2026 Age-friendly Communities Grants open for application
Community grant applications that support older adults in B.C. to live independently and stay active are now open.
Local and Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities can apply to BC Healthy Communities (BCHC) for 2026 funding between January 19 and March 12, 2026. Applicants may apply for a Stream 1 grant of up to $25,000 to support age-friendly assessments and action plans, or a Stream 2 grant of up to $15,000 for age-friendly projects.
By 2031, nearly one in four people in B.C. will be 65 or older. The Age-friendly Communities Grant Program helps communities respond to this shift by supporting initiatives that promote independence, inclusion, and community participation among older adults.
In the most recent funding year, 2024, 26 communities received $524,000 in age-friendly funding across both grant streams. Of these, nine were Indigenous communities, including Métis Chartered Communities.
Funded projects included age-friendly assessments and action plans, transit training and regional mobility initiatives, housing and accessibility strategies, and neighbourhood-level engagement to support inclusion and independent living. Additional projects focused on emergency preparedness and climate resiliency, health and wellness programming, food security and nutrition initiatives, dementia-friendly community safety efforts, and intergenerational and cultural knowledge-sharing activities that strengthen community connections for older adults. Read the full list of 2024 grant recipients here.
The Age-friendly Communities Grant Program is part of the broader Age-friendly BC Program, a partnership between the provincial government and BCHC. BCHC is a province-wide non-profit organization dedicated to supporting healthy, resilient, and thriving communities across British Columbia.
Applicants will be notified whether they have been awarded funding in June 2026. Projects will start in July 2026 and finish in June 2027, when final reports are also due.
An information session will be held on February 4 at 10 a.m., providing an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the application process. Register here to attend.
Applicants are encouraged to review the application guide, available to download as a PDF or view online, and to learn more by visiting the AFC Funding page.
Ready to apply?
Access the application webform here.