AARP today announced it will commit $4.2 million through its 2025 Community Challenge to fund 383 quick-action projects aimed at making communities more livable for people of all ages, with a focus on older adults’ needs. Citizens for Modern Transit was selected for its Bus Bench Placemaking Program out of more than 3400 applicants nationwide. The grants will support efforts to improve public places, transportation, housing, digital connection, and more. CMT’s project will gather and share stories on how benches near transit positively impact riders and communities, aiming to connect social infrastructure and encourage further investment.
Now in its ninth year, the AARP Challenge has awarded more than $24.3 million through over 2,000 grants since 2017 to nonprofit organizations and local government entities across the country. These investments have powered more than 45,000 tangible improvements, including benches, trails, and bike racks, and supported over 8,000 programs such as digital skills training and transit education for older adults. CMT has been awarded four grants previously including Emerson Park transformation, N. Hanley transformation, Maplewood bus stop transformation and the City Bus Stop transformation.
“AARP Community Challenge projects may be quick to launch, but their impact is long-lasting,” said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “We’re proud to support communities nationwide to advance solutions that make neighborhoods and towns of all sizes better places to live where everyone can thrive. And this year, we’re particularly proud to invest in projects benefitting often overlooked rural areas.”
“CMT is honored to have been selected for an AARP 2025 Community Challenge grant. These grants have been instrumental in helping us to transform stops and stations to drive further investment around transit in Missouri and Illinois. This grant is a significant win to help us launch our latest project to bring amenities to riders while chronicling the stories of their impacts. We are grateful to AARP for seeing the value in our work and the willingness to collaborate,” said Kimberly Cella, CMT Executive Director.
View the full list of grantees and their projects at aarp.org/communitychallenge
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