Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Program Enhancement Grants

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Administration for Community Living, has released a forecasted funding opportunity under the Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Program Enhancement Grants. This program is authorized under Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act and the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2020. Its aim is to strengthen and expand existing state-based respite care systems that provide temporary relief to family caregivers of children and adults with disabilities or chronic conditions. The program continues the federal government’s efforts to promote coordinated state-level approaches to respite care by supporting eligible state agencies in collaboration with aging and disability resource centers and statewide respite coalitions. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to enable states that have already received a program enhancement grant to further expand and refine their systems. Funds must be used to supplement, not replace, existing resources. Activities supported through this program may include strengthening partnerships, expanding volunteer respite options, improving training opportunities for respite providers, addressing service gaps through targeted outreach and engagement, and ensuring that caregiver support strategies address all populations, regardless of age, disability, or chronic condition. The overall goal is to scale capacity and improve equitable access to respite care services for diverse caregiving families. The funding instrument for this opportunity is a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients will work closely with the Administration for Community Living to implement required programmatic and reporting elements. Selected awardees will also be responsible for meeting the data collection and reporting obligations established in Section 2904 of the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2020. These reporting requirements ensure accountability and help measure the effectiveness of funded activities at the state level. The program anticipates approximately ten cooperative agreements being made available during fiscal year 2026. Awards are expected to range from $300,000 to $500,000 per recipient, with a total estimated funding pool of $5,000,000. States must provide cost sharing or matching contributions, as required by the authorizing legislation, though the notice does not specify the exact percentage or amount. The project period for these awards is three years, beginning September 1, 2026, with funds intended to enhance and expand existing state respite care systems over that period. Eligibility for this opportunity is restricted to state government agencies that administer programs under the Older Americans Act or Medicaid, or those designated by a Governor to administer the state’s respite program. The eligible state agency must either be, or work with, an Aging and Disability Resource Center/No Wrong Door system and must demonstrate collaboration with a statewide respite coalition or similar nonprofit entity. Foreign entities are not eligible for this competition. These restrictions ensure alignment with the statutory requirements and guarantee that the funded activities are embedded within state-level systems. The estimated timeline for this competition indicates that the funding notice will be formally posted on March 1, 2026, with applications due by May 31, 2026. Awards are projected to be announced on September 1, 2026, with the project period starting immediately thereafter. The opportunity is currently in forecast stage, meaning that details may be updated prior to the official posting. Interested applicants are advised to monitor the Administration for Community Living’s grant announcements page for updates and final requirements. For further information, applicants may contact Emily Anozie at 202-795-7347. No email address was provided in the forecasted notice.