State Health Insurance Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center (SHIP TAC)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), has announced funding opportunity HHS-2025-ACL-CIP-SATC-0021 for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center (SHIP TAC). The SHIP TAC initiative is intended to support and enhance the delivery of accurate, objective, and comprehensive health insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. This grant aligns with ACL’s mission to support individuals with disabilities and older adults in maintaining their independence and health through access to information and services. The SHIP program, authorized under Section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, operates across all U.S. states and territories through 54 SHIP grants. SHIPs provide in-depth assistance beyond what is available through 1-800-MEDICARE or Medicare.gov. The SHIP TAC will serve as a national technical assistance provider to all SHIP grantees. The funding opportunity is for a single cooperative agreement valued at up to $1,500,000 annually for a three-year project period, subject to availability of funds. The cooperative agreement will allow ACL to be actively involved in project oversight and performance evaluation. The SHIP TAC will be responsible for delivering support in four key thematic areas: Team Member and Beneficiary Education, Workforce Development, Operational Excellence, and Innovation and Partnership. Responsibilities include training and certification support, development of educational materials, subject matter expertise on Medicare and Medicaid, a secure and user-friendly resource website, and communication tools. It will also manage and support use of SHIP’s national data system (STARS), the Medigap Plan Comparison Tool, and a learning management and certification system for SHIP team members. Applicants must be domestic public or private non-profit entities including state and local governments, tribal organizations, hospitals, institutions of higher education, and community- or faith-based organizations. The successful applicant must demonstrate extensive knowledge of SHIP, experience working with aging service networks, and expertise in training, volunteer and risk management, and data systems. There is no matching requirement for this opportunity, although voluntary contributions are allowed and will be held to award compliance if accepted. Applications are due electronically by July 30, 2025, through Grants.gov, with an optional letter of intent due by July 10, 2025. The anticipated project start date is September 1, 2025. The application package must include a detailed project narrative, work plan, budget justification, organizational capability statements, and letters of commitment. ACL strongly encourages early submission and will only consider applications received on time with all required components. The review process includes both administrative screening and merit review, with evaluation criteria focused on project relevance, approach, budget justification, projected impact, and organizational capacity. For more information, prospective applicants may contact Melissa Simpson at the ACL Center for Innovation and Partnership. She can be reached at Melissa.Simpson@acl.hhs.gov or (202) 795-7314. Additional guidance is available on Grants.gov and the ACL website, and applicants must ensure they are registered in SAM.gov to apply.

Applicants are encouraged to submit applications early and ensure SAM.gov registration is up to date.