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  1. AARP Foundation
  2. Grants Program

Advancing Effective Solutions

Funding Opportunity Overview

AARP Foundation works to ensure that low-income and vulnerable older adults have nutritious food, safe, secure, and affordable housing, a steady income and economic opportunities to grow and protect financial assets, and strong and sustaining social bonds. To address those needs, this grant competition seeks evidence-based solutions that are guided by a deep level of engagement with AARP Foundation and that can be brought to scale.

AARP Foundation is both a grant-maker and a direct service provider. As such, we work to identify new interventions that we can implement directly or through close collaboration with other organizations, including our grantees.

Through this grant competition we hope to scale interventions, with independent evaluations demonstrating evidence of effectiveness, which serve vulnerable older adults, to increase economic opportunity and social connectedness.

Man reads newspaper to seated senior women outdoors

AARP Foundation can play multiple roles to assist interventions in serving more people. Those ways may include investing in the solution to increase its organizational capacity, utilizing the trusted AARP Foundation brand to enter new markets, or playing an intermediary role in which AARP Foundation can connect the solution with customers and funders.

Funding Opportunity: Scaling Evidence-Based Solutions for Vulnerable Older Adults

Grant Application Process

All applications must be completed online. 

  • Application deadline: October 24, 2017, 11:59pm ET

Eligible organizations are encouraged to submit an application, which, besides general organizational information, contains a list of basic information about your current intervention and how it aligns with AARP Foundation’s mission and strategic objectives. Application submissions undergo a thorough review process. During our review, you may receive clarification questions and follow up (which may include video conference or on-site visit).

The application provides an overview of the current program you have in place. Our goal is to receive an understanding of the intervention and, in particular, your financial model and current operations. The application questions seek concise and specific answers. Please note that you must attach a project logic model and business model canvas to be considered for funding. For guidance on creating a logic model, click here, and consider using our optional logic model template (here). For guidance on create a business model canvass, click here.

You must also submit a summary of evaluation results/findings.

Request for Applications

Please refer to the following RFAs for detailed instructions on the application process. Organizations may only apply for one funding opportunity.

Important Documents

Technical Assistance Call Webinar (PDF)

Logic Model Guidance (PDF)

Logic Model Template (MSWord)

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Business Canvas Model Template (PDF)

Business Canvas Model Guidance (PDF)

Timeline

  • August 28: Funding Opportunity Announced
  • Mid-September: Online Application
  • October 3, 2PM (ET): Technical Assistance Webinar Recording
  • October 24: Application Deadline (11:59PM, ET)
  • November 15-22: Clarification Period (as needed)
  • Mid-December: Organization(s) informed about funding
  • TBD: Program Start Date

Funding Eligibility

AARP Foundation is seeking organizations that serve thousands of individuals in a cost-effective manner.

This funding opportunity is available to organizations that include institutions of higher education, public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as other types of nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories.

This funding opportunity is intended for national or regional organizations, with a built-in distribution channel, such as affiliates, members, chapters or collaborative partnerships. AARP Foundation is seeking organizations that serve thousands of individuals in a cost-effective manner.

The following are NOT eligible for funding:

Individual affiliates or chapters of national organizations

Political organizations or campaigns

Grants for individuals

Lobbying legislators or influencing elections

Capital campaigns                     

Sponsorship of fundraising events

Debt retirement or operating deficits

Marketing endeavors and personal research

Endowments or reserve funds

Indirect expenses unrelated to the project being funded