Bring Experience Corps to Your Community

Experience Corps programs are run by host agencies, typically nonprofits or local municipalities. The five-step process for starting an Experience Corps program has grown from our understanding of the critical success factors involved in building and sustaining robust local programs.  

 

1) Inquiry 

The process begins when a prospective host agency makes an inquiry. General inquiries can be submitted to  ExperienceCorps@aarp.org. Upon receiving an inquiry, our director of field services will contact the agency and provide it with an initial information packet. 

 

2) Orientation 

If the prospective host wants to proceed, it can ask to participate in an orientation. During the orientation, the AARP Foundation Experience Corps team will present basic information on what it takes to launch and build a successful Experience Corps partner program.  

 

3) Application 

If there appears to be a good fit, promising prospective organizations will be invited to complete an application to become a program partner. AARP Foundation Experience Corps accepts inquiries and applications on a rolling basis. The timeline from inquiry to invitation to program partner varies depending on the applicant. The application must, however, be received by the end of the year (no later than  December 5) to start up a program in the fall of the following school year.    

 

4) Site Visits 

Favorable applications are followed by site visits, which provide AARP Foundation Experience Corps staff with a richer understanding of the community and prospective host. These visits also allow both parties to think through implementation and practical questions.  

 

5) Invitation to Become a Program Partner 

Once the due diligence is complete, and if both entities are positioned to move forward, AARP Foundation Experience Corps will extend the organization an invitation to become a program partner. 

When considering a prospective host agency, we weigh several factors:

 

• Mission Alignment. Is there strong alignment between the mission of the host agency and AARP Foundation Experience Corps? 

 

• Financial Stability. Will the host organization be able to plan for long-term sustainability? Can the agency and city invest in Experience Corps for the long haul?  

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• Business Operations. Who can lead the effort locally with an entrepreneurial approach to building relationships and executing an implementation plan? How will the host organization provide adequate staffing, infrastructure, and resources to manage the business operations? 

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• Program Operations. How will the host agency provide adequate staffing, infrastructure and resources to meet program demands? 

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• District/Community Partnerships. Are there school district and community champions in place to advance the program? Will the organization be able to access sound data for program improvement, accountability, marketing, and measurement of effectiveness and impact? 

What is the overall investment a prospective agency or city needs to make to operate this program?

The overall investment depends on how many schools or service sites you intend to operate and what internal resources you can commit to the program. After that, host staffing structure and growth plans drive operating costs. 

 

Does AARP Foundation provide funding for local programs?

AARP Foundation does not fund local programs directly but may provide limited funds by sub-granting funding to host agencies. Our federal funding includes AmeriCorps and Department of Justice grants, and sub-grants are made on a competitive basis to programs in good standing. 

 

What is the role of AARP Foundation?

The primary role of AARP Foundation is to support local communities as they build and strengthen their Experience Corps programs. We do this by providing multiple types of support, including training and start-up consultation, organizational development support, communications and marketing support, branded materials, access to a network of experts, and an annual national meeting. Additional resources include guidance in volunteer recruitment, fund development and access to AARP state office support.  

 

Who should be involved in exploring the launch of an Experience Corps program?

Your agency or city leadership is the first place to start as you examine fit and the ability to support and sustain the program for the long term. We build partnerships with local nonprofits when mission alignment and organizational capacity are conducive to program success.