NYSOFA to Expand Program for Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities

The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), through an upcoming Request for Applications (RFA), seeks to expand the number of Classic Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (Classic NORC) programs and Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (Neighborhood NORC) programs. A Classic NORC is an apartment building or housing complex, and a Neighborhood NORC is a residential dwelling or group of contiguous neighborhoods that were not originally built for older adults but are now home to a significant proportion of older adults. The intent of the Classic and Neighborhood NORC programs is to facilitate and integrate existing health and social services available in the community as well as organize additional needed services that enable older adults to remain at home.

Currently, NYSOFA funds 16 Classic NORC programs and 13 Neighborhood NORC programs. The intent of the upcoming RFA is to fund five new Classic NORCs and seven new Neighborhood NORCs throughout the state. Participating NORC programs may apply, but only to serve a qualified service area that does not currently receive NORC funding from NYSOFA. New applicants are encouraged to apply as well.

The RFA abstract, listed under the Procurement Opportunities heading on the NYSOFA website, provides the following: an overview of the program; the mandatory minimum qualifications for both models; funding conditions for application, including matching requirements; an overview of the needs assessment to be completed prior to application; and a sample needs assessment.

Classic NORC and Neighborhood NORC programs operate through multidisciplinary partnerships that represent a mix of public and private entities and provide on-site services and activities. At the core of each partnership are social service and health care providers; housing managers or representatives of neighborhood associations; and, most importantly, the community’s residents, especially its older residents. These core partners connect to the many other stakeholders in a community – typically, local businesses; civic, religious, and cultural institutions; public and private funders; and local police and other public safety agencies. By coordinating these resources for a common interest, Classic NORC and Neighborhood NORC programs help to transform the community into a place in which older adults can age in place.

Register early on the Grants Gateway to ensure a timely application, and please share this news with your community partners. For more information on the program, please contact Meg Everett at meverett@leadingageny.org.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871