Grant Opportunities From AARP Foundation

Marian Chauvin cuts the ribbon to her newly rebuilt home.

AARP Foundation seeks to support projects that enhance quality employment for older adults with low income in the state of California. Learn more about new Request for Grant Applications of Quality Employment in California 

Grantmaking at a Glance

At AARP Foundation, we envision a society free of poverty, where each of us ages with the opportunity to thrive.

Making this vision a reality takes more than solutions for individuals. It demands more effective systems, deeper collaboration across sectors, and sustained investment in what works — including grantmaking to both local and national organizations.

We invest in solutions that strengthen financial resilience for and with older adults. Our grantmaking supports organizations that expand economic opportunities, reduce barriers, and create lasting change.

Our Approach

Using real-world experience as our guide, we approach our grantmaking with the goal of making a measurable impact on the systems that affect the lives of people 50 and older.

Learning by Listening

We start by listening. The experiences of older adults — especially those facing financial hardship — shape our funding choices. We identify what works, invest in it, and help scale it; at the same time working to remove structural barriers that limit impact.

Focusing on Those Most Affected

We fund initiatives that focus on older adults with low income and those whose need is most acute. By directing resources where the need is greatest and the opportunity for systems impact is clearest, we aim to create more equitable pathways to financial security.

Investing in a Strong Ecosystem

We fund and collaborate with nonprofits, community organizations, and cross-sector partners. People aged 50 and over play an active role in our work — as participants, volunteers, and changemakers.

Bridging Practice and Systems Improvement

At AARP Foundation, we are both grantmakers and operators of direct-service programs. This unique perspective allows us to invest in innovative solutions while staying grounded in the lived experiences of older adults. By connecting what we learn in practice with what we support through grantmaking, we can identify what works, strengthen the systems older adults rely on, and drive broader and lasting impact.

Learn More About New Grants RFA Opportunity

What We Fund

Our grantmaking focuses on three priorities, each aligned to our 2030 Strategy and designed to address the most persistent challenges facing older adults with low incomes. We invest in efforts that advance scalable systems change and create lasting impact, while supporting targeted direct-service approaches that address immediate needs and help illuminate effective paths to broader change.

Quality Employment

We support solutions that help older adults secure stable, fairly compensated, age-inclusive jobs by strengthening the systems, practices, and pathways that expand economic opportunity for older workers. Together, these efforts promote greater financial security and long-term workforce inclusion.

Accessible Benefits

We fund efforts that help older adults navigate and secure public benefits, subsidies, and relief programs while improving the systems that determine how people learn about, apply for, and receive support. These investments help ensure older adults can access the resources they are eligible for and need to thrive.

Inclusive Markets

We advance solutions that help older adults access essential goods and services—including financial products, housing, and health care—while driving market and systems changes that improve affordability, accessibility, and equity. Our goal is to ensure these markets work better for older adults across income levels.

Supporting Rapid Response Efforts

When natural disasters strike, AARP Foundation acts. With the support of our donors and funders, AARP Foundation distributes grants to local organizations that help affected older adults get immediate relief — including food, water, and shelter — as well as long-term support to help repair their homes, access legal aid, and obtain financial assistance. Learn more at Disaster Relief and Assistance for Older Adults.

Our Impact

We work with policymakers, other philanthropic organizations and communities nationwide to reach common goals. By providing funding and support and sharing insights, we help create lasting solutions that can have a wide impact beyond what any one program can do. In 2025, AARP Foundation invested $6.785 million through 70 grants to support organizations and initiatives advancing economic opportunity and improving outcomes for older adults across communities nationwide.

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Grantmaking

New Request for Grant Applications: Quality Employment for Older Workers in California