Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Program Enhancement Grants

The Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Program Enhancement Grants, administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offers funding to eligible state agencies to improve access to and quality of respite care services. Enacted in 2006 under Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act and reauthorized in 2020, this federal initiative aims to build coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care for family caregivers. Respite care is a key component of long-term services and supports, serving family caregivers of individuals across all ages, disabilities, and chronic conditions. These services may be either planned or emergency-based and are intended to relieve the burden on family caregivers and enhance the health and stability of caregiving families. The primary goal of this grant opportunity is to enable states to implement or enhance their Lifespan Respite Care Programs by expanding services, strengthening collaborations, improving access and coordination, reducing service gaps, and promoting quality improvement. Applicants are expected to integrate relevant components of the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers into their project design and execution. The program requires direct service provision and supports activities like respite provider training, system development, stakeholder collaboration, and performance measurement. Strong applications will also address workforce development, sustainability planning, and data-driven evaluation approaches. Projects must be developed collaboratively with state respite coalitions or organizations, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with these entities is required at the time of application. The program expects to award up to seven cooperative agreements for a total funding pool of $2,466,000. Individual awards will range between $200,000 and $400,000 per 12-month budget period, over a total project period of three years (36 months). The cooperative agreement funding mechanism implies substantial involvement by ACL in project implementation, including assistance with planning, evaluation, technical assistance, and performance reporting. Cost sharing is required, with applicants expected to contribute 25% of the total project cost through cash or in-kind resources. Funds may be used for new or expanded activities but must not supplant existing state, federal, or local funding for respite services. Eligible applicants include state agencies that either administer the State’s Older Americans Act programs, administer the Medicaid program under Title XIX, or are designated by the Governor to administer state respite programs. Only one application per state may be funded, and priority will be given to states without an active grant. Agencies proposing to serve as a conduit for another organization to lead the project will be deemed ineligible. Projects must be carried out in partnership with the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Center or No Wrong Door System and the statewide respite coalition or organization. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by August 15, 2025. A letter of intent is requested but not required and must also be submitted by August 15, 2025. All application materials, including a 30-page narrative, detailed work plan, budget justification for all three years, MoU, and letters of commitment, must be submitted by the deadline. Applicants must also ensure active registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Proposals will be evaluated by an independent review panel based on project relevance and need, approach, coordination, work plan, budget justification, project impact, sustainability, evaluation, dissemination, and organizational capability. ACL expects to announce award decisions prior to the anticipated start date of September 1, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to participate in technical assistance efforts and attend the annual National Respite Conference to strengthen program implementation. For inquiries, applicants may contact Project Officer Kari Benson at aoa.oaa@acl.hhs.gov or Grants Management Specialist Rasheed Williams at 202-401-5481.

Submit early to avoid Grants.gov delays. Use the National Caregiver Strategy and ARCH TA Center resources. Cite all sources.