructions found on their page to submit grant applications to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

  1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

CMS is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million people through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. CMS works in partnership with the healthcare community to improve quality, equity, and outcomes in the healthcare system.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides grants through programs like the Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP) aimed at improving the quality of care in nursing homes.

  1. Administration for Community Living (ACL)

The Administration for Community Living was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) supports the needs of the aging and disabled populations and improves access to health care and long-term services.

Administration for Community Living (ACL) funds various programs that support the well-being of older adults and individuals with disabilities, including activities and services in nursing homes.

  1. The Retirement Research Foundation

Based in Chicago, the RRF Foundation for Aging (formerly known as The Retirement Research Foundation) is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that was incorporated in 1950 by John D. MacArthur and was endowed at the time of his death in 1978.

Since 1979, RRF has awarded more than $239 million to support projects that enhance and improve the quality of life for older people.

While nearly half of RRF grants support programs in the Midwest, the Foundation also supports innovative solutions that assist older Americans nationwide.

The Retirement Research Foundation offers grants for projects that directly improve the quality of life for older Americans, including those residing in nursing homes.

  1. AARP Foundation

AARP Foundation is working for and with older adults to build a brighter future without senior poverty. AARP Foundation creates and advances effective solutions to reduce poverty for and with older adults.

AARP Foundation works for and with vulnerable people over 50 to end senior poverty and reduce financial hardship by building economic opportunity. As a charitable affiliate of AARP, they serve AARP members and nonmembers alike.

Through vigorous legal advocacy and evidence-based solutions, and by strengthening supportive community connections, they foster resilience, advance equity, and restore hope.

AARP Foundation offers grants to nonprofit organizations that support innovative projects addressing the needs of vulnerable older adults, including nursing home residents

  1. The Brookdale Foundation Group

The Brookdale Foundation Group consists of the Brookdale Foundation, Glendale Foundation, and Ramapo Trust. All three were endowed by the Schwartz family and all share a common outlook and purpose: to enhance the quality of life of older adults.

The National Group Respite Program supports community-based efforts to develop and sustain social model group respite and early memory loss programs for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

The Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) promotes the creation and expansion of services for grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of raising children due to the parent’s inability to do so.

  1. Local Community Foundations

Many local foundations offer grants for programs that benefit the elderly and improve the quality of life in nursing homes. Some of the local community foundations that provide grants for nursing homes are:

The Cleveland Foundation (Ohio), The New York Community Trust (New York), The San Francisco Foundation (California), The Chicago Community Trust (Illinois), The Boston Foundation (Massachusetts),

The Oregon Community Foundation (Oregon), The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (Georgia), The Greater Milwaukee Foundation (Wisconsin), The Seattle Foundation (Washington), and The Houston Endowment (Texas).

Please note that all the foundations listed above typically offer grants for a variety of programs, including those focused on health care, social engagement, mental health, and the overall well-being of elderly residents.

It is important to check each foundation’s specific grant guidelines and application processes to ensure alignment with their funding priorities

  1. The MetLife Foundation

The MetLife Foundation is committed to driving inclusive economic mobility for underserved and underrepresented communities around the world.

The MetLife Foundation collaborates with nonprofit organizations and provides grants aligned to three strategic focus areas – economic inclusion, financial health, and resilient communities – while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact.

MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement.

Since 1976, MetLife Foundation has contributed over $900 million to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence. The MetLife Foundation provides grants for projects that improve the health and well-being of older adults.

  1. The May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust

The May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust envisions a human community that recognizes each individual as vital to the strength, richness, and well-being of the whole, and that motivates, empowers, and invites each to contribute and participate according to his or her ability and potential.

The May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust offers grants to organizations that enhance the quality of life for older adults through various programs and services.

  1. State Government Grants

It is important to note that various states in the United States of America also offer grants and funding opportunities specific to elder care and nursing home activities.