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AARP is proud to announce the 10-year anniversary of the AARP Community Challenge, a decade-long effort to accelerate community improvements through quick-action grants. To make this milestone – and in response to high demand – AARP has doubled the size of the program in 2026, enabling us to support more communities and more high-impact local projects than ever before.
In 2026, $8.3 million in quick-action grants are being awarded to 750 projects across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including 15 grants in Tennessee for more than $163,000.
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The AARP Community Challenge supports innovative projects that create immediate change while paving the way for long-term improvements. Grants focus on priority areas including public places, housing, transportation, digital connectivity, and more.
Here in Tennessee, AARP is thrilled to support 15 projects that are helping to create great places for people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. As local leaders work to create more livable communities, these grants provide essential support – especially in areas where small, flexible investments can lead to big change.
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The 2026 program includes three grant types:
- Flagship Grants
- Capacity-Building Microgrants
- Demonstration Grants
2026 Grantees in Tennessee Include:
- Habitat For Humanity (Clarksville): providing critical home repairs and accessibility improvements for adults age 65-plus.
- RISE (Chattanooga): transforming a vacant lot into an accessible pocket park featuring seating, lighting, paths, shade trees and a small raised garden.
- Center for Transforming Communities (Memphis) – 2 grants
1. Clearing vacant parcels rebuilding as green space.
2. Community walk audits and workshops to assess pedestrian safety, highlighting infrastructure concerns and supporting community-led safety discussions. - Rebuilding Together Nashville – 2 grants
1. Home repair and fall‑prevention improvements.
2. Hosting education sessions to teach affordable home modifications that improve safety. - Bridge Bedford, Inc. (Shelbyville): Updating pedestrian corridor with accessible seating, shade, lighting, wayfinding and public art to enhance comfort and flow.
- Memphis Urban League: Providing hands‑on technology learning in Digital Confidence Labs for adults age 50-plus.
- The Jewel Guild Foundation (Cordova): Hosting eight‑week course that teaches basic artificial intelligence skills.
- Fogelman Jewish Family Service at the MJCC (Memphis): Strengthening food security by supporting meal delivery, pantry access and community gardening.
- City of Knoxville: Building a raised crosswalk and install flashing pedestrian beacons to slow traffic and improve visibility.
- Replant Clarksville: Adding safer crossings, shade and traffic calming near schools, the senior center and civic buildings.
- City of Jackson: Installing safer crosswalks at two locations with heavy pedestrian activity.
- Houston County Government: Hosting disaster preparedness training sessions to serve older adults.
- Innovate Memphis: Conducting bike audits to assess safety around Overton Park routes used by cyclists.
The AARP Community Challenge is part of AARP’s broader Livable Communities initiative, which supports neighborhoods, towns, cities, and counties in becoming great places for all residents. A livable community is one where people of all ages can thrive, with:
- Safe, walkable streets
- Affordable and accessible housing and transportation
- Access to essential services
- Opportunities for people of all ages to engage in community life
To learn more about the AARP Community Challenge – here in Tennessee and nationwide – visit aarp.org/CommunityChallenge. You can also explore the AARP Livable Communities Map, an interactive tool featuring AARP Community Challenge grantees and members of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.
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