Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACL AOA CGNS 0032
The Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers grant opportunity (HHS 2026 ACL AOA CGNS 0032) is a discretionary, cooperative agreement program run by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL). Its core purpose is to use the demonstration authority in Section 373(i) of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, to help states put the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers into practice. In plain terms, ACL is funding a small set of state-led projects that take the Strategy's principles, recommendations, and actions and turn them into coordinated, statewide improvements for family caregivers.
Projects funded under this NOFO are expected to be built around cross-agency state partnerships, not siloed efforts. Grantees are supposed to bring together multiple state-level partners (for example, aging, disability, health, behavioral health, Medicaid-related offices, workforce, transportation, or other relevant agencies and systems) to decide which specific Strategy goals and recommended actions they will tackle statewide. The emphasis is on structured coordination and alignment across programs so that caregiver supports are easier to access, more consistent, and better integrated into existing service systems.
The project period is two years, with a built-in planning and coordination phase at the front end. Grantees may use up to the first six months (but no more than six months) for planning with partners, refining the approach, and organizing implementation. A key requirement is that, at the end of that planning window, the grantee must submit a sustainability plan explaining how the work will continue after federal funding ends. The remainder of the two-year period is intended for hands-on implementation, meaning grantees move from planning into execution of the selected Strategy actions, testing approaches, and delivering improvements through their statewide partnerships.
Eligibility is narrowly limited to State Units on Aging (SUAs), specifically the state government entities that administer Title III-E of the Older Americans Act (the National Family Caregiver Support Program). ACL indicates this limited competition is permissible and is tied to seeking applications from a previously identified cohort of awardees (the SUAs) in order to improve administration of their current awards, consistent with federal grants policy guidance. Foreign entities are explicitly not eligible to apply for or receive awards under this announcement.
From a funding and competition standpoint, ACL anticipates making up to 4 awards, with an award ceiling of $490,000. The CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity is 93.052, and the funding activity category is Income Security and Social Services. The original closing date listed is 2026-07-22. As a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect ACL to have substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on project direction, milestones, learning, and monitoring, rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
Overall, the opportunity is designed for state aging agencies to use the National Strategy as an organizing blueprint, build durable interagency partnerships, choose a set of caregiver-support improvements to implement statewide, and demonstrate how those changes will be sustained beyond the two-year federal funding period.Apply for HHS 2026 ACL AOA CGNS 0032
- The Administration for Community Living in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.052.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $490,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the official name and identifier of this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is titled Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The identifier provided is HHS 2026 ACL AOA CGNS 0032.
Which federal agency is running this program?
The program is run by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL).
What type of funding mechanism is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This is a discretionary, cooperative agreement program. That means ACL expects to have substantial involvement during the project (for example, collaborating on project direction, milestones, learning, and monitoring), rather than operating in a hands-off role.
What is the overall purpose of the funding?
The core purpose is to help states put the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers into practice by funding a small set of state-led demonstration projects that translate the Strategy's principles, recommendations, and actions into coordinated statewide improvements for family caregivers.
What legal authority is ACL using for this program?
ACL is using the demonstration authority in Section 373(i) of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended.
What kinds of projects is ACL looking to fund?
ACL is looking for projects that select specific goals and recommended actions from the National Strategy and implement them through coordinated, statewide improvements. The emphasis is on making caregiver supports easier to access, more consistent, and better integrated into existing state service systems.
Are projects expected to be cross-agency efforts or led by a single program?
Projects are expected to be built around cross-agency state partnerships, not siloed efforts. Applicants are expected to bring together multiple state-level partners to coordinate and align caregiver-support work.
What kinds of state partners are expected to be involved?
The opportunity describes partners such as agencies and systems related to aging, disability, health, behavioral health, Medicaid-related offices, workforce, transportation, and other relevant state agencies or systems. The key expectation is structured coordination and alignment across programs.
How long is the project period?
The project period is two years.
Is there a planning phase built into the project period?
Yes. Grantees may use up to the first six months (but no more than six months) for planning and coordination with partners, refining the approach, and organizing implementation.
What must be delivered at the end of the planning phase?
At the end of the planning window, the grantee must submit a sustainability plan explaining how the work will continue after federal funding ends.
What is expected during the remainder of the two-year period after planning?
The remainder of the two-year period is intended for hands-on implementation. That includes moving from planning into execution of selected Strategy actions, testing approaches, and delivering improvements through statewide partnerships.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is narrowly limited to State Units on Aging (SUAs), specifically the state government entities that administer Title III-E of the Older Americans Act (the National Family Caregiver Support Program).
Why is eligibility limited to State Units on Aging?
ACL indicates the limited competition is permissible and tied to seeking applications from a previously identified cohort of awardees (the SUAs) in order to improve administration of their current awards, consistent with federal grants policy guidance.
Are foreign entities allowed to apply?
No. Foreign entities are explicitly not eligible to apply for or receive awards under this announcement.
How many awards does ACL expect to make?
ACL anticipates making up to 4 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $490,000.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity is 93.052.
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Income Security and Social Services.
What is the listed application closing date?
The original closing date listed is 2026-07-22.
In practical terms, what is ACL trying to achieve through these awards?
The opportunity is designed to help state aging agencies use the National Strategy as an organizing blueprint, build durable interagency partnerships, choose a set of caregiver-support improvements to implement statewide, and demonstrate how those changes will be sustained beyond the two-year federal funding period.
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