AARP Awards Grants to Seven Organizations in Oregon to Make Communities More Livable

AARP Awards Grants to Seven Organizations in Oregon as Part of Nationwide Program to Make Communities More Livable

Seven organizations throughout Oregon will receive 2024 Community Challenge grants – part of AARP’s largest investment in communities to date with $3.8 million awarded among 343 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; and more, with an emphasis on the needs of adults ages 50 and older.

“AARP Oregon is committed to working with local leaders to improve residents’ quality of life through tangible changes,” said Bandana Shrestha, AARP Oregon State Director. “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make immediate improvements in their communities to jumpstart long-term change, especially for Oregonians 50 and over.”

Here in Oregon, projects funded include:

· Whiteaker Community Council (Eugene) will facilitate a project to advance emergency preparedness, particularly for the 50+ demographic, by enhancing digital connectivity during disasters. | $20,000

· Permit-ready middle housing plans will be provided to the public for free or low cost by the City of Medford, and the housing will feature accessible design and features. | $19,200

· The City of Independence will develop a new public park in a high-need area, which will include a demonstration garden maintained by older adults in the Master Gardeners Program. | $18,000

· The Latino Community Association will offer a computer literacy program, which will provide comprehensive digital skill training to the Latinx community across a tri-county region in Central Oregon, including outreach to aging adults. | $15,000

· The City of Monmouth will start a project activating a pedestrian alley in a heavily visited area of downtown that connects City Hall and the Monmouth Senior Community Center. | $15,000

· To provide safe walking routes in an area that lacks sidewalks, SW Trails PDX will replace missing wayfinding signs on a 46-mile trail network. Older adults use these trails for recreation and access to activity centers. | $5,000

· ReFIT will conduct four educational and outreach events at Portland Metro area Senior Centers to share ideas of home modifications and schedule no-cost grab bar installation appointments. | $2,500

This year, AARP awarded three different grant opportunities, including flagship grants, capacity-building microgrants for improving walkability, bikeability and accessible home modifications, and demonstration grants that focus on equitable engagement to reconnect communities, housing choice design competitions and improving digital connections to endure disasters.

With funding support from Toyota Motor North America, the program is increasing its investment in pedestrian safety projects that will improve streets and sidewalks, create vibrant pedestrian infrastructure, engage community members and much more. AARP is also bolstering its investment in community resilience, rural communities, and addressing disparities.

“Whether it’s helping people access high speed internet or protecting public transit riders from rain and snow, small community projects can have a big impact on people of all ages,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “AARP Community Challenge grantees make our commitment to creating better places to live a reality through quick, innovative solutions.”

The grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages, with an emphasis on people ages 50 and older. Since 2017, AARP Oregon has awarded 35 grants and $429,518 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the state.

AARP Community Challenge grant projects will be funded in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. True to the program’s quick-action nature, projects must be completed by December 15, 2024.

View the full list of grantees and their project descriptions at aarp.org/communitychallenge and learn more about AARP’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable.

Learn more about AARP's Community Challenge Grant work in our new publication: Investing in Oregon Communities