NCOA seeks to advance mental well-being and improve social connections through our Mental Well-Being and Social Connections Program.

Overview

This opportunity provides selected community-based organizations serving older adults with funding, tools, training, and support to positively impact social connections in their community and decrease social isolation and loneliness.

• We are seeking organizations to partner with in Texas; Florida; Louisville, KY; and New Orleans.
• Applications are due July 26, 2026.

Who should apply

Community-based organizations that:

• Serve older adults (55+) from diverse populations
• Are interested in developing or enhancing behavioral health programming that strengthens social connections
• Have access to a facility where workshops can be hosted

Benefits of participation

• Funding ($5,000)
• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor Training fees paid by NCOA (~$2,000 value)
• Access to all materials needed to host the Linking Lives: A Journey to Wellness program (Facilitator and Participant Guide, Session Slides)
• Training and technical support
• Access to Peer Support Program Implementation Guide to implement and/or refine peer support programming

Expectations

Participating organizations will:

• Conduct the required activities during the performance period (Aug. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027)
• Identify up to two staff members to participate in the Linking Lives: A Journey to Wellness Program facilitator training. This training will be completed Monday, Aug. 10 from 1-5 p.m. ET.
• Support staff members in completing facilitator training
• Implement the Linking Lives: A Journey to Wellness program consisting of three sessions (60-90 minutes each) at least two times between May and October 2026.
• Engage at least 40 unduplicated participants in the Linking Lives: A Journey to Wellness Program
• Implement or refine peer support/navigator services within your organization using the Peer Support Program Implementation Guide
• Support the participant evaluation process
• Submit brief bi-monthly reports by the 10th of the month following the reporting period (Reports will include at a minimum Improving Mental Well-Being and Social Connection sessions completed, session attendance, MHFA sessions delivered, participants certified in MHFA, peer support/navigation activities, and number of individuals engaged in peer support/navigation)
• Train 1 staff member as a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor to bolster mental health knowledge and awareness in the community. Requirements to become an instructor: Complete MHFA training (one full day training), two hours of pre-work, three days of instructor-led training (9-5 p.m.), and 1 hour of post-work.
  • Staff members who have a valid Mental Health First Aider certificate are exempt from the MHFA training requirement.
  • MHFA Instructor Training Sessions are scheduled for the following times:
    —Mental Health First Aider Training (Pre-req for Instructor training): Sept. 10, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
    —Instructor Training Option 1: Sept.  22 – 24, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
    —Instructor Training Option 2: Oct. 26 – 28, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
• Host a minimum of two MHFA courses for community members, staff, and volunteers with at least 3 staff members being trained in MHFA. Partner organizations are responsible for covering participant material costs for trainings which range from $20 - $25 per person (depending on delivery method). Cost can be covered with honorarium funding, or you may charge a fee for participants to attend.
• Collect and provide at least two client testimonials with participant contact information and photos that highlight the program impact. The participant must sign a story consent form.
• Participate in at least two Insight Cafes offered during the performance period. Insight cafes will provide organizations with an opportunity to discuss their program implementation with fellow program participants and receive technical assistance from NCOA staff.

How to apply

Access the online submission portal. Please note: the first time you log in, you will need to select the “Sign Up” button under “Need an Account” to create your account. 

Application requirements

Below are the questions that will be found in the online application.

Section 1: Contact Info 

• Organization name: 
• Physical address: 
• Website:
• Main contact for project (name, title, phone, email):

Section 2: About Your Organization

• Type of organization
• Geographic area (Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, or Texas)
• If Kentucky, do you serve Louisville?
• If Louisiana, do you serve New Orleans?
• Does your orgnaization offer peer support programming? Yes/No
• If yes, please describe
• Does your organization have a peer support navigator or specialist? Yes/No
• What is your organization's mission?
• What is the average monthly number of older adults your organization serves (ensuring each individual is only counted once)?
• Have you received funding from NCOA before for any grant opportunity? Yes/No

Section 3: Capacity

• Do you have space and equipment (projector and screen) to safely host in-person workshops? Yes/No  
• If no, explain how you plan to host the workshops (250-word maximum) 
• Are you able to commit to hosting at least two rounds of the workshop series, train  one MHFA instructor and implement peer support programing and/or enhance existing peer support offerings? 
• Do you have facilitators or instructors who can participate in training and subsequently run the 3-week workshop effectively for two sessions? 
• Are there backup facilitators if someone is unavailable or absent?

Section 4: Commitment

• Please tell us how you plan to meet the program requirements listed in the commitment section above.

Section 5: Community

• Approximately what percentage of older adults your organization serves are considered middle- to low-income?
• Do you serve any of the following populations? (veterans, LGBTQ, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Asian American, Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino or of Spanish origin, Native Hawaiian of other Pacific Islander, two or more races, rural, unhoused)

Section 6: Staffing

• Please describe who will lead the workshops and be trained as MHFA instructors. (250-word maximum)

Section 7: Experience

• Have you implemented behavioral health or mental health workshops previously? Yes/No
• If yes, did you meet your grant/program goal? (yes/no)
• If no, why?
• Have you implemented other evidence-based or evidence-informed programs? Yes/No
• If yes, did you meet your grant/program goal? (yes/no) 
• If no, why?
• Please describe your plan for recruiting participants (250-word maximum)

Photo by Michaela Lynch© all rights reserved for NCOA use only