Five WV Projects Among Those Receiving 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grant Awards

AARP West Virginia has announced five state winners for the 2025 AARP Community Challenge, aiming to create change and improve quality of life at the community-level.

Nationally, AARP Community Challenge grants totaling $4.2 million have been awarded 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.

The funds will support efforts to improve public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and other key areas. Each project was partially or fully funded through the AARP Community Challenge grant and must be completed by December 15, 2025.

“AARP West Virginia is proud to work with communities across the state to help make them more livable for people of all ages,” shared AARP West Virginia State Director Gaylene Miller. “These projects are about turning great local ideas into real improvements that make everyday life better, especially for older West Virginians.”

West Virginia community projects receiving 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grant Awards include:

Cabell County
Facing Hunger Food Bank | Fairfield Community Walk Audits
Grant funds will be used to support monthly walk audits, recruiting older volunteers from Huntington’s Fairfield community and two Senior Community Centers, along with an off-duty police officer. The group will host at least two community meetings with participants, residents, business owners and city officials to discuss audit results and future planning.

Greenbrier County
Gateway Industries Inc. | Island Park Recreation Amenities
Grant funds will be used to construct a miniature golf course on Island Park in Ronceverte. This project will create a multigenerational entertainment destination and provide low-impact exercise for residents of all ages.

Mercer County
Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corp. | Hotel Thelma Redevelopment Project
Grant funds will be used to support redevelopment of the historic Hotel Thelma, providing housing, dining and community services in Bluefield’s East End. The project will include the development of ten affordable apartment units for older adults and retail/restaurant space, solar panel installations, an intergenerational garden and exhibits highlighting Thelma Stone’s impact and legacy on the community.

Nicholas County
City of Richwood | Community Center Emergency Preparedness Improvements
Grant funds will be used to equip the Richwood Community Center with a 60-KW generator to provide emergency power during disasters and weather-related events, ensuring the center can serve as a safe shelter for residents.

Upshur County
Upshur County Public Library | Digital Compass Project
Grant funds will be used support the library’s Digital Compass project, providing digital literacy training, broadband access and equipment to older adults throughout Upshur County. This project is made possible by a grant from AARP, with funding support provided by Microsoft, and will expand at-home broadband and digital skills courses through partnerships with local organizations.

This year, the AARP Community Challenge accepted applications across three different grant opportunities, including:

• Capacity-building microgrants paired with additional resources, such as one-on-one coaching, webinars, cohort learning opportunities and more for improving walkability, bikeability and implementing safe, accessible home modifications, and disaster preparedness training.
• Demonstration grants to fund projects that encourage replication of exemplary local efforts. This year’s focus is on improving pedestrian safety with funding support from Toyota Motor North America; expanding high-speed internet access and adoption with funding support from Microsoft; reconnecting communities divided by infrastructure; and implementing housing choice design competitions.
• Flagship grants to support projects that improve public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; and community resilience.

“AARP Community Challenge projects may be quick to launch, but their impact is long-lasting,” said Nancy 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.”

The Community Challenge 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 West Virginia has awarded 33 grants totaling more than $323,000 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the Mountain State.

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

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AARP WV Media Contact: Tom Hunter, 304-340-4605, tphunter@aarp.org