This report, the second in a series of Aging in Place Initiative workshop reports, documents the event that was held in Phoenix and provides a succinct, yet thorough understanding of the important efforts being made in Arizona, efforts that have been and will continue to be strengthened as a result of the workshop.The workshop drew a diverse group of stakeholders eager to discuss how nonprofit organizations and older adults can equally benefit from Americans’ desire to find meaningful work opportunities after their primary career. Dowload Report> (3.93 MB)

The workshop featured a number of local and national speakers representing the Arizona Governor’s Office, local grant-making organizations,local nonprofits, and statewide nonprofit associations. Several speakers introduced the audience to the topic and were followed by an in-depth panel discussion and audience interaction.

To help set the stage for the conversation, the following “Backgrounder” section (see p. 5) provides critical background information on Arizona demographics and the status of the nonprofit sector in the state.

The critical findings and analysis from the workshop are found in the “Turning Silver into Gold: Workforce Development and Nonprofit Capacity Building” section (see p. 6). This section analyzes the issue of “workforce

development and nonprofit capacity building” by incorporating key statements from the workshop along with the findings from national surveys and reports. By most measures, Arizona is leading the nation in finding innovative ways to provide older adults with meaningful work opportunities. Thus, individuals and communities from across the country can benefit from learning about the challenges and solutions that were discussed at the workshop including: how older adults can fill vacancies in industries that are experiencing labor shortages, overcome stigmas and stereotypes, and find meaningful, engaging and flexible paid and unpaid work.

Arizona is home to many nationally-recognized programs and ideas that make them a leader in workforce development and nonprofit capacity building. A listing and description of these projects and others from across the country is found in the “Aging Friendly Innovations: Best Practices” section (see p. 15).  Dowload Report> (3.93 MB)