Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers

The Administration for Community Living, under the Department of Health and Human Services, is inviting state-level applicants to implement the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers through a two-year cooperative agreement funded under Section 373(i) of the Older Americans Act. The initiative requires grantees to establish cross-agency partnerships within their states to identify and address key goals, recommendations, and actions outlined in the Strategy, with the first six months dedicated exclusively to planning, coordination, and stakeholder engagement before transitioning to full implementation. Applicants must submit a detailed sustainability plan that outlines how project outcomes and activities will be maintained beyond the federal funding period, ensuring long-term impact. The project must be carried out statewide through State Units on Aging and must align with federal regulatory requirements, including 2 CFR 200, Section 508 accessibility standards, and federal anti-discrimination laws. All applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by July 22, 2026, and must include a project narrative not exceeding 20 pages, a budget narrative, SF-424 and SF-424A forms, commitment letters from key partners, proof of nonprofit status if applicable, resumes of key personnel, and an indirect cost agreement if using a negotiated rate. Proposals are evaluated based on approach (40 points), project impact (20 points), budget (20 points), relevance and current need (10 points), and capability and expertise (10 points), with award decisions made through a trade-off process that considers merit, geographic distribution, and risk. Grantees are required to engage in monthly coordination meetings with ACL, submit semi-annual performance and financial reports, and obtain pre-approval for all major deliverables, demonstrating substantial federal involvement typical of a cooperative agreement. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2028, with performance taking place entirely within the applicant state’s jurisdiction and no FOB terms or physical delivery requirements applicable. Only electronic PDF submissions that meet specified formatting guidelines—Times New Roman or Arial 11-point font, double-spaced narrative, one-inch margins, machine-readable text, and embedded fonts—are accepted, and late or incomplete applications will not be considered.