Projects of National Significance: Health Equity

The "Projects of National Significance: Health Equity" initiative is a forthcoming funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically through the Administration for Community Living (ACL). This opportunity is structured as a discretionary grant issued via cooperative agreements and administered under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Its focus is to advance health equity for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and their families by facilitating full inclusion and participation in all aspects of community life. This grant initiative is designed to address systemic disparities and promote policy changes that improve the lived experience of people with ID/DD. Projects supported under this announcement will be required to align with performance measures that evaluate both outcomes and outputs. These measures include the number of policies changed to benefit individuals with ID/DD, the extent of community and individual involvement in policy advocacy, the creation and dissemination of policy-related products, and increases in leadership and advocacy roles assumed by individuals with disabilities and their families. Additional performance metrics track the expansion of knowledge on available supports and the creation and distribution of data resources to support equitable access to care and inclusion. Eligible applicants for this grant opportunity include a wide range of governmental and nonprofit organizations. Specifically, applicants may include county and city governments, state governments, Native American tribal governments and organizations, special district governments, public housing authorities, educational institutions (both public and private), and nonprofit entities regardless of 501(c)(3) status, excluding foreign entities. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are also encouraged to apply. The total estimated funding available for this opportunity is $1,875,000, with expected awards ranging from a minimum of $300,000 to a maximum of $375,000. The ACL anticipates issuing approximately five awards. Importantly, there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement associated with this grant, reducing the financial burden for applicants. The cooperative agreement structure indicates a substantial federal involvement in project implementation and oversight. As of August 1, 2024, this grant is in a forecasted stage, with an anticipated funding opportunity post date of May 30, 2025. The estimated application deadline is July 30, 2025. Awards are expected to be issued by August 29, 2025, with funded projects slated to begin by September 1, 2025. At this stage, there are no preliminary submission requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers. There are also no posted details regarding application questions or processing time at this time. Interested applicants may access more information and updates through the ACL’s grants webpage at https://acl.gov/grants/open-opportunities. For direct inquiries, the primary contact is Larissa Crossen, who can be reached at (202) 795-7333 or via email at larissa.crossen@acl.hhs.gov.