Deadline: 17 April 2019
AARP is seeking applications for AARP Community Challenge 2019 which is an quick-action projects that can help applicant’s community become more livable.
Key Roles
To help support communities that are working to create change, AARP plays several key roles:
- Inspiring Communities to Take Action: AARP provides “quick-action” grant funding to communities through the AARP Community Challenge, supporting projects that improve sidewalks and crosswalks, activate public spaces, and more. They also host local workshops on livability, such as pop-up demonstrations that help inform and catalyze stakeholders to take action.
- Providing Resources and Expertise: AARP provides local leaders and community organizations with online, print and in-person resources and expertise to help cities, towns, and neighborhoods launch and implement livability programs and positive changes. They also showcase great ideas from communities in AARP’s print and online publications.
- Engaging and Mobilizing Residents: AARP staff and volunteers work with community organizations and local municipalities to engage residents. They collect information about what’s important to older community residents, share it with decision makers, and provide local leaders, advocates, and residents with toolkits for taking action.
Funding Information
Grants can range from several hundred dollars for smaller short-term activities to several thousand for larger projects.
Project Priorities
AARP will prioritize projects that aim to achieve the following outcomes:
- Demonstrate the tangible value of “Smart Cities.” This new category will encourage communities to develop and implement innovative programs that engage residents in accessing, understanding, and using data to increase quality of life for all. The intention with this category is to encourage applicants to demonstrate new ways to engage in decision-making about housing, transportation, economic development, placemaking, infrastructure, or other community aspect.
- Deliver a range of transportation and mobility options in the community through permanent or temporary solutions to increase connectivity, walkability, bikeability, and/or access to public and private transit.
- Create vibrant public places in the community through permanent or temporary solutions that improve open spaces, parks and access to other amenities.
- Support the availability of a range of housing in the community through permanent or temporary solutions that increase accessible and affordable housing options.
- Other community improvements. They want to know the most important needs in applicant’s community and the best quick-action ideas they have to address them.
AARP Community Challenge grants can be used to support the following types of projects in the community. Proposed project types described below will be prioritized over those that support ongoing programming or events:
- Permanent physical improvements in the community
- Temporary demonstrations that lead to long-term change
- New, innovative programming or services
The activity defined in the proposal must be completed by November 4, 2019
Eligibility Criteria
The program is open to the following types of programs:
- 501(C)(3), 501(C)(4) and 501(c)(6) nonprofits
- Government entities
- Other types of organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis
The following projects are Not eligible for funding:
- Partisan, political or election-related activities
- Planning activities and assessments and surveys of communities
- Studies with no follow-up action
- Publication of books or reports
- Acquisition of land and/or buildings
- Sponsorships of other organizations’ events or activities
- Research and development for a nonprofit endeavor
- Research and development for a for-profit endeavor
- The promotion of a for-profit entity and/or its products and services
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/about/info-2017/aarp-community-challenge-submission-instructions.html
