The Aging Advocacy Initiative is a national effort to strengthen and strategically align aging advocacy across the United States. This initiative will bring together national, state, and local advocates to break down siloes and build the infrastructure, leadership, and collaboration needed to advance aging as a key policy priority.
Grantmakers In Aging (GIA) is raising $1,000,000 in pooled funding for the Aging Advocacy Fund, which will support the project over a three-year period.
A Vision for Strengthening Collaboration and Impact
The Aging Advocacy Initiative is built on the belief that collective action achieves far more than individual efforts alone. It will invest in both short- and long-term strategies, responding to current threats and opportunities while building the infrastructure that’s needed to connect aging advocacy organizations and leaders across the country.
Key Goals Include:
- Targeting state and local entities for engagement; education and training; community building and activation
- Implementing the use of unified messaging across national, state and local advocacy efforts
- Laying the groundwork to effectively activate older people in advocacy
- Developing the infrastructure for a long-term, sustainable movement that will continue to bridge grassroots efforts with national advocacy
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Leadership, Design, and Governance
During the initial phase, GIA will host a Project Coordinator and provide fiscal administration and operational oversight to ensure effective implementation.
A Strategy and Design Collective, a select group of national, state, and local advocates, will collaborate to advance rapid response efforts and co-create a Blueprint for Aging Advocacy.
The Blueprint will:
- Define the operational structure needed to sustain the work
- Establish criteria for grantmaking to state and community partners
- Outline plans for a powerful network to share tools and collectively respond to threats and needs
- Identify indicators of success to measure progress and impact
To support this work, the initiative will also convene two advisory bodies - The Aging Advocacy Fund Committee, which will advise on funding decisions and The Aging Advocacy Initiative Consultative Council, a network of advocacy and movement-building experts who will share resources, tools, and research insights.
Looking Ahead
Every day, we see the need for more support and alignment in aging advocacy. Imagine a unified, powerful voice built from the ground up to ensure our country meets its demographic destiny.
The Aging Advocacy Initiative will give advocates the infrastructure, resources, and guidance they need to collaborate more effectively across sectors and geographies, be more responsive to emerging needs, and drive community-led progress on national, state, and local priorities.
Together, we can build lasting power to advance aging as a policy priority and create a future where people of all ages are valued, recognized, and engaged.