AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation reported $202.9 million in revenue and $194.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $78.32 went to program services, $9.40 to management and general costs and $12.28 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 79.7% of the total. Government grants made up 51.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $608,408 (PRESIDENT). 142 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 31% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $194MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $203MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.3% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.4% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.3% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.15 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 79.7% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 51.2% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.2% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $608,408 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.31% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 142 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 41.6 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 13 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEconomic mobility programs provide direct services nationwide to older adults with low income who are seeking training and employment. This includes the senior community service employment program (scsep), back to work 50+, and other workforce development initiatives, which connect unemployed adults age 55 and older with training opportunities, skill-building experiences, and employment pathways through partnerships with local non-profits, public agencies, and employers
Volunteer programs provide support for teams of volunteers that help older adults with low income and bring a sense of purpose back into the lives of older adult volunteers. This includes Aarp Foundation tax-aide, which relies on more than 28,000 volunteers nationwide to provide free tax preparation and filing assistance, especially to older adults with low to moderate income. Tax-aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified annually and typically help taxpayers receive close to $1 billion in refunds and credits every year. Additional programs include experience corps, a community-based…
Litigation programs engage in litigation to ensure that older adults have a voice and proper representation in the legal system. The foundation's attorneys file and support lawsuits that have a significant impact on senior poverty by reducing barriers to employment, increasing access to public and private benefits, and protecting consumers
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $490,291 | $61,041 | $57,076 | $608,408 |
| CFO & SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $492,831 | $0 | $64,466 | $557,297 |
| SVP - PROGRAMS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $386,451 | $0 | $57,723 | $444,174 |
| SVP - LITIGATION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $363,132 | $10,405 | $48,456 | $421,993 |
| SVP - MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $338,169 | $0 | $76,378 | $414,547 |
| SECRETARY Officer, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $333,112 | $73,612 | $406,724 |
| VP - FINANCE, GRANTS, & OPS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $320,498 | $0 | $71,849 | $392,347 |
| VP - LITIGATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $296,136 | $2,358 | $57,613 | $356,107 |
142 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from AARP Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.7M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b13 · 12 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5368
- Volunteers Part I, line 629,055
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| THE MOORE COMPANIES INC Commercial printing services | $3,828,179 |
| CONCORD LITHO GROUP Strategic & creative marketing services | $3,507,994 |
| CP DIRECT INC Commercial printing services | $1,682,328 |
| SLALOM INC Technology & other services | $1,652,245 |
| BSC ACQUISTION SUB LLC Direct mail services | $1,461,123 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 111 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
126 private foundations reported grants to AARP Foundation totaling $1.8M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from AARP Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for AARP Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 AARP Foundation spent in 2024, $78.32 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All human services charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of AARP Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, AARP Foundation reported that 78.3% of its $194.4 million in expenses went to program services, 9.4% to management and general and 12.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does AARP Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation AARP Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $608,408, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does AARP Foundation get its money?
Of $202.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 79.7% came from contributions and grants (including 51.2% from government grants) and 0.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is AARP Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-0794300 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503119349302435 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403129349304280 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333079349300323 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223139349304457 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103149349306350 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013159349304086 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-0794300: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.