Community Foundation Announces Major New Senior Living RFP
$1.5 Million Opportunity Designed to Help Serve Local Seniors
For more than 15 years, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County’s Senior Living Initiative has supported high-quality programs and services that older adults need to be healthy, safe, independent, and engaged. In recognition of a major demographic shift occurring throughout our county, state, and nation, the Community Foundation has announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new Senior Living Initiative grant opportunity. This opportunity includes up to $1.5 million over the next three to five years, encouraging a new level of vision, dialogue, and coordination across different sectors and providers to meet current and future needs of local seniors.
In just six years, the entire Baby Boom generation will be 60 and over, with the largest population growth occurring in the “oldest old”: those 85 and older. The U.S. Census Bureau has projected that from 2010 to 2020, Indiana’s population of people 65 years or older will increase rapidly from 13% to 20% of state totals. In St. Joseph County, that trend is even more pronounced: A 2015 report by the National Research Center, Inc., found that 20% of the county’s population was already over 60. Many local seniors face challenges meeting basic needs, such as housing, food, and healthcare. With this ongoing and significant demographic shift, these needs will continue to grow.
Through this new Senior Living Initiative RFP, the Community Foundation seeks impactful ideas that demonstrate an understanding of the needs, leverage existing services, and establish and/or form partnerships that will better serve our community’s seniors. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, including aging and human service agencies, faith-based and other community-based organizations, and units of local government are eligible to apply. These potential applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships with other nonprofit organizations and/or the public and private sectors, to enhance responses to the needs and aspirations of seniors.
To be eligible for this opportunity, applicants must submit a letter of intent by 5 p.m. on March 15, 2019. Full details of the RFP process can be found at www.cfsjc.org/seniorlivingrfp, or by contacting Angela Workman, Program Director, at the Community Foundation at 574-232-0041.