Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOD DNCE 0099
Projects of National Significance: Bridging the Aging and Disabilities Networks is a FY 2021 federal discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) through its Administration on Disabilities (AOD). The program plans to make one cooperative agreement award to create and run a national Community of Practice (CoP) that strengthens how state aging and disability systems work together to support "futures planning" for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The central idea is to help individuals with ID/DD and their families plan across the lifespan in ways that reflect the person’s needs, goals, and preferences, while also accounting for social determinants of health like stable housing, financial security, education, and access to health and long-term services and supports.
The need driving this grant is the growing number of families in which adults with ID/DD live with older caregivers. Nearly one million U.S. families fit this description, and the number is expected to rise as caregivers age. Even though most people with ID/DD live with family members, the opportunity notes major gaps in planning and service connection: roughly two-thirds of these families do not have advanced care plans, and many are not receiving formal services through their state ID/DD agency. More than half of family caregivers report they have not planned for the future, which often leads to anxiety and instability when caregivers can no longer provide care. The grant positions futures planning as a practical and preventative approach that supports well-being, reduces crisis-driven transitions, and improves long-term outcomes by addressing the broader conditions that shape health and independence.
Under this award, the selected grantee is expected to define and clarify the scope of the futures-planning challenge nationally and across states, then systematically gather information on what is already working. That includes identifying emerging and promising practices that states and communities are using to help families plan for legal, financial, residential, and support needs over time. The grantee must also create and maintain ways for partners to share knowledge and data, so that lessons learned and effective tools can spread beyond individual programs or states. Another core responsibility is developing solutions to common barriers by proposing ideas that improve strategies, policies, and systems. Those solutions are expected to be culturally competent, to support self-determination for people with ID/DD, and to recognize that families differ in language, culture, resources, geography, and access to services.
In addition to convening and knowledge-sharing, the grantee is expected to provide technical assistance and actively promote collaboration between the aging network and the disability network. In practice, that means helping agencies and organizations align their roles, reduce fragmentation, and build partnerships that make it easier for families to navigate services and plan early rather than waiting for emergencies. The "bridging" emphasis reflects a recognition that aging-focused systems and disability-focused systems often operate in parallel, even though the families they serve overlap significantly when caregivers age and support needs change.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a cooperative agreement (not a simple pass-through grant), which typically signals substantial federal involvement during the project period, such as coordinated planning, shared milestones, and ongoing collaboration with ACL/AOD. The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA 93.631 and is funded under Subtitle E of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, under the Projects of National Significance (PNS) authority. The award ceiling listed is $380,000, and the agency anticipated making one award.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public and nonprofit entities that could credibly lead a multi-state, systems-focused Community of Practice. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled higher education institutions; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories). The funding opportunity number is HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DNCE-0099. The opportunity was created June 25, 2021, with an original application deadline of August 24, 2021, and applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOD DNCE 0099
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Projects of National Significance: Bridging the Aging and Disabilities Networks" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.631.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 25, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 24, 2021 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $380,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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 that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Projects of National Significance: Bridging the Aging and Disabilities Networks" opportunity?
This is a FY 2021 federal discretionary funding opportunity to support a national effort that strengthens how state aging and disability systems work together. The funded project is focused on improving "futures planning" for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and their families.
Which federal agency is offering and administering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) through its Administration on Disabilities (AOD).
What is the main purpose of the award?
The main purpose is to create and run a national Community of Practice (CoP) that improves coordination between state aging and disability networks to better support futures planning for people with ID/DD across the lifespan.
What is meant by "futures planning" in this opportunity?
Futures planning refers to helping individuals with ID/DD and their families plan across the lifespan in ways that reflect the person's needs, goals, and preferences. It also includes planning that accounts for social determinants of health such as stable housing, financial security, education, and access to health and long-term services and supports.
Why is this grant focused on bridging aging and disability networks?
The opportunity highlights that aging-focused systems and disability-focused systems often operate in parallel, even though many families overlap across both systems as caregivers age and support needs change. The project is intended to reduce fragmentation and promote collaboration so families can plan earlier and navigate services more easily.
What problem or need is driving this grant?
The opportunity cites a growing number of families in which adults with ID/DD live with older caregivers, with nearly one million U.S. families fitting this description and the number expected to rise as caregivers age. It also notes significant gaps in planning and service connection, including that roughly two-thirds of these families do not have advanced care plans and many are not receiving formal services through their state ID/DD agency.
What does the opportunity say about the current level of future planning among caregivers?
It states that more than half of family caregivers report they have not planned for the future, which can lead to anxiety and instability when caregivers can no longer provide care.
How does the opportunity describe the value of futures planning?
The opportunity frames futures planning as a practical and preventative approach that supports well-being, reduces crisis-driven transitions, and improves long-term outcomes by addressing broader conditions that shape health and independence.
How many awards did the agency anticipate making?
The agency anticipated making one award.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant. The description indicates this typically involves substantial federal involvement during the project period, such as coordinated planning, shared milestones, and ongoing collaboration with ACL/AOD.
What is the maximum (ceiling) amount of funding for the award?
The listed award ceiling is $380,000.
What is the funded project expected to create and operate?
The selected grantee is expected to create and run a national Community of Practice (CoP) focused on strengthening coordination between aging and disability systems to support futures planning for people with ID/DD and their families.
What are the major activities or responsibilities described for the grantee?
The opportunity describes responsibilities that include defining and clarifying the scope of the futures-planning challenge nationally and across states; systematically gathering information on what is already working; identifying emerging and promising practices; creating and maintaining ways for partners to share knowledge and data; and developing solutions to common barriers by proposing ideas to improve strategies, policies, and systems.
What kinds of "promising practices" is the grantee expected to identify?
The opportunity specifically mentions practices used by states and communities to help families plan for legal, financial, residential, and support needs over time.
What expectations are stated for the solutions developed under the project?
Solutions are expected to be culturally competent, support self-determination for people with ID/DD, and recognize differences among families, including language, culture, resources, geography, and access to services.
What role does technical assistance play in this award?
The opportunity states the grantee is expected to provide technical assistance and actively promote collaboration between the aging network and the disability network, including helping agencies and organizations align roles, reduce fragmentation, and build partnerships.
What is the CFDA number for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA 93.631.
Under what legal authority is this program funded?
It is funded under Subtitle E of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, under the Projects of National Significance (PNS) authority.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DNCE-0099.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories).
Does eligibility include tribal entities?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicants.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible, with the note that institutions of higher education are excluded from the nonprofit categories described.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 25, 2021.
What was the original application deadline?
The original application deadline was August 24, 2021.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically.
What time zone and time were applications due on the deadline date?
Applications were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
Is this opportunity focused on a single state or multiple states?
The opportunity describes a national Community of Practice and emphasizes defining the futures-planning challenge nationally and across states, indicating a multi-state and national focus.
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