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RRF Foundation for Aging

Annual Giving
$7.9M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.4M
Decision Time
4mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7,900,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months from LOI submission
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $375,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (with Illinois-only for Direct Service grants)

Contact Details

Address: 8765 W. Higgins Road, Suite 430, Chicago, IL 60631-4170

Phone: 773-714-8080

Fax: 773-714-8089

Email: info@rrf.org

Website: www.rrf.org

Overview

Founded in 1978 with an endowment from the late John D. MacArthur, the RRF Foundation for Aging (formerly Retirement Research Foundation) is one of the nation's largest funders devoted exclusively to improving the quality of life for older adults. With current assets of approximately $145 million and annual giving of around $7.9 million, RRF has awarded nearly 5,000 grants totaling almost $255 million over its 43-year history. The foundation focuses on vulnerable older adults—those at risk due to advanced age, economic disadvantage, or racial and ethnic disparities. Under President Mary O'Donnell's leadership since 2020, RRF continues to prioritize four interconnected areas essential to aging in community: caregiving, economic security in later life, housing, and social/intergenerational connectedness. The foundation supports innovative projects through five grant types: Advocacy, Direct Service, Professional Education/Training, Research, and Organizational Capacity Building.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Advocacy Grants (National): $50,000 - $375,000 Support efforts to advance policy and systems change benefiting older adults. Recent examples include $375,000 to Justice in Aging for economic security advocacy and $574,502 to National Consumer Law Center for medical and student loan debt protection.

Direct Service Grants (Illinois only as of January 2024): $20,000 - $110,000 Fund programs providing direct services to older Illinoisans. Examples include $85,000 to Center for Disability and Elder Law for pro bono legal services and $110,000 to Rush University Medical Center for homelessness support.

Professional Education & Training Grants (National or Illinois): $50,000 - $100,000 Support development and dissemination of educational programs for professionals working with older adults. Recent grants include $50,000 to American Society on Aging for BIPOC leadership training.

Research Grants (National or Illinois): Up to $200,000 (with 10% indirects allowed) for two-year projects Fund applied research addressing priority areas. Examples include $200,000 to Duke University for caregiver research and $299,775 to University of California, San Francisco for Social Prescribing Decision Support Tool adaptation.

Organizational Capacity Building Grants (Illinois only): $20,000 - $30,000 Support improvements in management and governance of Illinois aging-services organizations.

Application Method: Two-stage process with Letter of Inquiry due November 1, February 1, or May 1; invited applicants submit full proposals approximately 3 months later via online portal.

Priority Areas

  1. Caregiving: Supporting informed, well-trained family and professional caregivers
  2. Economic Security in Later Life: Protecting older adults' economic dignity and financial stability
  3. Housing: Making housing affordable with coordinated community services
  4. Social/Intergenerational Connectedness: Strengthening bonds between generations and reducing social isolation

RRF also selectively supports other promising aging-focused projects that don't fit neatly into priority areas.

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects not intentionally focused on adults age 60 and above
  • Projects outside the United States
  • Projects in institutional settings (hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, assisted living, skilled care facilities, other healthcare settings)
  • General operating expenses without significant strategic changes
  • Biomedical research, basic social science theory development, or technology R&D
  • Construction, capital improvements, or computer equipment
  • Conferences, publications, films/videos unless integral to larger projects
  • Dissertation research, tuition, undergraduate/graduate education programs
  • Endowments, capital campaigns, or fundraising events
  • Governmental agencies (except state universities, Area Agencies on Aging, and Veterans Administration programs)
  • Lobbying efforts
  • Individual grants

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

  • Ruth Ann Watkins, MBA, OTR, FAOTA (Chair)
  • Kathleen Kolodgy, J.D. (Vice-Chair)
  • Downey R. Varey, CPA (Treasurer)
  • Michael J. Starshak, CPA (Secretary)
  • John Bouman, J.D.
  • Robyn Golden, LCSW
  • Thomas Kuczmarski, MBA, MIA
  • Adrienne D. Mims, M.D., M.P.H. (Chief Medical Officer and trustee, recognized with Healthcare Leadership award at Health 2.0 Conference)
  • Anthony J. Perry, M.D.
  • Michelle R.B. Saddler, MM, CPC

Senior Staff:

  • Mary O'Donnell, President & CEO
  • Amy R. Eisenstein, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer
  • Anne Posner, Senior Program Officer
  • Michael Kennedy, Grants Manager
  • Elsa Tullos, Director of Communications

Leadership Perspective:

Mary O'Donnell on her appointment as President: "I am both excited and humbled by the opportunity to follow Irene as president. I am honored to take on this role and look forward to working with our excellent staff and Board of Trustees to advance the foundation's mission."

Board Chair Ruth Ann Watkins on the foundation's trajectory: "The foundation is today in an excellent position to advance the field of aging."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

RRF uses a mandatory two-stage application process:

Stage 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

  • Submit online via RRF's application portal
  • Complete structured form addressing written prompts
  • Deadlines: November 1, February 1, or May 1
  • Organizations may submit only one LOI per deadline
  • Invite decisions: Approximately 6 weeks after LOI deadline

Stage 2: Full Proposal (by invitation only)

  • Invited applicants have one full year to submit their proposal
  • Proposal deadlines: February 5 (for November 1 LOI), May 5 (for February 1 LOI), August 5 (for May 1 LOI)
  • Submit online through application portal
  • Assigned program officer may request clarifying questions during review
  • Include realistic budget covering all project expenses
  • No minimum or maximum funding amount specified (determined by project scope)

Application Support: Instructional videos, FAQ section, and evaluation guidelines available on website

Decision Timeline

  • LOI to invitation: ~6 weeks
  • Proposal submission to funding decision: ~3 months
  • Total time from LOI to decision: Up to 4 months
  • Trustees meet at conclusion of each funding cycle to make final decisions
  • Notification provided via email

Success Rates

RRF does not publicly disclose application success rates or the number of applications received versus funded.

Reapplication Policy

For the same project: Organizations whose LOI is not invited or whose full proposal is not funded must wait one year before resubmitting a proposal for the same project.

For a different project: Organizations may submit a proposal for a different project at any time without waiting period.

Application Success Factors

RRF's Specific Guidance

Focus on Measurable Objectives: RRF strongly recommends developing SMART(IE) objectives—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Inclusive, and Equitable. They provide downloadable guidance on this approach.

Prioritize Evaluation: "RRF promotes the use of evaluation as part of every RRF grant." Applications must include:

  • Clear evaluation criteria and methods
  • Expected outcomes
  • Measurement strategies and data collection plans
  • Dissemination plans where applicable

The foundation views evaluation as critical to helping grantees become "more effective learning organizations" that systematically analyze client and program information about reach, quality, and efficiency.

Target the Right Population: Projects must intentionally focus on adults age 60 and above. Applications serving younger populations or mixing age groups without clear older adult focus are unlikely to succeed.

Demonstrate National or Illinois Relevance: Advocacy, Research, and Professional Education grants must show national reach or significant Illinois impact. Direct Service and Organizational Capacity Building grants are Illinois-only.

Align with Priority Areas: Review recently funded projects in RRF's grant history to understand what they support. Recent successful grants demonstrate:

  • Clear connection to caregiving, economic security, housing, or social connectedness
  • Focus on vulnerable populations (economically disadvantaged, BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ elders)
  • Innovation in service delivery or advocacy approaches
  • Partnerships with other organizations or stakeholders

Patterns in Funded Projects

RRF has recently funded:

  • Policy advocacy organizations working on systemic change (Justice in Aging, National Consumer Law Center)
  • University research on caregiver support and health equity
  • Technology-enabled solutions for social connectedness
  • Programs serving specific underserved communities (Black, Hispanic, LGBTQ+ older adults)
  • Projects that disseminate evidence-based models to broader audiences
  • Initiatives combining direct service with research or training components

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  • Project leadership qualifications: Include 2-paragraph description (approximately 350 words) of who leads the project, their credentials, and partner organizations
  • Realistic budgets: RRF funds based on realistic budgets covering all necessary expenses—don't artificially constrain proposals
  • Geographic clarity: Clearly state whether project is Illinois-based or national in scope
  • Evidence base: Reference similar work or research demonstrating your approach's validity
  • Dissemination plans: Show how project results will reach broader audiences beyond immediate beneficiaries

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Two-stage process is mandatory: Start with LOI—no direct proposals accepted. Budget 4+ months from LOI to funding decision.
  • One shot per deadline per project: Submit only one LOI per deadline; if not invited, wait one year to resubmit the same project.
  • Geographic restrictions vary by grant type: Direct Service and Organizational Capacity Building are Illinois-only; Advocacy, Research, and Professional Education require national or Illinois relevance.
  • Evaluation is non-negotiable: Build robust evaluation plans into every proposal with clear measurement strategies and expected outcomes.
  • Target vulnerable older adults: RRF prioritizes those at risk due to advanced age, economic disadvantage, or racial/ethnic disparities—make this focus explicit.
  • Grant amounts are flexible: Awards range from $5,000 to $375,000 based on realistic project needs; don't self-limit based on assumed caps.
  • Learn from funded projects: Review RRF's online grant history to understand successful project types, language, and approaches in your area.

References

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