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  1. AARP Community Challenge
 

AARP Community Challenge Grantees List by State: Nebraska-Rhode Island

More than 1,000 projects have been funded since our quick-action grant program began in 2017

AARP Livable Communities

Here's our complete state-by-state list of the AARP Community Challenge grants that have been awarded since our quick-action grant program began in 2017.

Visit the AARP Community Challenge Main Page

2017 Grantees

2018 Grantees

2019 Grantees

2020 Grantees

2021 Grantees

2022 Grantees

  • Grand Island: Grow Grand Island, Inc.
    Way-finding totems will be strategically placed to help residents and visitors more easily navigate through historical features in the community. (2019)
  • Grand Island: Grow Grand Island
    A packet will be produced, containing the book The Art of Neighboring and information about a neighborhood meet-and-greet, and then distributed to participants in a new local segment of an international leadership forum conducted via satellite. (2022)
  • Haigler: Haigler Community Foundation
    The Haigler Museums complex will install a new ADA-compliant restroom, and a handwashing station. (2020)
  • Haigler: Haigler Community Foundation
    An abandoned set of basketball and tennis courts will be revitalized, with one of the latter turned into a pickleball court. ADA-compliant benches will also be added and light poles repaired. (2022)
  • Hastings: City of Hastings
    This project will add needed amenities, such as stations where you can rest and hydrate, at activity centers throughout an existing walking trail. (2019)
  • Hebron: City of Hebron
    The installation of solar lighting along a popular walking trail will prove access to crucial community locations and extend the hours users can travel on the trail safely. (2020)
  • Hebron: Thayer County Walking Coalition 
    The grant was used for wayfinding signage to improve walkability and create places for residents to socialize and appreciate the area’s historical locations. (2017)
  • Imperial: City of Imperial
    A vacant alleyway and lot will be transformed into a mini-park with murals, benches, raised garden beds and a mosaic dragon for children to play on. (2021)
  • Kearney: Kearney Works 
    Independent, contracted drivers recruited from Kearney’s “robust population of recently-retired older adults“ traveled along a set route with strategically located passenger pick-up sites. For a nominal fee, passengers were able to share safe, reliable rides to employment, child care, job interviews and other destinations. (2017)
  • Lawrence: Nuckolls County Foundation/Lawrence Community Fund (no website)
    New park benches and accessible picnic tables will enhance the community park next to a swimming pool and activity fields. (2021)
  • Lincoln: NeighborWorks Lincoln
    A community garden will be developed on a vacant lot in a neighborhood where residents will benefit from access to fresh food, new green space and opportunities for physical activity. Photo Album (2020) 
  • Lincoln: Heartland Bike Share and BikeLNK 
    Monthly events to promote bike sharing will be staged and will include group rides that include certified biking ambassadors. Courses will be offered to train others to be ambassadors. (2022)
  • Omaha: City of Omaha
    Grant funding will transform a vacant lot into an attractive intergenerational outdoor space with the addition of park benches, garden planters and an interactive chalkboard wall. Video (2018)
  • Omaha: One Omaha 
    The grant will support intergenerational project demonstrations during the Omaha NeighborFest including neighborhood tours, walk audits, live music and other programing chosen by neighborhood associations. (2018)
  • Omaha: Spark
    The installation of a mural, community gardens and seating at the southern trailhead of the North Omaha Trail will help turn an unused parking lot into an interactive public space. (2021)
  • Omaha: Canopy South
    As part of the revitalization of a vacant building in Upland Park, land around it will gain a walking path, accessible seating, public art and permanent raised-bed gardens to replace current temporary ones. (2022)
  • Omaha: University of Nebraska Foundation
    Tests will be conducted on new and recent innovations meant to improve bathrooms for wheelchair-bound people living in restricted quarters such as accessory dwelling units. Among the items: automated faucets and voice-activated showers. (2022)
  • South Sioux City: Siouxland Freedom Park
    Siouxland Freedom Park, a veterans memorial park honoring all past and present members of the armed forces, will construct trails to increase accessibility between park amenities. (2022)

  • Carlin: Carlin Historical Society
    Wayfinding signs near the interstate, in town, and on will increase the visibility of this historic town's museum, thus promoting tourism and enriching the lives of town residents. (2020)
  • Carson City: Brewery Arts Center
    Improvements and enhancements — including new lighting and benches — to the area's bus stops will encourage residents to take advantage of public transportation that will allow them access to the art center's many events, classes, services and galleries. (2019)
  • Henderson: City of Henderson
    This project will place murals on twelve concrete benches on a main pedestrian thoroughfare and the connections of two busy pedestrian areas. (2020)
  • Henderson: City of Henderson
    This grant will improve community gardens in the City of Henderson and educate residents on maintenance for long-term success. (2019)
  • Henderson: City of Henderson
    Thirty artistically designed bicycle racks will be created and installed downtown along with a mural or statue and a bike education class that includes a community ride will be held. (2022)
  • North Las Vegas: City of North Las Vegas
    Challenge funds will be used to promote exercise and outdoor activities as part of the city’s "All the Best Paths are Taken by Foot" campaign. (2021)
  • Reno: Center for Healthy Aging
    A vacant lot will be turned into an intergenerational, indigenous community garden to provide nutrition and gardening education to Native American tribes and other community members. (2021)
  • Searchlight Township: Searchlight Betterment Organization
    A bocce ball court will be installed in the Trails Community Park to provide residents with an activity that can be enjoyed by people of varied ages and abilities. (2021)
  • Winnemucca: Age & Dementia Friendly of Winnemucca
    This project will restore and update a community garden to promote better nutrition and encourage connections among residents. (2021)

  • Coos County: Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail
    To entice community members and visitors to spend time outdoors, benches will be installed at scenic destinations along the Presidential Rail Trail in the Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge. (2021)
  • Derry: Marion Gerrish Community Center
    In an effort to further promote community bonding and to encourage multi-generational connections, this project will purchase several outdoor yard games (such as cornhole, bocce, chess, Jenga, Connect Four, and others) for use in space around a community center. Photo Album (2019)
  • Fremont: Town of Fremont
    The construction of a ramp with railings will allow safe and full accessibility to the Town's Memorial Park Ballfields, where many events have been rescheduled due to Covid-19. (2020)
  • Goffstown: Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail
    New wayfinding and informational signage will help make the community's rail trail safer for users of all ages, as well as provide helpful destination information and enhance safety at road crossings. (2019)
  • Greenland: Great Bay Stewards
    This project will further develop an accessible garden area at the Great Bay Discovery Center by creating an interactive sculpture, a sensory garden and handicap-accessible play structures. (2021)
  • Hudson: Regenerative Roots Association
    Challenge funds will be used to transform underutilized spaces into active community farms that can act as hubs for social interaction, sustainable food production, educational opportunities and local events. Photo Album (2021) 
  • Lebanon: UVLSRPC
    This project will develop an Open Data Portal to host data and maps in an accessible and interactive framework that encourages community engagement and dialogue around housing, particularly for the needs of underserved groups. (2019)
  • Londonderry: Town of Londonderry
    This project will install ten park benches throughout the Town Common and Kent Allen Town Forest to enhance accessibility to public open spaces. (2019)
  • Manchester: Manchester Connects
    This grant will help create a riverside gathering space in Arms Park by installing tables and planters and better connecting the area to walkable and bikeable pathways. Video (2018)
  • Manchester: The Nature Conservancy
    The All Persons Trail in the Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve will be accessible to visitors of all abilities and comfort levels. (2021)
  • Newport: Town of Newport
    Recreational wayfinding signs and trail kiosks will be installed to increase and improve visits to the town’s trail system. (2021)
  • Newport: Town of Newport
    A vacant lot will be turned into a dog park and community garden, both fully ADA-accessible, with walkways, benches and raised-bed gardens. (2022)
  • North Conway: HomeShare MWV-Gibson
    This project will include launching a website to inform and facilitate HomeShare matches between homeowners with extra living space and homeseekers willing to live in shared spaces. (2019)
  • Wilton: Town of Wilton
    ADA-compliant walkways will be added along the bank of a protected river to connect restaurants and a Veteran's Park to the downtown core. (2020)

  • Belleville: Town of Belleville
    A new walking trail will connect two streets previously divided by an oddly placed fence. Along the path will be one garden honoring COVID-19 victims and another containing produce the public will be welcome to pick. (2022)
  • Belvidere: Town of Belvidere
    A colorful bike lane will be created along a busy downtown street to slow traffic and improve livability. Along with it will come two bike racks, two repair stations and five benches. (2022)
  • Berkeley Heights: Berkeley Heights Township 
    The Trailblazer Project will inform, showcase and encourage the use of community walking trails by displaying a township map in four strategically placed structures. (2021)
  • Bloomfield: Department of Health and Human Services
    Grant funding will expand the WALK Bloomfield walking program through the purchase of JobClocks, a technology for establishing walking paths. (2018)
  • Camden: Coopers Ferry Partnership 
    This project will transform an underutilized lot into a gathering space and engage older adults from North Camden in the creation of a mural highlighting residents' ties to the community. (2021)
  • Camden: Camden Community Partnership
    Various safety solutions will be tested around the entrance to Cramer Waterfront Park. Among them are switching the bike and parking lanes to move bicyclists away from traffic. Crosswalks and temporary curb ramps will also be added. (2022)
  • Closter: Borough of Closter
    A barren alley downtown will be turned into a pocket park that will connect commuter and shopper parking to a lively commercial street. (2022)
  • Dunellen: Borough of Dunellen
    This beautification project will organize the community to help build and install shade trees, benches, and pollinator plants, as well as paint an existing footbridge to increase the vibrancy of a public park. (2019)
  • Elizabeth: Kean University Foundation
    Six murals will be created based on a series of COVID-19 stories recorded during the pandemic and told by housing authority residents. (2022)
  • Englewood: Northern New Jersey Community Foundation
    Project funding will be used to celebrate the achievements of Black women through an artistic mural designed by Black women who live in the community. (2021)
  • Flemington Borough: Harvest Family Success Center
    This project will provide free produce at a "seniors only" market day and offer a library of health and wellness books, all while enabling weekly check-ins with older adults who may be isolated. (2020)
  • Garfield: City of Garfield 
    The initiative Generations for Garfield implemented pop-up wellness-center events at its local VFW post to provide programming in a centrally located, multigenerational space. (2017)
  • Jersey City: City of Jersey City 
    Older adults from Marion Gardens, a public housing site with more than 600 residents, assisted in planting trees to beautify underutilized outdoor spaces and encourage green infrastructure. [WWL] (2017)
  • Jersey City: Jersey City Housing Authority
    This project will provide Wi-Fi, smart home devices, a computer lab and digital literacy programming for older adults in a public housing development to help reduce social isolation, bridge language barriers and create sustainable, on-site digital programming. (2021)
  • Jersey City: Jersey City Housing Authority
    This project will provide Wi-Fi-enabled tablets to seniors in a public housing development and college students will offer one-on-one digital literacy training. (2022)
  • Metuchen: Metuchen Downtown Alliance
    To help support the recovery of downtown businesses from COVID-19, this project will install parklets and other interventions to repurpose sidewalks, streets, parking lots, and alleys to enable dining and physical activity at a safe social distance. (2020)
  • Metuchen: Metuchen Downtown Alliance
    In a downtown parking lot downtown located near the city’s center for older adults, two parking spaces will transformed into a "parklet" gathering spot with planters, seating and a table decorated with a mosaic. (2022)
  • Perth Amboy: City of Perth Amboy
    Two pillars of the bridge connecting Perth Amboy to New York’s Staten Island will be beautified with murals.  (2022)
  • Red Bank: Borough of Red Bank
    To encourage walking and outdoor activities, “Destination Red Bank” will place wayfinding decals throughout the borough and add a parklet to a popular street. (2021)
  • Teaneck: Township of Teaneck
    This project will help increase connectivity among township-sponsored activities by improving the safety conditions of Teaneck's pedestrian walkway network and fostering healthy lifestyles for all. (2019)
  • Trenton: Trenton Health Team
    This project will set the stage for a citywide conversation about expanded bike programs and infrastructure accessible to all by piloting a bike share program geared toward older adults. (2020)
  • Westwood: Borough of Westwood
    Grant funds will go toward building a parklet to provide a safe and enjoyable area for all residents to sit and relax while in the business district. (2019)

  • Albuquerque: South Valley MainStreet 
    This grant will help a grassroots organization revitalize historic Bridge and Isleta boulevards and improve the La Familia Growers Market by installing tables, chairs and a storage shed as well as by purchasing materials for intergenerational activities. Photo Album (2018)
  • Albuquerque: Barelas Community Coalition 
    This grant will help a grassroots organization revitalize historic Bridge and Isleta Boulevards and improve the La Familia Growers Market by installing tables, chairs and a storage shed as well as by purchasing materials for intergenerational activities. (2019) 
  • Albuquerque: Mid-Region Council of Governments
    Challenge funds will be used to install a wellness path around the perimeter of the Los Griegos Health and Service Center and add an information kiosk highlighting the adjacent Acequia Trail system. (2021)
  • Albuquerque: National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation
    A new exhibit will feature stories, images and information about Hispanic/Latinx health care heroes working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors will also learn about the pandemic’s impact on Hispanic/Latinx communities nationwide. (2021)
  • Carlsbad: Carlsbad MainStreet Project 
    Downtown crosswalks will be repainted with thermoplastic materials that can withstand the New Mexico sun and improve safety. (2022)
  • Dona Ana County: South Central Regional Transit District 
    This project will add benches, covers and lighting to the area's bus stops to encourage residents to take advantage of public transportation. (2020)
  • Dixon: Embudo Valley Library and Community Center
    This grant will activate a park area on the grounds of a public library by installing two picnic tables and benches that will be created by community members. (2020)
  • El RIto: El Rito Library 
    The area around the library will be upgraded by clearly separating parking from other areas with stanchions; adding a sandbox, benches and a bicycle repair station, and holding flea markets. (2022)
  • Farmington: City of Farmington/Downtown Farmington: A Main Street Project
    Redesigning more than six blocks of Main Street will provide a slower, safer, pedestrian-friendly downtown for all users. This redesign will include the addition of lighting, shade, trees and amenities that will redefine the pocket plaza into a lively area for all ages to gather and socialize. (2019)
  • Las Cruces: Downtown Las Cruces Partnership
    To improve the quality of life for residents, this grant will provide safe bicycle storage and shade structures in the Arts and Cultural District. (2020)
  • La Union: La Union Helping Hands 
    A covered bus stop will be built at a central location in the town, and a gazebo with benches will be installed outside the community center. (2022)
  • Rio Arriba County: Vallecitos Community Center and Library 
    The addition of a covered walkway and footbridge will help make the community center and library safely accessible in all types of weather. (2021)
  • Roswell: MainStreet Roswell
    This project will teach children about recycling and using math skills for activities such as sorting and weighing the discarded bottle caps that are used to make new benches for the city's downtown. Photo Album (2021)
  • Santa Fe: Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning OrganizationA reusable protected bicycle lane "pop-up" tool kit will allow the city and community groups to demonstrate and test examples of bicycle-friendly infrastructure. The demonstrations will help support the implementation of an all-ages-and-abilities bicycle network. (2021)
  • Silver City: Silver City Main Street
    This project will install a traffic calming mural, wayfinding, and new landscaping to improve safe pedestrian access to Big Ditch Park, increasing engagement, physical activity, economic activity downtown, and livability for residents of all ages. (2019)
  • Silver City: Silver City MainStreet Project 
    Large photos depicting historic flooding in the area will be posted downtown and a game area will be established nearby. (2022)
  • Truth or Consequences: Main Street Truth or Consequences 
    Grant funds were used to improve the walkability of the downtown area and create the Walk Downtown outreach program. (2017)

  • Albany: Underground Railroad Education Center 
    This project will create a year-round accessible indoor urban garden with benches and lighting to provide a space for intergenerational, educational experiences. (2020)
  • Bethlehem: Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy 
    Project funding was used to install a mural along the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail. The grant was key in garnering additional community support for the county’s Art on Rail Trail project. (2017)
  • Binghamton: Center for Technology & Innovation
    The funded project will enliven the Chenango River Trail by installing a 48-foot mural depicting a topographical map of Central New York. (2018)
  • Bronx: Friends of Mosholu Parkland
    This grant will improve the Mosholu Parkland by adding green space that can be used for tai chi and meditation exercises in an existing garden targeting older adults. (2020)
  • Bronx: BronxWorks
    Grant funds will be used to create a gardening space for schoolchildren and older adults who use a senior center at the Morris Avenue Community Garden. (2018)
  • Brooklyn: Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet
    This project will support work to conduct interviews with older residents from each of New York City's five boroughs about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2021)
  • Buffalo: LISC Western New York
    The "Discover Your Neighborhood" project will create a discovery map of cultural landmarks, nature and parks, transportation hubs, public art, and other essential neighborhood anchors in three historically African American neighborhoods. (2020)
  • Buffalo: Preservation Buffalo Niagara 
    This project will launch an "Adopt-a-Block" program to increase the maintenance of street infrastructure such as tree boxes and planters and beautify the area. (2020)
  • Buffalo: Habitat for Humanity Buffalo, Inc.
    Grant funds will be used to engage and train older volunteers and bring together a diverse group of service-minded individuals to build affordable housing units. (2021)
  • Buffalo: Dorothy J Collier Community Center
    Jazz Night the Community Center will enhance cultural activities, create a sense of belonging, encourage multigenerational interaction, beautify the neighborhood and provide an outlet for disenfranchised community members. (2022)
  • Castleton-on-Hudson: Village of Castleton-on-Hudson
    The grant will be used to acquire an outdoor bulletin board and benches for placement in an underutilized but centrally located lot. (2018)
  • Champlain: Village of Champlain
    A freestanding launch port system for kayaks, canoes and stand up paddle boards will encourage use of the lake and provide physical activity opportunities for residents of all ages. (2019)
  • Chautauqua: Chautauqua Institution
    Two tennis courts will be added at Chautauqua Institution, one of which can be converted to two pickleball courts as needed. (2022)
  • Delmar: Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy
    The grant will enable the installation of artwork along the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail, further encouraging community members to walk between installations, enjoy nature and be phsyically active. Photo Album (2018)
  • Dryden: Town of Dryden
    Grant funds will finance comfortable benches and information kiosks along a public trail to encourage outdoor exercise for residents of all ages. (2018)
  • Dutchess County: United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region
    This grant will strengthen inter-generational relationships by providing resources to older residents and creating ways for older adults and youth to connect during the coronavirus pandemic. (2020)
  • Kingston: City of Kingston Live Well Commission
    This project will encourage the use of an urban park by installing concrete chess tables with seating to allow a space for people of all generations to engage in chess play. Photo Album (2019)
  • Long Island: Regional Plan Association
    The benefits of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) will be addressed in a series of video interviews with older adults who live in ADUs or might benefit from doing so. The interviews will be disseminated through social and traditional media. (2022)
  • Middleburgh: Village of Middleburgh 
    Six benches and two multiuse tables were added to the village’s parks and business district. (2017)
  • New York City: New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine
    As part of ongoing efforts to make Chinatown more livable, sensors have been installed to collect noise data. This project will host “sound walks” to capture additional data and support efforts to visualization the noise sensor data on a platform that allows public input and feedback. (2020)
  • New York City: NYC Department for the Aging
    To foster intergenerational interaction, a series of workshops providing instruction in the arts, including salsa and African dance, mosaic creation and storytelling, will be expanded to four additional sites. (2022)
  • Newburgh: City of Newburgh 
    A demonstration was staged as part of the city and Orange County’s Complete Streets program for Lake Street. (2017)
  • North Elba: John Brown Lives!
    An ongoing series of stories about social justice and activism will be bolstered by a new website and the Story Booth at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site, where stories can be recorded and shared. (2022)
  • Rochester: Hinge Neighbors
    Challenge funds will be put toward programs, projects and events that can help reconnect and introduce to one another the residents of two communities that had been one neighborhood before it was divided and displaced by an expressway constructed in the 1950s. (2021)
  • Saratoga Springs: City of Saratoga Springs
    Grant funds will be used to install a temporary two-way cycle track, parking and wayfinding to enhance general safety and to make biking more accessible for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. (2019)

  • Asheville: Buncombe County Recreation Services
    A musical garden including Lilypad Cymbals, a Tenor Tree, Tuned Drums, and Flower Gongs will be incorporated in an existing intergenerational space which will allow visitors of all ages to interact with each other, socialize, and enjoy the community. (2019)
  • Ansonville: The Caraway Foundation
    People 50-plus will receive instructions in technology from volunteers. Each participant will receive a tablet and laptop that can be taken home. The tablets will be theirs to keep after the six-week program. (2022)
  • Brevard: City of Brevard
    Raised-bed gardens will be created in the city’s new community garden. Benches will be added there and in the nearby skate park and along the adjoining Estatoe Trail. (2022)
  • Charlotte: Sustain Charlotte
    The grant will be used to add trails and wayfinding signage to an underutilized park to increase recreational activity and connectivity between neighborhoods and create a more walkable, bikeable, public transit-friendly environment for people of all ages and abilities. (2019)
  • Charlotte: City of Charlotte
    The grant will fund the installation of two free-standing artistic swings adjacent to public transit sites in order to foster fun and social interactions. Video (2018)
  • Charlotte: North End Community Coalition
    To bridge the digital divide and fight social isolation during the COVID-19 crisis, this grant will create a Wi-Fi hotspot lending program for the community that will allow residents to borrow a device for up to three weeks at a time. (2020)
  • Charlotte: Brand the Moth
    The "Explore Your Greenway" project will create a digital, GPS-guided tour of community murals, public art projects and historic sites connecting four neighborhoods along the Charlotte Greenway. In addition, a bright, community-based mural by local artists and volunteers will be added to the trail. (2021)
  • Chatham County: Bynum Front Porch 
    This grant will help add live streaming to the community’s monthly storytelling workshops with musical and storytelling talent to expand the reach to older adults, former residents, military families, and those with pre-existing health conditions. Video (2020) 
  • Clay County: Hinton Rural Life Center 
    Grant funding supported Mental Health First Aid training for two individuals, enabling them to better assist people experiencing a mental health crisis. (2017)
  • Craven County: Wash Away Unemployment
    The project will build one unit as a model for socially conscious and environmentally-friendly homelessness reduction for returning citizens and those with high barriers to employment. (2022)
  • Durham: Habitat for Humanity of Durham
    The Durham Habitat Repairs Program will purchase a mobile repair truck in order to expand its services and ability to perform home repair and maintenance tasks for older and low-income residents. (2018)
  • Greensboro: Creative Aging Network-NC/Center for Creative Aging North Carolina
    The "Creativity as a Catalyst for Inclusion" project will transform a 10-acre campus into a hub of multicultural and intergenerational art, community gardening and environmental stewardship by installing an "international garden," contructing an outdoor classroom, and hosting programs and events. (2021)
  • Greenville: BikeWalkNC
    The Greenville Traffic Garden, a simulated roadway where drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians can learn safety practices, will be developed. (2022)
  • Mount Airy: Mount Airy Parks and Recreation 
    This project will encourage engagement for people of all ages and promote physical activity, socialization, and a family atmosphere by adding benches, bike racks, signage and trees to community parks. (2019)
  • Orange County: Orange County Department on Aging 
    In conjunction with the county’s public transportation department, the grant was used to improve bus stop locations that lacked adequate shelters, benches or even flat areas for waiting passengers. [WWL] (2017)
  • Raleigh: City of Oaks Foundation 
    AARP grant funds were used to purchase equipment for events at a community center that hosts educational programs in art, nature, history and gardening. (2017)
  • Statesville: United Way of Iredell County 
    The East Iredell Lions Club Community will create a quarter-mile walking trail, the first ADA-accessible walking trail in the community. (2018)
  • Statewide: NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center
    The "Main-to-Main Trail Project" will promote community development and pandemic-related economic recovery efforts in more than 60 North Carolina communities by connecting the downtown districts with natural and cultural assets. (2021)
  • Trenton: Town of Trenton
    Heroes Park will honor the heroes that saved so many during the Hurricane Florence storm. The park will be developed with senior mobility in mind, including a hero's memorial, beautification, and a space for entertainment. (2019)
  • Williamston: Martin County Chamber of Commerce
    This project will transform an empty lot into a vibrant public space with a covered stage, seating, and raised garden beds. (2020)

  • Bismarck: Bismarck Global Neighbors
    To strengthen ties between families who have recently immigrated and residents, a series of "community conversation" meals will be organized and invite immigrant families to share their stories, in their own language, with other residents and local leaders. (2020)
  • Bismarck: City of Bismarck 
    The grant provided a “quick build” pedestrian/bike connection from downtown to the riverfront. Video (2017)
  • Bismarck: City of Bismarck 
    Challenge funds will be used to improve roadway safety while revitalizing an underused park. (2021)
  • Bismarck, Lincoln and Mandan: Bis-Man Transit Board
    Videos to teach local residents about the transit system, including fixed-route service, will be produced and used during transit workshops. (2022)
  • Buxton: Buxton Park Board
    The grant will help finance the installation of playground equipment, including soft-landing material, in a community park. (2018)
  • Devils Lake: Devils Lake Park District
    An existing pond in Ruger Park will be expanded and stocked with fish. A pier, parking, a sidewalk, benches and landscaping will be added. (2022)
  • Forman: City of Forman
    This project will add seating, an arbor to provide protection from sun and elements, and beautification, including planters to help revitalize a declining part of town and transform it into a practical area for people to meet and visit. (2019)
  • Grand Forks: City of Grand Forks
    The grant will provide for a pop-up demonstration about street safety and enhancement features such as curb extensions, parklets and more. (2018)
  • Grand Forks: Grand Forks Public Library
    The Intergenerational Music Playground will bring people of all ages, cultures and abilities together in an interactive and fun way that fosters community connections, inspires innovation and encourages curiosity. (2021)
  • Hazen: Hazen Public Library
    Two chairlifts will be installed at the library, making the basement, where there is a meeting room, more accessible. (2022)
  • Hettinger: Hettinger Area Chamber of Commerce
    The grant will support a more vibrant Main Street and attractive outdoor space through the installation of outdoor board games and other outdoor activities in the community plaza. (2018)
  • Jamestown: Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department
    This project will use "Walk/Bike 2019!" as a quick action event to inform and catalyze the community, assess public support, and gather data necessary to improve livability for people of all ages. (2019)
  • Max: City of Max
    To enhance the vitality of the City, hanging flower baskets will be purchased for light poles along the main street, and picnic tables will be added to existing green spaces. (2020)
  • New Rockford: New Rockford Park District
    With the move of the city’s outdoor skating rink to All Veterans Park, a new prefab, more accessible building for dressing, getting warm, etc., will be bought and installed. Lighting for security and benches will also be added. (2022)
  • Rolette County: Turtle Mountain Chippewa Pembina PowWow Committee (no website)
    Fruit trees and native plants will be installed in a new garden on the PowWow grounds to beautify the area and provide food for tribal members.  (2020)
  • Rugby: Geographical Center Historical Society
    An underutilized outdoor space will be made more useful and attractive by the addition of shrubs, picnic tables, electrical outlets, camping pads and an "edible greenspace" featuring fruit trees. (2021)
  • West Fargo: City of West Fargo
    An assortment of game tables with chairs will be installed in the new city-owned plaza to create an environment that is inviting and accommodating to people of all age groups. (2019)

  • Akron: Asian Services In Action, Inc.
    To improve food access for the city’s immigrant, refugee and low-income residents, a public pavilion will be constructed to house a community-based farmer’s market. (2021)
  • Chillicothe: City of Chillicothe
    As part of an established plan to improve the Chillicothe Transit System, this project will install artistic, accessible bus stop structures that can help to improve social connections among passengers. (2021)
  • Cleveland: Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
    By helping upgrade the Riverview Tower outdoor community space with accessible garden beds, seating and therapeutic plantings, the grant will enable older residents to spend time outdoors.  Photo Album (2018)
  • Cleveland: Silver Spokes: Bike Cleveland
    This grant will enable Silver Spokes, a cycling program for seniors, to purchase five bicycles for adults of various abilities. (2018)
  • Columbus: Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed
    To improve walkability around an elementary school and housing complex four stone barn benches and 50 large canopy trees will be planted to provide needed shade and heat relief. (2020)
  • Dayton: CityWide Neighborhood Development Corporation
    The creation of a safe, welcoming and accessible entrance with informational signage at the front of a popular neighborhood park will improve access to a vibrant public space. (2020)
  • Delaware County: SourcePoint
    Community volunteers will work with residents of an apartment complex for older adults and people with physical disabilities to create a garden and accessible space for outdoor activities. (2021)
  • Findlay: City of Findlay
    The grant will support the addition of amenities such as windscreens, seating and more to the city's popular pickleball courts. Video (2018)
  • Leipsic: Village of Leipsic
    This project will create a more inviting gathering space for people of all ages through new outdoor games and a fire pit area. (2019)
  • Lorain: City of Lorain
    This project will create and expand Lorain's welcoming, safe, and accessible network of destinations. Enhancements to Falbo Park will create an equitable and reliable place for intergenerational physical activity, play and community cohesion. (2019)
  • Mansfield: Richland Community Development Group
    A temporary linear park will be installed to enliven a downtown road and help residents envision what a permanent connection between the city's Imagination District and Carrousel District. (2021)
  • McComb: McComb Economic Development Organization
    Grant money was used to add drinking fountains, acquire swing sets suitable for children and adults with disabilities, and install benches at park reservoirs so visitors could sit near the water. (2017)
  • Oxford: Oxford Seniors, Inc. 
    The grant supported the creation of The Directory, a 50-page resource guide for older adults and their families. (2017)
  • Toledo: Salem Lutheran Church
    This project will install a bus shelter and provide an adjacent pocket park with new benches and seating. (2020)
  • Toledo: CommunityCare Clinics (CCC)
    A bus stop near the clinic will be upgraded with a bench and shelter. Ride-sharing arrangements will also be improved with a new partnership, and bike racks will be installed at the clinic. (2022)
  • Youngstown: Boulevard Park Block Watch
    A vacant space will be converted to a pocket park, with benches, porch-type swings, a flagpole and picnic tables. (2022)

  • Anadarko: Delaware Nation of Oklahoma
    This project will enhance the community by providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables through raised garden beds and will provide healthier lifestyle options and educate the community to make healthier lifestyle choices. (2019) Video
  • Cheyenne: The Rook
    This project will turn a temporary wood wheelchair ramps into a permanent wheelchair access for the lower level by installing a mechanical lift. (2022)
  • Chickasha: Chickasha Economic Development Council
    Artistic crosswalks will be installed throughout the community's downtown to slow traffic, encourage pedestrian access and support bicycle safety. (2021)
  • Elk City: City of Elk City
    This grant will improve the Elk City Community Garden and help it reach people of all ages in our community by adding table gardens and benches. These additions will encourage social activity, opportunities to learn about gardening and healthy lifestyles, and availability of fresh vegetables. (2019)
  • Enid: Main Street Enid
    Traffic calming elements, including artistic crosswalks painted by local artists, will be deployed to improve the walkability and safety of the Downtown area for residents. Photo Album (2020)
  • Eufaula: City of Eufaula
    The “Musical Walk Project" will help enliven a downtown area by installing outdoor musical equipment along a pathway and at points of interest in the community.  (2021)
  • Fairview: Fairview Regional Medical Center Authority
    This project will help provide for a remote monitoring cardiac rehabilitation for persons who have had recent cardiac events and are of low to moderate risk of complications at home. (2020)
  • Grove: City of Grove
    This project will install pedestrian-controlled crosswalk signals with flashing beacons to enhance public safety, improve the walkability of the downtown area, and provide safer access to the community’s senior center. (2020)
  • McAlester: City of McAlester
    The City of McAlester will transform an underutilized parking lot into a greenspace through quick-action place-making using flexible amenities and behavior observations. This innovative approach will develop an interconnected and intergenerational space near healthcare, retail, and services to increase the quality of life for residents of all ages. (2019)
  • McAlester: City of McAlester
    A tennis court at William P. Mullen Park will be converted to two pickleball courts with the help of local players. (2022)
  • Nowata: Nowata CAN, Inc.
    An alleyway previously adorned with several murals will receive further enhancement with ADA-compliant benches, tables, lighting, planters and a small stage. (2022)
  • Oklahoma City: City of Oklahoma City
    Two flower beds in Memorial Park will be converted into rain gardens to collect and filter parking lot stormwater runoff. (2021)
  • Shawnee: City of Shawnee 
    The grant was used to install a mini traffic circle in order to reduce vehicle speeds and increase safety. The project has accomplished both, making it easier for pedestrians to cross the street. [WWL] (2017)
  • Tulsa: Indian Nations Council of Governments and Tulsa Bike Share
    This project will implement a free healthy food delivery service pilot, which will utilize a bike share program to take grocery orders and deliver them to homebound residents, improving access to healthy food while strengthening community partnerships.  (2020)
  • Tulsa: Met Cares Foundation
    By bringing together students, artists and older adults, this project will create a community-centered mural adjacent to a grocery store that recently opened in what was previously a food desert. (2021)
  • Vinita: City of Vinita
    The grant will fund tables, benches, planters, lighting, signage and art displays as part of a new public gathering space. (2018)
  • Wellston: Town of Wellston
    AARP funding will contribute to the upgrading of the park area, which will gain a walking trail, tables and benches, games, and improved paviliion restrooms. (2022)

  • Eugene: SquareOne Villages 
    Grant funds were used for construction materials to complete an ADA-compliant tiny home in Emerald Village, an affordable housing community of 22 tiny houses. [WWL] Photo Album (2017)
  • Hood River: City of Hood River
    Grant funds will enable Streets Alive! Hood River to pilot an open streets program, in which streets are closed off to cars and opened to pedestrians, enabling a host of public space exercise activities such as yoga and dance classes. (2018)
  • Klamath Falls: Healthy Klamath 
    This project will revive alleyways that are currently run down and increase public art displays. (2022)
  • Medford: Rogue Retreat
    Challenge funds will help acquire and install furnishings and accessibility ramps at a former motel that's being used to provide unhoused residents of Jackson County with non-congregate emergency shelter and transitional housing. Video and Photo Album (2021)
  • Milton-Freewater: Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance
    This grant will install a gathering place and activity plaza where people of all ages can play and engage with each other while keeping a safe distance. (2020)
  • Moro: City of Moro 
    As Moro updates its zoning ordinances, allowing a broader range of home types, two sets of pre-approved plans for accessory dwelling units will be provided at no cost to citizens of Moro and its neighbor Condon. (2022)
  • Mosier: City of Mosier 
    AARP funding will help develop a commercial kitchen in the community center. The kitchen will provide free weekly meals, a food pantry and space for nutritional-product development. (2022)
  • Portland: Asian Health and Service Center
    This grant provides urgently needed support for older adults currently facing language and cultural barriers that increase isolation and loneliness by expanding and continuing the work of a successful Response Team that provides culturally specific resources for mental health, food security, and more. (2020)
  • Portland: Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Metro HomeShare Program
    To ensure that Oregonians can continue to be reached and assisted during the global coronavirus pandemic, new digital and remote outreach will be developed to maintain services for low-income homeowners or renters. (2020)
  • Portland: Verde
    The grant supports Verde’s Mobile Home Repair Extravaganza by funding up to eight home repairs for older adults, families with children, and residents with disabilities. The home repairs completed with this grant will address critical health, safety and livability issues impacting low-income residents. (2018)

  • Portland: APANO Communities United Fund
    This new pilot program will engage elders in the Jade District and teach them to use technology to increase mobility and connect to community resources. (2019)
  • Portland: Alberta Main Street
    Grant funds will be used to promote the “Summer of Alberta” program to low-income housing districts and other often-overlooked individuals in order to increase cultural activities for children and expand their access to fun outdoor experiences. (2021)
  • Portland: Lloyd EcoDistrict
    Workshops will be held to train older adults to prepare for emergencies. Participants will also be supplied with appropriate materials. (2022)
  • Prineville: Crook County on the Move
    The grant will provide for the installation of four age-friendly benches along a bicycle and pedestrian pathway. (2018)

  • Salem: Center 50+/City of Salem
    This project will activate a vacant downtown storefront to create a pop-up summer program that is free and available to people of all ages and abilities. It will also provide hands-on educational opportunities to help assist citizens, especially seniors, with navigating the public transit system and downtown wayfinding. (2019)
  • Salem: Sustainable Living Center 
    An unused outdoor area between two historical glass greenhouses will be turned into an accessible space for educational programs on sustainability, multigenerational gardening and social engagement. (2022)
  • Talent: Talent Maker City
    This project will improve older adults' engagement with the downtown community by using innovative intergenerational programming focused on empowering older adults to use STEAM skills such as carpentry, screenprinting and more in the city's downtown "maker space." (2019)
  • Tigard: City of Tigard
    By housing two food carts at a downtown plaza,“Tigard on a Roll” will serve as a mobile food-and-beverage business incubator for minority entrepreneurs. (2021)
  • Veneta: Fern Ridge Public Library
    Challenge funds will be used to create a welcoming and safe public courtyard containing furniture created from a beloved Heritage Oak tree that once stood in the location. (2021)
  • Woodburn: City of Woodburn
    This project will provide a public community gathering space directly in the heart of one of the largest 55-plus communities in Oregon. (2022)

  • Allentown: United Way of the Greater LeHigh Valley
    The project will improve a public space adjacent to a senior center and an area of the community used by people of all ages by adding tables, benches and chairs, lighting and flower beds. (2019)
  • Corry: Impact Corry
    To provide residents with easier access to Mead Park, an accessible walking trail,  pedestrian crosswalk system and other amenities will be installed in residential neighborhoods within a 10-minute walk of the park. (2021)
  • Harrisburg: Tri County Community Action Commission 
    A vacant, overgrown lot was turned into a usable space by planting no-mow grass that, once established, grows only 6 inches high and needs mowing only twice a year. [WWL] Video (2017)
  • Kennett Square: Kennett Square Revitalization Task Force (dba: Historic Kennett Square)
    This project will add barriers, parklets, benches, and creative sidewalk markings to beatify State Street at the heart of town while allowing all residents to safely social distance. (2020)
  • Philadelphia: Mt. Airy CDC
    The local entrepreneurial ecosystem will be expanded by creating a “Senior Entrepreneur” program that will recruit and support a cohort of older entrepreneurs to conceptualize, plan and implement the next steps in their business development journey. (2020)
  • Philadelphia: Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission
    This project will create a to-go meal service that includes clear directions, offers contactless free food access, and provides clear designations of where to stand safely while waiting to be served during the coronavirus pandemic. (2020)
  • Philadelphia: Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation 
    A program called Go, Go, Go encouraged residents to get out of their homes and spend time outdoors. The events gave older people with limited English-language proficiency the opportunity to take part in community activities. The grant also enabled the organization to host free art and gardening classes. [WWL] Video and Photo Album (2017)
  • Philadelphia: SEAMAAC
    The grant will be used to purchase cafe-style furniture and equipment for SEAMAC’s Elder’s Story Cafe, where older adults tell and younger people listen to stories about the past. Video (2018)
  • Philadelphia: Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha
    This project will utilize placemaking tools to begin making small scale, low cost but high impact changes -- including traffic calming and beautifying area fences -- making it safer and more accessible to all users, particularly older adults and pedestrians with disabilities. (2019)
  • Philadelphia: City of Philadelphia, Office of Community Empowerment & Opportunity
    The eviction prevention landlord-tenant mediation program will utilize mediation, financial assistance, information, and referrals to reach mutually agreeable solutions in landlord-tenant disputes, reduce eviction and displacement, and foster vibrant, inclusive communities for residents of all income levels. (2019) (Video)
  • Philadelphia: Neighborhood Gardens Trust
    Raised garden beds, a water line and a delivery gate will be installed to preserve and enhance the Viola Street Community Garden. (2021)
  • Philadelphia: The Food Trust
    Funding will be used to create signage and educational walking tours of an urban garden and orchard that helps supply an adjacent farmers market. To promote healthy eating and grow the city's urban farming network, the grantees will distribute discount coupons for produce and provide gardening tools to new growers. (2021)
  • Philadelphia: Center in the Park 
    A cafe with free Wi-Fi will be created in a center for older adults. (2022)
  • Philadelphia: Clean Air Council 
    Two informational kiosks promoting Cobb Creek Trail will be installed along or near the trail, and two entertainment programs featuring content geared toward older adults will be staged at an environmental center. (2022)
  • Philadelphia: Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation 
    To help reconnect Chinatown neighborhoods divided by the creation of the Vine Street Expressway, the organization will hold a pop up event to reimagine the public space and older older residents’ input will be sought. (2022)
  • Philadelphia: Utility Emergency Services Fund 
    Transportation via rideshare and public transit will be provided to older adults going to Oak Street Health locations.
  • Pittsburgh: Grounded Strategies
    This grant improves the Hill District by recrutiing volunteers to help activate reclaiming vacant land in the community. (2019)
  • Pittsburgh: Southwestern Pennsylvania Partnership for Aging 
    The grant will fund a temporary, community-driven art installation at the Beechview Healthy Living Center, opening a public space in a senior center for people of all ages. (2018)
  • Pittsburgh: Bloomfield Development Corporation
    Artistic crosswalks will be installed to improve pedestrian safety and help inspire constructive conversations about the neighborhood's future. (2021)
  • Pittsburgh: Lawrenceville United 
    Older town residents will be interviewed about Lawrenceville’s history and their own experiences there. Those stories will be made available on a history website and honored with public art displays. (2022)
  • Quarryville Borough: Borough of Quarryville
    To forge intergenerational bonds and beautify an otherwise blank wall, a mural will be painted at a public park by older and younger residents. Photo Album (2020)
  • State College: The Pennsylvania State University
    This project will pilot virtual community engagement techniques during the coronavirus pandemic and help develop a digital tool kit that other communities can utilize. (2020)
  • Upper Darby: Upper Darby Township Community Development
    This project will help bring renewed activity, improve safety and add a dynamic feel to downtown Upper Darby (a multicultural gateway community into Philadelphia from the suburbs) by installing lighting, seating, and a mural along a path to a shopping and service corridor. (2019)
  • West Chester: West Chester Public Library 
    ADA-compliant seating and tables, plus a security camera, will be added to an underused terrace outside the library. (2022)
  • York County: York County History Center
    A mobile recording booth will be used to collect the stories from community members for sharing at local events, festivals, schools and senior centers. (2021)

  • Guaynabo: Coalicion Comunidad San Patricio
    The grant will be used to create nearly two-dozen, well-marked pedestrian crosswalks on busy San Patricio Avenue. (2018)
  • Lajas: Surcando La Historia 
    The continued availability of power, drinking water and communication outlets in Lajas will be ensured through improved technology. (2022)
  • Ponce: City of Ponce
    The grant will help improve the downtown center by improving a walkway that connects the main plaza with the community marketplace with awnings, benches and artistic interventions for visitors to enjoy. (2020)
  • Rincon, Orocovis, Mayaguez, Rio Grande and Ponce: ACOMERPR
    Led by an organization that provides food and medical resources to at-risk older adults and people displaced by recent earthquakes, the funded project involves installing garden beds and internet-equipped conference rooms at several senior citizen centers. (2021)
  • San Juan: Sila M. Calderon Foundation, Inc.
    This grant will contribute to improve quality of life for community residents by providing workshops, external resources, technical assistance, and community outreach events. These efforts will contribute toward increasing income and strengthening small business and jobs creation. (2019)
  • San Juan: Ponce NHS 
    Emergency supplies — including a water tank, cots and first aid kits — will be purchased to benefit the Tortugo community/barrio. (2022)

  • Central Falls: City of Central Falls
    Five much-needed shade structures will be installed at the popular Veterans Memorial Park to help eventually support additional programming for older adults. (2020)
  • Central Falls: Progreso Latino, Inc.
    A pavilion will be constructed and accessible picnic tables installed to create a space for community gatherings and activities. (2021)
  • Central Falls: Groundwork Rhode Island 
    A green space will be transformed into a resource for all ages through the installation of amenities such as seating and tables for dominoes and chess. State Video (2022)
  • East Providence: City of East Providence
    The grant will fund the installation of park benches and game tables, and replace the tops and benches of existing picnic tables in the Central Avenue Park. (2018)
  • Providence: Amos House
    This project will improve access to fresh food in South Providence by developing a volunteer managed garden. Food harvested from this project will be prepared and served in the local soup kitchen that provides over 130,000 meals to community members each year. Photo Album (2019) 
  • Providence: Rhode Island College Foundation
    This grant will be used to educate community residents on how to install smartphone applications and use ride-sourcing services. (2018)
  • Providence: Providence Community Library
    A library lawn will become the location of a staffed, resource-rich park featuring books, games, activities and technology services. (2021)
  • Providence: Southside Community Land Trust 
    Young people will grow herbs and vegetables that will be given to older adults. They will also help create a second cookbook that preserves the older adults’ recipes and stories. State Video (2022)

Updated June 2022

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