Almost all intergenerational initiatives need to invest time and energy into fundraising. Although there are some for-profit and nonprofit organizations that have their own foundations, securing funds will be high on the list of priorities for most groups. It is typical to have some combination of private philanthropy together with federal, state, and community funding to support intergenerational activities.
Fundraising is not a short-term activity; it is a long-term process that requires careful planning and ongoing attention. For intergenerational programs, using an intergenerational lens offers opportunities to explore funding dedicated to children, youth, families, older adults, community development, arts, environment, and much more. But the process is often complicated. Siloed funding streams, age-segregated mindsets, and concerns about bringing generations together are among the challenges you may face. If you are partnering with another organization, there may be competing demands and/or overlapping funding sources.
Opportunities exist if you develop a realistic plan with clear goals and get the right people to be part of your fundraising team. The value of intergenerational programs as effective vehicles for reducing social isolation, combatting ageism, and fostering healthy development across the life course is more important now than ever.
This page shares information to help you get started.
Finding Program Funding
Successful fundraising includes researching who’s funding what, getting others excited about your organization’s mission, building relationships over time, and (yep!) following directions. In this resource, created by our Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, you’ll find tips on how to get started.
Intergenerational Funding Opportunities
Generations United shares information on current funding opportunities that could support intergenerational programs.
Sharing Our Space – Section 4: Funding
This section of our shared site toolkit describes keys to successful fundraising, potential sources of funding, and includes suggestions for starting a capital campaign.
Piecing It Together: What We Know About the Funding Puzzle for Spaces that Connect Young and Old
Funding and financing shared sites is one of the top obstacles identified by practitioners. Whether trying to sustain an existing program or in the planning phase for a new initiative, the complexity of potential funding sources – and not knowing where to begin – become daunting barriers. This paper provides an overview of strategies employed by different programs to fund their work.
Federal Funding Opportunities for Intergenerational Shared Sites
This chart provides an overview of federal programs that could support the development of intergenerational shared sites.
Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network Resources
This series of resources, developed by Generations United’s Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, focuses on kinship support, but the information applies to many intergenerational programs and is easily adaptable:
- Funding Toolkit for Nonprofit Agencies Serving Kinship/Grandfamilies – This toolkit is designed primarily for nonprofit agencies and organizations that provide tailored services to kinship families, whether as the sole mission of the organization or through one specific program. In this resource, you will find tips and tools to identify and secure funding for your kinship services.
- How to Build Capacity to Attract Funding for Smaller Kinship and Peer Led Organizations – Smaller, peer-led organizations are vital partners in an overall system of support for kinship/grandfamilies, they often face challenges with financial sustainability. This toolkit provides insights for other organizations on what to focus on to leverage their data and increase their funding.
- Funding Kinship Services: A Primer on Federal Funding Sources – This primer offers basic information about federal programs that can be used to finance kinship services and programs. Information for each source includes which federal agency administers the funding source, services the funding source can finance, and basic eligibility information. This funding primer is not intended to be an in-depth explanation of each source but, rather, a high-level overview that can be used to aid further research.
Intergenerational Program Roadmap:
Your guide to building strong, sustainable intergenerational programs that connect generations and strengthen communities.
- Getting Started
- Funding & Sustainability
- Program Evaluation
- Quality Programs