Up to $20,000 Available for Age-Friendly Community Projects

Applications are now open for IRT Foundation's 2016 Community Grants Program. The Program, now in its second year, invites community groups and other not-for-profit organisations to apply for grants of up to $20,000 to fund local initiatives that will improve the lives of older residents in their communities.

Last year IRT Foundation invested almost $150,000 in 20 community projects across IRT's geographic footprint including NSW, the ACT and South-East Queensland.

"The Program enables IRT Foundation to support the community to deliver projects that help people to age positively," said IRT Foundation Manager, Toby Dawson.

"We want to support people to participate, contribute and enjoy living as they move from their working life, into retirement and then into later life."

Mr Dawson said it's local people who best understand what activities would benefit seniors in their communities.

"A great example of this is last year's Capturing Culture project - an initiative of the Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation," he said. "The project fostered inter-generational inclusion by bringing children, youth and elders together to capture traditional stories and wisdom in creative art forms."

The Foundation’s Community Grants Program is part of IRT Group's commitment to give back $20 million to the community by 2020. The Program has been designed to support projects that align with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Age-Friendly Cities Framework.

Applications for the 2016 Community Grants Program should address one or more of the following WHO Age-Friendly Cities domains:

• Social participation
• Respect and social inclusion
• Civic participation and employment

Online applications are invited by 20 April 2016. For more information and to apply, go to www.irtfoundation.org.au

Click here to find out more about IRT Group's aged care services.