| If you cannot see the APPLY button to the right, please switch to your organization profile by clicking your name at the top left of the site and selecting your organization name instead. If you don't have an organization profile, see the section Technical Support below for instructions on how to set one up. Please use your existing organization profile to apply for this grant. If you cannot access it, reach out to us for support. Please do not create a new organization profile. |
About This Grant
Right To Food has received a generous donation from The Waltons Trust to support our Community Food Organization partners in fostering social connections and improving the health and well-being of older adults and Elders in communities across the country.
This grant uses food programming to promote physical and mental health, build connections and foster a sense of belonging among older adults. It supports their agency (ability to make choices and influence decisions) by ensuring they have a voice and opportunities to engage meaningfully in shaping the programs, while also encouraging leadership and volunteerism in their communities. For the purposes of this grant, older adults are defined as individuals aged 55 and above.
There is increasing evidence of a significant rise in loneliness and isolation among older adults, alongside impacts arising from decreased access and consumption of nutritious foods. Together, these factors contribute to poorer mental and physical health outcomes in older adults, particularly those living on lower incomes. By addressing these interconnected challenges, we can support a more holistic approach focused on improving the well-being of older adults.
This is the second cohort of grantees supported through the Food Agency for Older Adults grant. In April 2025, we awarded funding to 20 projects led by community food organization partners across the country.
If your application is successful, your organization may receive up to $35,000 to cover programming for two years. We aim to support at least 20 grantees, with available funding amounts of $20,000, $30,000, or $35,000 total per grantee.
Please Note: Program activities should be carried out over the two-year funding period.
This grant is open to all of Right To Food’s eligible Good Food Organizations and Community Food Centre partners within Canada. Right To Food is committed to utilizing an equitable granting approach that ensures an inclusive process for all eligible partners. Indigenous and Black-led or serving organizations are particularly encouraged to apply, as we aim to prioritize consideration and reduce barriers for these applications as well as others from equity deserving communities .
** This funding can go towards more than one program or activities but for the sake of this grant, we will be using the word “program”.
Program Goals
The program aims to:
a. Build social connections, reduce isolation, foster belonging and contribute to physical and mental wellbeing through community-based food programming.
b. Support the engagement, agency and leadership of older adults through inclusive programming.
c. Address the needs of organizations and communities where older adults experience high levels of food insecurity through funding, peer learning opportunities and support.
Eligible Program Activities
Programs supported by this grant can include, but are not limited to:
Community-based activities: Programs that foster social connection while addressing food needs, like community meals, land-based activities, food sharing programs, or cooking clubs.
Health and wellness workshops: Classes designed for and by older adults that focus on nutrition, food literacy, and cooking skills, alongside mental health, spiritual well-being and fitness, to support holistic well-being.
Skill-building programs: Opportunities for participants to learn from and with older adults. Sharing knowledge could include offering participants the opportunity to learn from or lead a session on hunting, gathering, gardening, meal planning, cooking and preserving food.
Volunteering initiatives: Programs that involve older adults in roles such as intergenerational knowledge transfer,leading kitchen workshops, working in community gardens, food banks, or meal programs to strengthen food security in their communities.
Leadership Initiatives: Intentional opportunities for older adults to actively shape programs and community life through participation in development and design, advisory committees, focus groups, co-design processes, and collaborative evaluation.
Eligibility Criteria
Please Note: Recipients of the first round of funding through Food Agency for Older Adults and FoodFit For Older Adults 2025-2027 are NOT eligible to apply for this funding.
To be eligible, organizations must:
Be a Community Food Centre, a member of Right To Food’s Good Food Organization program, or part of the Indigenous Network.
Be a legal entity in Canada.
Be a registered charitable or nonprofit organization, or have a registered trustee (required only if it is standard practice for your organization to have one in place to receive funding). Please refer to these FAQs for more information.
We provide funding to eligible unqualified donees as defined by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Funds will be distributed in a single installment to cover a two-year period, with two reports required during that time.
How To Apply
To apply, please click on the "Apply" button and complete the application form.
The online application form takes approximately 45mins - 1 hour to complete.
There are three sections to this application process (referred to as 'Tasks'), and all tasks must be completed.
A PDF copy of the application form is available for your reference.
We will be holding an information session on Thursday, December 11 2025, to share more information and address any questions you may have about the grant. Register Here.
Reporting Requirements
Successful applicants will be required to submit:
An interim report after the first year of funding
A final report at the end of the two-year term.
Evaluation will focus on tracking five shared outputs and measuring five shared outcomes, which will help Right to Food demonstrate the collective impact of these grants. To support this process, we will provide evaluation training, templates, and one-on-one check-ins with a facilitator experienced in programming for older adults and Elders
Timeline
Application Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Notification of Results: End of January, 2026
Technical support
In order to apply, you will need to have an organization profile set up. If you have an organization account already set up, you should be able to switch by clicking your name at the top left of the site and switching to your organization.
If you do not have an organization profile, you will need to set one up by follow these steps:
- Go to My Account (in the menu that appears when you click on your name at the top right)
- Scroll down and click the button Set up Organization and complete the fields.
- Once completed, be sure that your Organization name appears at the top left of the site (toggle from your name to the Organization).
- Return to the Programs page and select the program you wish to apply for.
See this User Guide for complete details.
GRANT - (2026 - 2028) Food Agency: Supporting Older Adults Grant Stream
| If you cannot see the APPLY button to the right, please switch to your organization profile by clicking your name at the top left of the site and selecting your organization name instead. If you don't have an organization profile, see the section Technical Support below for instructions on how to set one up. Please use your existing organization profile to apply for this grant. If you cannot access it, reach out to us for support. Please do not create a new organization profile. |
About This Grant
Right To Food has received a generous donation from The Waltons Trust to support our Community Food Organization partners in fostering social connections and improving the health and well-being of older adults and Elders in communities across the country.
This grant uses food programming to promote physical and mental health, build connections and foster a sense of belonging among older adults. It supports their agency (ability to make choices and influence decisions) by ensuring they have a voice and opportunities to engage meaningfully in shaping the programs, while also encouraging leadership and volunteerism in their communities. For the purposes of this grant, older adults are defined as individuals aged 55 and above.
There is increasing evidence of a significant rise in loneliness and isolation among older adults, alongside impacts arising from decreased access and consumption of nutritious foods. Together, these factors contribute to poorer mental and physical health outcomes in older adults, particularly those living on lower incomes. By addressing these interconnected challenges, we can support a more holistic approach focused on improving the well-being of older adults.
This is the second cohort of grantees supported through the Food Agency for Older Adults grant. In April 2025, we awarded funding to 20 projects led by community food organization partners across the country.
If your application is successful, your organization may receive up to $35,000 to cover programming for two years. We aim to support at least 20 grantees, with available funding amounts of $20,000, $30,000, or $35,000 total per grantee.
Please Note: Program activities should be carried out over the two-year funding period.
This grant is open to all of Right To Food’s eligible Good Food Organizations and Community Food Centre partners within Canada. Right To Food is committed to utilizing an equitable granting approach that ensures an inclusive process for all eligible partners. Indigenous and Black-led or serving organizations are particularly encouraged to apply, as we aim to prioritize consideration and reduce barriers for these applications as well as others from equity deserving communities .
** This funding can go towards more than one program or activities but for the sake of this grant, we will be using the word “program”.
Program Goals
The program aims to:
a. Build social connections, reduce isolation, foster belonging and contribute to physical and mental wellbeing through community-based food programming.
b. Support the engagement, agency and leadership of older adults through inclusive programming.
c. Address the needs of organizations and communities where older adults experience high levels of food insecurity through funding, peer learning opportunities and support.
Eligible Program Activities
Programs supported by this grant can include, but are not limited to:
Community-based activities: Programs that foster social connection while addressing food needs, like community meals, land-based activities, food sharing programs, or cooking clubs.
Health and wellness workshops: Classes designed for and by older adults that focus on nutrition, food literacy, and cooking skills, alongside mental health, spiritual well-being and fitness, to support holistic well-being.
Skill-building programs: Opportunities for participants to learn from and with older adults. Sharing knowledge could include offering participants the opportunity to learn from or lead a session on hunting, gathering, gardening, meal planning, cooking and preserving food.
Volunteering initiatives: Programs that involve older adults in roles such as intergenerational knowledge transfer,leading kitchen workshops, working in community gardens, food banks, or meal programs to strengthen food security in their communities.
Leadership Initiatives: Intentional opportunities for older adults to actively shape programs and community life through participation in development and design, advisory committees, focus groups, co-design processes, and collaborative evaluation.
Eligibility Criteria
Please Note: Recipients of the first round of funding through Food Agency for Older Adults and FoodFit For Older Adults 2025-2027 are NOT eligible to apply for this funding.
To be eligible, organizations must:
Be a Community Food Centre, a member of Right To Food’s Good Food Organization program, or part of the Indigenous Network.
Be a legal entity in Canada.
Be a registered charitable or nonprofit organization, or have a registered trustee (required only if it is standard practice for your organization to have one in place to receive funding). Please refer to these FAQs for more information.
We provide funding to eligible unqualified donees as defined by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Funds will be distributed in a single installment to cover a two-year period, with two reports required during that time.
How To Apply
To apply, please click on the "Apply" button and complete the application form.
The online application form takes approximately 45mins - 1 hour to complete.
There are three sections to this application process (referred to as 'Tasks'), and all tasks must be completed.
A PDF copy of the application form is available for your reference.
We will be holding an information session on Thursday, December 11 2025, to share more information and address any questions you may have about the grant. Register Here.
Reporting Requirements
Successful applicants will be required to submit:
An interim report after the first year of funding
A final report at the end of the two-year term.
Evaluation will focus on tracking five shared outputs and measuring five shared outcomes, which will help Right to Food demonstrate the collective impact of these grants. To support this process, we will provide evaluation training, templates, and one-on-one check-ins with a facilitator experienced in programming for older adults and Elders
Timeline
Application Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Notification of Results: End of January, 2026
Technical support
In order to apply, you will need to have an organization profile set up. If you have an organization account already set up, you should be able to switch by clicking your name at the top left of the site and switching to your organization.
If you do not have an organization profile, you will need to set one up by follow these steps:
- Go to My Account (in the menu that appears when you click on your name at the top right)
- Scroll down and click the button Set up Organization and complete the fields.
- Once completed, be sure that your Organization name appears at the top left of the site (toggle from your name to the Organization).
- Return to the Programs page and select the program you wish to apply for.
See this User Guide for complete details.