Meet the changemakers helping us reimagine aging in America. We’re thrilled to announce $638,000 in new investments to organizations that are transforming how we think about and experience growing older.
At Next50, we believe in a world that values aging. We seek innovative, equitable ideas that build resilience and change systems to create opportunities for older adults and the organizations supporting them. Our approach combines grantmaking, sponsorships, and impact investing to support impactful services, practical research, effective policy, and narrative change.
While our funding is invitation-based, we’d love to hear from any organization working to create economic opportunities for older adults. Schedule a meeting with one of our Community Impact Managers to explore possibilities!
Listed below are the organizations that received funding in the first quarter of 2025:
Treehouse Foundation, Massachusetts ($495,000 over two years): Treehouse Foundation is a Massachusetts-based organization that operates an intergenerational neighborhood for older adults and families raising children in foster care. Funding from the Changing Aging grant will enable them to create a community-based participatory research project, allowing them to better understand and implement the needs of their older adult residents for current and under-construction neighborhoods. This research will also be disseminated to other aging organizations so they can learn innovative ways of tackling ageism, increasing social connection, and impacting economic well-being. Treehouse will use this grant to continue its dedication to helping older adults age in place among a meaningful, intentional community.
WETA, Washington D.C. ($50,000): WETA PBS is a national PBS company that airs a variety of programming, including thoughtful shows aimed at young children. Next50 is sponsoring WETA’s Fred Rogers Pictures to include diverse stories of older adults and caretakers in three of their beloved programs: Daniel Tiger, Donkey Hodie, and Alma Rivera. Ageist beliefs can start as young as four years old. This sponsorship will help Next50 play a part in offering new perspectives on aging to children in some of their most impressionable years.
Community Resource Center, Colorado ($25,000): The Community Resource Center is an organization that is dedicated to building the capacity of Colorado’s nonprofit sector. This sponsorship will support their Rural Action Network, which brings together nonprofits and funders to tackle issues in rural parts of the state to identify and address systemic challenges. With programs such as Rural Philanthropy Days, Virtual Funder Roundtables, and more, these funds will widen the impact on nonprofits serving older adults across rural Colorado.
North Fork Senior Connections, Colorado ($5,500): This organization serves older adults in the North Fork Valley by addressing food insecurity, transportation shortages, and home modification needs. Recently, a neighboring organization, Paonia Senior Citizens, decided to close its doors, leaving older adults in the area without access to services or social connections. This Sudden & Urgent Need grant will allow North Fork Senior Connections to cover the cost of this unexpected but necessary merger, avoiding a gap in services for the local older adults.
Village Exchange Center, Colorado, ($2,500): Village Exchange Center serves immigrants and refugees in the metro area of Denver. Next50 supported the screening of their award-winning short ”My Father’s House” in addition to a community-led panel. Support for the Village Exchange Center contributed to the organization’s legal assistance and navigation for older adult immigrants and refugees.
HelpAge EE.UU., Washington D.C ($10,000): HelpAge USA is an organization that works to reduce poverty and discrimination in later life by advancing the well-being, rights, and inclusion of older adults in the country and around the world. They are celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration – where Hillary Clinton famously declared that “women’s rights are human rights” – with a new panel called Older Women as Trailblazers, Then and Now. This event will work to combat ageism and highlight the economic impacts of aging both nationally and internationally.
Denver Film, Colorado ($50,000): Denver Film hosts diverse films and film festivals, highlighting stories of people from a variety of backgrounds, ages, genders, and experiences. Next50 will sponsor three film festivals (Women + Film, CinemaQ, Denver Film Festival) and multiple showings within each festival that cultivate a positive perception of aging. Thanks to the wide range of audience members that attend each event, ageist beliefs will be challenged and well-rounded stories of aging will be shared.
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