For eight years, AARP has been giving out grants that help build small, transformative projects and jump-start conversations about how to make communities better. The deadline to submit applications for the AARP Community Challenge isn’t until early March, but a webinar later today at 3 p.m. (sign up) can help applicants prepare their application. Local governments and nonprofit organizations with ready-to-go projects are eligible to apply.
This year’s grants come in three categories:
Flagship Grants: Flagship AARP Community Challenge grants have ranged from several hundred dollars for smaller, short-term activities to tens of thousands of dollars for larger projects. Since 2017, AARP has funded projects with an average grant amount of $10,000 to $12,000. Nine out of ten grants are for $20,000 or less.
In 2025, grants will not exceed $25,000. (AARP also reserves the right to award compelling projects of any dollar amount.)
AARP is accepting applications for projects that benefit residents — especially those age 50 and older — in the following categories:
- Creating vibrant public places that improve open spaces, parks and access to other amenities.
- Delivering a range of transportation and mobility options that increase connectivity, walkability, bikeability and access to public and private transit
- Supporting a range of housing options that increases the availability of accessible and affordable choices
- Increasing digital connections and enhancing digital literacy skills of residents
- Supporting community resilience through investments that improve disaster management, preparedness and mitigation for residents
Capacity-Building Microgrants: Combining $2,500 grants with additional resources (such as webinars, cohort learning opportunities, up to 2 hours of one-on-one coaching with leading national nonprofit organizations and AARP publications), this grant opportunity will accept applications for projects that benefit residents — especially those age 50 and older — in the following categories:
- NEW! Disaster Preparedness Training: Implement disaster preparedness training programs and resources for residents, especially those age 50-plus, with support from SBP and using the AARP Disaster Resilience Tool Kit.
- Walk Audits: Implement walk audit assessments to enhance safety and walkability in communities, especially for people age 50-plus, with support from America Walks and using the AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit.
- Bike Audits: Implement bike audits to enhance safety and bikeability in communities, especially for people age 50-plus, with support from The League of American Bicyclists and using the AARP Bike Audit Tool Kit.
- HomeFit Guide Modifications: Implement education, simple home modifications and accessible safety solutions to create and maintain “lifelong homes,” especially for people age 50-plus, with support from the RL Mace Universal Design Institute and using the AARP HomeFit Guide.
Demonstration Grants: This opportunity funds projects that encourage the replication of promising local efforts. Grants tend to fall between $10,000 and $20,000 and will not exceed $25,000.
The demonstration grant opportunity will accept applications for projects that benefit residents, especially those age 50 and older, in the following categories:
- NEW! Enhancing pedestrian safety by creating safer streets and sidewalks, with a focus on people age 50-plus, with funding support from Toyota Motor North America.
- NEW! Expanding high-speed internet (broadband) access and adoption, with a focus on people age 50-plus, with funding support from Microsoft.
- Reconnecting communities divided by infrastructure, with a focus on people age 50-plus, as highlighted in the award-winning AARP Livable Communities article series Before the Highway.
- Implementing housing design competitions that increase community understanding and encourage policies that enable greater choice in housing, with a focus on people age 50-plus, by using the AARP Housing Design Competition Tool Kit.
Getting a leg-up on competition may be important for applicants. AARP received over 3,350 applications for its 2024 grant program, and ultimately awarded 343 grants, totaling $3.8 million, for "quick-action projects" throughout the country. Eleven of those grants went to communities in California - click for the complete list.
This article includes previous reporting done by Melanie Curry.
