hhs-2026-acl-aoa-adpi-0002_rev3.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Administration on Aging

Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services

Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) - State and Community Grants Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACL-AOA-ADPI-0002

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 10

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 23

Find the application package 24

Get registered 24

Join the webinar 25

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

Application checklist 27

Application contents and format 29

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 47

Application review 48

Award notices 50

Step 5: Submit Your Application 51

Application submission and deadlines 52

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 53

Post-award requirements and administration 54

Contacts and Support 56

Before you begin 3

Endnotes 59

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your

SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registrations are active and up to date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks)

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity

Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days)

You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by the application due date

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command

+ Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 10

Basic information Administration for Community Living (ACL)

Administration on Aging

Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services

Expanding dementia-capable home and community-based service systems for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Have questions?

See Contacts and

Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Alzheimer’s Disease

Programs Initiative (ADPI) -

State and Community

Grants

Opportunity number:

HHS-2026-ACL-AOA-

ADPI-0002

Federal assistance listing:

93.470

Cost sharing: 25%

NOFO version: Original

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Informational webinar:

June 25, 2026

Expected award date:

September 30, 2026

Expected project start date:

September 30, 2026

See intergovernmental review for other submission processes that may apply to this NOFO.

Summary The Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative

(ADPI) advances the Department of Health and Human Services’ Make America Healthy

Again (MAHA) agenda by focusing on prevention, risk reduction, and non-drug approaches to dementia care. ADPI supports people living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers through evidence-based services that help them stay healthy, independent, and at home in their communities.

Cooperative agreements under the ADPI Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) support the scaling of dementia-capable home and community-based service (HCBS) in States and communities. This NOFO includes two application options: Grants to States (Option

A) and Grants to Communities (Option B). You may apply for only one option and may hold only one ADPI grant at a time. At least 50% of total grant funds must be used for the delivery of direct services.

Option A: Grants to States

Applicants for Option A are the governmental entities within states and territories designated as the state agency lead for dementia capability.

Option A has two required objectives:

• Objective 1: Create, expand, and sustain a dementia-capable HCBS system that includes Single Entry Point/No Wrong Door (SEP/NWD) access for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

• Objective 2: Ensure access to a comprehensive, sustainable set of high-quality, dementia-capable HCBS, including innovative services for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Option B: Grants to communities

Applicants for Option B are public and/or private community-based organizations that operate within an existing dementia-capable HCBS system. Eligible applicants must be able to articulate opportunities for new partnerships and opportunities to expand and implement proposed programs (services and supports) in their existing system.

Option B applicants must address all three of the following gap areas:

• Provision of effective supportive services to people living alone with ADRD in the community.

• Improvement of the quality and effectiveness of programs and services for people aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with ADRD or those at high risk of developing ADRD.

• Delivery of behavioral symptom management training and expert consultations for family caregivers.

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Expected total program funding over the performance period: $15,000,000

Expected total program funding per budget period: $15,000,000

Total expected awards: 17

Funding range per applicant per budget period: $850,000 to $1,000,000

Both Option A and B are fully funded at the time of award for a single 36-month

Performance/Budget period (September 30, 2026 to September 29, 2029).

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Eligible applicants Only these types of organizations may apply:

Option A

State governmental agencies designated to serve as the State agency on dementia capability that do not have active ADPI grants.

Option B

Domestic private or public nonprofit, community-based organizations (CBOs) that:

• Operate within an existing dementia-capable HCBS system and can demonstrate dementia-capability.

• Can describe how they will enhance and strengthen that existing system.

• Are engaged with their state agencies responsible for creating and sustaining dementia capable HCBS systems.

For both Option A and Option B:

Only the following categories of entities are eligible:

• State governments.

• County governments.

• City or township governments.

• Special district governments.

• Independent school districts.

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized).

• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.

• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments).

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

Other eligibility criteria No entity is eligible to apply for both Option A and Option B. No entity is eligible to hold more than one ADPI grant at a time.

Disqualifying factors We will review your application to make sure it meets these responsiveness requirements.

We won’t consider an application that:

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Is from an individual, including a sole proprietorship, or a foreign entity.

• Is received in paper format that didn’t have a previously approved exemption from ACL.

• All applications will go through an initial programmatic screening to verify that the applicant meets the notice of funding opportunity criteria.

• Those applicants that do not meet the minimum responsiveness criteria outlined above will be “screened out” and will not be forwarded for panel review.

Application limits If you submit the same application more than once under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), we will only acknowledge the last on-time submission.

Cost sharing Under this ACL program, ACL will fund no more than 75% of the project’s total cost, which means the applicant must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-federal resources. In other words, for every three (3) dollars received in federal funding, the applicant must contribute at least one (1) dollar in non-federal resources toward the project’s total cost.

This “three-to-one” ratio is reflected in the following formula which you can use to calculate the minimum required match.

A common error applicants make is to match 25% of the Federal share, rather than 25% of the project’s total cost.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

Types of cost sharing

You can meet your cost sharing (match) requirement through any combination of:

• Cash contributed by your organization, partners, or other third parties.

• In-kind (non-cash) contributions from partners or other third parties.

• All cost share (match) contributions must be directly tied to the funded grant activities.

• Program income cannot be applied as cost sharing (match).

Cost-sharing commitments

If awarded, you must provide the amount of cost-sharing funds you promised, even if you promised more than the required minimum. We put these commitments in the Notice of Award.

If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may decrease the amount of funding we give you or use other enforcement actions.

You’ll have to include your cost-sharing funds when you fill out your federal financial reports.

We discourage applicants proposing cost sharing (match) amounts that exceed the minimum requirement.

Post-award requirements

Before you apply, make sure you understand the requirements that come with an award.

See Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award for information on regulations that apply, reporting, and more.

Statutory authority Title IV of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

Program description Background Dementia is a major cause of impairment among older adults. Dementia-related changes can range from mild symptoms to severe impairment where the person becomes completely dependent on others to perform basic activities of daily living. People living with dementia rely on home and community-based services (HCBS) to remain safe at home. As Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (ADRD) progress, care becomes more complex with increased dependence on surrogate decision-making, the inability to live alone, and growing family and caregiver burden.

Behavioral symptoms such as repetitive speech, wandering, and sleep disturbances are also common and can further complicate daily care. When these symptoms are not recognized and addressed, they may accelerate functional decline and lead to earlier nursing home placement. [1] [2] However, when medical or environmental causes of behavior changes are identified and addressed with non-pharmacological approaches, as appropriate, quality of life and caregiver burden may improve. [3] [4] HCBS provide this kind of support for people with ADRD, helping to preserve independence, reduce avoidable harm, and support caregivers. Given the impact of dementia on individuals, families, and communities, state and community service systems that seek to be dementia-capable should consider adopting key aspects of a dementia-capable

HCBS model.

A dementia-capable HCBS system should:

• Identify individuals who may have dementia and encourage them to see a physician for a timely and accurate diagnosis, including evaluation for reversible causes or conditions that may mimic dementia.

• Ensure that program eligibility decisions and resource allocation consider the impact of cognitive disabilities.

• Ensure that staff communicate effectively with people with dementia and their caregivers, providing services that are person and family-centered, culturally appropriate, and supportive of self-direction.

• Train direct support professionals to recognize possible signs and symptoms of dementia and connect individuals to appropriate services.

• Educate the public about brain health, including dementia risk factors, early signs of cognitive changes, symptom management, available support programs, and opportunities to participate in research.

• Implement quality assurance systems that measure how effectively providers serve people with dementia and their caregivers.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

• Promote the development of dementia-friendly communities that incorporate key elements of dementia-capable systems.

Dementia-capable services within a HCBS system are those that build upon and integrate existing programs from both private and public sectors. Information on how states and communities can become dementia-capable to better support people with dementia and their caregivers can be found in ACL’s paper Dementia-Capable States and Communities:

Lessons Learned from Administration on Aging Grantees.

Program goals Informed by the priorities of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Advisory

Council on Research, Care and Services and the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council, the ADPI supports state, tribal, and community scaling of dementia capable services. The overarching goal of the ADPI State and Community Grant Program is to improve quality of life for people living with dementia and their caregivers by strengthening dementia-capable systems, closing service gaps, and sustaining effective supports across states, tribes, and communities.

About Option A: Grants to state governments

Option A gives grants to state and territorial government entities designated as the state agency for dementia-capability and includes two required objectives.

Applicants to Option A must describe their anticipated methods for achieving both objectives and their cope components. This will include details of how the proposed project will enhance what presently exists in the system within which they are operating.

Objective 1: Create, expand, and sustain a dementia-capable, state

HCBS system that includes Single Entry Point/No Wrong Door

(SEP/NWD) access for people living with dementia and their family caregivers.

Core components of this objective include:

• Information, referral and access:

◦ Applicants must establish a highly visible, trusted resource where people living with ADRD and their family caregivers can access objective information maximizes their ability to remain independent in the community.

◦ You must describe how you will provide access to and support engagement in a comprehensive range of services, which may include, but are not limited to:

▪ Dementia-capable, strengths-based HCBS.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=93 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=93 https://aspe.hhs.gov/national-alzheimers-project-act https://aspe.hhs.gov/national-alzheimers-project-act https://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers/raise-family-caregiving-advisory-council

▪ Care transition services.

▪ Family caregiver support programs.

• Options counseling and assistance:

◦ Options counseling enables people with dementia and their family caregivers to understand and use the services available in their communities. You must describe how you will provide options counseling that assists with:

▪ Identification of the strengths, values, needs, and preferences of people living with dementia.

▪ Development of person-centered, strengths-based service plans.

▪ Enrolling the person with dementia in self-directed programs or supporting seamless transfer into this process, as appropriate.

▪ Service initiation.

▪ Provision of on-going assistance and follow-up.

• Strengths-based care transitions across multiple setting:

◦ Care transitions models are person-centered, strengths-based, interdisciplinary approaches to integrating healthcare and social support services for people living with dementia and their caregivers as they move across settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and their homes in the community. You must describe how you will provide care transition services that do the following:

▪ Identify individual needs and preferences.

▪ Develop and implement comprehensive service plans.

▪ Empower people to take an active role in their health care.

▪ Connect people to available resources and support warm “handoffs” to facilitate service uptake, as appropriate.

Objective 2: Ensure access to a comprehensive, sustainable set of quality dementia-capable state home and community-based services, including innovative supports for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Core components of this objective include:

• Comprehensive set of services:

◦ You must fully describe how people living with ADRD and their family caregivers will have access to a broad range of dementia-capable, strengths-based HCBS that support independence in the community.

◦ You must also explain how you will implement at least one dementia-specific, evidence-based or evidence-informed service or intervention (ACL definitions

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 included in Appendix A of this NOFO), along with dementia-capable HCBS and supportive services for family caregivers. Examples of interventions implemented through ACL’s ADPI state and community grant programs are described in the publication Grantee-Implemented Evidence-Based and

Evidence-Informed Dementia Interventions.

▪ Selection of the right intervention for your community is central to sustainability after grant funding ends. ACL created Choosing an Evidence-

Based or Evidence-Informed Intervention: Considerations to Inform

Decision-Making to support such decision making.

◦ Best Programs for Caregiving is a free online database which highlights select evidence-based dementia programs to support family caregivers which can serve as a resource for organizations researching dementia-specific interventions for inclusion in their proposals.

• Quality assurance system:

◦ You must fully describe your plan to use a quality assurance and improvement process that will help ensure delivery of quality, dementia-capable services.

You must propose measurable performance goals and indicators related to your quality assurance system’s visibility, ease of access, responsiveness to persons living with dementia and their family caregivers, efficiency, and effectiveness.

◦ ACL’s NADRC compendium of Evaluation Measures Resources can help you identify measurable outcomes of program activities.

• Sustainable service system:

◦ You must describe how you plan to ensure sustainability of your dementia-capable HCBS system, including how you will maintain the following:

▪ Infrastructure and capacity to deliver programs throughout the state, including partnerships that have effectively embedded dementia-capability within HCBS systems.

▪ An adequate number of delivery sites and workforce to deliver the programs.

As program outcomes are a key to sustainability, you must identify program outcomes as well as measures to demonstrate program impact and evaluation strategies. Identified outcomes will document progress toward implementing and sustaining a comprehensive, dementia-capable system. ACL’s NADRC compendium of Evaluation Measures Resources can help you identify measurable outcomes of program activities.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20221214043701 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20221214043701 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20210126080816 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20210126080816 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20210126080816 https://bpc.caregiver.org/pro/index.html#searchPrograms https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20250718115644 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=20250718115644

Note on earlier funded work

If your organization benefited from an ACL Alzheimer’s program between 2014 and 2023, you must provide details of the previous dementia systems project and how what you are proposing builds upon or enhances previously funded work.

About Option B: Grants to communities

Applicants for Option B must be public or private community-based organizations that operate within an existing dementia-capable HCBS system. These grants are intended to expand dementia-capable HCBS for targeted special populations, including education and training activities, by addressing all three ACL-identified required service gaps within the existing system.

Applicants for Option B must demonstrate that already operate within a dementia-capable HCBS system. The grant will help you expand and improve those services to populations with specialized needs through service enhancements, education, and training, while addressing all three required ACL service gaps.

Applicants to this option must demonstrate that they meet all of the following criteria:

• Operation within an existing dementia-capable HCBS system dedicated to the population that they serve.

• Expanding and strengthening the system within which they operate, through partnerships and targeted improvements through the identification and fostering of new partnerships, educational opportunities and expanded and addition of new services and supports within the existing system in which they are operating.

• Expanding established working relationships with state agencies charged with creating and sustaining dementia-capable HCBS systems.

Option B grants are specifically intended to address service gaps identified through the recommendations of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Advisory Council on

Research, Care and Services and the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council.

Applicants should be leaders within existing dementia-capable HCBS systems and must describe how they will support people living with ADRD and their caregivers by addressing all three of the following required service gap areas:

• Develop and deliver supportive services to people with ADRD who are living alone in their communities. People living alone are at increased risk of, among other things, unmet needs, malnutrition, injury and various forms of neglect and exploitation. Applicants must describe how they will identify and support people living alone with ADRD in their community.

• Improve the quality and effectiveness of programs and services for people aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with ADRD or at high risk of developing ADRD. Advances in medicine and technology are extending the lives of

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 https://aspe.hhs.gov/national-alzheimers-project-act https://aspe.hhs.gov/national-alzheimers-project-act https://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers/raise-family-caregiving-advisory-council people living with IDD, and those at high risk of developing dementia. Applicants must describe how program activities will target the unique needs and circumstances of these growing populations.

• Deliver behavioral symptom management training and expert consultation for family caregivers. Behavioral symptoms associated with ADRD can impact disease progression, functional decline, quality of life, and caregiver well-being. Such outcomes may result in significant caregiver distress, impacting the ability to provide care. Applicants must explain how they will deliver training and expert consultation to support family caregivers in managing these challenges.

For each of the three required service gap areas, applicants should describe opportunities to expand or enhance services that strengthen the existing dementia-capable HCBS system in which they operate.

In developing proposed programs, applicants are encouraged to consider including in their proposed programs activities that address:

• The need for innovations in respite care.

• The needs of individuals with early-onset dementia and their caregivers.

• Building workforce capacity to deliver dementia-capable long-term services and supports through training.

Additional information on model dementia-capable systems is available in ACL’s issue brief, Dementia-Capable States and Communities: Lessons Learned from Administration on Aging Grantees.

General program requirements

General program requirements are applicable to both Option A and Option B applicants.

You should address these requirements in your application narrative, work plan, and evaluation plan.

Phased implementation

You must propose a phased approach for implementation of your project. Explain how you will execute both a planning phase and an implementation phase, as detailed in the following subsections.

Planning phase

The Planning Phase is the first stage of the project during which applicants will refine and strengthen the work and evaluation plans proposed in the original application. These finalized plans will become the ACL/AoA approved roadmap for carrying out the project’s goals, objective and core components of the funded program.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=93 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=93

During this phase and prior to entering the implementation phase, grantees and their partners will complete ACL’s Dementia Capability Assessment to establish a baseline for measuring future progress and improvements in dementia capability.

Applicants must propose a planning phase of not less than six months from the date of the grant award. During this time, grantees may access no more than 15% of total grant funding to support planning, coordination, and refinement of the work and evaluation plans submitted with the application. ACL/AoA will work closely with grantees throughout the planning phase to ensure all program objectives outlined in the NOFO are addressed.

To conclude the planning phase grantees must receive ACL/AoA approval of their finalized work and evaluation plans, submit an updated budget aligned with those plans, ensure all partners complete the Dementia Capability Assessment, and participate in a

Planning Phase Exit Conference.

Once these steps are completed, grantees may begin the Implementation Phase and access the full award funding.

Implementation phase

The Implementation Phase is the stage of the project during which grantees carry out the goals, objectives and core components activities and services described in the finalized work and evaluation plans. Throughout implementation, all grantees and project partners will complete annual Dementia Capability Assessments each Fall.

Use of evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions

Applicants must name and describe the dementia-specific evidence-based or evidence-informed intervention proposed for implementation. The application must clearly explain how the selected intervention will be integrated into the overall project design and identify the intended target population, such as people living with dementia, family caregivers, or both.

Definitions of “evidence-based” and “evidence-informed” interventions are provided in

Appendix A of this NOFO. Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed intervention aligns with one of these definitions.

Direct services

Recipients are required to allocate no less than 50% of the total program budget

(including both federal funds and required matching funds to the delivery of direct services for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Applicants should refer to the Appendix A of this NOFO for the definition of “direct service.”

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://nadrc.acl.gov/details?search1=117

Evaluation

Applicants must include a robust third-party evaluation (summative/outcome) plan designed to assess the impact and effectiveness of the direct services, supports, education, and training activities funded through the program.

A third-party evaluator is not engaged in the program activities other than the design, implementation and reporting of the project evaluation findings. Individuals or organizations participating in program development, service delivery, training, administration or any other project activities beyond evaluation responsibilities are not eligible to serve as third-party evaluators. For example, if one university department is involved in program implementation, another department from the same university may not serve as the evaluator.

Evaluation activities conducted under the cooperative agreement must result in a comprehensive program evaluation report demonstrating the impact and effectiveness of program-supported direct services. The evaluation plan must describe how the effectiveness and impact of all funded direct service activities will be measured. Every direct service component included in the proposed program is subject to evaluation requirements. Applicants must identify measurable outcomes related to the impact of services and supports on persons living with dementia, family caregivers, and individuals participating in education and training activities supported by the project.

Applications that do not include measurable outcomes will not be funded.

All proposed projects must include at least one component designed to demonstrate the program’s impact on the quality of life of people living with dementia.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17

Cooperative agreement terms Cooperative agreements require substantial ACL project involvement after an award is made. There are specific roles for both you and ACL.

Your responsibilities

• Fulfill all the requirements of the grant initiative as outlined in this NOFO and carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded.

• Communicate with the AoA project officer or the assigned technical assistance liaison regularly to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this agreement.

• Conduct a baseline assessment of project dementia capability (grantee and all relevant Partners) and annually through the duration of the project.

• Conduct required evaluation activities as outlined in this NOFO.

• At the end of the project, produce and submit to the AoA project officer a program report/manual and an independent evaluation report covering the duration of the project describing how the project was conducted, what program outcomes were achieved, ways in which barriers to goals were addressed, and how program components have been sustained beyond the funding period.

• Submit all deliverables funded through this grant. No materials developed with program funding will be proprietary and all program deliverables (tools, resources, manuals, etc.) will remain in the public domain. Promising practices, resource materials, and tools will be posted on the website of ACL’s National Alzheimer’s and

Dementia Resource Center (NADRC), for the benefit and utilization of the broader dementia community.

• Cooperate with any federal evaluation efforts and comply with the timeline, content, and format of all required data collection and reporting requirements.

Submit to the ACL or AoA project officer a final, clean copy of all data developed or supported with these grant funds in the format in which it was developed or produced, as provided for in the HHS Grants Policy Statement and referenced in the

Notice of Award.

• Participate in collaborative activities as organized by the ACL or AoA project officer and the technical assistance team. Collaborative program activity participants will mentor each other in their efforts to fulfill the ADPI program’s aims.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18 https://nadrc.acl.gov/home https://nadrc.acl.gov/home

• Include the following disclaimer language (see callout box) when issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other ACL supported publications and forums describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with ACL funding.

◦ “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.”

Our responsibilities

• Perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing a grant initiative and work with you to ensure that the minimum requirements for the grant are met.

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

• Assist your project leadership in understanding the strategic goals and objectives, policy perspectives, and priorities of ACL/AoA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Help you learn about other federally sponsored projects and activities relevant to your project.

• Provide you with technical support and associated tasks related to the fulfillment of the goals and objectives of this grant.

• Attend and participate in major project events as appropriate.

• Communicate with your project director regularly to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this agreement.

Managing disagreements

The grantee and the Federal Program Officers/Project officer will maintain a collaborative working relationship throughout the period of performance. The parties will make good-faith efforts to resolve disagreements related to programmatic direction, implementation activities, timelines, deliverables, performance expectations, or interpretation of cooperative agreement responsibilities at the lowest appropriate organizational level.

If a disagreement cannot be resolved through routine programmatic communication, the matter may be elevated through established organizational channels for review by recipient leadership and the authorized federal official(s). Escalation should occur in a

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19 timely manner and include documentation of the issue, relevant background, efforts undertaken to resolve the matter, and any proposed resolution options.

Funding policies and limitations

Changes in HHS regulations

As of October 1, 2025, HHS adopted 2 CFR 200, with some exceptions included in

2 CFR 300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR 75.

Policies

All activities proposed in your application and budget narrative must align with applicable law, including but not limited to statutes, executive orders, federal regulations, and applicable judicial holdings. Accordingly, discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate: racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation; denial by the recipient of the sex binary in humans, or the belief that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; illegal immigration; or any other initiatives that compromise public safety.

If an application does not align, the application will not receive funding to the extent permitted by law and applicable court orders.

• We will only make awards if this program receives funding. If Congress appropriates funds for this purpose, we will move forward with the review and award process.

• Support beyond the first budget period will depend on:

◦ Appropriation of funds.

◦ Satisfactory progress in meeting your project’s objectives.

◦ A decision that continued funding is in the government’s best interest.

• If we receive more funding for this program, we will consider:

◦ Funding more applicants.

◦ Extending the period of performance.

◦ Awarding supplemental funding.

• You may not use funds from this NOFO for any diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI and DEIA) activities. This includes:

◦ DEI- or DEIA-related research.

◦ Activities that discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other protected traits.

• Under this NOFO, you can’t continue existing projects without expansion or new and innovative approaches.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 20 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300

• Meals are allowed only in limited circumstances linked to program activities, like during travel or when approved in advance by ACL. See Allowable Costs and

Activities, Exhibit 4: Selected Items of Cost, Meals in the HHS Grants Policy

Statement.

• There are restrictions on certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment. See 2 CFR 200.216 to make sure this does not apply to any proposed equipment in your application.

Unallowable costs

Construction or major rehabilitation of buildings.

Basic research, such as scientific or medical experiments.

For guidance on other types of costs that we restrict or do not allow, see General

Provisions for Selected Items of Costs of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR 200.420.

Indirect costs

Indirect costs are those shared across multiple projects and not easily separated.

To charge indirect costs you can select one of two methods:

Method 1 — Approved rate. If you currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency, you may use that rate.

Method 2 — De minimis rate. If you do not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate (see 2 CFR 200.414(f)). This rate is 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See the definition of MTDC (2 CFR 200.1). You can use this rate indefinitely.

You may not charge costs included in your indirect cost pool as direct costs.

Subawards

As the prime recipient, you must maintain a substantive role in the project. This means that you conduct funded activities and provide services necessary and integral to completing the project.

• Pass through projects are prohibited, no project partner may receive more than 20% of the Federal funding received by the primary grantee.

• Monitoring your subrecipient’s activities alone as described in 2 CFR 200.332 is not a substantive role.

• We do not fund awards where your role is primarily a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

• All subrecipients must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the System for

Award Management (SAM.gov).

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 21 https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.216 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.414#p-200.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332

• Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of this NOFO and are subject to all of the terms and conditions outlined in the Notice of Award.

Salary rate limitation

The salary rate limitation in the current appropriations act applies to this program. You may not use awarded funds to pay a salary at a higher rate than the rate for Executive

Level II.

For the Executive Level II salary, please see the Office of Personnel Management information on executive and senior level employee pay.

The salary limitation reflects a person’s base salary (including any portion of the salary that is paid with indirect costs). The current annual salary limitation which may not be exceeded is $225,700 ($108.51). It does not include fringe benefits or any income the person is allowed to earn outside of the duties of the applicant organization. No position funded through the grant will be approved to exceed this annual or hourly rate.

This salary limitation also applies to subawards, contracts, and subcontracts under an ACL grant or cooperative agreement.

Program income

If you earn any money from your award-supported project activities (known as program income), you must use it for the purposes and under the conditions of the award. Find more about program income at 2 CFR 200.307.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 22 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.307

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 24

Get registered 24

Join the webinar 25

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can search for it at

Grants.gov using opportunity number HHS-2026-ACL-AOA-ADPI-0036. Then select the

Package tab.

We recommend that you select the Subscribe button from the View Grant Opportunity page for this NOFO to get updates.

You can also find materials at Applying for Grants on ACL’s website.

If you can’t use Grants.gov to download application materials or have other technical difficulties, including issues with application submission, contact Grants.gov for assistance.

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov to apply. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register:

• Go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and select Get Started. From the same page, you can also select the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

• You must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations

[PDF] specifically. Those for contracts are different.

When you register, you will also receive your required Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Once you register:

• You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

• If your organization has multiple UEIs, use the one associated with your physical location.

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by-step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 24 https://grants.gov/search-grants https://acl.gov/grants/applying-grants https://www.grants.gov/support https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants

Need help? See Contacts and Support.

Join the webinar We will have an informational conference call:

• Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026

• Time: 3 to 4 p.m. ET

• Toll-free dial in number: 888-847-9713

• Passcode: 7789917

If you are unable to attend, a recording of the call will be available by dialing the toll-free number: 800-568-3942 after the session.

Joining and participating is voluntary. Opting not to participate in the session will not affect eligibility, application scoring, or the award selection process.

If there is a discrepancy between the presentation or materials and the NOFO, the NOFO takes precedence.

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 25

Step 3:

Build Your Application

In this step

Application checklist 27

Application contents and format 29

Application checklist Make sure that you have everything you need to apply. You will find the forms in

Grants.gov.

Narratives

Item Grants.gov form Page limit

Project narrative Use the Project Narrative Attachment form. 20 pages

Budget narrative Use the Budget Narrative Attachment form. None

Attachments Insert each in a single Other Attachments Form.

Item Page limit

Indirect cost agreement None

Commitment letters from partners None

Commitment letter from third-party evaluator None

Proof of nonprofit status None

Resumes and job descriptions None

Evidence-based/ Evidence-informed intervention overview None

Work plan None

Evaluation plan None

Step 3: Build Your Application 27

Other required forms Use each required form in Grants.gov.

Item Page limit

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) None

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) None

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) None

Key Contacts form None

Grants.gov Lobbying Form (Certification Regarding Lobbying) None

Project/Performance Site Location form None

Step 3: Build Your Application 28

Application contents and format This section includes guidance on each component found in the application checklist.

Application page limit: 20 pages.

Submit your information in English and express whole number budget figures using

U.S. dollars.

Required format Required format for project and budget narratives.

Font: Times New Roman or Arial

Format: PDF

Size: 11-point font

Footnotes and text in graphics may be 10-point.

Spacing for project narrative main content: Double-spaced

Spacing for budget narrative: As needed

Spacing for project summary, tables, footnotes: Single-spaced

Margins: 1-inch

Include page numbers.

Project narrative Page limit: 20

The project narrative is the most important part of the application. We use it as the primary basis to decide whether your project meets the statutory requirements and to review its merit. The project narrative should give a clear and concise description of your project.

Be sure to cite all your sources. Merit reviewers may lower your score if you do not.

Step 3: Build Your Application 29

Project summary

Provide a brief project summary of no more than 265 words. Write it for the general public. You will need to include:

1. Goals: Broad overall purpose, like a mission statement that says what you want to do and where you want to be.

2. Objectives: Narrow, specific, and clear steps toward the goals. These are the “hows” to achieve the goals.

3. Overall approach: General overview of what you will do.

4. Outcomes: These are the measurable results of a project. Include expected changes among those served, such as clients, systems, organizations, and communities.

These should tie directly to your goals and those of this funding.

5. Products: The materials and other deliverables you expect to generate through the project.

6. Duration: The anticipated start and end dates of the period of performance.

Project relevance and current need (20 total points)

Problem statement (7 points)

Both Option A and B problem statements must:

• Describe the impact of ADRD on the community and population that you serve.

• Describe the training and services presently available to address behavioral symptom management.

• Describe the management, systems, financial or other challenges requiring attention to implement and sustain programs funded under this opportunity.

• If the state or community applicant has benefited from ACL ADRD program funding since 2014, a description of the previous funding activities and outcomes, and the ways the proposed program builds on previous funding, must be included.

ln this section, Option B community applicants must:

• Describe the existing dementia-capability of the HCBS system within which the applicant organization operates and how it pertains to the target populations.

• Describe the current state of supports and services in relation to ALL three of the funding opportunity identified gaps that will be addressed through the proposed program.

Your problem statement should align with the requirements for Option A or Option B as detailed in the program description.

Step 3: Build Your Application 30

Goals and objectives (13 points)

This section should consist of a description of the project’s goals and major objectives. ln this section, Option A and B applicants should:

• Identify your proposed project goals and major objectives (i.e., state project objectives or three community project targeted gap areas), including the projected total number of individuals who will benefit from proposed project services. The project goals and objectives will be reflected in the work plan included in the application.

• Describe how you plan to address the major challenges identified in the problem statement.

• Describe partnerships, collaborations, and innovative activities that will be implemented to support goal/objective achievement, including the dementia-specific evidence-based/evidence-informed interventions.

• Explain how program activities will be marketed and participants identified.

• Explain anticipated outcomes and the measures to demonstrate program outcomes.

• Describe the sustainability plan for program elements that are deemed successful.

• If the applicant has benefited from ACL ADRD program funding since 2014, describe the previous funding activities and outcomes, and the ways in which the proposed program builds on previous funding.

Your goals and objectives should align with the requirements for Option A or Option B as detailed in the program description.

Table: Problem statement scoring criteria

Reviewers will evaluate the extent to which the applicant provides: Point value

Problem Statement

Option A (State)

• Does the applicant demonstrate capacity to deliver and enhance person-centered, strengths-based services for people of all ages with dementia?

• Does the applicant provide a clear description of the need for dementia-capability in the state system for the population it serves?

• Does the applicant provide a clear understanding of the dementia capability of the system within which they are operating?

• Does the proposed project clearly and adequately identify the relevance of the priority areas, as described in this NOFO, in relation to current state/community needs?

• Does the applicant adequately and appropriately describe and document the key problem(s)/condition(s) relevant to the applicant's purpose/need?

7 points

Step 3: Build Your Application 31

Revie…