Recognizing Encore Careers Focused on Social Good, AARP Purpose Prize Will Honor Five Winners with $50K Cash Awards

Given that LinkedIn columns cover a variety of interesting career-related topics, I want to call your attention to the AARP Purpose Prize which this September will award $50,000 cash prizes to five winners (age 50 and up) who, in what might be termed the second half of life, have embarked on a new career – some people call them “encore careers” – that is focused on helping other people. 

The Purpose Prize was started more than 10 years ago by Encore.org to recognize – and reward with cash awards -- individuals who, in an encore career, are creating new ways to solve tough social problems. Previous winners include people who started community-based programs in support of cancer patients, underprivileged kids, isolated seniors, and disabled people, to name just a very few. At AARP we were so impressed with the Purpose Prize, and the individuals and work it honors, that we pursued an opportunity to make it part of the AARP family.  And now it is. 

For the next month – until May 12, 2017 – AARP is accepting nominations for this year’s Purpose Prize. 

Although you could call their work heroic, when you take a look at previous winners of The Purpose Prize you won’t see any superhero capes (or, for that matter, big budgets, or massive staffs or fancy offices.) While their work is often extraordinary, Purpose Prize winners tend to come from “ordinary” walks of life, in the very nicest sense of the word. They’re co-workers, neighbors, teachers, former colleagues, you name it. Since 2006, the program has garnered nearly 10,000 nominations, honored more than 500 winners and fellows, and attracted millions of dollars in new resources for winners to expand their projects.

Here’s how the nomination and subsequent application process works:

You go here to nominate someone or nominate yourself (either is fine.)  It’s free and open to the public (although anyone nominated must be 50 or older.) All nominations must be submitted by May 12. 

Once a nomination is submitted via our online portal, nominees will be invited, via email, to submit a Purpose Prize application, which they can complete online. Most people find it to be a pretty simple process.  (As soon as they are nominated, nominees may submit their online application, with all applications due by May 19, 2017.)

All AARP Purpose Prize applications will be reviewed on the following criteria:

• Innovation: A new approach to an old or emerging problem, or a creative way of scaling up or expanding a promising approach
• Creative or entrepreneurial spirit: The nominee demonstrates a commitment to becoming a visionary or pioneer in their field of work
• Impact: Clear documentation of impact, whether through an external evaluation or ongoing internal efforts to track outcomes and indicators of success
• Future focus: A trajectory that shows promise for the future; i.e. potential for the next five years
• Experience-based: Clear connection between the applicant’s life experience or interests and the work at hand, whether through the problem being solved, the skills being applied to the problem, or the life experience or insights that led to the work
• Integrity: Evidence that candidates are highly ethical individuals who will make an excellent AARP Purpose Prize representative and who can be role models for others who are using their life experience to make a difference.

Getting Specific

In the interest of providing you with full visibility on what the AARP Purpose Prize is and how the selection process works, here are a few other considerations:

Q: Can the candidate’s work be either paid or volunteer?

Yes, the candidate can operate in a paid or unpaid capacity — working as a volunteer, receiving a stipend or paid a salary. Some AARP Purpose Prize applicants receive income for their current work; others donate their time. 

Q: Does the candidate have to have started a new organization?

No. In fact, we strongly encourage nominations for people who are using innovative approaches and systems to substantially transform existing programs or organizations. This can be in the nonprofit, public or private sectors. However, simply applying strong management skills to improve an organization’s performance is not sufficient to be selected.

Q: Does the candidate have to be working for a nonprofit?

No. Candidates can work for different kinds of organizations: nonprofits, government agencies, social purpose ventures, hybrid organizations that mix elements of for-profit and nonprofit, or profit-making ventures. As long as the work is leading to positive social change and has had a significant impact at the local, regional, national or global level, it is eligible.

Q: Can the candidate be working on issues outside the US?

Yes. If so, on the application, make sure to select 'International' geographic scope. That indicates that the candidate’s work primarily benefits people living outside the US borders.

Q: What issues are most appropriate for the AARP Purpose Prize?

While AARP does not limit the types of social impact issues that will be considered, we will strongly consider candidates who work in areas of particular concern to AARP; specifically:

• Innovative workplace and employment practices
• Caregiving
• Healthy living
• Financial resiliency, stability, and savings
• Livable communities (e.g. local housing, transportation, age-friendly communities)

Past AARP Purpose Prize winners have been involved in issues as diverse as:

• Civic engagement and community development
• Environment
• Children and youth
• Economic opportunity
• Arts and culture
• Peace and security rights

Q: Is a candidate still eligible if he/she has received recognition or honors in his/her local community or field?

Yes. However, in general we are looking for individuals who have not been widely recognized outside their geographic area or their field of work. 

Q: Are there types of innovation that cannot be considered for the AARP Purpose Prize?

Creative endeavors that do not include social impact work will not be considered. Also, we cannot evaluate the merit of certain types of innovations. Here are some examples:

• Our review team is unable to evaluate scientific or technological inventions, although, of course, these can be important social innovations. Therefore, an inventor would need to describe how he/she has spread the use of an independently recognized invention resulting in a measurable social impact. 
• Similarly, an academic researcher or fine artist would need to demonstrate that he/she has also been involved in using research or art to address a significant social problem with demonstrated impact.

Q: Are only AARP members eligible?

No! Anyone who meets the criteria listed above is eligible.

In Conclusion

So that’s it. We’re excited about the AARP Purpose Prize and hope you are, too. If you know someone whose work might be a fit, nominate them! The deadline is May 12, 2017. 

Jo Ann Jenkins is CEO of AARP.