General Program Guidelines

The Retirement Research Foundation is devoted exclusively to improving quality of life for our nation's older population. We are especially committed to improving conditions for those who are vulnerable due to frailty associated with advanced age, those who are economically disadvantaged and at greatest risk of falling through the safety net, and those who experience disparities related to race and ethnicity.

The Foundation's goals are to:

• Improve access to and quality of community-based and residential health and long-term care;
• Promote economic security for all older adults by strengthening social insurance, pension, and personal savings programs; and
• Support adequate training of and compensation for those working directly with the elderly and their families to assure the highest quality of care.

High priority areas of interest:

The Retirement Research Foundation will give highest priority to the following areas:

• Economic security;
• Affordable and supportive housing;
• Coordinating care when older persons transfer from one care setting to another;
• Person-centered long-term care; and
• Mental health.

To achieve its goals, the Foundation supports nonprofits that provide:

• Advocacy;
• Replication of evidence-based programs, models and practices;
• Applied clinical, policy and social science research for which federal funding is not available;
• Education and training; and
• Direct service for older adults and/or their informal caregivers within a specified geographic area.

Principles and practices that will guide Foundation decision-making:

Review of our grantmaking revealed key characteristics for success. The Foundation will continue to give priority to organizations that embody the following:

• Nonprofit best practices, such as strong leadership, responsible governance, fiscal responsibility and viability, and ongoing evaluation;
• Early planning and implementation of strategies to sustain the project for the future;
• True understanding of, and commitment to, person-centered care that promotes the dignity of older persons and their freedom to make life choices;
• Implementation of proven models and approaches that address clearly identified needs and gaps;
• Recognition that there are many excellent, proven models and approaches for which dissemination merits support;
• Use of clearly focused, collaborative advocacy to address systemic problems; and
• Forging of strategic partnerships with organizations in the field and funders to achieve better use of resources, and sharing of knowledge.

The Accessible Faith Program and the Organizational Capacity Building Program will continue to be open to applicants exclusively from the metropolitan Chicago area.

In making grants, Foundation trustees are guided by a number of general policies and considerations, including:

1. The Retirement Research Foundation's geographic restrictions apply only to requests for support of direct service projects. Such direct service requests will be considered only from applicants in these seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Florida. Requests for support of other types of projects will be considered from applicants in any U.S. location.
2. Funding for vans is limited to applicants from Illinois and Florida.
3. Funding is generally limited to projects that are in keeping with the stated objectives.
4. The Foundation is particularly interested in innovative projects that develop and/or demonstrate new approaches to the problems of older adults and have the potential for regional or national impact.
5. The Foundation has a strong interest in serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Where projects of equal significance are under consideration, priority is given to proposals that benefit this geographic area.
6. Funding is not generally available for:
   • Biomedical research
   • Computer equipment
   • Conferences, publications or travel unless they are components of other larger Foundation-funded projects
   • Construction of facilities
   • Dissertation research
   • Endowment or developmental campaigns
   • General operating expenses of established organizations
   • Grants or scholarships to individuals
   • Production of films and videos
   • Projects of governmental organizations except for state universities, Area Agencies on Aging, and programs of the Veterans Administration.
   • Projects outside the United States
7. More than three years of support generally is not provided. Second-and third-year funding of an approved project is dependent upon progress during the first and second years.
8. Organizations seeking funding must qualify under the regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service.

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