About
AARP Foundation (EIN 52-0794300) is a 501(c)(3) charity headquartered in Washington, DC, and the philanthropic affiliate of AARP. It describes itself as the nation's leading organization working with older adults living in poverty or one life event away from slipping into it.
Mission
The Foundation's mission is to strengthen financial resilience for and with older adults by empowering individuals and improving systems. Its vision is a society free of poverty where each of us ages with the opportunity to thrive. Its work responds to the fact that, by its own account, 39 million older adults face financial insecurity.
What they do
- AARP Foundation Tax-Aide — free tax preparation assistance for older adults
- Experience Corps — a volunteer tutoring program that helps children learn to read
- SCSEP (Senior Community Service Employment Program) — workforce development for older jobseekers
- Food security and SNAP outreach — programs addressing hunger among older adults
- Medicare Savings Programs assistance — help with healthcare affordability
- Legal advocacy — court cases defending the rights of older adults
Scale and impact
According to figures published by the Foundation, it serves more than 1.15 million older adults with low income each year, helps secure more than $1 billion in income, benefits, and tax refunds and credits annually, and is powered by over 30,000 volunteers nationwide working with more than 7,200 community partners. The Foundation reports that seventy-eight cents of every dollar it spends goes toward programs and services, and it holds top ratings for transparency and accountability from Candid, the Better Business Bureau, and Charity Navigator.
Financials
Per IRS filings compiled by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, AARP Foundation reported revenue of $202.9 million and expenses of $194.4 million for fiscal year 2024 (ended December 2024), with total assets of $728 million and net assets of $673.1 million. For fiscal year 2023, it reported revenue of $175.2 million and expenses of $191.9 million.
Governance
AARP Foundation is the philanthropic affiliate of AARP and is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.