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THE PURPOSE PRIZE® FROM AARP® CONTEST

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

1. ADMINISTRATOR: The Purpose Prize from AARP Contest (“Promotion” or “The Purpose Prize Contest”) is administered by AARP, 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049 (“Administrator”).

2. BRIEF OVERVIEW: Applications for The Purpose Prize from AARP Contest will be accepted between 9:00 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on March 9, 2026, and 5:00 PM ET on May 1, 2026 (“Promotion Period”). Administrator’s computer, or that of its designee, shall serve as the official timekeeper for The Purpose Prize Contest. The Purpose Prize Contest consists of an application process in which founders of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations (each a “Founded Nonprofit”) and of projects fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations (each a “Fiscal Sponsor,” and the fiscally sponsored project, a “Founded Project”) will apply for prizes awarded to winners’ respective Founded Non-Profits or Fiscal Sponsors for the benefit of the Founded Projects, as applicable, based on the judging criteria outlined in these Official Rules. More specific details are stated below.

3. ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia, who are at least fifty (50) years old as of May 1, 2026, and who founded the Founded Nonprofit or the Founded Project for which they are applying and still have an active role in the organization or with the project. Applicants must have founded (a) a Founded Nonprofit , with its principal place of business located in the United States that is in good standing in its state of formation and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) the Internal Revenue Code at the time of applicant’s submission and throughout The Purpose Prize Contest selection process or (b) a Founded Project with its principal place of business located in the United States, and with a Fiscal Sponsor with its principal place of business located in the United States that is in good standing in its state of formation and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) the Internal Revenue Code at the time of applicant’s submission and throughout The Purpose Prize Contest selection process. Founders of affiliates or chapters of existing non-profit organizations are not eligible to apply. Officers, directors, and employees of Administrator, its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising/promotion agencies, and/or their affiliates, assigns, agents, vendors or representatives (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Administrator & Others”), and all other persons or entities associated with the development, administration, judging, promotion, execution of The Purpose Prize Contest are not eligible to apply. AARP-appointed volunteers (e.g. AARP State Presidents and Regional Volunteer Directors) and staff and their immediate family members are not allowed to apply. Former AARP-appointed volunteers and staff and their immediate family members may apply only after a seven (7) year grace period. Additionally, past Purpose Prize and AARP Purpose Prize winners, past fellows from the previous two (2) years of AARP Purpose Prize classes, current AARP or AARP Foundation grantees, elected officials, individuals whose Founded Non-Profit/Project is exclusively religious or sectarian, individuals that work for organizations that share a board member with AARP and members of the same household and immediate families (e.g. parents, children, spouse, siblings) are not eligible. The Purpose Prize Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and is void where prohibited.

4. HOW TO PARTICIPATE/SELECTION OF WINNER/PRIZE/ODDS OF WINNING:

A) The Purpose Prize Contest: Prizes will consist of a maximum of five (5) Grand Prizes and one (1) Special Award, as such terms are defined in Section 4.C (Prizes) below, awarded to winning applicants’ Founded Non-Profits/Projects. Administrator reserves the right to disqualify any applicant at any time and for any reason should Administrator determine that applicant does not properly represent Administrator’s mission, goals, and policies or if the actions of applicant or his/her Founded Non-Profit or Founded Project, or its Fiscal Sponsor, bring tarnish of any kind to the AARP brand/trademark. Applications are limited to one (1) per applicant and Founded Non-Profit/Project. Each application must include the following documents:

  • A resume
  • A copy of applicant’s Founded Non-Profit’s (or, in the case of a Founded Project, its Fiscal Sponsor’s) IRS determination letter or most recent IRS Form 990
  • Applicant’s Founded Non-Profit’s or Founded Project’s annual budget, including income and expenses
  • In the case of a Founded Project, a copy of the fiscal sponsorship agreement with its Fiscal Sponsor

In the case of co-founders, no more than two (2) individuals may be listed in the same application, and a primary and secondary applicant must be designated within the application submission. Each co-applicant must meet all the criteria and submit all required documents. Only one (1) application per Founded Non-Profit/Project.

The entry and selection process are as follows:

Individuals may apply by visiting www.aarp.org/apply during the Promotion Period and completely filling out the Official Application Form and submitting all requested documents. Applicant’s Founded Non-Profit/Project must work to further AARP’s mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age and be able to show the social impact of its work on people 50-plus. Creative endeavors that do not include social impact work will not be considered. Below are examples of relevant topics/issues:

  • Public health (protecting and improving the health of people and their communities by addressing healthy lifestyles, nutrition, disease prevention, brain health, etc.)
  • Caregiving and caregiver resources (support for vulnerable populations and the people who care for them)
  • Financial security (financial stability, resilience, economic opportunity, leveraging public benefits, etc.)
  • Work and jobs (jobs, work environments, alternative approaches to workplace practices)
  • Civic engagement and community development (helping people be active participants in building and strengthening their communities)
  • Social connections (reducing isolation among vulnerable community members)
  • Intergenerational work (opportunities for different generations to come together to share their experience, knowledge, and skills)
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion (improving the representation, fair treatment and experiences of underserved populations)
  • Veterans (providing services for veterans, advocating for veterans' rights, empowering veterans)
  • Fraud and scam prevention (identifying, deterring, and reducing fraudulent activity)
  • Livable communities and housing (ensuring people 50-plus have safe and affordable housing and livable communities that include transportation options and public spaces)

 

(B) Judging and Selection Process: The judging will consist of four (4) rounds

  • Round 1 (Applicant round) all eligible applications reviewed; up to 100 candidates selected to move forward
  • Round 2 (Candidate round) up to 25 semi-finalists selected to move forward
  • Round 3 (Semi-Finalist round) up to 10 finalists selected to move forward
  • Round 4 (Finalist round) the Jury (defined below) interviews all finalists and selects up to five (5) Grand Prize winners and one (1) Special Award winner with final approval by an AARP Executive

All applications must have been initially received during the Promotion Period to be considered. All eligible applications remaining at the start of each round will be considered for advancement to the next round. Candidates, semi-finalists and finalists will be selected by a group of AARP staff reviewers and/or external reviewers (“Reviewers”). A jury of Reviewers (the “Jury”) will select up to five (5) winners. All selected winners will be subject to the final approval of an AARP Executive.

Reviewers and the Jury will evaluate applicants on the following criteria:

  • The issue the applicant is trying to solve (10 points). Does the applicant clearly define the compelling social problem they are trying to solve? Does the issue align with AARP’s mission? Is the description rudimentary or detailed?
  • How the organization is trying to solve that problem (10 points). Does the applicant have clearly outlined strategies to address the issue they are working on? Are the strategies in initial stages and/or untested? Are the strategies tested and proven?
  • The populations and areas served by the organization (10 points). Does the applicant distinctly define how many clients its organization serves and the geographic reach of its service areas? Does the applicant provide only basic details or do they provide deep, detailed information? Does the applicant define how the organization serves people 50-plus?
  • How the organization measures the impact of its work (20 points). Does the applicant’s organization provide clear and tangible benefits to their identified service populations, including people 50-plus? What kind of data does it collect and how does the organization track and measure its impact? Do they have clear goals with specific metrics for each outcome/output?
  • The personal story of someone 50-plus who has benefited from the organization’s work (10 points). Is the example of a personal story detailed and compelling? Can the resulting benefits described be directly tied to the work of the applicant’s organization?
  • The organization’s position for long-term sustainability and growth (20 points). Is the organization’s work sustainable? Does the organization have a track record of success? Does the organization have the resources, staff, etc. to successfully execute its work? Does the organization have a long-term strategic plan or vision? Does the organization have diverse funding sources? Does the organization have a desire and readiness to grow?
  • The applicant’s inspiration for founding their organization (10 points). Is the applicant able to clearly articulate the personal journey that led them to address this social problem?
  • How being over 50 impacts their approach (10 points). Is there a clear connection between their lived experience and the work they are doing? Has the applicant identified how being 50 or older has made or makes a difference in how they do their work?

In Round 4 (Finalist round), the Jury will also evaluate finalists on the following criteria solely for the purpose of selecting the winner of the Special Award:

  • The role that volunteers play in their organization or project. Do volunteers contribute significantly to the organization’s work? Does the organization have resources and processes in place to support volunteers? Does the organization have long-term volunteer recruitment and retention strategies that align with the organization’s overall growth plans? Sustained or increasing volunteer participation over time further strengthens eligibility.

In the event of a tie, tied applications will be re-judged based on the same criteria listed above and the round winner will be determined by Administrator in its sole discretion. Applicants agree to the Official Rules and to the decisions of the Reviewers and Jury and an AARP Executive, which shall be final and binding in all respects. Award of a prize to any round winner will be subject to verification of that round winner’s eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules.

Contest Round Administration and Round Winner Notification:

Round 1 (Applicant Round): All applicants must submit their applications by 5:00 PM ET on May 1, 2026. The failure to complete the application form or comply with the applicable instructions will result in disqualification of the applicant. Reviewers will identify all eligible applications that meet The Purpose Prize Contest criteria. From the eligible applications, the Reviewers will select up to 100 candidates to continue to Round 2. The failure to complete the application form, provide all requested documents or comply with the applicable instructions will result in disqualification.

Round 2 (Candidate Round): During the Candidate Round, up to 25 semi-finalists will be selected by Reviewers to continue to Round 3. Applicants selected as semi-finalists will be contacted by AARP and will undergo background checks. The results of the background checks will be considered in the remaining rounds.

Round 3 (Semi-Finalist Round): During the Semi-Finalist Round, up to 10 finalists will be selected by Reviewers to continue to Round 4.

Round 4 (Finalist Round): AARP will notify the finalists that they have been selected via email in July 2026 and schedule virtual panel interviews with members of the The Purpose Prize Contest Jury. During the panel interviews, the Jury will have the opportunity to speak directly to the finalists and ask additional questions about the work of their Founded Non-Profits/Projects. These panel interviews will take place in July 2026. Following a deliberation process, the Jury will select up to five (5) potential winners of a Grand Prize. The Jury may also select one of the potential winners to receive the Kevin Donnellan Award for Volunteerism based on the Founded Non-Profit/Project’s extraordinary work with volunteers. Finalists whose organizations do not engage volunteers in a significant or meaningful way will not be eligible for this additional Special Award. By August 31, an AARP Executive will review the potential Grand Prize winners, potential Special Award winner, and remaining finalists to confirm the final winners in accordance with the criteria and eligibility standards set forth in these Rules.

Notification: Winners will be notified by phone and via email by August 31, 2026. Winners must email purposeprize@aarp.org within five (5) days of notification to claim prize. The return of any prize notification message or document as undeliverable may result in disqualification of the applicable winner, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the prize and the selection of a substitute winner from among all remaining eligible finalists. Applicants that are not selected as winners will be notified that they were not selected by September 30, 2026.

All semi-finalists for The Purpose Prize Contest must disclose any current or prior relationship, financial or otherwise, including without limitation, other support they have received from AARP, AARP Foundation, AARP Services, Inc., individuals on the Jury, or any Reviewers and the organizations they represent. Other support includes, but is not limited to: technical assistance, promotion and advocacy. A current or prior relationship, financial or otherwise, does not immediately disqualify a semi-finalist, but such factors will be considered in finalizing a diverse pool of finalists. Except where prohibited by law, winners must complete an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Waiver and Publicity Release (“Affidavit”) in accordance with the instructions listed in the prize notification correspondence. If a winner fails to provide the Affidavit within the required period of time, Administrator may, in its sole discretion, disqualify the winner and select an alternate potential winner. Non-compliance with these Official Rules, failure to return all required documentation by the stated deadline or Administrator’s inability to contact a potential winner, as determined in Administrator’s sole discretion, may result in disqualification. Administrator’s decisions are final and binding in all matters related to The Purpose Prize Contest.

In the event there are not five (5) finalists eligible or available for selection as winners, Administrator reserves the right to reduce the number of winners to the number of individuals that are eligible for selection based on the selection criteria provided herein.

(C) Prizes: Each winner’s Founded Non-Profit or Founded Project, as applicable, will receive $75,000 in celebration of the winner’s achievement and in furtherance of the Founded Non-Profit’s or Founded Project’s mission (“Grand Prize”). Prizes to each winner’s Founded Project will be made to its Fiscal Sponsor for the benefit of the Founded Project. The individual winners will receive: (1) The opportunity to participate in a 1-year peer cohort and (2) Access to internal AARP and external resources to support their work. At the discretion of the Jury, one winner’s Founded Non-Profit or Founded Project may be selected as the winner of the Kevin Donnellan Award for Volunteerism and will receive an additional $10,000 (“Special Award”).

(D) Odds of Winning: The odds of winning The Purpose Prize Contest depend on the number of eligible applications received, and the Reviewers and/or the Jury’s evaluation of said entries according to the objective criteria outlined above.

Applicants need not be an AARP member in order to enter and/or win. Being an AARP member will not increase your chance or odds of winning.

5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO WINNERS:

Prize Limit: Each Founded Non-Profit and Founded Project, and their associated founder(s), are limited to a maximum of one (1) Grand Prize and one (1) Special Award. Cash prizes for Founded Non-Profits and Founded Projects will be awarded within 45 days of having been confirmed as a winner. Prizes are not transferable or substitutable except by Administrator with one of equal or greater value. Administrator is not responsible for any winner’s, Founded Non-Profit’s, or Founded Project’s inability to claim or utilize a prize.

Note: All taxes associated with the acceptance and/or uses of cash awarded are the sole responsibility of individual winners and their Founded Non-Profits and Founded Projects/Fiscal Sponsors. Cash awarded will be reported by AARP to the IRS as AARP deems necessary according to applicable law. It is further the policy of AARP that all Winners of The Purpose Prize Contest, Founded Non-Profits, Founded Projects, and Fiscal Sponsors be advised to consult with their own tax professionals and/or legal counsel to ascertain the tax impact of the Founded Non-Profit or Founded Project receiving the cash awards or of the Fiscal Sponsor receiving the cash award for the benefit of the Founded Project.

All federal, state and local taxes are solely the responsibility of each winner and their Founded Non-Profits, Founded Projects, and Fiscal Sponsors.

Additionally, at the sole discretion of the Administrator, disqualification, forfeiture and the selection of an alternate winner may result from any of the following: (a) a potential winner’s failure, upon request, to provide Administrator with satisfactory proof of age, identity, residency, and/or eligibility; (b) a potential winner’s failure to accept or utilize the prize as provided herein; or (c) any other non-compliance, as determined by Administrator in its sole discretion, with the Official Rules.

6. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: Administrator & Others are not responsible for interrupted or unavailable network server or other connections; for miscommunications; failed telephone, computer or electronic transmissions; for jumbled, scrambled or misdirected entries or transmissions; for phone, electrical, network, technology or computer hardware or software or program malfunctions, failures or difficulties; or any other errors, omissions, interruptions, or deletions of any kind, whether human, mechanical or electronic; or for non-receipt of any entry regardless of the cause of it not being properly received by Administrator. Administrator & Others are not responsible for illegible, unintelligible, late, lost or stolen entries; for incorrect or inaccurate entry information, whether caused by Internet users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion; or for any technical, printing or human errors which may occur in the receipt, non-receipt or processing of any entries in the Promotion. In no event will Administrator award more Prizes than are stated in these Official Rules. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Promotion, as solely determined by Administrator, will be disqualified and may be subject to prosecution. Any person attempting to enter using multiple email addresses, multiple identities or any other device or artifice to enter multiple times or to interfere with the proper play of the Promotion will be disqualified from participation in the Promotion. If, in the judgment of Administrator, the Promotion is compromised by viruses, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes beyond the control of Administrator, which may corrupt the administration, security, fairness or proper play of the Promotion, Administrator reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, discontinue, suspend or terminate the Promotion and proceed to select potential winners in a manner it deems fair and reasonable.

ADMINISTRATOR & OTHERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NONINFRINGEMENT AS REGARDS ANY PRIZE OR ANY COMPONENT OF ANY PRIZE. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS OF EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES. CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS TO LEARN IF ANY OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

7. CANCELATION: Administrator reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Promotion or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures, virus, human error, tampering or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Promotion, as determined by Administrator in its sole discretion. In such event, Administrator reserves the right to award the prizes from among the eligible entries or plays received up to the time of the impairment. Administrator reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Promotion, or to be acting in violation of the Official Rules of this or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Administrator reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Administrator’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

8. PRIVACY POLICY: Any personally identifiable information collected during an applicant’s participation in the Promotion will be collected by Administrator and used by Administrator in accordance with Administrator's Privacy Policy as such is stated at aarp.org/privacypolicy.

9. PUBLICITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: By accepting a prize, each applicant selected as a winner grants Administrator & Others the perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, and worldwide right, license, and permission to use, record, reproduce, distribute, edit, reuse, transmit, publish, or republish, in whole or in part, their name, biographical information, photos, image, likeness, voice, sound effects, interview, statements, and actions (“Appearance”), in connection with the Promotion, including for promotional purposes. Each applicant further grants Administrator & Others the perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, and worldwide right, license, and permission to use, edit, reproduce, distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, and/or make derivative works of, in whole or in part, any material submitted for entry into the Promotion (“Entry Materials”), in connection with the Promotion, including for promotional purposes. Each applicant understands that they will not have any right of approval or receive any compensation because of Administrator & Others’ use of their Appearance or Entry Materials. By entering the Promotion, each applicant waives any right to assert any claim against Administrator & Others and their respective employees, affiliates, agents, vendors, and licensees, relating to any use of the applicant’s Appearance, Entry Materials, and/or participation in the Promotion.

10. GOVERNING LAW: Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the District of Columbia, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions.

11. RELEASE: By participating, each applicant and their Founded Non-Profit, Founded Project, and Fiscal Sponsor, as applicable, releases and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Administrator & Others from and against any and all costs, claims, damages, or any other injury, whether due to negligence or otherwise, to person(s) or property (including, without limitation, death or violation of any intellectual property or personal rights, such as violation of right of publicity/privacy, libel, or slander), due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to participation in the Promotion, or arising out of the receipt, use or misuse, or enjoyment of any prize.

12. GENERAL: By entering the Promotion, applicants agree to abide and to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Administrator, which shall be final in all matters pertaining to this Promotion. All entries become property of Administrator and will not be returned. Void outside of the fifty (50) United States/District of Columbia and wherever prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

13. In the event that a set of two (2) co-founders win jointly, all the above terms and conditions apply to both recipients.

14. WINNERS LIST: To obtain the names of the winners, send a properly stamped, self-addressed envelope, by December 31, 2026, to The Purpose Prize Winners List, A8-223H, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049.

ADMINISTRATOR: AARP, 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049

© 2026 AARP

AARP and The Purpose Prize are registered trademarks of AARP. These Official Rules may not be reproduced or reprinted in part or in their entirety without the express prior written permission of AARP.