Foa_Content_of_HHS-2025-ACL-AOA-FPSG-0008 (1).pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

Strategy to Deliver Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs to Older Adults with Behavioral Health and Chronic Conditions

HHS-2025-ACL-AOA-FPSG-0008

02/27/2025

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Project Abstract

Project Relevance and Current Need

Approach

Outcomes and Evaluation

Organizational Capability

Budget Narrative/Justification

Work Plan

Letters of Support/Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Administration on Aging Funding Opportunity Title:

Strategy to Deliver Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs to Older Adults with Behavioral Health and Chronic Conditions Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2025-ACL-AOA-FPSG-0008

Primary CFDA Number:

93.761 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

01/10/2025 Due Date for Applications:

02/27/2025 Date for Informational Conference Call:

01/03/2025 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary The mission of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities across the lifespan, and their families and caregivers.

The intent of this funding opportunity is to support organizations with the capacity to work on a statewide level to reduce falls and/or falls risk among older adults and adults with disabilities who are and/or are at risk of being socially isolated through the implementation of evidence-based falls prevention programs.

https://www.grants.gov/

Through this funding opportunity, the Administration on Aging (AoA), part of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), plans to award approximately four Cooperative Agreements with a three-year (36-month) project period to domestic public or private non-profit entities.

Applicants must request a total budget between $750,000-$1,000,000 in federal funds for the three-year project. All awards are subject to the availability of federal funds.

Only one grant will be awarded in any one state.

The awards will be made in the form of Cooperative Agreements to allow for substantial collaboration and involvement with ACL and the National Falls Prevention Resource Center throughout the project period. These Cooperative Agreements have an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Background

Administration on Aging

This funding opportunity is funded through Administration for Community Living (ACL), Administration on Aging (AoA). The Administration on Aging (AOA) is the principal agency of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services designated to carry out the provisions of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA), as amended (42 U.S.C.A. § 3001 et seq.).

The OAA promotes the well-being of older individuals by providing services and programs designed to help them live independently in their homes and communities. All proposed activity funded by the Administration for Community Living, or “federal financial assistance” as it is referred to, must abide by the Final Rule Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The Rule defines new compliance requirements of recipients of federal funding of the Administration for Community Living that services must be provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities. Therefore, recruitment of participants for the evidence-based falls prevention programs must include those older adults and adults with disabilities in greatest economic and social need (i.e., target population for this Notice of Funding) consistent with the language stated in the Final Rule to Update Older Americans Act Regulations released February 2024 (Reference Appendix B Glossary of Term).

ACL’s Administration on Aging Falls Prevention program provides older adults (60+) and adults with disabilities access to local evidence-based programs that have been proven to reduce falls and the risk of falls.

ACL’s AoA has built an infrastructure to increase access to, and the sustainability of, evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion programs, including falls prevention programs.

Between 2014 and 2024, ACL/AoA awarded 103 discretionary grants to states, community-based organizations, and tribal organizations to implement evidence-based falls prevention programs. Between September 1, 2014, and September 1, 2024, over 247,000 individuals https://acl.gov/node/650 https://acl.gov/504rule https://acl.gov/504rule https://acl.gov/OAArule participated in an AoA-supported evidence-based falls prevention program. For more information about ACL’s Falls Prevention Program, including profiles of current grantees, please visit: https://www.acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/falls-prevention.

ACL’s efforts leverage and compliment national efforts to reduce falls and falls risk amongst older adults and address social isolation, such as the following:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control uses data to report the latest burden and health implications for various injuries including falls, the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. Using this data, CDC is building partnerships with health systems, providers of health care, and those who pay for health care services. These partnerships will improve what is known about the burden of falls and the integration of effective fall prevention strategies and patient care. The CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) initiative provides resources and tools for health care providers. The CDC is also working with suppliers of electronic health records systems to facilitate the adoption and use of the STEADI tools in the clinic setting. The CDC supports opportunities to broaden and improve the linkage between primary care providers and evidence-based community falls prevention programs supported by ACL. Related resources include:

o CDC STEADI Initiative o Older Adult Fall Prevention o CDC Compendium of Effective Fall Interventions: What Works for Community-

Dwelling Older Adults o Still Going Strong Campaign

• ACL launched the Commit to Connect cross-sector initiative to address social isolation and loneliness by helping people connect and engage to build the social connections needed to thrive.

o Commit to Connect

Falls Risk

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults [1] and have a widespread and serious impact on their health. An estimated one out of four older adults report falling each year [2]. Older adults who fall have an increased risk for injury and reduced physical function which may significantly reduce their ability to remain independent. Falls among adults 65 and older caused over 38,000 deaths in 2021, making it the leading cause of injury death for that group. Emergency departments recorded nearly 3 million visits for older adult falls in 2021.

[3] In 2015, healthcare spending attributable to older adult falls was approximately $50 billion.

By 2020, that number rose to $80 billion. [4].

Social Isolation and Falls

Evidence suggests a relationship between social isolation and an increased risk of falls themselves [5]. These observed associations may be related to issues of social support [6].

Individuals who are isolated or have fewer social contacts may experience less support to encourage proactive fall prevention measures as compared to those with larger social networks.

https://www.acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/falls-prevention http://www.cdc.gov/steadi/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/falls/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fhomeandrecreationalsafety%2Ffalls%2Findex.html https://www.cdc.gov/falls/interventions/falls-compendium.html https://www.cdc.gov/falls/interventions/falls-compendium.html https://www.cdc.gov/still-going-strong/about/index.html https://committoconnect.org/

In a 2021 survey, almost half of older adults reported experiencing social isolation [7]. Certain populations are at increased risk of being socially isolated, to include minority populations, those with chronic conditions, and those with behavioral health conditions. The survey also found that “an estimated one in five older adults were currently experiencing depression, anxiety, insomnia, substance use, or another mental health disorder [7]”. Older adults with a behavioral health condition, such as depression, have a higher fall risk [8]. In addition, for older adults with chronic conditions, research found that the number of falls rises with the number of diseases [9].

Fall risk also varies by race and ethnicity, with American Indian/Alaska Natives having the highest fall risk for older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [10].

Fortunately, falls are preventable. There are known modifiable risk factors such as balance impairments, muscle weakness, gait deficits, medications, home hazards, problems with vision, and improper footwear [11]. Participation in evidence-based community falls prevention programs can improve confidence, decrease fear of falling, and result in fewer falls and injurious falls [12].

Populations at a Greater Risk for Falls

As noted above, many behavioral health conditions and chronic conditions may lead to an increased fall risk. ACL has identified several behavioral health conditions and chronic conditions of special interest to ACL that are priorities for this funding opportunity due to their correlation to increased risk of social isolation and/or increased risk of falls:

Priority Behavioral Health Conditions o Depression o Substance Use Disorder o Anxiety Disorders o Bipolar Disorder

Priority Chronic Conditions o Traumatic Brain Injury o HIV/AIDS o Multiple Sclerosis o Parkinson’s Disease

As noted above, minority populations and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations are at increased risk of increased falls and of being social isolated. Due to that evidence and in alignment with language stated in the Final Rule to Update Older Americans Act Regulations (released February 2024), which highlights the importance of Older Americans Act programs reaching those of greatest economic and social need and to improve the fall risk of racial and ethnic minority groups and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, applicants shall ensure targeted population for recruitment and reach reflect state demographics including recruitment of minority populations and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiians.

Please note, nearly 70% of American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiians live off-reservation in cities and towns across the United States. These individuals are not eligible for services under Title VI programs.

Throughout the rest of the announcement, the term “target population” will be used to refer to these two groups and applicants should reflect a statewide strategy to engage minority groups and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian individuals.

Addressing Social Isolation and Risk for Falls Through Group Class

Group Falls prevention classes can help address social isolation. As recent research has noted, “While these programs have directly benefited hundreds of thousands of older adults to address fall-related risk, the process-driven nature of these programs may provide other indirect benefits to older adult participants. The small-group, in-person nature of EBFPP workshops increase social support and promote social connection because they facilitate meaningful interactions and bonding among older adults by gathering participants for common purposes, facilitating interactive exchanges, and creating opportunities for frequent engagement with peers and trained lay leaders for multiple consecutive weeks” [13].

Therefore, for the approach for this funding opportunity, only group classes will be listed as approved evidence-based programs to choose from in the appendix.

Purpose

This section provides detail about the Target Population and Goals.

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to develop and implement robust statewide strategy that support the delivery and sustainability of falls prevention evidence-based programs for older adults and adults with disabilities who are at risk of social isolation and falls.

As discussed above, there are certain populations that have a higher risk of falls and social isolation. The intention of this funding opportunity is to address both risks with group-based evidence-based falls prevention programs on a statewide level.

Target Population

For this project, the target population is:

• Applicants must target their reach to older adults (60 years and older) and adults with disabilities, with the majority being older adults, with greatest social and/or greatest economic needs from each of the populations of special interest below:

Population 1

• Behavioral health conditions of special interest to ACL:

o Within this population the project must reach older adults (60 years and older) and adults with disabilities, with the majority being older adults, with greatest social and/or greatest economic needs with at least one of these specific conditions: depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorder.

Population 2

• Chronic conditions of special interest to ACL:

o Within this population the project must reach older adults (60 years and older) and adults with disabilities, with the majority being older adults, with greatest social and/or greatest economic needs, with at least one of these specific conditions: Traumatic Brain Injury, HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease.

• While your project must serve the target population broadly and through a statewide initiative, grant recipients should also engage and recruit minority population and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian elders in Falls Prevention programs.

Recruitment efforts can include engaging older adults and adults with disabilities in a federally recognized tribe, state-recognized tribe, or those living in urban communities across the state. Nearly 70% of American Indians and Alaskan Natives live off-reservation in cities in towns across the United States [14]. If partnering with a state recognized tribe, federally recognized tribe, or tribal consortium, the grant recipient should try to establish a collaborative agreement with tribal leaders to offer evidence-based Falls Prevention programs.

• Throughout the rest of the announcement, the term “target population” will be used to refer to these two groups and applicants should reflect a statewide strategy to engage minority groups and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian individuals.

Goals

This funding opportunity has two goals:

• Goal 1: On a statewide level, develop capacity (e.g., instructors, partnerships, and referral networks) to increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities, identified from target population as listed above, who participate in group evidence-based falls prevention programs to empower them to reduce falls and/or their risk of falls.

• Goal 2: Develop and disseminate 508-compliant resources specific to grant learnings to enhance knowledge in the target population as listed above and aid in the sustainability of evidence-based falls prevention programs.

To be considered for funding, the application must include the following components in the proposal to accomplish the goals of this funding opportunity.

• Applicants must identify the target number of older adults (60 years and older) and adults with disabilities, with the majority focus being older adults, throughout the state that will be reached with this funding, define which priority behavioral health conditions and which priority chronic conditions from the lists above will be prioritized, and clearly propose how the grantee will reach at least 50% of the program target number of older adults and adults with disabilities with those behavioral health conditions and with those chronic conditions by the end of the project period.

• Applicants must show a statewide approach to reach the target population noted above, that is inclusive of minority population and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian elders. If partnering with State or Federally recognized tribes or tribal consortiums, applicants must also establish a collaborative agreement with tribal health leaders from those tribes or tribal consortiums to offer evidence-based falls prevention programs to American Indian/Alaska Native/Hawaiian Native elders.

• The proposed project must include partnerships across the state to support this application (for example National Association of County and City Health Officials and Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and other key organizations.) At a minimum two or more of those partnerships must specialize in serving older adults and adults with disabilities with the specifically identified behavioral health and chronic conditions.

• Delivery of the evidence-based falls prevention programs needs to be person-centered, trauma informed and culturally appropriate. To accomplish this, the awarded organization must provide training on these topics for grant staff and program leaders.

• Applicants for this funding opportunity must propose to deliver two or more group evidence-based falls prevention programs.

• These programs must be on the list of pre-approved interventions found in Appendix A.

o All applicants must propose to implement at least one of the identified programs in a remote format, e.g., by video conference or similar virtual modality. Phone calls are not an acceptable remote format for this funding opportunity. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) maintains a website that tracks remote program guidance Best Practices for Delivering Remote Falls Prevention Programming (ncoa.org) o All applicants should contact the program developer/administrator(s) for any program(s) they are interested in delivering remotely to confirm that: 1) the program(s) are allowed for remote delivery as described above; and 2) that training is readily available for applicants who need it. Note that the NCOA website includes programs on the pre-approved list in Appendix A, as well as other programs not on the list. For this funding opportunity, applicants may ONLY propose programs on the pre-approved list in Appendix A.

o All applicants who do not have adequate existing capacity (trained leaders, licensing, program supplies, etc.) for any in-person and/or remote program(s) they are proposing must include a letter from the program developer/administrator(s) in their application indicating that they will be able to get training in the programs no later than three months after the start date of the grant (if selected for funding).

• All proposed activity funded by the Administration for Community Living, or “federal financial assistance” as it is referred to, must abide by the Final Rule Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Rule defines new compliance requirements of recipients of federal funding of the Administration for Community Living that services must be provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities.

o To help regulated entities and community members understand the new final rule, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), as the agency charged with implementing and https://www.ncoa.org/article/delivering-falls-prevention-programs-remotely-best-practices-and-lessons-learned/ https://www.ncoa.org/article/delivering-falls-prevention-programs-remotely-best-practices-and-lessons-learned/ https://acl.gov/504rule https://acl.gov/504rule enforcing Section 504, has published a fact sheet providing a summary overview of the rule’s provisions. The Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Final Rule: Section by Section Fact Sheet for Recipients of Financial Assistance from HHS can be found on the OCR website.

REFERENCES

1. WISQARS. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS).

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021 [cited 2021 June]; Accessed October 11, 2024, from:

www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars

2. Bergen G, Stevens MR, Burns ER. Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years

— United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016;65:993–998. Accessed October 11, 2024, from:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6537a2.htm?s_cid=mm6537a2_w

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024) About Older Adult Fall Prevention.

Accessed October 11, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/falls/about/index.html

4. Haddad Y, Miller G, Kakara R, Florence C, Bergen G, Burns E R, Atherly A, Healthcare Spending for non-fatal falls among older adults, USA, 2024 July, Accessed October 11, 2024 from Healthcare spending for non-fatal falls among older adults, USA | Injury Prevention (bmj.com)

5. Pohl JS, Cochrane BB, Schepp KG, & Woods NF (2018). Falls and social isolation of older adults in the National health and aging trends study. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 11 (2), 61–70. 10.3928/19404921-20180216-02 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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7. Gerlach L, Solway E, Singer D, Kullgren J, Kirch M, Malani P. Mental Health Among Older Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. May 2021. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7302/983.

8. Bergen G. Stevens MA. Kakara R. Burns EA. Understanding Modifiable and Unmodifiable Older Adult Fall Risk Factors to Create Effective Prevention Strategies.

American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. October 2019, Accessed October 11, 2024, from

DOI:10.1177/1559827619880529

9. Brach JS, Juarez G, Perera S, Cameron K, Vincenzo JL, Tripken J. Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs: Reach and Effectiveness.

The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 77, Issue 1, January 2022, Pages 164– 171, Accessed October 11, 2024, from: https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glab197

10. CDC STEADI Clinician Fact Sheet, Older Adult Falls A growing problem that can be prevented.https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/media/pdfs/STEADI_ClinicianFactSheet-a_1.pdf.

Accessed November 13. 2024.

11. Jo, K. H., Park, J., and Ryu, S.Y. The effects of mental health on recurrent falls among elderly adults, based on Korean Community Health Survey data. Epidemiol Health 2020;

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https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar_lookup%3Fjournal%3DAnnual%2520Review%2520of%2520Sociology%26title%3DSocial%2520relationships%2520and%2520health%2520behavior%2520across%2520the%2520life%2520course%26author%3DD%2520Umberson%26author%3DR%2520Crosnoe%26author%3DC%2520Reczek%26volume%3D36%26publication_year%3D2010%26pages%3D139-157%26pmid%3D21921974%26doi%3D10.1146%2Fannurev-soc-070308-120011%26&data=05%7C02%7Ckeri.lipperini%40acl.hhs.gov%7Caa2ce5e42ca649a4a5c808dcff692352%7Cd58addea50534a808499ba4d944910df%7C0%7C0%7C638666074234337246%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=8CHDSXdZUAfT%2BXHa6phURNb%2Fpy10PSnJnhtLR8JUU54%3D&reserved=0 http://dx.doi.org/10.7302/983 https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glab197 https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/media/pdfs/STEADI_ClinicianFactSheet-a_1.pdf https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2020005

12. Immonen, M., Haapea, M., Similä, H. et al. Association between chronic diseases and falls among a sample of older people in Finland. BMC Geriatr 20, 225 (2020). Accessed October 11, 2024 from https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01621-9

13. Smith ML and Han G (2024) Effectiveness of evidence-based fall prevention programs to reduce loneliness in the United States. Front. Public Health. 12:1459225. doi:

10.3389/fpubh.2024.1459225

14. Urban Indian Health Commission. (2015, October 13). Invisible Tribes: Urban Indians and Their Health in a Changing World. Urban Indian Health Commission.

www2.census.gov/cac/nac/meetings/2015-10-13/invisible-tribes.pdf

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Notice of Funding Opportunity is contained in the Older Americans Act, Title IV; and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300u-11 (Prevention and Public Health Fund).

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$4,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$1,000,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$750,000 Per Project Period

Length of Project Period:

Other Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 36-month project period and 36-month budget period (fully funded)

Cooperative Agreement Terms As provided by the terms of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (P.L. 95- 224), this Cooperative Agreement provides for the substantial involvement and collaboration of AoA in activities that the recipient organization will carry out in accordance with the provisions of the approved grant award.

The grantee agrees to execute the responsibilities outlined below:

1. Fulfill all requirements of the grant initiative as outlined in this program announcement, as well as carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded.

2. On a statewide level, 1) commit to engaging partnerships to assist in implementation of the proposal, with two or more organizations specializing in behavioral health and https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01621-9 chronic conditions; 2) commit to establishing a statewide approach to reach those in greatest social and greatest economic need to include minority groups and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian elders and 3) serving older adults and adults with disabilities, prioritizing those with at least one behavioral health and at those with at least one chronic conditions.

3. Engage approximately 25% of your target participants by the end of Year 1, 50% of target participants by the end of Year 2, and 100% of target participants by the end of Year 3.

4. Develop a statewide strategy, as defined above, to ensure that 50% of the program participant target by the end of the project period, will be older adults and adults with disabilities with at least one behavioral health and older adults and adults with disabilities with at least one chronic condition.

5. Commit to sending two project staff to the annual falls prevention professional development conference hosted by the National Falls Prevention Resource Center.

Attendance is expected annually for the duration of your grant activities (including any no-cost extension period, if applicable). All applicants must include funds in your budgets for each budget year for two people to attend the conference in the Washington, D.C. area.

6. Provide person centered, trauma informed, and culturally appropriate training for all grant staff and program leaders.

7. Meet all training, licensing, fees, or other requirements associated with the selected falls prevention programs to ensure compliance with all the requirements stipulated by the program developer/administrator.

8. Project Investigator/Director must attend all regularly scheduled calls and communicate with the AoA Project Officer monthly, or at such other times as are agreed upon, to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement.

9. Collect required program data for all program participants using ACL’s specific data collection forms (see Appendix C). Within 30 days of participants’ completion of the program, grantees are responsible for compiling and reporting the data to the National Falls Prevention Database. Data include de-identified participant demographic and health status information, attendance information, and workshop type and location. Grantees should plan to train workshop leaders on data collection practices and use of these forms.

10. Participate in any ACL/National Falls Prevention Resource Center sponsored research and/or evaluations.

11. Participate in relevant ACL/National Falls Prevention Resource Center education (e.g., webinars, workgroups, etc.), provided that ACL/National Falls Prevention Resource Center gives reasonable notice of the subject, date, and time of the event.

12. Comply with all other reporting requirements, as outlined in Section VI of this Funding Opportunity and the Notice of Award.

13. If sub-awarding, the applicant is expected to use a transparent and open process for soliciting, reviewing, selecting, and making required subawards to organizations.

Applicants should describe how the process will be designed and administered.

14. Include the following disclaimer on all products produced using this grant funding:

HHS Grant or Cooperative Agreement that is NOT funded with other non-governmental sources:

"This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] [is/was] supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $XX with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S.

Government.'

The HHS Grant or Cooperative Agreement that IS partially funded with other nongovernmental sources:

"This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] [is/was] supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $XX with XX percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $XX amount and XX percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S.

Government.'

The AoA project officer agrees to execute the responsibilities outlined below:

1. Perform the day-to-day Federal responsibilities of managing a Cooperative Agreement and work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements for the grant are met.

2. Work cooperatively with the grantee to clarify the programmatic and budgetary issues to be addressed by the grantee project, and, as necessary, negotiate with grantee to achieve a mutually agreed upon solution to any needs identified by the grantee or AoA.

3. Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the strategic goals and objectives, policy perspectives, and priorities of AoA, ACL, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and about other Federally sponsored projects and activities relevant to activities funded under this announcement.

4. In collaboration with the National Falls Prevention Resource Center, provide technical assistance to the grantee on the provision of programmatic support and associated tasks related to the fulfillment of the goals and objectives of this grant.

5. Attend and participate in major project events, as appropriate.

6. Communicate with the grant project director monthly, or at such other times as are agreed upon, to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement.

Once a Cooperative Agreement is in place, requests to modify or amend the agreement or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time as long as the request stays within the scope of work. Major changes may affect the integrity of the competitive review process.

Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the execution of an award notice. Unless ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 75, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments, when an award is issued the Cooperative Agreement terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference.

https://www.ncoa.org/professionals/health/center-for-healthy-aging/national-falls-prevention-resource-center/

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants For FY 2024 the below guidance is provided to advance the Administration’s policy, as stated in E.O. 13985, to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” This guidance is intended to begin to address inequities in HHS programs, processes, and policies that may serve as barriers to equal opportunity. By advancing equity in our NOFOs, we can “create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.”

Domestic public or private non-profit entities including state governments, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, special district governments, nonprofits having a 501(C)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education, city or township governments, public and state controlled institutes of higher education, independent school districts, private institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education, county governments, faith based organizations, and community organizations.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria Not Applicable

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the five screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

In order for an application to be reviewed, it must meet all of the following screening requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via https://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

http://www.grants.gov/

2. The Project Narrative section of the Application must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on all sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative (defined below) must not exceed 20 pages. NOTE: The Project Work Plan, Letters of Support/Commitment, Project Map, Organizational Chart, Budget Narrative/Justification, Vitae of Key Project Personnel, and reference list are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit.

4. Applications must include a Budget Narrative/Justification for years 1, 2, and 3 along with a combined Budget Narrative/Justification for the proposed 36-month budget period.

The proposed combined Budget Narrative/Justification must not exceed the total federal 3-year award ceiling of $1,000,000.

5. Applications must include a Project Workplan for years 1, 2, and 3. Project Workplans must be consistent with the proposed Project Narrative and Budget Narrative/Justifications.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the application deadline.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from https://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants.

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

• At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

• All applicants must have a UEI and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/

Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

SAM.GOV Quick Start Guide for Financial Assistance Registrations.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

1.

• Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

• Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

2. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

3. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

4. Provide its UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a UEI number at the time the subaward is made.

• The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New

Unique Entity Identifier. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities.

• You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=54e0016fdb3bbd90a8cb4a3913961934 validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs Lisa Casler Haun Email: Lisa.caslerhaun@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 01/10/2025

01/10/2025 Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review. Letters of intent should be sent to:

Due Date for Letter of Intent…