Meet South Dakota's 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grantees

AARP South Dakota announced today that seven communities across the state will receive 2025 Community Challenge grants.

The grants are part of AARP’s $4.2 million commitment this year to fund 383 quick-action projects aimed at making communities more livable for people of all ages, with a focus on the needs of older adults.

Now in its ninth year, the national grant program has awarded more than $414,000 in grants to 40 nonprofit organizations and local government entities across South Dakota since 2017.

“AARP South Dakota is committed to working with local leaders to improve residents’ quality of life through tangible changes,” said state director Erik Gaikowski. “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 South Dakotans 50 and over.”

This year, the AARP Community Challenge accepted applications across three different grant opportunities, including flagship grants to fund a wide variety of projects; capacity-building microgrants for improving walkability, disaster preparedness or HomeFit® Guide Modifications; and demonstration grants that focus on improving transportation systems, with funding support provided by Toyota Motor North America. 

The following projects were funded in South Dakota for 2025:

Flagship Grants

• Crooks Veterans Park – transform a parcel in Crooks into a vibrant Veterans Park with historical displays, colorful landscaping and memorials honoring soldiers past and present. The ADA-compliant design ensures that older adults can fully enjoy the park.
• Gayville-Volin School District - create an outdoor classroom on Gayville-Volin School property, fostering intergenerational learning and community engagement. It will be used for school activities, community events and summer programs, bringing together residents over 50 and students to share knowledge and experiences.
• Hayti Softball Field - improve the baseball/softball field grandstand in Hayti by adding a roof, a rail and cement pads for comfortable seating. These enhancements will provide a safe and accessible environment for all generations, especially older adults, to enjoy social engagement and softball games.
• Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc. – transform areas of downtown into pedestrian-friendly zone through a series of Open Streets events to enhance walkability and community connections. By supporting local businesses and fostering social engagement, the project promotes a vibrant, age-inclusive downtown.
• Spearfish Trails Coalition – The Lunch Loops Trail Project will create accessible, multi-use trails near Spearfish for all ages and abilities. Designed for walkers, runners, and cyclists, these trails will promote health, connection and outdoor enjoyment, with features that accommodate older adults and individuals with physical impairments.

Capacity-building Microgrants

• Canton, SD – Two microgrant projects, spearheaded by the Canton Chamber of Commerce and the Canton Trails Committee, will implement two bike audits and two walk audits to assess walkability, bikeability, safety needs and opportunities for biking paths, sidewalks or other active transportation amenities.

Demonstration Grant*:

• Brookings, SD – The “Safe Steps: Crosswalks & Bump-Outs for a Walkable Brookings”  project will improve pedestrian safety at two key intersections in downtown Brookings by installing high-visibility crosswalks and painted bump-outs. These enhancements will make the area safer and more accessible, especially for older adults, and foster a more walkable community. [*This demonstration grant to support pedestrian safety initiatives is funded by AARP with support from Toyota Motor North America.]

“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 benefiting often overlooked rural areas.”

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, 2025. 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.