2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantees

For the eighth annual AARP Community Challenge, AARP received more than 3,350 applications from nonprofits and government entities, resulting in a highly competitive selection process.

Some $3.8 million is being invested across the country through 343 quick-action projects, helping urban, rural and suburban communities make immediate improvements and jump-start long-term progress to support residents of all ages.

Grants will improve public places, transportation, housing, digital connectivity and more — with an emphasis on the needs of adults age 50 and older — in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In 2024, the AARP Community Challenge accepted applications for three different grant opportunities:

1. Flagship Grants

• 2024 Flagship Grants List

In AARP’s flagship Community Challenge grant program, 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 ranging from $500 to $50,000 with an average grant amount of $11,900 (83 percent of grants have been under $20,000). In 2024, we accepted applications for community improvement projects — such as those related to public places, digital connections, housing, and transportation — that benefit residents, especially those age 50 and older.

2. Capacity-Building Microgrants

• 2024 Capacity-Building Microgrants List

Combining $2,500 grants with additional resources — such as webinars, cohort learning opportunities, up to two hours of one-on-one coaching with leading national 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:

• Bike Audits: Implement bike audit assessments 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 Modifications: Implement education, simple home modifications and/or easy home safety and accessibility solutions to make "lifelong homes" (especially for people age 50-plus), with support from the RL Mace Universal Design Institute and using the AARP HomeFit Guide.

• 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.

3. Demonstration Grants

• 2024 Demonstration Grants List

This grant opportunity supports projects that encourage the replication of promising efforts that benefit residents (especially those age 50 and older). While there is not a defined budget range for this category, similar projects have tended to fall between $10,000 and $20,000 and will not exceed $50,000. Applications will be accepted in the following categories:

• Enhancing digital connectivity to prepare and respond to disasters for residents (especially those age 50-plus), the importance of which is discussed in the AARP Disaster Resilience Tool Kit.
  

• Facilitating engagement to reconnect communities that have been divided by infrastructure (with a focus on people age 50-plus), as highlighted in AARP's award-winning "Before the Highway," article series.

• Implementing housing choice design competitions that increase community understanding of the benefits of a variety of housing options including accessory dwelling units, Missing Middle Housing, tiny homes and other housing solutions (especially for people age 50-plus), and encourage implementation of policies that enable greater choice in housing.