Administration for Community Living Grants

Administration for Community Living

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on AI-Driven Assistive and Rehabilitation Technologies

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research on and development of innovative technologies that are designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or to remove environmental barriers. The purpose of this RERC is to conduct research on, develop, and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven assistive and rehabilitation technologies that enhance independence, participation, and quality of life for people with disabilities. Many existing assistive and rehabilitation technologies lack adaptability, personalization, and seamless integration into daily life. AI and machine learning (ML) offer trans-formative potential to address these gaps by enabling smarter, more responsive, and individualized assistive and rehabilitation technologies. AI-driven innovations in assistive and rehabilitation technology can shift them from static tools to dynamic, intelligent systems that continuously learn and adapt in real time to individual preferences, needs, and changing abilities. This grant will have a 60-month project period, with five 12-month budget periods.

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research on and development of innovative technologies that are designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or to remove environmental barriers. The purpose of this RERC is to conduct research on, develop, and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven assistive and rehabilitation technologies that enhance independence, participation, and quality of life for people with disabilities. Many existing assistive and rehabilitation technologies lack adaptability, personalization, and seamless integration into daily life. AI and machine learning (ML) offer trans-formative potential to address these gaps by enabling smarter, more responsive, and individualized assistive and rehabilitation technologies. AI-driven innovations in assistive and rehabilitation technology can shift them from static tools to dynamic, intelligent systems that continuously learn and adapt in real time to individual preferences, needs, and changing abilities. This grant will have a 60-month project period, with five 12-month budget periods.

Administration for Community Living

ACL National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging

Administration for Community Living

OverviewThe National Information and Referral Support Center will advance ACL"s strategic priority by increasing the quality and professionalism of the Older American's Act (OAA) aging and disability information and referral field through national leadership, training, technical assistance, resource development, peer learning opportunities, promoting standards and certification, coordinating with information, referral, and assistance systems, defining OAA information, referral, and assistance as a system, service, and process, and disseminating evidence-informed and culturally responsive practices throughout the nation's information, referral, and assistance ecosystem. SummaryFundamental to its role and purpose, the National I&R Support Center ensures that the aging and disability I&R/A workforce are trained, certified, and grounded in nationally standardized benchmarks that govern quality and professional service delivery. The National I&R Support Center advances ACL"s strategic priority of Connecting People to Services by providing support to streamlined access to information, services, and support for older adults, people with disabilities, and their families and caregivers. The National I&R Support Center achieves this priority by supporting the ongoing implementation, operation, and enhancement of the Eldercare Locator, through technical assistance. As a trusted, nationwide entry point, the Eldercare Locator strengthens the aging and disability networks by promoting consistency, quality, and accessibility through information and referral services contained in the Eldercare Locator database. The Eldercare Locator serves as the national gateway that connects individuals, regardless of where they are located geographically, to essential state and community-based resources closest to where they live, thereby supporting ACL"s commitment to a consumer-driven access system. The Support Center advances the HHS strategic goal of Improving the Well-Being of Americans by ensuring older adults and their family caregivers have an informed I&R/A workforce to help them or their loved ones stay in their homes and communities longer. Challenges and TrendsTrends continue to make I&R/A increasingly important to older adult and family caregivers. Today, a myriad of choices and decisions about health care, housing, transportation, food, caregiving, and long-term services and support (LTSS) challenge connections to services. Too often, a quest for information and services requires engaging a number of information providers, which results in frustration and confusion for consumers. Severe weather, natural disasters and the COVID pandemic highlight the critical need for timely, informed, and accurate information and assistance. I&R/A must also address the burgeoning and increasingly more complex aging and family caregiver populations. Caregivers are emerging in rapidly growing numbers who need access to I&R/A through a range of telephone, computer, and social media approaches. Older adults and family caregivers are increasingly relying on technology to live safely and independently in their own homes. Advances in smartphones, online chat, web conferencing, and assistive technology join voice assistants (Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant) and generative companions (ElliQ) as AI moves forward to redefine supports in medication management, safety and location trackers, and methods for reducing isolation and loneliness. I&R/A is far more than just telephone interaction. As a field, I&R/A seeks to invest in and utilize innovative technologies to enhance the workforce, improve access, and increase efficiencies. The quest for high-tech also highlights the indispensable continuance of the foundational practice of human touch for older adults and their caregivers who need I&R/A, but do not have access to technology and the population that prefers human conversation.With this Notice of Funding Opportunity, ACL seeks to issue one grant award funding a cooperative agreement to operate the National Information and Referral Support Center, the purpose of which is to provide support, technical assistance, and training to the National Aging Services Network to enhance the skills, knowledge, and management capacity of aging and disability information, referral, and assistance programs. As a result of this grant, ACL expects information, referral, and assistance programs will improve their skills and ability to support older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families connect with information, services, and supports.

Administration for Community Living

Cooperative agreements under this Alzheimer"s Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are intended to support and promote the development and implementation of dementia-capable home and community-based service (HCBS) systems in Indian Country. The Dementia Capability in Indian Country program is intended to support federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations and/or consortiums representing federally recognized tribes in these targeted activities. The dementia-capable systems resulting from activities under this program are expected to provide quality, strengths-based services and supports that help people living with dementia and their caregivers remain independent and safe in their communities. There are two application options contained in this single NOFO: Grants to Tribes and Tribal Entities that have previously received ADPI grants (Option A) and Grants to Tribes and Tribal Entities that are new to the ADPI program (Option B). Applicants for the 36-month Dementia in Indian Country cooperative agreement are those entities that are presently responsible for the provision of and actively providing home and community services in tribal communities (i.e. tribes, tribal organizations and/or consortiums representing federally recognized tribes). Applicants for Option A will propose the ways in which they will expand on their previously funded ADPI programs (this grant program is not intended to sustain previously funded ADPI activities) and applicants under option B will propose to enhance existing service systems with dementia services, resulting in the provision of services to Tribal Elders and their caregivers through a dementia-capable system. Responsive applications will demonstrate tribal leadership support and the authority to conduct the activities proposed in their application.

Administration for Community Living

Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) - State and Community Grant Program

Administration for Community Living

University Centers for Developmental Disabilities in Education, Research, and Service

Administration for Community Living

Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) - Dementia Capability in Indian Country

Administration for Community Living

Cooperative agreements under this Alzheimer"s Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are intended to support and promote the development and implementation of dementia-capable home and community-based service (HCBS) systems in Indian Country. The Dementia Capability in Indian Country program is intended to support federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations and/or consortiums representing federally recognized tribes in these targeted activities. The dementia-capable systems resulting from activities under this program are expected to provide quality, strengths-based services and supports that help people living with dementia and their caregivers remain independent and safe in their communities. There are two application options contained in this single NOFO: Grants to Tribes and Tribal Entities that have previously received ADPI grants (Option A) and Grants to Tribes and Tribal Entities that are new to the ADPI program (Option B). Applicants for the 36-month Dementia in Indian Country cooperative agreement are those entities that are presently responsible for the provision of and actively providing home and community services in tribal communities (i.e. tribes, tribal organizations and/or consortiums representing federally recognized tribes). Applicants for Option A will propose the ways in which they will expand on their previously funded ADPI programs (this grant program is not intended to sustain previously funded ADPI activities) and applicants under option B will propose to enhance existing service systems with dementia services, resulting in the provision of services to Tribal Elders and their caregivers through a dementia-capable system. Responsive applications will demonstrate tribal leadership support and the authority to conduct the activities proposed in their application.

Administration for Community Living

Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Grants

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of the Assistive Technology (AT) Alternative Financing Program (AFP) is to support programs that provide for the purchase of AT, such as a low-interest loan fund, an interest buy-down program, a revolving loan fund, a loan guarantee, or an insurance program, that results in the acquisition of AT devices and services. Applicants for the AT AFP grant awards are required to provide an assurance that, and information describing the manner in which, the AT AFP will expand and emphasize consumer choice and control. Applicants should incorporate credit-building activities in their programs, including financial education and information about other possible funding sources. Successful applicants must emphasize consumer choice and control and build programs that will provide financing for the full array of AT devices and services and ensure that all people with disabilities, regardless of type of disability or health condition, age, level of income, and residence, have access to the program.

Administration for Community Living

ACL is seeking applications from eligible state agencies that will advance the provision of respite services through their statewide Lifespan Respite Care system as outlined in the Act. There are two application options for states contained in this single Notice of Funding Opportunity. State Applicants for Option A (Grants to New States and States Re-Establishing Their Core Respite Infrastructures): This opportunity is for states who have never had a grant, OR who had a grant before, but the program has stopped, and they wish to start it up again. State Applicants for Option B (State Program Enhancement Grants): This opportunity is intended for states that have had at least one grant in the past and/or wish to continue building and expanding upon their programmatic activities to enhance and expand the availability of lifespan respite services. Grantees will collaborate with state respite organizations and coalitions to enhance and expand the availability of lifespan respite services. The goal of the program is to enhance state systems and capacities to deliver respite care and related services to family caregivers of children and adults across all age groups, disabilities, and chronic conditions.

Administration for Community Living

National Technical Assistance Center on Kinship and Grandfamilies

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity is to support one organization through a cooperative agreement to serve as the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging. This center will act as a central connector to the aging network for the discretionary and formula funded nutrition grants. It will offer individualized and tiered technical assistance, high-quality education, and a wide range of resources. The Resource Center will help the network provide cost-effective services that align with the purposes of the Older Americans Act, Title III-C. They will help promote the advancement of the Senior Nutrition Program network by building partnerships, supporting data collection, reporting metrics, highlighting key achievements, and engaging stakeholders to encourage long-term sustainability of the Senior Nutrition Programs.

Administration for Community Living

Cooperative agreements under the ADPI funding Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), are intended to support and promote the development and expansion of dementia-capable home and community-based service (HCBS) systems in States and Communities. There are two application options contained in this single NOFO: Grants to States (Option A) and Grants to Communities (Option B). No entity is eligible to apply for both State and Community options and no entity is eligible to hold more than one ADPI grant at a time. The dementia-capable systems resulting from program activities under either option are expected to provide quality, person-centered services and supports that help individuals living with dementia and their caregiver remain independent and safe in their communities.OPTION A: Grants to StatesApplicants for Option A (36 month cooperative agreements) are the governmental entities within states and territories designated as the state agency for dementia-capability and that have working relationships with their state agencies that enable creating and sustaining a dementia- capable HCBS System. Option A has two required objectives, the first of which is the creation, expansion and sustainability of a dementia-capable state HCBS system that includes Single Entry Point/No Wrong Door (SEP/NWD) access for people with dementia and their family caregivers. The second objective is to ensure access to a comprehensive, sustainable set of quality state HCBS that are dementia-capable and provide innovative services to the population with dementia and their caregivers.States and territories eligible for Option A are those that do not have active ACL ADPI State dementia-capability grants. All states without active grants are eligible to apply, however those states that have not benefited from ADSSP grants since before 2014 will be given priority consideration in the post-review decision-making process.OPTION B: Grants to CommunitiesCooperative agreements under Option B (36 month cooperative agreements) are available to private and/or public community-based organizations (CBO) that are able to: 1) demonstrate their operation within an existing dementia-capable HCBS system dedicated to the population that they serve; and 2) articulate opportunities and additional services in the targeted gap areas that would enhance and strengthen the existing system.Option B cooperative agreements are designed to aid community-based HCBS providers in addressing three specific service gaps in existing dementia-capable HCBS systems for persons living with or those at high risk of developing Alzheimer"s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers.Option B applicants must address each of the following three gap areas:Provision of effective supportive services to persons living alone with ADRD in the community;Improvement of the quality and effectiveness of programs and services dedicated to individuals aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities with ADRD or those at high risk of developing ADRD; and Delivery of behavioral symptom management training and expert consultations for family caregivers.Community-based organizations are only eligible to hold one ADPI grant at a time. All community-based organizations without active ADPI grants are eligible to apply, however those that have not benefited from ADI-SSS and ADPI grant programs since before 2014 will be given priority consideration in the post-review decision-making process.

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to implement the demonstration authority in Section 373(i) of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended (OAA). Successful grantees will use the framework provided by the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers (the Strategy) as the basis for their proposed projects. Under this NOFO, ACL is interested in supporting state implementation of the principles, recommendations and actions as stated in the Strategy. Grantees will be expected to develop a range of cross-agency partnerships at the state level to identify which of the Strategy's goals, recommendations and stated actions they wish to address on a statewide basis. Up to, but not to exceed, the first six months of their projects, grantees will be permitted to undertake a period of planning and coordination with project partners. At the end of the planning period, grantees must submit a sustainability plan detailing how project activities and accomplishments will be maintained and continued following the period of federal funding. During the remainder of their two-year projects, grantees will focus on implementation and execution of their proposals.

Administration for Community Living

National Information and Referral Support Center

Administration for Community Living

ACL National Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Resource Center

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity is to support one organization through a cooperative agreement to serve as the National Chronic Disease Self-Management Education (CDSME) Resource Center. This center will act as a central connector to the aging network for the discretionary and formula funded CDSME grants. It will offer individualized and tiered technical assistance, high-quality education, and a wide range of resources to increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who participate in evidence based CDSME and Self-Management Support Programs. The Resource Center will help the network provide cost-effective services that align with the purposes of the Older Americans Act, Title III-D. They will promote the advancement of the CDSME network through building partnerships, supporting data collection, reporting metrics, highlighting key achievements, and engaging stakeholders to encourage long-term sustainability of the programs.

Administration for Community Living

AoD's Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (OIDD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) forecasts the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funds to make five-year grants to up to two entities designated as University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD). These grantees carry out four core functions: (1) interdisciplinary pre-service preparation and continuing education of students; (2) community services, including training, technical assistance, and/or demonstration and model activities; (3) research; and (4) dissemination of information. UCEDDs are interdisciplinary education, research and public service units of universities, or public or not-for-profit entities associated with universities that implement the four core functions addressing, directly or indirectly, one or more of the areas of emphasis (e.g., quality assurance, education and early intervention, child care, health, employment, housing, transportation, recreation and other services available or offered to individuals in a community, including formal and informal community supports, that affect their quality of life). Funds made available under this proposed funding opportunity will be used to pay for the Federal share of the cost of the administration and operation of programs.

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity is to support one organization through a cooperative agreement to serve as the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging. This center will act as a central connector to the aging network for the discretionary and formula funded nutrition grants. It will offer individualized and tiered technical assistance, high-quality education, and a wide range of resources. The Resource Center will help the network provide cost-effective services that align with the purposes of the Older Americans Act, Title III-C. They will help promote the advancement of the Senior Nutrition Program network by building partnerships, supporting data collection, reporting metrics, highlighting key achievements, and engaging stakeholders to encourage long-term sustainability of the Senior Nutrition Programs.

Administration for Community Living

The purpose of the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) on Kinship and Grandfamilies is to increase the services provided to grandfamilies and kinship families through the National Aging Services Network. This center will increase the National Aging Services Network capacity and effectiveness to support the health and well-being of members of grandfamilies and kinship families, including caregivers, children, and their parents. NTAC will catalyze implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers by scaling replicable models proven to support grandfamilies and kinship families in their caregiving roles. The NTAC will do this through collaboration with subject matter experts, provision of technical assistance, resources and training across systems, fostering peer-to-peer learning, and planning responses to emergencies and disasters.

Administration for Community Living

Peer Supports for Augmentative and Alternative Communication