.jpg)
Wlaf1450
NASHVILLE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- Grant funding applications open on June 22.
The Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) will be accepting applications for competitive grant funding for senior centers. This one-time grant funding is intended to support senior centers in providing older adults with access to resources, activities and social connections.
The Tennessee General Assembly has provided $5 million to be distributed to senior centers throughout the state. This year marks the sixth consecutive year of funding through the Tennessee General Assembly to support the vital work of senior centers in improving the lives of older adults in their communities.
“Senior centers provide lifesaving resources to older adults across the Volunteer State,” said DDA Commissioner Brad Turner. “We’re proud to see the legislature recognize how vital senior centers are to providing physical, emotional and mental nourishment to Tennessee’s growing aging population. Grant funding will allow for updated equipment, upgraded facilities and exciting programming that help senior centers, and entire communities, thrive.”
Senior centers are invited to apply for grant funding ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The grant funding is encouraged to fund the following goals:
- Capital Projects, including building improvements and equipment
- Marketing
- Programming/Activities
- Routine Operating Expenses, not including staff salaries
In order to qualify for grant funding, the organization must meet the following definition of a senior center:
- A non-residential community facility for the organization and provision of a broad spectrum of services which shall include provision of health (including mental and behavioral health), social, nutritional, and educational services and the provision of facilities for recreational activities for older individuals, including as provided via virtual facilities; and
- Be an organization with established programming that provides a minimum of 16 hours a month of activities or services specifically targeted for adults 60 and over.
The grant is not available to individuals or to long-term care and assisted living facilities.
Applications will open for submission on June 22, 2026. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, August 7, 2026. Grant funding must be spent by March 31, 2028.
Learn more about the grants at the DDA website.
About the Department of Disability and Aging
The Department of Disability and Aging is the state agency responsible for oversight of services and support to 1.5 million older adults and Tennesseans with disabilities. The department is the result of a merger between the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disabilities, effective July 1, 2024. Every day, the department strives to support people to live rewarding and fulfilling lives through Medicaid waiver Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), and a wide range of services and supports for older adults and adults with disabilities. DDA also provides services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays through the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), and children under the age of 18 with disabilities or complex medical needs through the Katie Beckett Program. The department supports people to live the lives they envision for themselves by ensuring people are free to exercise rights, engage with their broader communities and experience optimal health. DDA is the first state service delivery system in the nation to receive Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership. It has also been recognized as a national leader in its efforts to increase competitive, community-based employment outcomes for people with disabilities and its commitment to enhancing independence through Enabling Technology. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/10/2026-6AM)