On Monday, Nov. 21, the NextFifty Initiative announced it had awarded $93,000 in grants to three organizations that work to improve the lives of older adults and their caregivers in Northwest Colorado.

In Steamboat Springs, Tread of Pioneers Museum was awarded $10,000, and The Colorado New Play Festival received $8,000. The third recipient was the Grand County Rural Health Network.

According to the NextFifty Initiative, the Tread of Pioneers Museum will use its $10,000 grant to preserve, share and celebrate the history and heritage of Steamboat Springs and Routt County through exhibits, programs and education.

NextFifty considered the museum because it provides opportunities throughout the year to improve the lives of older adults through mental stimulation and learning, volunteerism, and social interactions at events and programs.

The $8,000 grant for The Colorado New Play Festival will help the organization ensure that any community member in assisted living facilities can attend the organization’s annual arts and theater festival, which can improve community connections for older adults and help them feel more engaged and resilient.

“Organizations serving older adults have consistently told us that flexible funding is the most helpful and beneficial to their work,” said Chandra Matthews, director of programs for NextFifty, in a statement. “But it’s also the most difficult to obtain. Our flexible support grant opportunity was created to make it easier for organizations to build their capacity, apply funds where they’re needed most, and focus their efforts on the older adults they serve.”

NextFifty Initiative is a Colorado-based, private foundation that works with community leaders, experts, and frontline professionals to support programs and projects that have positive effects on aging and longevity.