Current Opportunity: Scaling Equitable and Effective Solutions

AARP Foundation seeks to support programs and projects that will:

• Materially improve the circumstances of 50+ people with income at or below 250% of the poverty line
• Lift 50+ people's income above 250% of the poverty line
• Prevent 50+ people living with low income from falling below 250% of the poverty line
• Consult older adults (50+) in the development and implementation of a program or create volunteer opportunities for older adults

With this funding opportunity, AARP Foundation aims to fund organizations working to solve urgent problems and take existing work to the next level by expanding their breadth and depth or engaging a larger audience. We are seeking proposals from organizations looking to increase their impact by piloting a scaling strategy.

These projects can be direct service in nature (providing a program for older adults with low income) or non-direct service (to include an organization’s capacity building, systems change or implementation). This opportunity will provide funding for up to three years. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Scaling Guidelines

This funding will support organizations looking to increase their impact by scaling their work. Examples of scaling include (but are not limited to):

• Leveraging partnerships to increase the reach and depth of a program or project
• Using a collaborative or coalition model to increase capacity of multiple organizations to either serve higher numbers of people or expand the scope of non-direct service work
• Engaging new partners to implement policy (not to include legislative advocacy)
• Expanding the scope of a public-private partnership
• Applying an effective systems-level approach to a new area of interest (topical or geographic)
• Using an innovative new strategy as part of an existing program or project

This funding is not intended to support general operations or an ongoing program as is. All proposed programs or projects must be focused on older adults with low income.

Download the Full RFA and Pre-application

Timelines

• Week of July 15, 2024: Funding opportunity announced and online pre-applications made available
• Week of July 22 or 29, 2024: Application webinar session(s) 
• August 14, 2024 5 p.m. ET: Required pre-application deadline
• By August 28, 2024: Full applications invited 
• September 25, 2024 5 p.m. ET: Invited full application deadline 
• October – November 2024: Clarification period (as needed) 
• December 2024: Applicants notified of award decisions and funding determinations