The so-called retirement years will just be another platform to continue the great experiment that is your life. There are already emerging organizations that recognize this tremendous pent-up desire to keep on keepin' on right into very old age. Opportunities for meaningful involvement in worthwhile endeavors are popping up in existing organizations such as the Peace Corps and Habitat for Humanity. The over-fifty set is bringing its talents and newfound time to volunteer work traditionally thought of as being in the domain of a much younger crowd.

Civic Ventures

Civic Ventures is a nonprofit that is putting money behind new initiatives that will reshape community involvement. This organization is perhaps best known for launching Experience Corps, which matches smart, energetic people with community groups that can benefit from their wealth of experience.

Purpose Prize

Now, with funding from Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Temple-ton Foundation, Civic Ventures is sponsoring an annual “Purpose Prize.” Awarded to people over the age of sixty, five winners annually will each receive $100,000 in recognition of social initiatives they have undertaken. A significant disqualifier would be if the new program were in any way connected to the nominee's career path. A subtext goal is to reward older people for taking a risk and beginning something completely new. So put your thinking cap on now and begin dreaming about issues you feel strongly about, and envision ways you can tackle them in your free time.