These 310 Cities Are Getting Money From AARP in 2023 (Is Yours on the List?)

AARP has offered grants to make communities across the country more livable for seniors, especially if they’re looking for things to do when they retire early.

Of the 3,600-plus applications submitted for 2023, 310 cities received funds to enhance an element of their city, such as transportation, housing, inclusion, and digital access.

See which cities and projects in each of the 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, received grants benefiting their older adult populations.

In the city of Eufaula, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Barbour County will receive a grant for a community garden. The grant includes accessible benches for residents to relax and admire the flowers and vegetables.

Additional Alabama cities that will receive an AARP grant include:

• Athens
• Birmingham
• Camp Hill
• Dora
• Eldridge

In Ketchikan, the Rendezvous Senior Day Service will receive a grant to improve their vegetable gardens. 

Six raised beds for flowers and vegetables will allow seniors to garden, interact with community members, and engage in non-denominational devotions and prayers each week.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Anchorage
• Nakenk
• Additional cities through a statewide grant

In Green Valley, an AARP grant will recruit and train volunteer drivers to increase seniors’ access to transportation in rural communities. Flyers will be distributed to promote the program.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Cottonwood
• Mesa
• Phoenix
• Tucson

In Little Rock, the Central Arkansas Library System received a grant to increase digital literacy among older adults. The new mobile tech classroom teaches them how to use devices such as tablets and smartphones.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Cabot
• Heber Springs
• Pine Bluff
• Little Rock (received an additional grant)

In the city of Orosi, the Rural Communities Resource Center will recruit volunteers to conduct a pedestrian audit along two busy roadways. The organization will use the data to increase safety along these streets for seniors.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Arcata
• Fresno
• Gualala
• Highland
• Long Beach
• Los Angeles
• Oxnard
• Sacramento
• San Diego
• Santa Rosa

The City of Fort Collins received a grant to create DIY repair workshops for mobile homeowners. The grant also supports local small businesses by creating a local shopping guide.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Bristol
• Wheat Ridge

The Goshen Land Trust will use its AARP grant to install benches and informative signs alongside a nature trail loop in Goshen. These additions will enhance the outdoor experience for participants of all ages and ability levels.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• New Haven
• Windsor Locks
• Willimantic (two grants)

With the help of its AARP grant, the Town of Milton will install three benches at bus stops near the town center. This will give older residents and those with disabilities a place to rest while visiting this area and make public transit more convenient.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Seaford
• Wilmington (two grants)
• Milton (received an additional grant)

Washington, D.C., received two grants from AARP. One will help senior citizens have better access to medical appointments and other services via public transit. The other will create a community garden for apartment dwellers.

Cape Coral received a grant to restore trees destroyed in Hurricane Ian in 2022. Local volunteers will restore the tree canopy in a local park, which hosts an age 50+ softball league.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Florida City
• Lakeland
• Greater Miami Area
• Orlando
• Tallahassee (two grants)
• Tampa

The City of Madison will use its grant to repair local sidewalks and improve pedestrian crosswalks and signals, making walking safer for seniors. It will also create a new park, which will contain benches and a pavilion for the enjoyment of nearby residents.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Athens
• Clarkesville
• Macon
• Powder Springs
• Stone Mountain
• Decatur
• Union City

Līhuʻe will hold a competition for the best designs of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), an affordable housing option for older adults. The grant will enable Better Block Hawaii to publish these plans online in a free book that will share information on creating ADUs.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Honolulu
• Pepeekeo

Thanks to its AARP grant, Malad City gets a brand-new pickleball court. This sport falls somewhere between tennis and Ping-Pong, giving seniors a fun, easy way to enjoy physical activity and make new friends.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Boise
• Lapwai
• Orofino
• Pocatello
• Winchester

The Schuyler County Mental Health Association in Rushville City is using its grant to create a multi-faceted community garden. 

It will contain 25 raised beds, host group therapy and mindfulness sessions, and provide produce for a food pantry. It will also be wheelchair accessible.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Alton
• Chicago (three grants)
• Elgin

Senior residents of Washington will receive trikes as part of their grant. This will enable seniors to simultaneously get exercise and have greater access to shopping and medical care in their communities.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Evansville
• Fort Wayne
• Indianapolis
• Jasonville
• Mongo
• Pendleton

The Wilton Public Library is getting a facelift with the help of master gardeners and an AARP grant. Funds will be used to create a sensory garden and provide shady, accessible spaces. The garden will also grow produce.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Chariton
• Des Moines
• Ely
• Epworth
• Graettinger
• Logan
• Iowa City

The Thrive Allen County organization in Iola is using AARP funds to create raised garden beds and a greenhouse. The accompanying solar energy kit, heater, and fan will make the space comfortable for visitors year-round.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Halstead
• Lawrence
• Newton
• Rossville

Thanks to its new grant, the town of Salyersville will upgrade its community park. Added amenities include a place to have outdoor concerts and movies (with an accompanying sound system), benches, canopies for shade, and trash cans.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Beverly
• Glasgow
• Jackson
• Louisville (three grants)

The New Orleans Habitat for Humanity will use its AARP grant to revitalize a meeting space and intergenerational playground in a low-income housing complex. The development was initially built to house musicians who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Baton Rouge
• Belle Chasse
• Hammond
• Harahan
• Lake Charles
• Minden

The Cary Medical Center, in conjunction with Age Friendly Caribou, will create an elder abuse prevention campaign in the town of Caribou. 

A digital toolkit will educate citizens on the signs of elder abuse and raise awareness for this problem. The toolkit will be disseminated to other communities in Maine.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Acton
• Auburn
• Berwick
• Bowdoinham
• Chelsea
• Long Island
• Millinocket
• Portland
• Saco
• Scarborough
• Sedgwick
• Sullivan
• Windham

With funds from the AARP grant, the Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center will host conflict resolution workshops for 50+ adults in Annapolis. These will take place at local senior centers and enhance the unity in the community.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Ashton
• Baltimore
• Elkton
• Glen Burnie
• Silver Spring

The Attleboro YMCA will look after seniors with Alzheimer's and other dementia-related problems while their caregivers exercise. Care is provided by Back to Home Healthcare Services, so caregivers can rest assured their loved ones are safe.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Bridgewater
• Chelsea
• Dunstable
• Lynn
• Springfield
• Taunton

With grant funds, Lansing Parks and Recreation will create a fitness program for seniors. Residents 60 and older can access a recreation center with drop-in activities, instructor-led fitness classes, and nutrition classes.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Detroit
• Grand Rapids
• Jackson
• St. Louis
• Sterling Heights

Cycling Without Age in the city of Alexandria will create a new cycling program for seniors and those with mobility challenges. 

Volunteer pilots will help an older adult or someone with restricted mobility with bike rides. Grant funds will help purchase two three-wheel bikes for the program.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Duluth (three grants)
• Lake City
• Madison
• Rochester
• Saint Peter

The AARP grant will help renovate the grounds of the Oakland senior center. They will receive a new pickleball court, a pocket park with benches and flower beds, and a decorative mural for visitors to enjoy.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Byhalia
• Greenwood
• Pass Christian

St. Louis will improve a bus stop with an AARP grant, adding a shelter, seating, and a decorative planter box full of native flora. This stop is used often by seniors, and the renovations will enhance the local business district.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Kansas City
• Poplar Bluff
• Springfield

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Indian Tribes in Moiese received a grant to create a community shelter on the National Bison Range. 

With ADA-compliant fire rings, grills, and picnic tables, tribal elders and older citizens can gather to connect with the area’s rich Native culture and history.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Arlee
• Billings
• Hamilton
• Three Forks

The city of Fairbury received a grant to renovate its community center. It will now have a walking track, internet access, and wireless devices. These will create a safe recreational space for seniors and other citizens.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Callaway
• Chappell
• Fremont
• Lincoln
• Omaha

The Truckee Meadows Park Foundation received a grant to acquire all-terrain wheelchairs for seniors and those with mobility challenges in Reno. Designed for outdoor exploration, these wheelchairs allow more people to enjoy the parks.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Las Vegas
• North Las Vegas
• Reno (additional grant)

Opera goers at the Claremont Opera House will get updated assisted listening devices, thanks to their new AARP grant. Seniors and those with hearing loss can now more fully enjoy musical and theatrical performances.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Bethlehem
• Contoocook Village
• Littleton
• North Conway
• Portsmouth
• Wilton

Hackensack’s flooding problems will be eased by the grant-funded rain barrels that will be installed. Besides catching water, the rain barrels will be artistically painted to enhance the neighborhood's appearance.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Glen Rock
• Montclair
• Morris Plains
• Newark (two grants)
• Toms River
• Woodbury

Alamogordo received a grant to decorate and enhance a public space on New York Avenue. The streetscape project will smooth out sidewalks to make them safer, add decorative elements like murals and flowers, and provide shade and LED lighting.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Farmington
• Las Cruces

Thanks to its AARP grant, the Brushton-Moira Adult Center in Brushton will be renovated and improved. The kitchen and dining room will be updated, and an outdoor LED light board will be installed.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Albany
• Bronx
• Fulton
• New York
• Staten Island
• Suffolk County
• Syracuse
• Victor
• Woodstock

In the city of Banner Elk, social service agencies will identify senior residents whose homes need repairs or improvements to allow them to age in place safely and with dignity. Volunteers (trained at home improvement camps) will construct the improvements.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Brevard
• Chapel Hill
• Charlotte
• Matthews
• Navassa
• Winston-Salem and other communities

Munich, North Dakota, has one lone grocery store. Thanks to a grant from AARP, it will soon have a self-service option. This will ensure residents can access fresh, affordable produce and food items at nearly any time of day.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Forman
• Glen Ullin
• Grand Forks (two grants)
• Milnor

Warren's St. Joseph Riverside Hospital building sat vacant for 30 years and was demolished in 2022. A grant from AARP will transform the site into a green space for seniors. The park will receive trees, landscaping, lighting, and a walking path.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Akron
• Alliance
• Chillicothe
• Cincinnati
• Cleveland
• Galena

The Kickapoo Tribe in McLoud received a grant to expand transportation services for older adults. The program will recruit and train volunteer transit drivers.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Grove
• Okmulgee
• Pauls Valley
• Tishomingo

Portland’s Kindness Farm received a grant to turn an overgrown area into a community garden. The green space will grow medicinal plants and produce, which will be donated to those in need. The space also hosts educational sessions on how to grow food.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Chiloquin
• Portland (two additional grants)
• Roseburg
• Vida

As many as 29% of Philadelphia's low-income residents have no Wi-Fi, but an AARP grant will give two senior high-rise apartment communities wireless internet. The signals will reach as far as a nearby intergenerational playground and outdoor areas.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Lancaster
• Millersburg
• Palmer Township
• Pittsburgh (two grants)

The city of Juncos received a grant to create more emergency preparedness infrastructure. Workshops will be conducted to help residents improve their ability to deal with disasters, such as hurricanes. The grant also allows for a water storage tank and solar-powered lights.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Loiza
• San Juan (two grants)

The city of Providence received a grant to aid community members in growing their own food. The West End Community Center will distribute 200 straw bales to residents as an alternative to soil to use in their gardens.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Newport
• Providence (two additional grants)

The Anderson Housing and Homeless Alliance in Anderson received a grant to conduct three walk audits to assess the safety of walking routes, sidewalks, and crosswalks in the community. 

Business owners, citizens, and local governments will collaborate on safe solutions for the roadways.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Barnwell
• Bluffton
• Florence
• Rock Hill

The community swimming pool in Highmore will be renovated to allow greater use by older adults and people with disabilities. The AARP grant will allow a new ADA-compliant lift to be installed, along with in-pool seats and zero-depth entry.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Clear Lake
• Lemmon
• Pine Ridge
• Rapid City

The Cities of Memphis and West Memphis received a grant to enhance a segment of the trail in Big River Park. The improvements will include ADA-compliant stone benches in a gathering circle.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Chattanooga (two grants)
• Springfield

The Lao American Association of Houston will use money from an AARP grant to create eight raised beds in a community garden. These beds will grow plants used in Southeast Asian recipes, which most local grocers do not offer.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Austin (two grants)
• Dallas
• Houston (two additional grants)
• Kerrville
• San Antonio

The city of Green River received a grant to install a pavilion at Pearl Baker Park. It will be designed with seniors in mind and include handrails and a soft pathway to protect against falls.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Salt Lake City (two grants)

The Heineburg Community Senior Center in Burlington received a grant to enhance the center’s outdoor space. It will receive planter boxes, benches, tables, and chairs. These areas will replace what were previously paved parking spaces.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Brattleboro
• Burlington (one additional grant)
• Lyndon
• Waitsfield
• Wheelock

The city of Frederiksted received a grant to enhance the Adventure Nature Trail with benches and picnic tables. The grant will also restore a pavilion and signs that identify tree species and educate trail walkers about the area’s history.

Lake Park in Richlands will get an upgrade thanks to its AARP grant. The improvements include new exercise equipment (some with wheelchair access) to allow a safe way for seniors to remain physically fit.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Arlington
• Boydton
• Fries
• Roanoke (two grants)
• Winchester

Seattle Habitat for Humanity’s CAPABLE program gets a boost from its AARP grant. The program gives seniors access to occupational therapists and nurses for assessments on in-home care. 

These assessments help older adults receive the care they need to remain in their own homes.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Bellingham
• Lynnwood
• Seattle (two additional grants)
• Spokane

The city of Charleston received a grant to create a new community garden. It will grow fruits and vegetables that will be included in food boxes given to seniors and others in need in the community.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Davis
• Mannington
• Oak Hill
• Wheeling

Milwaukee received an AARP grant to aid in a community outreach program for Growing MKE. This proposes changes to the city’s Comprehensive Plan by altering current zoning restrictions, which have become burdensome for creating affordable senior housing.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Altoona
• La Crosse
• Milwaukee (additional grant)
• River Falls
• Stevens Point

Laramie will use its AARP grant to repurpose a bus into an accessible greenhouse. The exterior will be painted with tiles so that the bus will be both a functional and artistic enhancement to the area.

Additional cities that received an AARP grant include:

• Dubois
• Laramie (additional grant)
• Sheridan
• Thayne

One of the best money tips for seniors is to choose a community to live in that has the amenities you will need both now and as you age. 

This includes recreational activities, safe and reliable transportation, and access to medical care.

Cities that receive grants show that they're committed to improving the lives of their older citizens and may be good places to have on your radar if you’re considering relocating for retirement.