Responsive Grants - Advocacy

Responsive Grants - Advocacy is sponsored by Retirement Research Foundation. Supports advocacy projects impacting older Americans, focusing on economic security and health care.

RRF Foundation for Aging: Responsive Grants in Advocacy, Professional Education or Research – Letters of Intent for February 2026 Cycle - Research Support Notice: this is an archived listing << Back to Limited Submissions RRF Foundation for Aging: Responsive Grants in Advocacy, Professional Education or Research – Letters of Intent for February 2026 Cycle Funding Agency: RRF Foundation for Aging (formerly The Retirement Research Foundation) Funding Type: Research: Project Grants & Innovation Sponsor/Solicitation URL: Visit Sponsor Website Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu.

edu . The Retirement Research Foundation supports advancements in the field of aging and is dedicated to improving the quality of life of older people. While some projects are limited to Illinois, others that are national in scope can apply to the program areas of reach of Advocacy, Professional Education or Research.

RRF generally does not fund: - Projects that are not intentionally focused on older people, age 60 and above - Projects outside of the United States - General operating expenses or support for ongoing programs without significant changes in strategy or focus - Biomedical research, basic theory development for social science research, or research and development for new technology - Construction of facilities, capital improvements, or computer equipment - Conferences, publications, or production of films and videos unless they are integral components of a larger project - Dissertation research, tuition expenses, or education programs for undergraduate or graduate students - Endowments, capital campaigns, or fundraising events Institutional limitation: Only one application per department per cycle at PSU is permitted.

1. Advocacy: https://www. rrf.

org/apply-for-a-grant/advocacy-grants/ RRF funds advocacy projects that focus on improving public policy for older persons.

Of particular interest are projects that: - Advance policy issues of critical importance to older people such as economic security, caregiving, housing, etc. - Use clearly focused and strategic efforts to address systemic problems - Forge partnerships with organizations to achieve better use of resources and to share knowledge 2. Professional Education and Training Grants: https://www. rrf.

org/apply-for-a-grant/professional-education-training-grants/ RRF funds professional education and training projects that will be broadly disseminated to achieve a national impact. RRF recognizes the importance of a well-trained work force to serve older persons.

Of particular interest are programs that: - Increase the knowledge and skills of professionals and paraprofessionals who serve older people - Expand the capacity and number of professionals and paraprofessionals prepared to meet the growing needs of an aging population 3. Research grants: https://www. rrf.

org/apply-for-a-grant/research-grants/ RRF funds research that seeks to identify interventions, policies and practices to improve the well-being of older adults and/or their caregivers. Preference is given to projects aimed at generating practical knowledge and guidance that can be used by advocates, policy-makers, providers, and the aging network.

Of particular interest are: - Interventional trials; translational studies; and health services and policy research - Projects that build on the investigator’s past studies - Proposals that include robust dissemination plans, if appropriate, to assure that findings reach audiences positioned to act on them Research Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations that are: - Proposing applied research projects that have immediate and direct implications on the adult population, age 60 and older - Proposing a project that will have national relevance across the U.S. only in the Advocacy, Professional Education or Research program areas.

- Applicants must wait a year to re-submit a proposal for the same project just in case some have applied in the past without our knowledge. $44,000 to $260,000 (over two years). 10% of the direct expenses requested from RRF can be allocated to indirect expenses.

Letters of inquiry (LOIs) are due on 11/1, 2/1, and 5/1 at 11:59 pm CT every year. See steps 1-4 in each of the program area LOI guidelines listed above. LOIs will be accepted no later than 11:59 PM (CT) of the deadline day.

If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, LOIs will be accepted as late as 5:00 PM (CT) the following workday. RRF will review LOIs and respond to applicants approximately four weeks after the LOI submission deadline. Applicants invited to submit a full proposal have one year after the LOI deadline to submit.

While RRF’s previous LOI process involved submitting Word or PDF documents, the new process will consist of completing an online form, including a series of written prompts. You can watch an instructional video walkthrough of the application process here . FAQs: https://www.

rrf. org/apply-for-a-grant/application-info-tips/faqs/ Evaluation criteria: https://www. rrf.

org/apply-for-a-grant/application-info-tips/evaluation-guidelines/ Previously funded grants: https://www. rrf. org/apply-for-a-grant/similar-grants-weve-funded/ Internal Nomination Process: Applicants should contact Karen Kemirembe, Ph.

D. , Associate Director of Foundation Relations (kuk195@psu. edu), Office of Foundation Relations, for more information or additional support.

Applicants at the College of Medicine/ Penn State Health System should contact Maria Petrilak, Associate Director of Foundation Relations (mpetrilak@pennstatehealth. psu. edu).

Interested applicants should upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: Last name_RetirementResearchFoundation2026. pdf) no later than 4:00 p. m.

on the internal submission deadline: Project Summary Information Brief Project Description (1-2 sentences) Estimated Length of Project, Project Start and End Dates Estimated Total Project Cost, Amount of Funding already Secured (if applicable) RRF grant pathway (Advocacy, Direct Service, Professional Education & Training, Research, or Organizational Capacity Building) that best describes your proposed project.

RRF priority area (Caregiving, Housing, Economic Security in Later Life, or Social and Intergenerational Connectedness) your project addresses. Select only the primary area. If your project does not directly align with a Priority Area, you are welcome to submit an idea for consideration as an “Other Promising Project.

” LOI Written Prompts Statement of Need and Proposed Solution Provide a brief (no more than 2 paragraphs - approximately 350 words) statement about the primary issue the project will address, how you intend to address it, and why this project is needed at this time.

If you indicated that your project falls into the category of “Other Promising Projects,” use this space to discuss how your project: presents a promising opportunity to advance the field of aging; addresses a time-sensitive and urgent issue; promotes a new opportunity for collaboration; or promotes positive perceptions of aging. Tell us the overarching Goals and SMART(IE) Objectives of your project.

You should have no more than 1-2 goals, and each goal should have no more than 3-4 objectives. You may use bullet points in this section. Provide a description of the target population, including number of people your project will reach/effect (sample size for research proposals), how you will reach the population (recruitment), and demographic information or geographic location where relevant.

This description should be no more than 1 paragraph - approximately 150 words. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Lens In two to three sentences, please describe how your organization will bring a DEI lens to the proposed project. If your project does not have a DEI focus, write “N/A.

” RRF’s definition of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion can be found on RRF’s Frequently Asked Questions webpage. Please describe the specific methods you will use to accomplish your goals and objectives. No more than 2 paragraphs - approximately 350 words.

For a research project, include the study design and information on the intervention where relevant. Discuss your evaluation criteria and methods, this section should include expected outcomes and a brief statement on dissemination where applicable. This section should be no more than 1-2 paragraphs - approximately 200 words.

For research projects, include information on measurement strategies, data collection, and planned analyses. Organizational Qualifications/Partners/Stakeholders Include information on who is leading the project, their qualifications, and partner organizations/stakeholders that will be involved. No more than 2 paragraphs - approximately 350 words.

Prospective Project Budget In a few sentences, describe how you generally anticipate RRF funds being used to support your proposed project (i.e., supporting costs for personnel, consultants, program materials, technology, dissemination activities). Font/size: Times New Roman (12 pt.) Document margins: 1.

0” (top, bottom, left and right) Standard paper size (8 ½” x 11) Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu. edu. This announcement provides only opportunity highlights.

Please carefully review the program guidelines and the sponsor's website for any requirements and expectations related to eligibility, PI and Co-PI limits, budget, collaboration, priority research areas, letter of intent requirements, and review criteria before submitting to this internal competition.