Healthy Aging in New Hampshire and Maine

The Foundation for Seacoast Health (FFSH) is launching its Spring 2026 Strategic Grant Cycle with a targeted focus on improving behavioral health outcomes among youth and young adults up to age 25 in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire and Southern Maine. As a private foundation deeply embedded in the community, FFSH has a longstanding commitment to fostering the health and well-being of residents in nine key towns: Portsmouth, Newington, New Castle, Greenland, Rye, and North Hampton in New Hampshire, and Kittery, Eliot, and York in Maine. With over $38.8 million already invested in local health initiatives, the Foundation continues to play a pivotal role in addressing emerging health priorities through strategic grantmaking. This 2026 cycle centers on behavioral health issues that have been identified through regional data and community feedback as urgent needs—particularly youth mental health and substance use disorders. Applicants are encouraged to present solutions that directly address at least one of four strategic focus areas: Prevention & Early Intervention, Mental Health Treatment & Crisis Care, Suicide Prevention & Postvention, and Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Treatment & Recovery. These categories reflect the Foundation’s holistic approach to the behavioral health continuum, encompassing both proactive and responsive strategies. The grant awards offered in this cycle are single-year general operating support grants of up to $30,000. While most awards are for a single year, the Foundation may elect to provide multi-year funding at its discretion. Applicants should note that no single grant will exceed 20% of an organization’s total operating budget. Funding may be used for a broad range of services, including those that foster belonging, reduce stigma, enhance trauma-informed practices, expand access to mental health crisis services, implement suicide prevention programs, and address co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Organizations interested in applying must submit their applications through FFSH’s electronic grants portal, Foundant. The process begins with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), which is reviewed on a rolling basis. New applicants must first create a profile in the Foundant system to access the LOI form. Only those whose LOIs are approved will be invited to submit a full application. The Foundation encourages prospective applicants to discuss program alignment with CEO Blair Demers prior to submission. Direct inquiries can be sent to [email protected], and application-related questions may be addressed to Jenny MacMurdo at [email protected]. The 2026 grant cycle opens on March 2, 2026, and applications must be submitted by April 10, 2026. Funding decisions will be announced by May 15, 2026. The Foundation strongly prioritizes organizations that serve populations facing disproportionate behavioral health burdens or barriers to care, and those with a central mission focus on youth and young adult well-being. All applicants must meet FFSH’s general eligibility guidelines, and additional information regarding application components can be found in the RFP and guidelines linked on the Foundation's website. In summary, this grant opportunity offers essential financial support to organizations addressing behavioral health challenges in the Seacoast region. With an emphasis on prevention, access to treatment, crisis care, and recovery services, the Foundation for Seacoast Health seeks to partner with nonprofits committed to strengthening outcomes for youth and young adults through high-impact, regionally grounded work.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation CEO to confirm mission alignment prior to submitting; applications misaligned with regional focus may not advance.