Addressing Dementia in Tribal and Urban Indian Communities: Enhancing Sustainable Models of Care

The Addressing Dementia in Tribal and Urban Indian Communities: Enhancing Sustainable Models of Care (ALZ) funding opportunity is administered by the Indian Health Service (IHS), a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The IHS Division of Clinical and Community Services is responsible for this initiative. The primary goal of the program is to improve clinical care, services, and outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals living with dementia, as well as their caregivers and broader communities. The funding opportunity focuses on supporting Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations that are actively working to expand and enhance comprehensive dementia care within their local communities. The scope of this cooperative agreement includes several key objectives. Awardees will be expected to expand and improve their capacity to provide culturally relevant dementia care services, support the development and implementation of clinical diagnostic workflows in primary care settings, and enhance patient care coordination. Another objective is for applicants to plan and evaluate the long-term sustainability of comprehensive dementia care and services, including attention to diagnostic and procedural coding and billing for both clinical and community-based services. Grantees are also required to develop, document, and disseminate local models for comprehensive dementia care and best practices throughout the project period. Funding for this opportunity totals $1.6 million, with an expected 8 awards distributed. The anticipated funding range per applicant for the first budget period is between $100,000 and $200,000. Projects are funded for three one-year budget periods, making the total period of performance three years. Continuation funding depends on the availability of funds and agency budget priorities. This program is classified as a cooperative agreement, which means that IHS will have substantial involvement throughout the project, including providing technical assistance, reviewing and approving work plans and evaluation plans, and coordinating regular communication. Eligibility for this funding opportunity is restricted to Federally recognized Indian Tribes (as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(14)), Tribal organizations (as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(26)), and Urban Indian organizations (as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(29)). Urban Indian organizations must provide proof of nonprofit status, and Tribal or Tribal Organization applicants must provide signed Tribal Resolutions or equivalent documentation. Applicants must also provide ambulatory care clinical services either directly or through coordination with an ambulatory care clinic and must submit a letter of support if they are not providing these services directly. Individuals, sole proprietorships, and foreign organizations are not eligible, and concurrent projects under this program are not funded. The application process requires registration with both SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 1, 2025. Required documents include a project abstract, project narrative, budget narrative, and various attachments such as Tribal Resolutions, a Driver Diagram, a work plan, an evaluation plan, proof of nonprofit status, an indirect cost agreement (if applicable), biographical sketches of key personnel, letters of support, and audit documentation. The project narrative is limited to 10 pages, and the budget narrative is limited to 5 pages. Applications are reviewed for completeness and responsiveness before moving to the merit review phase. The evaluation criteria include introduction and need for assistance (25 points), project objectives and work plan (25 points), program evaluation (25 points), organizational capabilities and key personnel (15 points), and budget narrative (10 points). Award notices are expected to be issued by September 1, 2025, with an anticipated earliest start date also of September 1, 2025. Key contacts include Dr. Jolie Crowder, National Elder Services Consultant, who can be reached at jolie.crowder@ihs.gov, and the general grants management contact at DGM@ihs.gov. More detailed support and reference links are provided in the NOFO. The program is authorized under several statutes including the Snyder Act, the Transfer Act, and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. There are no cost-sharing requirements for this opportunity.

Applicants should demonstrate capacity across at least two dementia care drivers; build a sustainability plan; prepare for IHS collaboration during and after award.