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AARP Investing $152,856 in Vermont Communities Through Expanded Nationwide Grant Program

Laura McDonough,

AARP Vermont

Published June 24, 2026

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.

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The AARP Community Challenge supports innovative projects that drive immediate change and pave the way for long-term improvements. Grants focus on priority areas, including public spaces, housing, transportation, digital connectivity, and more.

Additional 2026 program funders include:

Toyota Motor North America, supporting pedestrian safety initiatives to improve streets and sidewalks nationwide.
Microsoft, funding digital connections projects that expand high-speed internet access and promote broadband adoption.

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Here in Vermont, AARP is thrilled to support 14 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.

The 2026 program includes three grant types:

Flagship Grants
Capacity-Building Microgrants
Demonstration Grants

2026 Grantees in Vermont Include:

Burlington Electric Department: The City will purchase electric bikes and host guided training sessions so older adults and English language learners can safely try assisted cycling. The effort will help participants learn about biking options and reduce reliance on driving for short trips.
Kellogg-Hubbard Library (Montpelier): An artistic, ADA-accessible play structure with seating will be added to the library lawn. This new outdoor feature will provide a welcoming space for reading, play and informal gatherings across generations.
Town of Woodstock: Five artist-painted benches will be added along a busy street in the village center. The benches will provide safe resting spots and help older adults walk between housing, parks and services while supporting traffic calming.
Green Mountain Transit (Burlington): Distinctive bus-stop poles and large-print signage will be installed and walk audits will be conducted along key transportation routes. These changes will make bus stops easier to find and use, helping older riders travel with greater confidence.
Sustainable Woodstock: Flood preparedness meetings will take place at Riverside Mobile Home Park. Residents will receive go‑bags and a location‑specific emergency plan.
Rockingham Free Public Library: The library will add kayaks, paddleboards and e-bikes to its Library of Things and host guided outdoor programs. These resources will help residents, including adults age 50-plus, try outdoor recreation without having to buy equipment.
Vermont River Conservancy (Worcester): Flood-damaged parking, trail sections and signage along a popular community trail will be repaired. The work will restore safe, flat access so residents, especially older adults, can walk and relax by the river.
Belvidere Community Trust: Walk audits will evaluate pedestrian routes linking the central school, town forest and recreation field. Community review sessions will produce a walkability map that supports safer access to shared spaces.
Village of North Bennington: The project will install bus shelters with seating and message boards. These shelters will help riders, especially older adults and people with disabilities, wait safely for public transportation.
Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development: The department will engage older adults to review and improve age‑friendly home designs for the 802 Homes Catalog. Feedback will help refine housing layouts that support aging in place, safety and long‑term affordability.
Friends of the Town Hall (Chittenden): An historic civic building will create a small computer lab with internet access and digital learning resources. Older adults will get one-on-one help from volunteers to improve their tech skills.
Town of Orange Recreation Committee: The town will create 1.5 miles of accessible walking trails. They will include benches, wayfinding signs and ADA parking, enabling residents age 50-plus to walk safely, rest and stay active close to home.
Putney Community Cares: The project will use walk audit findings to identify pedestrian safety improvements, including crosswalk testing, benches, signage and traffic calming. The effort will improve walkability in a busy downtown area for residents of all ages.
South Burlington City Center Collaborative: Walking audits and cleanup events will address safety hazards at parks and sidewalks. Findings will inform future walkability improvements across the city.

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

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