our priorities

Catalyzing equitable, innovative, and collaborative programs in Colorado and across the country

Making aging more affordable

It is expensive to grow older in the United States. Why are roughly 30% of older adults economically insecure? Because our systems do not prioritize economic well-being as we age.

  • Economic insecurity is higher among minority older adults. In fact, 43.4% of Black and 44.1% of Hispanic adults age 65+ have incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level.1
  • Based on the Elder Index2, almost half of Americans aged 60 and older don’t have enough income to afford basic necessities. Rising debt burdens increase monthly expenses, which leaves even less income for housing and other essentials.3
  • Older adults living with a disability have nearly triple the rate of food insecurity as their peers without a disability.4
  • Many adults ages 50 and over, including 8.0% of women and 7.8% of men, report being behind on their rent or mortgage payments. Black women (15.9%) were three times more likely than white, non-Hispanic men (5.0%) and white, non-Hispanic women (5.5%) to be behind on their housing payments.5
  • About 11.0% of LGBT adults and 7.7% of non-LGBT adults ages 50 and over report being behind on their housing payments.6

Sources: 1. NCOA, 2. Elder Index, 3. Next Avenue Another Year Older and Deeper in Debt, 4. NCOA Facts on Older Americans, 5. Economic Security and Health of Older Women of Color, 6. Economic Security and Health of Older Women of Color 

Understanding Our Priority Areas

To create economic opportunity, Next50 supports organizations focused on three priority areas.

The issue of economic well-being for older adults is multi-faceted. To create impactful changes to our systems in both the near- and long-term, this problem needs to be addressed from many angles. We have identified the following three priority areas through which we hope to affect change.

1. Ending Ageism

2. Advancing Digital Equity

3. Supporting Aging in Place

All grant applications must demonstrate alignment with at least one of these priorities. 

Ending Ageism

We want to live in a world where people are valued and respected as they age. To make this happen, we need to end age-related stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination directed toward others and ourselves. We believe that this will eliminate societal barriers built from age-based bias, thus improving access to economic opportunity for older adults in both the short- & long-term. Here are some examples of the kinds of projects we seek to fund in this area:

  • Increasing social awareness of ageism, such as efforts to include age diversity in the media
  • Creating an age-inclusive workforce, human resources, or healthcare training
  • Policy and advocacy efforts for legal protections against age-related bias
  • Projects that address the root causes of ageism, shift cultural narratives, and influence systems

Advancing Digital Equity

In the 21st century, technology is a basic need. It must become accessible and affordable for all older adults and the organizations that serve them. Creating equitable access to technology will expand and improve the economic well-being of many older adults. This will also impact the organizations serving these populations by enhancing their efficiency and responsiveness. Here are some examples of the kinds of projects we seek to fund in this area:

  • Efforts that increase access to technology and broadband, especially in low-income and rural communities
  • Novel programs and ideas that promote age-inclusive design and aging in place technologies
  • Policy and advocacy efforts to increase affordable internet access
  • Equitable and innovative digital education programs that facilitate access to financial or workforce resources
  • Digital fraud and scam prevention

Supporting Aging in Place

As our country ages, we want older adults to have the resources, economic freedom, and peace of mind to live where they feel most comfortable – whether at home or in their community. Here are some examples of the kinds of projects we seek to fund in this area:

  • Affordable housing or homelessness prevention programs
  • Creative and novel solutions for in-home services that provide more affordable alternatives to institutional living
  • Caregiver or direct care workforce support and services
  • Access to public benefits assistance, including financial literacy programs
  • Programs that address debt among older adults

We believe that these priority areas can come together to create the ultimate change we hope to see: making aging more affordable in this country.

our equity focus and mission-aligned populations

Next50 supports organizations that align with our mission and core values. 

At Next50, equity is a key part of our mission and our core values. We are proud to incorporate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles into all aspects of our work. That is why all grant applications must demonstrate alignment with our mission and core values.

Our mission mandates that we direct grant funding toward low- and moderate-income older adults, including those from historically marginalized and geographically underserved communities. To do this, we have identified the following mission-aligned populations:

Black or African American

Middle Eastern or North African

American Indian or Native Alaskan

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Asian

Hispanic or Latino

LGBTQ+

Low-income

Immigrant/Refugee

Unhoused

People with Disabilities

Incarcerated/Formerly Incarcerated

Rural

Frontier

Veteran

Building Strong Nonprofits

We know that it is expensive to age in this country, and we believe that one key solution to this problem is a healthy and thriving nonprofit sector. For example, in Colorado, nonprofits play a crucial role in making aging more affordable in our state, but they are also key contributors to Colorado’s economy.

Colorado is home to 34,251 nonprofits that contribute 262,000 jobs and $64 billion to the Colorado economy each year.1

Despite the immense strength of the nonprofit sector, these organizations face financial barriers every day – from unmanageable reimbursement rates to high staff turnover and constant fundraising hurdles. This is why we invest not only in the financial well-being of older adults themselves, but in the resilience of the organizations serving them.

  1. 2024 Colorado Nonprofit Economic Impact Report from the Colorado Nonprofit Association

We invest in the resilience of older adult-serving nonprofits through:

  • Program Related Investments (PRI)
  • Strategic Grant Opportunities: Colorado Organizational Resiliency and Sudden and Urgent Need
  • Advocacy Efforts
  • Sponsorships
  • Partnerships
Learn More

grant portal resources

Learn More →
en_USEnglish
es_MXEspañol de México en_USEnglish