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AARP® PURPOSE PRIZE® CONTEST

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

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

1. SPONSOR: AARP Purpose Prize Contest (“Promotion” or “Purpose Prize Contest”) is sponsored by AARP, 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049 (“Sponsor”).

2. BRIEF OVERVIEW: The AARP Purpose Prize Contest applications will be accepted between 12:00 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on January 6, 2025, and 5:00 PM ET on February 28, 2025 (“Promotion Period”). Sponsor’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 February 28, 2025, and who founded the Founded Nonprofit or the Founded Project for which they are applying at the age of forty (40) or older 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 Sponsor, its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising/promotion agencies, and/or their affiliates, assigns, agents, vendors or representatives (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Sponsor & Others”), and all other persons or entities associated with the development, administration, judging, promotion, execution of this 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) Purpose Prize Contest: There will be a total of up to five (5) prizes awarded to winning applicants’ Founded Non-Profits/Projects. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any applicant at any time and for any reason should Sponsor determine that applicant does not properly represent Sponsor’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
  • Three reference letters (In the case of co-founders, these letters should reference both co-founders.)
  • 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 be mission-driven and be able to show the social impact of its work. 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, mental health, addiction, maternal health, etc.)
  • Caregiving and caregiver resources (support for vulnerable populations and the people who care for them)
  • Hunger (food insecurity, waste, distribution, etc.)
  • Financial health (financial stability, resilience, economic opportunity, etc.)
  • Rethinking the workplace (jobs, work environments, alternative approaches)
  • Affordable housing (safe, well-managed, and affordable housing and services)
  • Homelessness (addressing the needs of the homeless population)
  • Civic engagement and community development (helping people be active participants in building and strengthening their communities)
  • Social connections (reducing isolation among vulnerable community members)
  • Arts and culture (using art and culture as tools to engage communities in positive change)
  • Intergenerational work (opportunities for different generations to come together to share their experience, knowledge, and skills)
  • Education (school- or community-based programs that help children attain educational goals)
  • Youth development (programs that are not school-based that serve the needs of vulnerable children and teens)
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion (improving the representation, fair treatment and experiences of underserved populations)
  • Peace and security rights (establishing or preserving justice and equality by peaceful means)
  • Veterans (providing services for veterans, advocating for veterans' rights, empowering veterans)
  • Environmental issues (combatting the challenges facing the planet)
  • Animal protection (ensuring animal welfare, promoting animal companionship with vulnerable populations)

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

  • Round 1 (Applicant round) all eligible applications reviewed; up to 150 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 15 finalists selected to move forward
  • Round 4 (Finalist round) jurors interview all finalists and select up to five (5) winners 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 will be selected by a group of external reviewers. Semi-finalists and finalists will be selected by a group of AARP staff reviewers and/or external reviewers. A jury of external reviewers and AARP staff will select up to five (5) winners. All selected winners will be subject to the final approval of an AARP Executive.

Reviewers and Jurors 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? 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?
  • 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? 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 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 (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 growth plan?
  • 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 impacted 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 the work they do?

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 Sponsor in its sole discretion. Applicants agree to the Official Rules and to the decisions of the AARP Reviewers and Jurors 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 5:00pm ET on February 28, 2025. 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 outlined Purpose Prize Contest criteria. From the eligible applications, the Reviewers will select up to 150 candidates to continue to Round 2. Applicants will be notified if they will not continue to the next round via email on or about April 1, 2025. 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. Candidates that are not selected to continue to the next round will be notified via email on or about May 1, 2025. Applicants selected as semi-finalists 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 15 finalists will be selected by Reviewers to continue to Round 4. Semi-Finalists that are not selected to continue to the next round will be notified via email on or about June 1, 2025.

Round 4 (Finalist Round) AARP will notify the finalists that they have been selected via email in May 2025, and schedule virtual panel interviews with members of the AARP Purpose Prize 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 May and June 2025. Following a deliberation process, the Jury will select five (5) winners. By July 1, 2025, an AARP Executive will review the five (5) winners and remaining finalists to confirm the final winners in accordance with the criteria and eligibility standards set forth in these Rules. Winners will be notified by phone and via email by July 1, 2025. 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. Finalists that are not selected as winners will be notified that they were not selected to move forward by mid-July 2025.

All Purpose Prize Contest semi-finalists 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., or Jurors 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 and Liability 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, Sponsor 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 Sponsor’s inability to contact a potential winner, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion, may result in disqualification. Sponsor’s decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the Purpose Prize Contest.

In the event there are not five (5) eligible finalists available for selection as winners, Sponsor 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. 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 AARP Purpose Prize peer cohort; (2) Attendance at the AARP Purpose Prize Award Event (virtual or in-person); (3) Access to internal AARP and external resources to support their work.

(D) Odds of Winning: The odds of winning the Purpose Prize Contest depend on the number of eligible applications received, and the AARP Reviewers and/or Jurors’ 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) prize. 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 Sponsor with one of equal or greater value. Sponsor 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 AARP Purpose Prize Winners, 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-Profits 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 Sponsor, 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 Sponsor 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 Sponsor in its sole discretion, with the Official Rules.

6. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: Sponsor & 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 Sponsor. Sponsor & 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 Sponsor 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 Sponsor, 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 Sponsor, the Promotion is compromised by viruses, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes beyond the control of Sponsor, which may corrupt the administration, security, fairness or proper play of the Promotion, Sponsor 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.

SPONSOR & 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: Sponsor 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 Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prizes from among the eligible entries or plays received up to the time of the impairment. Sponsor 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 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, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’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 Sponsor and used by Sponsor in accordance with Sponsor's Privacy Policy as such is stated at aarp.org/privacypolicy.

9. PUBLICITY RIGHTS: By accepting a prize, each winner agrees to allow Sponsor and/or Sponsor's designees the perpetual right to use his/her entry, name, biographical information, photos, videos and/or likeness, and statements for promotion, trade, commercial, advertising and publicity purposes, at any time or times, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including but not limited to on the World Wide Web and Internet, without notice, review or approval and without additional compensation except where prohibited by law.

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 Sponsor & 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 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 Sponsor, which shall be final in all matters pertaining to this Promotion. All entries become property of Sponsor 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. WINNER’S LIST: To obtain the names of the winners, send a properly stamped, self-addressed envelope, by December 31, 2025, to AARP Purpose Prize Winners’ List, A10-125c, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049.

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

© 2024 AARP

AARP and Purpose Prize are registered trademark of AARP Non-Profit Corporation, D.C. These Official Rules may not be reproduced or reprinted in part or in their entirety without the express prior written permission of AARP.