Advancing Whole-Person Health: Enhancing Networks of Community-Based Aging and Disability Organizations to Improve Access to Long-Term Services and Supports

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), has forecasted a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity for fiscal year 2026 titled “Advancing Whole-Person Health: Enhancing Networks of Community-Based Aging and Disability Organizations to Improve Access to Long-Term Services and Supports.” This initiative is aligned with ACL’s mission to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults and people with disabilities by investing in scalable, community-based infrastructure solutions. The opportunity builds on existing federal priorities to strengthen the No Wrong Door System and broaden access to long-term services and supports (LTSS). The purpose of the program is to support a regional community care hub scaling strategy that expands access to LTSS for older adults and individuals with disabilities. The awardee will be expected to partner with ACL in the development and support of approximately three advanced regional community care hubs. These hubs will act as “super hubs,” serving as anchors to build shared infrastructure and align with existing community-based aging and disability organizations. A key part of the scope includes expanding infrastructure to support partnerships with healthcare payers and providers to streamline access to LTSS through care coordination, care transitions, and evidence-based health promotion programs. Funding for this program is expected to total $3,800,000, with one award anticipated. The award ceiling is $3,800,000 and the award floor is $3,300,000. The project will have a three-year duration, beginning September 1, 2026. Funds are designated to support organizational infrastructure, scaling strategies, technical assistance to community hubs, and alignment with healthcare systems, consistent with ACL’s objectives. Cost sharing or matching requirements are not applicable, making this opportunity fully funded by the federal government. Eligibility for this program is broad among domestic nonprofit and government entities, including state, county, city, township, and special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations regardless of 501(c)(3) status. Hospitals, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations are also eligible. However, foreign entities are not eligible to compete or receive awards. This ensures that funding strengthens domestic community-based networks across the United States. The estimated post date for the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is April 1, 2026, with applications due May 31, 2026. The award date and project start date are both anticipated for September 1, 2026. No pre-application deadlines, such as letters of intent, are mentioned in the forecast. Applicants should plan to submit full applications by the stated deadline once the NOFO is officially posted. Rolling or recurring submission is not indicated; this forecast reflects a specific upcoming cycle. The opportunity is currently listed as forecasted, meaning applications are not yet being accepted but will be once the NOFO is released. Grantor contact for this opportunity is Lauren Solkowski, who may be reached by phone at 202-795-7440. No government email address is provided in the forecast notice. Interested applicants are advised to monitor the ACL grants page for updates and the release of the official NOFO at https://acl.gov/grants/open-opportunities. Since the opportunity is still in forecasted status, applicants are encouraged to prepare for early engagement, gather internal alignment, and review organizational capacity to partner with ACL on a large-scale cooperative agreement of this type.