← Back to US Funders Directory

AARP Foundation

Annual Giving
$77.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.0M
Decision Time
2mo
Success Rate
9%

AARP Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $77,156,051 (2023)
  • Success Rate: 6-11% (Community Challenge program)
  • Decision Time: 6-8 weeks from application deadline
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000+
  • Geographic Focus: 22 U.S. states and territories with high rates of senior poverty

Contact Details

Address: 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049

Phone: (202) 434-2289

Email: giving@aarp.org

Website: https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/

Grant Opportunities: Sign up for the Grant Opportunities Distribution List at https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/

Overview

AARP Foundation (EIN: 52-0794300) was established in 1963 and is the nation's leading organization committed to reducing poverty for older adults. With annual revenue of approximately $203 million (2022) and annual grantmaking of over $77 million (2023), the Foundation creates and advances effective solutions through strategic grantmaking, volunteer-driven direct service, and high-impact litigation. In 2024, the Foundation reached 1.18 million older adults with low income, securing more than $975 million in combined benefits, refunds, and credits. AARP Foundation has earned a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator with a perfect 100% score, demonstrating exceptional financial health and accountability. Under President Claire Casey's leadership since 2022, the Foundation is working toward its audacious vision of a country free of poverty where no older person feels vulnerable.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Capacity Building Grants

  • Amount: Up to $50,000
  • Purpose: Support organizations working to help older adults operate more efficiently and effectively
  • Application: Invitation-only through Request for Applications (RFAs)
  • Note: Not intended for direct services or existing program expenses

Program Scaling and Impact Grants

  • Amount: $120,000 - $1,000,000+
  • Purpose: Fund innovative solutions for older adults with low income
  • Focus: Long-term, sustainable solutions to problems faced by low-income adults age 50 and older
  • Application: Invitation-only through targeted RFAs

Community Challenge Grants (through AARP, not AARP Foundation)

  • Amount: Several hundred dollars to tens of thousands
  • Purpose: Quick-action projects improving livable communities
  • Application: Annual open application process (typically deadline in March)
  • Note: Since 2017, has invested $24.3 million in 2,100 projects across all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands

Priority Areas

AARP Foundation concentrates funding in three core areas:

  1. Income and Earnings: Workforce programs providing upskilling, reskilling, and work-based learning opportunities for older adults with low income

  2. Benefits Access: Programs helping older adults secure benefits that reduce financial burdens for essential expenses including:

    • SNAP (food assistance)
    • Medicare Savings Programs
    • Property tax relief
    • Medicaid
    • Other federal, state, and local benefits

  3. Tax Preparation and Credits: Free tax preparation services and assistance accessing earned credits including:

    • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
    • Other refunds and credits for which older adults are eligible

Geographic Priority: The Foundation currently concentrates efforts in 22 U.S. states and territories with high rates of senior poverty: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico.

Target Population: All programs must focus on older adults with low income (typically age 50+, though some programs serve 60+)

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited applications (only funds through specific RFAs)
  • For-profit companies or individuals
  • Direct services through Capacity Building grants
  • General operations or ongoing programs without specific project focus
  • Programs not focused on older adults with low income

Governance and Leadership

President: Claire Casey (appointed November 2022)

Claire Casey serves as president, guiding the strategic direction of the nation's leading organization committed to reducing poverty for older adults. As AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins stated when announcing Casey's appointment: "Claire has extensive leadership experience in addressing global poverty and aging with a complex, large organization. She is the right leader to continue carrying out AARP Foundation's mission to end senior poverty."

Under Casey's leadership, the Foundation is working toward its audacious vision of a country free of poverty where no older person feels vulnerable through bold, innovative solutions.

Board of Directors: Information available at https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/about-us/governance/board-of-directors.html

Program Efficiency: Seventy-nine cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to programs and services to improve the quality of life for vulnerable older adults.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CRITICAL: AARP Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and does not have a set Request for Application (RFA) schedule.

To be considered for future opportunities:

  1. Sign up for the Grant Opportunities Distribution List at https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/
  2. Monitor for targeted RFAs posted for specific areas of interest
  3. Pre-application process: When an RFA is issued, eligible organizations submit a pre-application containing general organizational information and basic project details
  4. Full application: Selected organizations are invited to submit full applications with compelling, theory-driven programmatic justification and supporting attachments

Eligibility Requirements:

  • IRS-recognized tax-exempt nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4))
  • Government entities
  • Fiscal sponsors acceptable for organizations without tax-exempt status
  • Programs must serve older adults with low income, age 50 or older
  • Strong preference for organizations operating in the 22 priority states/territories

Application Portal: Organizations must create an account in the AARP Foundation Community Portal by selecting the Register button and following prompts to enter contact information and organizational details.

Contact for Questions: Email the AARP Foundation Grants Management mailbox regarding funding opportunities or application submission questions.

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline from Application Deadline:

  • 2-3 weeks: Application review period
  • 1 week: Clarification period (may include video conference or on-site visits)
  • 6-8 weeks total: Final decisions announced
  • Varies: Grant start date

Review Process:

  • Pre-application review and invitation for full applications
  • Full application submission with detailed programmatic justification
  • Clarification questions and potential site visits
  • Final award decisions (AARP's decisions are final)

Notification: Award notifications sent via email to primary contact listed in application

Success Rates

Community Challenge Grants (AARP program, historical data):

  • 2024: 3,350 applications → 343 grants awarded (10.2% success rate)
  • 2025: 3,460 applications → 383 grants awarded (11.1% success rate)
  • 2023: 3,600+ applications → 310 grants awarded (8.6% success rate)
  • 2020-2022: Average 6-8% success rate

Foundation Grants: Specific success rate data not publicly available. The Foundation provides grants to over 100 organizations annually with awards ranging from $5,000 to over $1 million. Grant awards tend to support large national organizations and AARP affiliates, though smaller organizations have received funding.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Organizations are encouraged to:

  • Remain on the Grant Opportunities Distribution List
  • Apply to future RFAs that match their program focus
  • Contact AARP Foundation directly for guidance on reapplication timing

Application Success Factors

Based on AARP Foundation's documented priorities and funded projects, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Clear Focus on Vulnerable Older Adults

  • Programs must directly serve adults age 50+ with low income
  • Evidence of understanding the unique challenges facing this population
  • Connection to at least one of the three core priority areas: income/earnings, benefits access, or tax preparation/credits

2. Geographic Alignment

  • Strong preference for programs operating in the 22 priority states/territories
  • Clear demonstration of high senior poverty rates in service area
  • Potential for impact on significant numbers of vulnerable older adults

3. Evidence-Based Approaches

  • Theory-driven programmatic justification
  • Clear logic model connecting activities to outcomes
  • Data demonstrating program effectiveness or strong pilot results

4. Organizational Capacity Recent AARP Foundation grantees demonstrate:

  • Resources and staffing to execute proposed work successfully
  • Long-term strategic planning aligned with Foundation priorities
  • Diverse funding sources beyond AARP Foundation support
  • Growth plans for sustainability and scale

5. Measurable Impact Examples from Recent Grantees

  • Benefits in Action (Colorado Springs): Helped a 70-year-old homeless man secure Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, enabling him to move into an apartment
  • SC Thrive (Columbia, SC): Operated as a "one-stop shop," helping nearly 16,000 older adults apply for multiple benefits in 2024
  • St. Bernard Project (Florida and Puerto Rico): Provided disaster relief services including home repairs, legal assistance, and financial support to older adults

Successful programs connect seniors to an average of four federal, state, and local benefits, increasing financial value by an average of $321 per month.

6. Systems-Level Thinking

  • Capacity Building grants specifically support organizational infrastructure improvements
  • Programs that create "long-term, sustainable solutions" rather than short-term fixes
  • Potential for replication or scaling to serve more vulnerable older adults

7. Partnership and Collaboration

  • Many successful grantees work in partnership with other community organizations
  • Connection to existing AARP networks or state offices can be beneficial
  • Willingness to participate in learning communities and share best practices

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: You must be on the Grant Opportunities Distribution List to learn about funding opportunities. Sign up immediately at https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/

  • Geographic targeting is critical: With 22 priority states/territories, applicants from these high-senior-poverty areas have significantly better chances. Make your case for why your location needs this support.

  • Demonstrate organizational readiness: AARP Foundation looks for organizations with solid infrastructure, diverse funding, strategic plans, and growth capacity—not just good programs. Capacity Building grants can help you get there.

  • Connect to measurable outcomes: Successful grantees demonstrate concrete impact—dollars secured, benefits accessed, older adults served. Quantify everything possible.

  • Focus on sustainability and scale: The Foundation seeks "long-term, sustainable solutions." Show how your program will continue beyond grant funding and could potentially scale to serve more vulnerable older adults.

  • Highly competitive: With success rates of 6-11% for Community Challenge grants and limited annual awards (114 grants in 2023), applications must be exceptionally strong. Budget 6-8 weeks for the review process.

  • Think beyond direct service: While direct service programs receive funding, the Foundation also values capacity building, systems change, and field-building initiatives that strengthen the entire sector serving older adults.

References

  1. AARP Foundation Official Website. "Grant Opportunities From AARP Foundation." https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  2. AARP Foundation. "For a Future Without Senior Poverty." https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  3. AARP Foundation. "2024 Annual Report." https://annualreport.aarpfoundation.org/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  4. AARP Foundation. "2022 Annual Report." https://annualreport.aarpfoundation.org/2022/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  5. GuideStar Profile. "AARP Foundation." https://www.guidestar.org/profile/52-0794300 (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  6. Charity Navigator. "Rating for AARP Foundation." https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/520794300 (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  7. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "AARP Foundation." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520794300 (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  8. Inside Philanthropy. "AARP Foundation." https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-a/aarp-foundation (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  9. AARP Foundation. "Capacity Building Grant Improving Public Benefits Access." https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/capacity-building/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  10. AARP Foundation. "Grant Funding for Scaling Economic Security Programs." https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/scaling-solutions-rfa.html (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  11. AARP Press Release. "Claire Casey Selected as New AARP Foundation President." November 14, 2022. https://press.aarp.org/2022-11-14-Claire-Casey-Selected-as-New-AARP-Foundation-President (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  12. AARP Foundation. "President and Executive Leadership Team." https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/about-us/executive-leadership/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  13. AARP Foundation. "Stories About AARP Foundation Participants and Volunteers." https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/success-stories/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  14. AARP. "2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantees." https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/community-challenge/info-2024/2024-challenge.html (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  15. AARP. "About the AARP Community Challenge." https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/community-challenge/aarp-community-challenge.html (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  16. AARP Foundation. "Contact Us." https://giftplanning.aarp.org/contact-us (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  17. Instrumentl. "AARP Foundation | Washington, DC | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/aarp-foundation (Accessed December 17, 2025)

← Back to US Funders Directory